Page 125 of Eye of the Hurricane
“My family does Christmas Eve, so I’ll be here all day,” Ravyn says.
“I’ll leave around noon to go to my parents’ house then I’ll be back for dinner,” Beck adds.
“My family couldn’t make it out here and I couldn’t make it out there. So I’ll be here all day too,” Sebastian tells us.
I notice that they all have families waiting for them somewhere, even if they’re not seeing them today. It’s salt in thewound that this is the first year I wasn’t even invited to Christmas.
I’m not even sure I’d want to go if I was. I mean, I could easily reach out to my mom and apologize for the way things happened after the wedding. But I don’t feel sorry. I feel wronged.
I think if it were up to my father and brother, I’d be there. It’s not though. She takes control of everything and bosses everyone around. She’s a bully and I’m too fucking old and smart to be bullied.
“My mom is working today,” Audra says. All eyes are on me and I realize I’m the only one who hasn’t given my agenda for the day. Roman and Ares are already with their parents.
“Oh—um…” I clear my throat, buying myself time to find the words I’m looking for. I decide to go the transparent route because well… This is my family. “I wasn’t invited to my family’s Christmas this year. My mother and I had a falling out because she thinks I should give up the silly idea of being a woman in the athletics field and settle down to be a housewife.”Okay… Maybe too transparent. Still, it feels good to get it off my chest.
“Your mom sounds like she sucks,” Sebastian remarks. A laugh tumbles out of me with ease.
“Yeah. That might be an understatement.”
“Let’s not talk about the family we aren’t seeing today. This is a family too and you were invited to this one,” Audra adds.
“Let’s do gifts!” Allison announces as she walks into the room. Ken follows closely behind her. They’re also dressed in matching pajamas. Theirs are striped with red, white, and green. They look like candy canes.
“I have to grab mine out of my car,” I say. Ares slides out from under me, leaving me in his spot on the couch.
“I’ll get them,” Ares offers and walks out of the room. A few moments later he returns with a bag full of gifts.
“Who’s opening first?” Allison asks and before I can process the question, everyone has said ‘not it’ but me. I see this is a tradition that I wasn’t prepared for.
“I guess that leaves me. I don’t mind going first.” I shrug. Allison hands me a small box that’s wrapped in red sparkling paper. It’s addressed to me and from Allison and Ken.
I pop open the wrapping paper and the tape on the box. When I move the tissue paper to the side all I can see is silver sequins shimmering in the Christmas tree light. I can’t tell what it is though.
So I pull it out of it’s box. It’s a fully sequined silver dress. One sleeve is full length and the other is sleeveless. It looks like it’ll fit me and be about mid-thigh length.
“I love it! I even have the perfect heels for this,” I gush.
“I’m sure you do,” she laughs. “I know you wear so many dresses you have to need new ones eventually. I thought it would be good for New Year’s.”
“It’ll be perfect for New Year’s. Thank you again.”
“We’re going around the room now. Ares, you’re next,” Ken tells him. Allison hands him a box that’s labeled ‘from mom and dad’. Inside of the box is a brand-new set of paint brushes. I’m sure he gets painting supplies every year.
We make a few rounds around the room before everyone has opened their gifts from Allison and Ken. I have so much respect for the love they show to the friends of their children. I think they might show more genuine love to their kids’ friends than my parents do to their real kids.
Everyone is all smiles and ‘thank you’s. Audra has pulledthe shark-printed hoodie they got her over her pajamas. She doesn’t match a bit but looks so comfortable it doesn’t matter.
I watch each person open their gifts and Ares rubs mindless circles on my hand with his thumb. It’s a constant comforting reminder that he’s here with me. Even when I don’t have his attention, I feel like I still have it.
“Okay, gifts now!” Audra announces, standing from her seat and walking over to a pile of gifts that I assume belong to her. “You first,” she says handing me a little bag. The bag is painted to look like penguins tobogganing down a snowy hill. The snowy parts of the bag leave white glitter all over my hands and my dress.
I reach into the bag and inside is an envelope. When I open it, there’s a matching penguin card inside. I open the card to find a long written note inside.
Katherine,
I don’t know if I want to thank you on my behalf or Ares’ first. I suppose I’ll start with myself. Since you helped me find the courage to file the report and get the restraining order, my life has felt the closest to normal it’s felt in years. There’s a sense of peace and safety that I thought was lost forever. You were another blaring reminder that everything is less heavy when you have a community to lean on. Thank you for helping me seal that chapter of my life away.
And Ares. My very best friend (don’t tell Ravyn), and the closest thing to a brother I’ll everhave. Thank you for taking a chance on him despite this plan that I’ve had to hear him whine about for years. I’ve never seen him so happy and full of life. It shows in his art. Thank you for loving him. I hope one day we’ll be sister-in-laws.
