Christmas Mercies

Chapter Six

I laugh all the way back to my room where close the door behind me and quickly finish getting dressed. I smooth my mess limp and lifeless dull blonde waves into a low bun, leaving some pieces out to frame my face like I had seen on Pinterest. I retouched my make-up and finally slipped into the green dress that Seth had helped me pick out. As I stared into the mirror I couldn't help but hate who was staring back at me. Gone was the girl who would spend her Christmas Vacation with her family, making ornaments for the tree out of paper with her dad, baking cookies with her brother and fighting him when he ate the last one.

Instead, I was faced with a woman who had spent the last five years of her life pretending to be something she was not, I was not the rich rare book dealer. I was the trailer-trash who just loved to read and wanted to share that love with others. I was the girl running a failing business. I was the girl who failed her family, and I was reminded of it every time the envelope with the red letters came. I was the girl who had sold as much as she could and had still been told it wasn't good enough.

The girl who had been asked to a family dinner by the guy of her dreams and the best she could do was a hand-me-down dress and the one thing she could never sell; her mother's pearl earrings.

By the time I looped the earrings and snapped the closures shut my eyes were bloodshot, tears forming in the corners. I shook off the drowning sensation that had consumed me and slipped one foot into the black cowboy boot - which compared to my bunny slippers or bright pink rain boots was a stellar choice - as I began to search for the other. I moved the blanket and pillows and my clothes from the day but I still couldn't find it. "Where is it?" I grumbled as I continued to limp around the room with a naked foot. At this rate I'll be face to face with 'Jessica Nelson' in my bare fee-

KNOCK KNOCK. The door to my bedroom creaked softly to reveal Seth in his necktie-less suit holding my other boot "Looking for this"

I bite my cheek "They're my only p-"

"You look amazing"

I take a sigh of relief "Thank You" I reply quietly as I take it from him and slip it onto my naked foot, standing and smoothing my dress out with my hands, I hear the soft creak of the floor beneath us as he steps closer.

"Look at me for a minute"

I looked up towards him, the height difference in my boots was minimal "What's up?"

"Have you been crying?"

"Almost"

"Was is something I said?"

"It's not always about you Seth, come on or we'll be late and you know how your mother feels about that"

"Nah, screw her, what's going on?"

"Nothing, I always get like this when I see my reflection" I scoff softly hoping he wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

"Over here..." He crosses my room in a few steps pulling me with him until we are back where I was moments ago. Standing in front of the mirror. He stands behind me, firmly holding my shoulders "Tell me what you see..."

I shake my head as I look at the unknown woman again, swallowing hard "I don't wanna.." I whisper as the first tears fall. "Seth please, can we just go?"

His firm hands squeeze my shoulders "Sure thing."

I turned around, away from the mirror.

Seth still hadn't moved towards the door instead was staring at me again, his eyes filled with concern as his hands brushed my face, wiping away the tears.

I leant into him, hugging him tightly as I fought to hold back the rest of the unshed tears.

His arms wrapped tightly around me squeezing.

tightly squeezing, tightly, tightly, OH MY GOD TOO TIGHT! "Too Tight" I squealed.

He guffawed loudly, finally letting go "Better?"

I giggled "Better"

"Good" He grabbed my face and smushed his lips against my forehead.

I feel myself blush "I hate it when you do that"

"Liar"

I begin to walk towards the door "It reminds me how much I loved you" I tease

"Loved. Past Tense?" His voice curious as he follows me through the small trailer, "Robbie, loved past tense?"

I stop walking, Seth stopping short of almost crashing into me "What did you just call me?" I flare my nostrils and give him my most serious glare - which with that stupid grin isn't too easy - trying my best not to laugh.

He must have realised his mistake "Robin" he brushes his hand over my nose, and chuckles "Now get out we can still make it on time if I drive fast enough."

"Come on" I grab his hand and pull him out of the door with me, not locking the door behind me.

We walk out to my makeshift driveway his red Jeep looking so out of place in the trailer park that's when it hit me. Our two worlds weren't meant to fit, we were on two sides of a coin, and we would never see things the same.

"You okay?" his voice full of worry

"Yeah, just thinking about all the homeless polar bears, you and your monster truck are creating" I tease as we walk over to the door, he opens my door and I climb in, pulling the door closed behind me.

"First of all; it seems a waste to let all the good gas go to waste and second of all it's natural selection.." He teases

"No, natural selection is when a grown man sticks a fork into a toaster while it is still switched on," I remark

"one time, one time Robin"

Smiling at the memory, I can laugh about it now but at the time, I was furious and worried and bewildered at how he could have been so stupid"You could have died" I rebuke but after all this time I still can't help but laugh "such an idiot"

"No Ruby and I do fine, plus she's a Hybrid"

"Ruby?" I ask my brow furrows

"Don't make fun of Ruby... how's Tallulah doing in the shop? hmmm?"

"Point taken" He made a good point, I hate it when he wins.