Dear Diary...

Chapter 14

                      ~Mature Content~

   I am woken up with the feeling of a arm wrapped around me and what sounds like a banshee in my ear only known as the excited sequel of a teenage girl named Spencer. "ASH!! I didn't know you were here!!! I'm so excited to see you!! It's Christmas morning lets go open presents!!" She sequels and pulls my arm, nearly yanking it out of the socket.

"Ughhhh thirty more minuets Spencer!" Lux moans pulling a pillow over her face in an attempt to block out the noise. I yawn and rub my eyes before standing to follow the overly peppy teen to the living room. I don't understand how someone can be this happy at 6:30 in the morning...Christmas or not.

I see that I am not the only one who was woken up by the cheerful screams when I see mamma willow and John with tired eyes, coffee in hand, and one unhappy fourteen year old girl basically asleep on the couch. I grab two mugs from the cupboard for Lux and I and pour two steaming cups of hot coffee as Spencer sits next to Lenix and Keith on the floor around the beautifully lit tree.

"Where's Bubba?" I ask noticing I don't see my little buddy anywhere. That earns a laugh from mom as she points down the hall. I look around the corner to see my little man wrapped in a blanket asleep on the hallway floor. "poor thing didn't even make it 5 steps out of his room before laying there and falling right back to sleep. Guess someone tried to wait for Santa." Mom giggles and continues sipping her coffee, signaling for the kids to start opening presents.

I smile and set my coffee down before going to pick up my little man from the floor and carrying him over to the couch and laying him in my lap. He starts to stir and I rub his back putting him right back into dream land. I don't care what anyone says or how old you are. Santa is real. The only reason Santa doesn't come is because you are in a home full of non believers. Why would Santa bring a non believer presents and risk getting a warrant out for his arrest for breaking and entering? Just saying.

Lux stumbles out of her room and glares at her siblings before grabbing her coffee and heading my way. "Mom look what Santa got me!" Keith exclaims with a sparkle in his eye looking at a brand new PS5. "HA! No that's addressed to all you kids Keith. You share it, it's not just yours." Mom says with a matter of fact smile that always makes me giggle.

After about thirty minuets of watching the living room get turned into a wrapping paper and toy disaster the kids rush to hook up their new play station. I hear a chime of a phone and look to see Lux smiling like a sixteen year old girl again. "Shaggy?" I whisper in her ear. She smiles with a slight blush. "Hey mom. I'm gunna go meet up with a friend is that okay?" She asks.

"Lux it's Christmas day and you would rather spend it getting high with a nobody than spend it with your family?" John chimes in rolling his eyes and walking to the kitchen. John truly does mean well. He has a bad way of showing it sometimes and that just pushes Lux's buttons. "Yes Lux we're fine here just please come back for dinner tonight. Ash will you be joining us?" Mom asks.

"Yeah I'll try. I'm not sure exactly if my parents want me there or not, but I doubt I'll be going over there anytime soon." I say with a sigh and mom gives me a soft smile with a hint of sorrow. Lux wasted no time heading to her room to get dressed. I put Bubba down on the couch and stand to follow but I'm stopped shortly after with a hand on my shoulder. "Don't think Santa forgot about you." mom says and hands me a basket with the fluffiest white blanket I have ever seen and a note tied to it that reads "TO: Ashton FROM: Santa" in moms handwriting. I give her a big hug and thank you before walking into Lux's room.

As I watch Lux put on her makeup I hear my phone ding. "Come over. I have a present for you -Scooter" I text him back telling him to give me ten before putting my phone away. I remove the pajamas Lux let me borrow last night, and throw on a gray tank top and some black leggings that do my ass justice. "I'm assuming you don't want me there for whatever you and Shaggy are doing so I'm going over to Xaviers. I'll see you tonight probably?" I start sliding on my boots. "Yeah! I'll see you tonight!" She says and kisses my cheek before I head out the door and down the familiar road.