Happily Ever Christmas

~Seven~

The day passed in high festive fashion and everyone in my family seemed to like the new stranger among us. Steve Coleman had pretty much charmed the pants off the lot of them by the time we were done having a quick lunch of turkey sandwiches in the kitchen.

They were all deeply moved by the fact that he had no family.

My grandma and aunts took turns grilling him with questions, and if he was anyone else, I would have felt sorry for him.

He told us the overview of his life; he'd been born in Cincinnati, but had been raised in Boston where he had put himself through college to become a defense attorney for juvenile delinquents.

Well, if that wasn't heartwarming, I don't know what was, though I couldn't help but equate that love of children with Santa's own inherent relationship with children.

Seriously, what on Earth was going on?!

*~*~*~*

I finally couldn't take my family fawning all over the guy a moment longer and I stepped off on my own for a break from it all.

As I made my way down the ground floor hallway to the music room, which was usually a safe haven, I heard raised voices coming from inside as I got closer.

It was my parents, I realized as I approached the door. They were arguing already, they had even snuck off together so that they could fight, I could swear they almost enjoyed it, or were addicted to it or something.

Every holiday when they were under the same roof, it was the same. It was to the point where I almost wished neither of them would come, it made it so hard for me to enjoy the holidays, and it certainly made it awkward for everyone else, as well. I hated that my kids got subjugated to the same crap that I had been from my parents, growing up.

Suddenly anger from all the years of injustice overtook me and I opened the door on them to come bursting into the room. "Are you guys seriously fighting? Again. On Christmas Eve?! How selfish are you guys? Can't you just keep it together for one bleeping holiday?!"

Yes, I actually said 'bleeping', I was so upset.

Both my parents froze and gave me that classic deer-in-the-headlights look. It I hadn't been so mad right then, I might've laughed.

"Honey...we're sorry." My mom, Maryellen, said sheepishly. "But we have important matters to discuss right now-"

"No, what's important right now is your family! Why can't you guys just pretend to get along and play nice for one freaking day?! If not for your kids, maybe your grandchildren, before you screw up those relationships, too."

"Pumpkin, come on, don't be like that-" my dad, Carl, coaxed.

Just then, though, my dad's eyes moved past me to something behind me and when I turned around, it was to see Santa Claus standing in the doorway that I had left open behind me.

He smiled politely. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I was just looking for the bathroom, they told me it was this way, but I must've passed it."

"Oh, no, that's alright, we were just on our way to-"

"Go say hello to our grandchildren! My goodness, we haven't even gotten to see them since we arrived!" My father finished for my mother.

"Yes, yes, and we don't see them nearly often enough!" My mother concluded and then they both scurried out of the room to avoid incising my further wrath.

I sighed heavily to watch them go, both of them dressed in chic modern business wear. It was amazing how succinct a team they could make when they wanted to avoid something. Namely their children; particularly me.