The Perfect Gift

I

On The Road Again

It was very late in the night. The moon had long since reached its peak in the clear sky. In fact, Alvin watched it rise and fall. He sat eerily still on the patio of the hotel Dave had booked for them, looking out at nothing in particular. He sat only in his boxers on this unusually warm autumn night.

Sighing to himself, Alvin switched his position to make himself a little more comfortable. The Chipmunks were only three weeks into their world tour and not only was he physically drained, he was emotionally spent too. Both groups knew they were touring again soon after the completion of the album, but what two of the members had not counted on was falling for one another. Just as they started going out and being near each other on a constant basis they were torn apart, each group traveling to opposite ends of the world.

Sure they could call one another from the hotels they were in–– and it was never a long conversation, the rates were outlandish. Besides, a phone conversation wasn't the same as being face to face. One and a half months to go… how was he ever going to make it?

They wouldn't even get to spend Christmas together.

That was the day they were going to let their families know they were officially together–– and then a brief moment out of their world of ecstasy remembered about the tour engagement. It wouldn't be the same telling the news when they couldn't all be with their loved ones. He had to do something… but what? Alvin gave that a thought for some minutes before it finally dawned on him. A song!

A smile crossed his face. An actual, genuine smile! He quietly made his way to his bedside table and picked up a small red notebook and carried it back to the patio. As soon as he sat and pulled up the first blank page the words just poured out. With every ounce of his heart and soul he filled up the page with verses, alternating rhyme schemes, every new thing that came to mind.

When dawn came he had five full pages of possible lyrics–– he only wanted a song that lasted a few minutes, not one that was a few hours. The sun was just hitting the horizon when he decided he was too sleepy to continue. Alvin wanted to be fully awake while he cut and pasted it all together. He just hoped he was as good a songwriter as Dave.

Around noon, Alvin woke to the smell of a freshly cooked lunch coming from the small kitchen of the hotel suite. He stretched for a moment and let his eyes grow accustomed to the light, picked up his notebook, and padded toward the breakfast table. Simon and Theodore were already halfway through their respective meals.

"You guys couldn't wake me up in time for lunch?" Alvin asked. He took out his notebook and rifled through the pages.

"We're not your personal alarm clocks, Alvin." Simon replied, not taking his eyes off the newspaper to his right.

"Besides," Theodore chimed in. "We tried for an hour to get you up. Don't you remember?"

"Nope."

"You must've been exhausted, I've had easier times getting you out of bed for school." Dave chuckled, bringing in his and Alvin's plate. He sat beside them to eat.

"I would be too, if I stayed up 'til dawn." Simon casually stated, eyes now lifting from the paper. He knew something was up with his brother ever since the tour started–– no, even before that. Alvin was hiding something, he knew it. Whatever it was certainly had to be what kept him awake late at night. When he wasn't on stage or with his family, Alvin was practically a zombie. There was no way his older brother would talk about it alone… but confronted in a group, he was bound to spill.

"Is this true, Alvin?" Dave asked. "Late night monster movies again?"

"No, as a matter of fact." Alvin said, a little annoyed with the accusation. "I just couldn't sleep, so I stayed up writing songs until I fell asleep."

Dave, Theodore, and Simon stopped what they were doing simultaneously, all turning to Alvin.

"You wrote a song?" Simon raised an eyebrow.

"That's great, Alvin!" Dave praised.

"Can I read it?" Theodore grabbed for the notebook.

Alvin scooped up the paper and clutched it to his chest. "NO!… I mean… Not right now, I haven't finished it yet."

"How much have you gotten down, Alvin?" Dave questioned, highly interested that his oldest son would take to writing. "A couple verses… choruses?"

"Umm… Five pages."

"Five pages!?" Simon practically shouted.

"Well… They're just ideas. I'm choosing the best lines to use out of all of them. I want this to be special."

"What's the occasion?" Dave asked, his eyes gleaming.

Alvin didn't have to think long at all for an excuse. Without missing a beat he said, "Just a surprise piece for our televised concert performance on the tour, Dave."

"That'll certainly be a treat. Is there anything we can help you with?"

"Actually, yes there is." Alvin replied after a moment's thought. "Could you all write some music to go along with the lyrics? But, I'd like to keep the lyrics a secret."

"Sure!" Theodore exclaimed, always willing to lend a hand.

"I'm in." Simon nodded. This will be very interesting indeed, he didn't say aloud.

"Alright, it's settled then. Alvin you do what you can with the lyrics; your brothers and I will work on different tracks and we'll let you pick from the best ones."

"Thanks you guys!" Alvin jumped from his seat and gave Dave a hug.

It was different, and odd, Alvin's brothers thought. Ever since Alvin hit puberty he outgrew hugging and all that 'baby' stuff. Whatever he had planned out was definitely big.

I'm gonna find out exactly what 'it' is, Simon said to himself. Even though Alvin had matured–– slightly–– over the years, there was always a catch to his ideas.