the ghost of christmas love

ricky

HELLLOOO!!! this one gets a little deep i suppose.

KDHDHA ENJOY!!

i sit down at my desk chair and lean back, thinking about earlier. i don't understand how she can just snap her fingers and take me to my past.

my thoughts are interrupted by my other friend, ej, coming into my office. i look up at him and he takes a seat on one of the chairs in front of my desk.

"what's up?", i ask, sitting upright.

he silently looks at me and i know with that face he's nervous to tell me whatever he came in here to tell me.

"ej spill, what is it?", i ask.

"your sister is here.", he says, "she's downstairs."

i let out a breath, "why?"

he shrugs his shoulders, "you need to talk to her man. there's no reason you should ignore her."

i stand up, "she doesn't shut up about me and christmas and everything else i'm doing wrong! i don't understand why it affects everyone so much!"

ej stands up now too, "maybe because this is supposed to be a happy time of year to bring people together but instead you're pushing people away."

i lick my lips, placing my hands on my hips. i stare at my desk before looking up at him.

"is it urgent?", i ask, slight annoyance in my tone.

he tilts his head back and forth, "she seemed a little flustered."

i walk around my desk and leave my office, heading for the elevators. i ride down until i'm at the lobby and i walk onto the floor. i look around and then see my sister sitting at a small table.

i walk over and sit in front of her. she looks surprised to see me, like she was expecting i wouldn't have come down.

"hey...", she breaths out, stiffening her posture.

i clear my throat, "i'm a little busy uh- what's going on?"

"you remember your niece?", she asks me and i nod.

"yeah grace...how old is she now?", i ask.

"5"

i raise my eyebrows, "wow..."

"yeah you haven't seen her since her second birthday.", she snaps, "i mean where have you been? what has consumed you this much to the point where you don't even see your niece who lives ten minutes away from you, for three years?!"

"i've been working, okay?", i respond.

"do you do anything else besides work? i mean...do you have a girlfriend—"

i cut her off, "no, okay? i don't have a girlfriend and i'm not looking for a girlfriend. why are you here?"

she crosses her arms and her face holds anger with me. i lean back in my seat and wait for her to answer.

"because my husband is sitting in the hospital with my daughter right now and we've been there since yesterday night.", she explains, her voice cracking, "t-they think she has cancer and i could really use my brother right now."

i sit up straighter, slowly, looking at her with sympathy.

"i-i'm sorry...", i say, "is it bad?"

"i don't know yet. they're running more tests.", she quietly says, "but please i need you to start acting like a real brother. mom and dad are gone, they can't help me, so now you're left. you promised them you'd take care of your little sister but all i see is you breaking that promise. i don't care if you hate the holidays, i don't care if you hate christmas, i just need you with me so my holiday season isn't ruined. don't be selfish...please."

i stare at her and i can see the desperation in her eyes. the hurt on her face. i let out a breath of air and bite my lip. i nod my head at her and i see her frown start to turn up with hopefulness.

"thank you.", she says before changing the topic, "so what's been going on with you?"

my mind instantly flashes to that ghost of whatever girl. do i dare try and explain this to her?

"well i'm being visited by a ghost of christmas past, present, and future.", i laugh in disbelief, thinking this whole thing would lighten the mood.

she raises her brows, "that's kinda cool. it's for real? you're not seeing things?"

i shrug, "i have no idea...red seems to believe it."

"i mean...you are kinda a scrooge...", she hesitantly tells me.

"i know i know.", i raise my hands in defense.

"maybe you'll actually like christmas.", she suggests and i shrug, "maybe take it seriously...it could turn your world upside down, for the better of course. there's a lot of things that can happen with one small attitude change."

i nod and let out a breath. i really do love my sister even if it seems like i don't. but since my parents divorced and passed, i've held so much anger and sadness in my heart i just take it out on people. she has a special place in my heart but i've been scared to talk to her, thinking she'd be a lot more angrier. but maybe it's time i change a little...and start being there for her.

i really have no reason to be distant from her. and especially now with the news of her daughter.

i can't just abandon her.