Gus

Christmas

My mother was never a big fan of the holidays.
She thought it was too exhausting to celebrate a bunch of holidays over the year, but Christmas seemed special to her. It was the one time she would push all our troubles away and try to make sacrifices for the both of us.
So, in December of my 13th year, which was the year I came back home, my mother offered to take me shopping for a Christmas tree. A fake one, of course, because you have to take care of real ones, and my mother wasn't going to do that.
We bought a nice-looking tree and some colorful lights and ornaments to go on it. When we got home, it took us about 45 minutes to set up the actual tree and an hour to put on all the lights. But our decorations came to a halt when we realized we didn't have hooks for the ornaments. "What a ripoff," my mother mumbled. I then came up with an idea; I ran into the kitchen and found a bunch of twist ties in the cabinet that we could use as hooks. My mother told me what a smart boy I was, and we tied up the ornaments. It was one of the first times someone had complimented me. It made me feel something good inside.

On the night of Christmas Eve, my mother lit the fire in our fireplace and turned on her old victrola. She put in a record full of Christmasy tunes by Frank Sinatra. I listened to his soothing voice as I watched a car pull up into the driveway of Tessa's home. I saw a woman, man, and a girl who looked my age get out. I then realized they were Tessa's parents and sister.
I watched as the family walked into the small house. The father was holding some presents in his arms. I then heard Tessa and the mother's voices once they got in, and went to my own mother, who was resting in her chair.
"Mother, Tessa's family is here," I told her.
"Okay, and do you want me to do something about that?" she snapped at me.
"We could say 'hi'," I retorted.
"Honey, I don't feel like trying to get acquainted with people right now. You can go say 'hi' if you really want to," she said, then laid back in her chair and hummed to the music playing.
I put my coat on and went next door. I knocked and Tessa opened.
"What?" was all she said.
"I saw your family come over. I just wanted to meet them," I said innocently.
"Why would you want to meet my family?" Tessa snorted. Jeez, everyone was really rotten this time of year, ironically.
"Oh honey, just let the poor boy in. I'm sure he's freezing. Do you know him?" Tessa's mother called.
"Yeah, he's my neighbor," Tessa said through clenched teeth. She shut the door and led me into the living room, where she introduced me to her family.
I got a good look at the people who raised this demon called a young adult; the mother had short and curly red hair, with wrinkles and freckles. She wore bright nail polish and her veins were practically popping out of her hands. The father looked like most guys around the neighborhood; tall, a little facial stubble and wrinkles, and dark eyes. His dark hair was shaped into a buzz cut.
I then turned to where Kelly was sitting. She had long and silky black hair, a little acne on her pale face, and some lip gloss that seemed to be shimmering in the light of the room. She smiled at me and I waved to her. She waved back.
I decided to stay at the house for a while; it's not like my mother would really care all that much. I helped the mother prepare the ham and the father with keeping the fire in the fireplace going. I even helped Tessa and Kelly prepare the table. The family invited me to stay for dinner, but I told them I had to get home. I said my goodbyes and sneaked back into my house, where I found my mother snoring on the couch and the fire dying out. The Sinatra record had replayed from the beginning and was on the same song that was playing when I had left.

**********************
The next day was Christmas. Like most children, I was up before my mother. I looked out my window to see if it snowed. It didn't.
Disappointed, I slumped downstairs and made myself some breakfast. After I finished, I went next door again, making sure not to wake up my mother.
I knocked and an ecstatic Tessa opened up the door. I thought at first she was drunk and was hallucinating me as someone else, but she was holding a check for $10,000 in her other hand.
"Gus, look what I've got!" she said, happily waving the check in my face. "It's my Christmas present from my parents!" She invited me in and I greeted the family, who were all gathered around their tree. I sat next to Kelly as she opened one of her presents. She gasped as she opened up a large makeup kit. "Oh, thank you, thank you so much!!! It's just want I wanted!!! I love you!" she cried as she hugged her parents tightly.
Once they finished opening all the presents, Kelly turned to me. "What did your mom get you?" she asked me.
"Nothing," I replied, "my mother doesn't get me anything."
She stared at me for a second. "Why not? Does your mother not love you?"

The question made my stomach churn a little.

What the fuck kind of question was that?

I stuttered for an answer, but couldn't find one. I paused and looked down as tears began to fill my eyes.
"I have to get home," I said, and left without saying goodbye. I heard Kelly run out the door after me and chase me, crying out, "Gus, wait! Gus! Gus!"
I stopped by my door and let her catch up to me. I turned around and looked her dead in the eyes.
"Do you know how insensitive you sound?" I yelled, "you can't just ask people if their mothers love them. What if they don't? What do you say then?"
"I'm sorry," she said softly.
I fought back a pulsing urge. I relaxed my body and breathed in the chilly air. I took her words in for a moment. I saw her begin to walk away, but I quickly walked up to her and hugged her. Unexpectedly, I began crying my eyes out on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry," I bawled, "I don't why I burst out like that. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Kelly pulled me from her grasp and looked me in the eyes. She looked a little scared. "I-I'm sorry I wasn't careful with what I was saying. Do you want to come back inside?"
I sniffed, then shook my head. "No thanks... I think I just want to be alone for now."
She nodded and let me go. Before going into my house, I waved goodbye and she waved back as I shut the door behind me.