December:
Everything started slowly at the beginning of the month. When she wasn’t working at the body shop. She was working in the storage shed fixing bikes and trying to get as many of them as possible done. She was planning on donating some of the bicycles to Toys for Tots.

Between the bicycles, she bought at the thrift stores, yard sales, and the ones she got from Amsterdam. She manages to get fifty bicycles ready. She was donating ten bicycles to Toys for Tots. She made sure they looked like they had just come out of the box. She had orders for the other bicycles and the rest she sold online.

About mid-December, she goes shopping to get Christmas gifts for her family and Billy and his family as well. This was the first Christmas that was turning out nice for her. Last year, Christmas wasn’t that good. Her uncle didn’t buy her anything and came home drunk.

This Christmas was different, and she was going to enjoy it. Artemis learns how to make Christmas cookies with her mother and aunt. She always enjoys the time she spends with her mother and aunt.

Finding Christmas gifts for her mother was the easiest. Her mother enjoyed a lot of different things. She loved automotive tools and specialized body powder and deodorant. Her aunt on the other hand was the hardest person to shop for. If she wanted something, she would normally go and buy it. However, Artemis knew her aunt loved old fashion vinyl records.

She asked her one time, why she loved old vinyl records. The answer she got from her aunt was, she loved the sound the vinyl made when you played it. Her aunt loved certain artists or groups and Artemis always kept a list of those people.

Around mid-day, she meets up with Billy to have lunch together. They were still seeing each other after the winter dance. She smiles at him when she spots him over at his favorite video store. He loved movies and the store sold a lot of hard-to-find and Hentai anime.

Billy spots Artemis walking towards him and the bags she had in her hands. He also noticed that she was wearing a pair of leggings and a red shirt that had Santa’s face on the front of it. A smile appears on his face as she gets closer to him.

“You look like you have been busy.”

“You know how it is. Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year. I thought you would be working today?” Artemis was happy to see Billy.

“My boss gave me the day off so I can get some of my shopping done. It also helped, that we finished up the job last night.” Billy was happy they finished up their latest job early.

“That’s always good.” Artemis knew Billy worked hard and enjoyed what he did.

“So, are you still planning to come over on Christmas day?” Artemis was told she could invite Billy over on Christmas day.

“Only if you come on Christmas Eve. My parents would love for you to come.” Billy knew his parents thought a lot of Artemis. They didn’t know a lot of girls her age that had their own business and did what she did.

“I’ll be there, and I picked out the perfect dress to wear.” Artemis visited her aunt's store and bought a nice Christmas-oriented dress with her aunt’s help.

“So, where do you want to grab something to eat?” Billy was feeling hungry.

“How about…” As Artemis looks around and spots a restaurant they haven’t eaten at yet “how about that one?”

Billy looks over towards the restaurant Artemis was pointing at. He knew Artemis liked trying different places and he had to admit, he has been wanting to try it.

“Okay.”

Artemis and Billy walk over to the restaurant. When they walk into the place, they discovered it was an Indian food restaurant.

“I have never had Indian food before.” Artemis couldn’t wait to try it.

“Me neither. This should be interesting.” Billy wonders what it tasted like.

The two of them enjoy the food. Artemis noticed when they were ordering how expensive the food was. She ordered a chicken dish and Billy ordered some sort of jumbo prawns from the grill.

Artemis looks at the prawns on Billy’s plate “what are they?”

“Prawns.” Billy eats one.

“Weird.” Artemis eats her chicken.

After dinner, Billy and Artemis do some more shopping. They hold hands and enjoy each other’s company. Around nine o’clock, Stacy shows up and takes both kids home.

She looks at her niece as they drove towards the house “did you have fun with Billy?”

“Yes ma’am. We tried a new restaurant and did some window shopping.” Artemis watches as they traveled home.

“So, is he coming over on Christmas Eve, or are you going to visit him?” Stacy is curious.

“I’m going over to his place and he is coming over on Christmas day.” Artemis knew her mother had already said it was okay.

Stacy wonders what Roxana thought of this. She’ll ask her when they get home.

“Do you think it’s a bad idea?” Artemis looks at her aunt.

“No, because I have to work late, and I know your mother is going to visit an old friend that night.” Stacy volunteered to close the store on Christmas Eve.

“How come you have to work late?” Artemis knew her aunt always volunteered to cover shifts for the other employees.

“Because the person who was scheduled to close the store, wants to spend time with their family. So, I said I would close for them.”

“Aunt Stacy, you are a nice person for doing that.”

A smile appears on Stacy’s face as she continues to drive.