All This and $10 on 2

The Charlie Browniest

Fall was slowly relinquishing its hold of the wondrous sights and smells that made up Brandon’s favorite season; giving way to winter’s icy grip which inevitably paved the way for the looming holiday season. Brandon’s favorite holiday was Thanksgiving, but Christmas had been bothering him immensely for several years now. For as long as Austin had known Brandon, he had always taken delight in aiming as many Charlie Brown references at Brandon as was possible between the day after Thanksgiving through the entire month of December.

Lauren loved everything about the holiday season. From Thanksgiving all throughout Christmas was always her favorite time of year. Even the cold didn’t bother as much; Lauren felt that it added to the joyous mood, encouraging loved ones to huddle together to share warmth. Lauren was especially looking forward to this holiday season for that very reason. Not that Lauren felt she needed to justify snuggling next to her boyfriend; it was just that Brandon was always so hot to the touch. It had actually alarmed her at first, thinking that he was perpetually running a fever, or something. Once Brandon, Austin, Michele and finally Brandon’s own mother had completely assured her that wasn’t the case, Lauren had started referring to Brandon lovingly as her ‘Polar Bear’.

Lauren was also looking forward to this particular holiday season as this would be the first time that she had a ‘real’ steady boyfriend for the season. If she was to be honest with herself, Lauren felt that she had found her ever-after with Brandon. She also knew that Brandon had those same feelings for her as well. However, Lauren was reluctant to let her imagination take off on flights of fancy that included a future with Brandon; no matter how badly she wanted to. Given Lauren’s only other personal experience with ever-afters, her parents had been madly in love when they were Lauren and Bandon’s age but ended up divorcing. Lauren couldn’t help, though, how Brandon made her feel. Every time he smiled at her, every time he held her in his arms; it just felt so… right. Even her mother had mentioned to her how she was slightly jealous of the relationship they had. Michele even once told Lauren, in the ‘strictest confidence’, that Brandon had always been a good guy, but since they’ve been together, Brandon was turning into a good man.

As the days marched along, inching closer to Christmas, Brandon had started to withdraw into himself more and more. He was becoming stand-offish with just about everyone except Lauren. Michele had tried to assure Lauren that she had known Brandon since the seventh grade and he always did that and always came out of it after Christmas was over. However, Lauren still had a nagging feeling that all was not well, although she couldn’t be certain that it was something she was feeling from Brandon or from her own inhibitions. Lauren silently prayed that it was the latter.

“Did he ever tell you why?” Lauren asked Michele as the two sat down together at lunch a week before the winter break.

Michele smiled sadly at Lauren as she opened her can of soda and picked up her fork, “No. I know that he hates Christmas, but he never wants to talk about why. He might tell you, though.”

Lauren looked at Michele and Austin, who had again appeared out of nowhere and was now face-deep in another ‘Austin Special’. “Haven’t you guys known him longer than anyone else? If he never told you or Austin, why would he tell me?”

Michele smiled and shook her head patiently in a very motherly way; confirming, once again, Lauren’s belief that Michele will make an excellent mother someday. “Brandon is different with you. If you haven’t noticed,” Michele stopped to take a small fork-full of spaghetti, “you’re the only one he hasn’t been short with or snapped at since Thanksgiving.” Michele nodded surreptitiously at Ashley, “He drove she-devil nuts last year, which lead to a huge blowout between them and their break-up.” Picking up her soda, Michele added with a tone of what Lauren felt was motherly pride, “Second-best decision he ever made, if you ask me.” She winked at Lauren, indicating her opinion of what she thought Brandon’s best decision was. “She’s still broken up about it, to tell the truth. She’ll never admit it, but she’s insanely jealous of you.” She took a long swallow and said much quieter as Lola sat down next to Michele. The two girls were now openly dating and their friends could not have been happier for them. “…and so am I.”