20 Questions

Chapter 2

Fast forward five years into our future. Things have happened, some good and some bad. Jansen and I remain close for the majority of these years. But something changed, a change that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

We graduated from high school and the next couple years were fun. I went to college to become a nurse. College never was Jansen's thing. He had odd and end jobs, but nothing we would call a career. I worried about his lack of direction and motivation, but his warm smile would make me forget and get off his case. The one constant was Christmas. We always had Christmas. Every Christmas Eve was magical. We spent the evening with family, happy and laughing and watching home videos. I laughed at what a shit he was as a child, infuriating and charming all at the same time. I couldn't wait for our kids grow up together, being just as close as we were. I longed to take home videos of our kids opening presents together and enjoying the magic of the season.

Christmas Eve was one of the only days out of the year that I would dress up. It was a tradition I always had for myself. I change into a silver sequin dress and some red tights. I slap on some red lipstick, a color that I wouldn't normally wear as it was a little flashy for me. My wardrobe usually consists of scrubs when I am working in the hospital and then jeans, a T-shirt, ball cap and tennis shoes at home. Christmas was special so I made an exception. I slip on my silver shoes and curl my hair to complete the look.

When I arrive at my family's house, Jansen is already there. He is in the middle of the room, telling some story with extravagant detail, everyone in the room captivated by the content and delivery. That is norm for him as people are just drawn to his natural animation. I walk in and he looks over and smiles at me. I dare not interrupt the story he is in the middle of telling as his arms flail around like he's drowning and doesn't realize he can just stand up the wading pool. I steal a candy cane off of the tree, sit down on the couch and start to unwrap it. I'm enjoying the story when Jansen turns around to find me. He stops mid-sentence, his eyes catch the red and white stick in my hand and I see the look of horror on his face. I twirl it around my fingers and he knows shit's about to go down. I clear my throat and begin the story that I have been holding onto for just the right occasion.

"What?" I innocently ask. "Remind you of something, my friend? Remember that night because I sure do?" He blushes slightly, but he knows that I am not about to stop. I have been patiently waiting for just the right time to break out this little gem. I face Jansen and my family and proceed. "So there we were...Jansen and I head out to Tony's for the night so this fool can murder some karaoke. We maneuver our way through the crowd and I walk up to the bar to get a drink, Jansen not far behind me. I am waiting for my drink when some creep walks over and refuses to stop hitting on me. I'm about the lay this guy out on the floor when my knight in shining hair gel comes over and asks me if everything is ok. The guy apologizes to Jansen saying that he didn't know I was taken and leaves. Jansen disappears after that for, like, ever. That is until I hear the familiar melody of Bob Segar's Turn the Page come on and I know exactly how dreadful my night is about to become."

"Dreadful? Ouch. That's a little extreme," he says in his defense. "I think you mean mind-blowing."

"I think I know what I mean," I deadpan. "And the only thing blowing was the wind through the busted windows. You attempted notes in that song that made me question if your balls have dropped yet."

"I was like the Mariah Carey of southern Indiana with those notes," he smiles with his head held high.

Delusional, that one.

I roll my eyes and point to him with my thumb, "Boy Wonder over here is on stage screaming the lyrics like they would get more in tune with the volume adjustment. When he finishes the massacred song, he takes his bow and vanishes into the crowd."

"I had autographs to sign and groupies to mingle with." He shrugs, refusing to let anyone downplay his rock star dreams.

"Mmmmhmm. A while later, I'm ready to leave and can't find Mr. Personality anywhere. I finally spot his big head across the room and cut my way through the crowd to retrieve him. What I saw next about made me disown him. He had his tongue jammed down the throat of the most unfortunate girl I have ever seen. I wasn't aware that beer goggles could be that thick. He turns around and introduces me. 'Jen, this is Candy. She's my beautiful candy cane.' It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. It was my turn to save him so I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the bar before he decided to procreate with Shrek."

"Not one of my finest moments," he says as he looks at the ground and shakes his head.

The evening carried on, our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins enjoying our natural and wildly amusing banter. We were a comedy show, Jansen and me. He was my person, I was his and everyone who knew us could see the unbreakable bond we had formed throughout our lives.

"All the grandkids line up on the stairs so I can get a picture," I hear my mom say as the night was coming to an end, our younger cousins desperate to get their parents out of there so they could prepare for Santa's upcoming rooftop landings. There's only so long you can hold off the littles when it came to presents in the wee hours of the morning.

I stand next to Jansen, his arm around my shoulder. We were cousins, buddies, best friends...inseparable.

He was happy, I was happy.

The lights on the Christmas tree were bright and so was our future.

Little did I know this would be our last Christmas together.