Home for the holidays

Chapter three-Ava

As soon as we parked Damien honked the horn to announce our presence. This is something they've always done, they love a dramatic entrance. And that is exactly what they get as my parents come rushing out the house arms open. Except as I get out the car I realise the warm welcome isn't for me but instead for my sister and Damien.

"Wow mum it's not like you saw them an hour ago," I say feeling her glare on me at my words.

"Ava play nice," she responds in that reprimanding tone she's always used.

"Good to see you to mum." I roll my eyes as I grab my suitcase and start heading into the house.

"Hey hun," my dad greets me warmly engulfing me in a hug. He's always been a lot better than my mum like when I came out to him as a lesbian he high-fived me and said he likes girls too. My mom on the other hand isn't as great. To be fair my dad doesn't really comment on anything she says which does reignite my resentment from when I was younger. Letting go of him I smile before heading up the stairs. I know I should've said hi to him but that same feeling of when I was a teenager rose up and I couldn't help but not respond.

Going to the top floor I climb up into my attic bedroom-- this was probably the one thing my parents listened to. When they weren't discussing my sister and all her achievements I was begging my mum for an attic bedroom because it was and still is the coolest part of the house. It also meant that I got to be as far away from them and their bullshit as possible. When I was a kid my sister was always the star, she exceeded in piano and music while I sounded more like a dying bird-- and I mean at any instrument. They tried me on the guitar I spent the first few lessons severely out of tune because I couldn't help but fiddle with the nobs as the end (100% sure that's not the terminology and any guitarist would want me dead for making such a mistake) and in the end I managed to break the strings so... yeah not for me. Then there was the flute I blew into the mouth piece so hard I nearly burst my instructors ear drums and don't even get me started on singing.

Getting my suitcase all the way up into my room I roll it in then quickly run to my bed and faceplant. Childish? Yes but I can't help it being her brings something out of me. I grab my thickest pillow and scream into it creating a muffled noise that no one but me will hear.

"Tired already?" My sister snickers walking up from the doorway.

Slowly I turn my body completely to her hating the way she can sneak up on people, "Shouldn't you be downstairs helping mum?"

"Oh don't be like that I want this Christmas to be good for everyone which means you have to be on your best behavior. It is the babies first Christmas after all," she responds cupping her belly.

"I don't think it really counts as the babies first Christmas if its still in your womb," I remark. Instead of answering she just gestures for me to follow her downstairs. Begrudgingly I get up and follow her back to my own personal hell.

***

Once Stacy and I headed downstairs I immediately see why I was called. On the floor of the living room is an array of Christmas tree decorations. My heart pulls in my chest as I realize that they waited for me to come home to decorate the tree. It has always been my favorite part about Christmas and I'm overwhelmed at the thought of my family doing this for me. It takes me back to when I was eight, I was ill with chicken pox and so itchy all I was able to do was lay in bed and watch Christmas movies. The fact that I wasn't able to help with the tree was probably one of the biggest tantrums of my life. I cried for days-- literally the whole lead up to Christmas day was ruined by my itchy skin and tears.

"We wanted to wait until you got home. I know how much you love decorating the tree," my dad smiles at me seemingly forgetting that I didn't say so much as a hello towards him.

"Thank you!" I can't help but let the excitement radiate my voice as I pace over to all the decorations. There are bursts of colour everywhere, my mom always wanted to have a themed tree but Stacy and I always overruled her by wanting sentimental ornaments. Our dad had agreed with us and well being three against one she couldn't say anything. That doesn't mean that she didn't put mini trees around the house wherever she could with a cohesive theme.

My sister is given the job of untangling the lights because she's been told not to move the heavier objects due to the baby. Which means I get to solely do the best bit. Moving the boxes closer to the tree I seperaite the tree decorations which the room decorations. Thats another thing my dad, sister and I have superiority over we're allowed to have the living room as we want because mom controls the rest of the house. Damien is on drink duty making sure we all have eggnog before he goes and sits with my sister to help her.

We put on the radio blasting the classic Christmas songs. The conversation is light hearted and mostly revolves around my sisters preparation for her baby and if they know the sex yet (she's said multiple times she does know but wants it to be a surprise) so instead my mom tries to fish for potential names to which my sister says ones they haven't chose. My family is also becoming more bearable with each eggnog I have, my sister is having nonalcoholic ones but my mom said it wasn't Christmas for her without her having proper eggnog. To me eggnog is eggnog but the one with the alcohol does take off the edge from my family.

***

The tree is all decorated and by the time it was done it was time for dinner. My mom and dad sit at the opposite ends of the table so my sister and her husband sit next to each other. I'm opposite from my sister with a lovely empty chair next to me. Mom passes down the plates so we can take what we want.

"So Ava any romantic prospects?" mom asks getting straight to the point.

I try not to choke on my water gulping it down unflatteringly which earns me a discerning look from my mom, "No mom no one at the moment."

"Are you still living with that man of yours what's his name Dwayne?" mom responds falling innocence with her smile. She knows his name is Wayne and ever since we moved in she's wanted us to be together.

"Yes mom I'm living with Wayne and no me living with him doesn't make me any less of a lesbian."

She looks flustered as she tries to come up with a response, "I wasn't going to mention such a think. Ava you don't always know what I'm going to say how do you know I wasn't just going to ask how he is?"

"Because I know you mom and we've had this conversation so many times," I let a large sigh as she drops the conversation moving on to something to do with her work. My mom helps manage things in town as she's part of the town council. At the moment she's talking about the annual town Christmas party which my mom and the town mayor host.

"Oh yes and the Anderson family are coming with their daughter ."

I look at my mom in confusion. Why would she mention the fact they have a daughter but then I remember in high school they had three sons, "Since when did they have a daughter?"

"Oh a while now they transitioned a few years back. The town hasn't seen her in years but this year her mom put down all the family members names."

"Oh okay." I don't think much of it other than it must've been hard come out especially in such a small town. My mom just goes on about how brave she is especially in a town like this and all I can think of is how much I would hate the whole town talking about me like I'm some new mysterious thing. I try not to show my discomfort to my mom but she doesn't know what its like having to come out in a small town. Yes mine and the Anderson's daughters situations are different but the experience of having to hold part of yourself in is something I can relate to albeit I can't imagine having to hide something that huge. As my mom moves on the conversation she talks about the setting up for the party and a bunch of different things that I don't really care about.

"Mom do you know the daughters name?"

"The Anderson's daughter? Yes its Lisa."

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Thank you so much for reading this chapter. I tried to proof read it as many times as possible but please tell me if I mess up on the spelling of mom. I'm too used to spelling it as mum and kept on writing it wrong in the drafts :)