Never Let Go

Chapter 30: This Christmas

🦌🎄🎅🦌

The rays of the sun pass through the cluster of white clouds, and snowflakes fall gently from the sky. My body shivers from the icy air, causing my skin to tingle and sting.

Not many people spend their Christmas morning in a graveyard. I imagine kids would be opening their presents by now and parents would be cooking dinner, but I'm here, staring at my twin brothers headstone.

I breathe in the cold air and see my frosty breath as I exhale. Everyone will be saying Merry Christmas to each other today, but I don't feel merry at all.

I see Michael hasn't had any visitors in a while because the grass is overgrown and there are no flowers. I can't exactly talk, though, because I don't visit as often as I should... but that's because it's hard for me to come here. I know that's a poor excuse...

I bend down and gently place a bunch of flowers on his grave.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

I touch his headstone as a tear rolls down my cheek.

"I miss you." My voice cracks and I bite my lip, trying to hold back the rest of my tears.

I clear my throat and wipe away my tear, trying to compose myself before standing up and brushing the snow off his headstone.

🕊MICHAEL'S POV🕊

"Will you come away from that window?"

I take my hand away from the curtain and turn around, giving Janet a look.

"You've been standing there all morning." She raises her eyebrows and smiles.

"Because he's excited to see his friend." My mother smirks.

"What time is she coming?" Janet asks.

"I don't know." I shake my head.

"Will she be eating with us?" My mother asks as she stands up from the sofa.

"Um, I'm not sure. Maybe."

"Ok, I'll make her a plate anyway, and once you're done stalking, I need you and Janet to help me in the kitchen with the Turkey."

I roll my eyes and Janet giggles as our mother leaves the room.

"Come on, Mike, open your last present from me, well, from me and La Toya."

I sit next to her and she hands me a present wrapped in snowflake wrapping paper. Just by feeling it, I can tell it's clothes.

I tear off the paper slowly and see I was correct in what I was thinking. I hold up the jumper and widen my eyes. It's red, with snowflakes dotted all over it, and In the middle is a reindeer with a red, fluffy nose.

"Oh... wow."

"I thought it was cute. Do you like it? It's red. Your favourite colour." She smiles.

"Yeah... I love it." I nod and show a fake smile. "Thank you."

It's... nice, but, not really my style. And to think I bought her that really expensive perfume she likes... not that I'm being ungrateful or anything. It's sweet of her, but I'm not going to wear this.

"Oh, and it gets better!"

It does?

"Look." She grins.

She reaches over and touches the bottom of the jumper. The reindeers antlers suddenly light up... oh my God.

"Isn't it cute?"