Page 54 of 2204 Hunter Lane
I mean, I sort of did it on purpose but I didn’t expectthatreaction. Girl practically leaped out of her clothes and sprinted like her tail end was on fire.
For a second I caught myself feeling self conscious, but quickly shrugged it off knowing how hard I worked for my body.
If I wasn’t working out at the gym, I was on a hike with Josh. And if I wasn’t hiking with Josh, I was helping my dad on the farm. My entire lifestyle kept me active, which was my justification for drinking all the damn time.Definitely not the healthiest thing to do, but who’s gon’ tell me not to?
Payton told me to dress nice for the Christmas lunch but I wasn’t about to suit up for a small family gathering, so I settled on a black button down and some jeans.
When I made it back to the house, everyone was already helping themselves to a buffet style feast, consisting of potatoes, turkey, stuffing, gravy, the whole fuckin’ nine.
Payton’s sister Betty was gobbling green beans like it was her only source of sustenance while Uncle Glen munched on a turkey leg in the corner of the booth.
My dad and Payton were already chowing down on their food while Bambi sat in a Charlie Brown sweater at the edge of the table, cutting open a baked potato with a knife.
I snagged a chair from beside the oven and pulled it towards the table, settling beside Bambi as I grabbed a plate and piled on the grub.
“What’s with the getup?” I asked, giving her C.B sweater a look down.
She blushed. “Betty talked me into it.”
And I didn’t press any further. That woman was a force to be reckoned with.
The Christmas lunch was pleasant enough. Betty went on about her recent endeavours since living out of a van for the past six months, while Uncle Glen fought off indigestion silently.
Everyone was curious about Bambi’s home life to which she shared very little.Smart girl, Betty and Glen were a couple of yappers.
“You don’t like cranberries?” I asked Bambi, forking some into my mouth.
She glanced up at me and did that thing where she quickly looked away and scrunched her nose.
“Does it not look like organs?”
I almost spat out my food right then and there, choking on a laugh.
“Holy shit,” I wiped my face, covering my mouth with a napkin. “You almost killed me.”
She shrugged, completely unfazed as she returned her attention to the plate of food. “I’m just saying.”
“They don’t look like organs, Bambi. Not even close.”
She spooned some stuffing into her mouth as she leaned in closer, whispering beneath the chatter of the family.
“What’s with Betty and green beans?”
I averted my gaze to Betty’s hand which held a freshly open can of those slimy vegetables.
“Don’t know, she says they got mad health benefits or somethin’.”
She chuckled, repositioning herself in her seat. “I mean, I think they do. But eating anything in excess can’t be good for you.”
In that moment, Payton returned from the kitchen carrying a tray of peppermint bark, placing it in the center of the table.
“Glen,” she directed, “now you may try it.”
Uncle Glen howled as he patted his stomach, rubbing up and down the buttons of his shirt. “Already did, darlin’. Snagged a couple bites when you weren’t lookin.”
My dad chuckled, shaking his head downwards as Payton threw Uncle Glen a death stare.
“If looks could kill.” Bambi piped from my end of the table, baring her swan white teeth in laughter.
