Neighbor Wars

December- Part 2

“Marley, is this present form you.” Marry says, pulling my present from under the Dirthday tree. In reality, it’s just the Christmas tree, but since it's December and it’s just easier for us to do it this way. 

“Yep, that's mine. I think you’ll like it.” I say, but before I know it the present is open. And Marry is already examining. 

“Marley, I love it. It’s from Christmas, and it has a pretty pink frame, and look it’s Alex.” I smile to myself from my seat on the couch.  Her little excited face makes my slight doubts that a little girl will like a framed photo, but I guess it works. 

“What do you say?” Aunt Rita says from her place on the couch. 

“Thank You Marley!” But she’s already on to the next present. 

For the next ten minutes we all sit on the couch or chair watching Marry open up her presents. She seems almost hardwired or electrified when she pulls at all the paper or tissue paper in the bags, truly embracing that saying, ‘We’re not saving the paper’. I wonder if all kids do that when opening presents. Not caring how much struggle someone might have put into considering what paper to use or what to do. Of course there is the pile of cards on the coffee table, with wonderful things written on them, but she didn’t even read them. For an eight year old, she is way too obsessed with money. She keeps her presents close to her, along with the money. 

I am stirred from my thoughts by Alexios falling on top of me from the arm of the chair I am sitting in. It definitely was on purpose by the way he laughs. Mom grabs her camera and I know she catches the one moment I decide to laugh or smile. But seconds later I shove him off of my lap, and he falls on the floor. When he pops up the mischievous smile lets me know this isn’t going to end with him walking away. His mischievous smile is scary now that he is older. 

I barely have time to avoid him when he jumps onto me again. I try to shove him off, but his arms grip hard to the edge of the chair. I yell in protest, still shoving him with all my power, “Get off of me you idiot.”

“Never!” He yells like a child. 

“Marley watches the language.” Mom scolds from her place on the couch. “There are very impressionable youth present and the last thing any of them need is to get in trouble at school for name calling.”

“Whatever,” I shrug off her complaint on my language (where was it when Alexander was my age? When I was the impressionable youth?), “Lex, get your butt out of my face.”

“It wasn’t in your face, but thank you for the idea.” Then he shifts, as I try to squirm again. 

“Ugh, Seriously. Since when were you so heavy.” I protest. 

“Since I had to beef up for football, that's when. You're currently being crushed by 150 pounds of pure muscle. With that I notice a tiny flap on his “ripped abs”, which he has bragged about having multiple times. 

I pinch it, and laugh. In response I hear a yelp, and laugh even harder. Then a hard tug comes at my hair, and I yelp. Someone from behind me sternly states in a hushed tone only both of us can hear, “Last time I checked it is neither of your birthday’s so stop acting like spoiled brats and let Marry open her presents without you two trying to kill each other. You share a room, resume the match later for all I care. Stop it, both of you!” We both immediately stop. It sounds like my Dad, so in fear of punishment we both jump away from each other.

To my surprise it’s only Alexander behind us. Who knew he could be so intimidating? He smiles a little with how stupid our faces probably look. I turn and notice Marry hasn’t seemed to care about her brother and cousin fighting. She’s on her last present, and opens it to find yet another Barbie.