Change (Patrick Kane)

13: Christmas

"Natalie, wake up! It's Christmas!" I yelled as I walked into the guest room. She groaned and turned over. I opened the blinds and pulled the covers off her. "Get up Nat, I'm going to make Christmas breakfast."

She pulled the covers back over her head and muttered a barely audible 'no.'

Well, someone was in a great mood today.

"Fine, I'll take back the gift I got for you," I joked as I left the room. I went into the kitchen and got out ingredients to make pancakes and eggs.

I cooked breakfast for the two of us and set it out at the table. Natalie walked in with bags under her eyes. "Hey, you feeling alright?" I asked, slightly concerned.

"Hangover," she grumbled as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Gotcha." I sat down at the kitchen table and started to eat. Natalie followed suit and soon we were done with breakfast.

"Get ready because we're visiting my parents today," I told Natalie as I set my dish in the sink. She nodded before standing up and putting her empty plate in the sink.

She gave me a quick hug and said, "Thanks for breakfast." She left my apartment to go to hers to get ready.

I went to my room and started getting ready. I picked out a black skirt and a red sweater to wear after I showered. I put it on and found a pair of black pumps to go with it. I curled my hair and put on some light makeup. I grabbed my purse and put my phone and wallet in there.

I texted Natalie to see if she was ready yet. In the mean time, I washed the dishes from breakfast and straightened around the house a little. My phone buzzed with a message from Nat notifying me that she was ready to go.

I grabbed the bag of gifts for my family and headed out to my car. We pretty much considered Natalie family now. Her parents disowned her when she was sixteen, and my parents agreed to help her get back on her feet. Before that, she would always come over because her parents were so mean and controlling over her. My dad always used to joke about how she should just move in with us. She spent more time at our house than her own anyways.

I picked up Natalie and we began the hour long drive to my parents' house. Lily was driving in and my older brother Jared was flying in from Pittsburg.

When we finally arrived, we were immediately greeted by my mother running out to hug us both. "Girls, I've missed you so much! Merry Christmas," she gushed.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," I replied back with a smile. We unloaded the car and went inside. There were Christmas lights outside and there was a little snow. The tree was up inside and I put my gifts underneath.

We talked with with my parents and Lily, who had arrived just before us, until the doorbell rang. Natalie and I shot each other a look before sprinting to the door. "Jared!" We bother yelled and attacked him into a hug.

"Woah, hey guys! Good to see you too," he chuckled as he hugged us back. Jared and I had always been pretty close, and when Natalie came into our house she developed a close sibling bond with him too.

His dark brown hair whipped around in the wind as he looked back at the car. A woman with light brown hair and a red dress walked around it with a bag of gifts in her hand. "Guys I want you to meet my girlfriend, Taylor. Taylor, these are my sisters Delilah and Natalie," he introduced.

"Nice to meet you guys," she said with a smile. She was really pretty.

"Yeah, you too," Natalie responded. We led them inside where Lily was helping my mom and dad with the cooking. Introductions went around and we mingled until dinner.