"Where's Riley?" Leah's father asks.
"I don't know." Leah brings her knees up tighter to her chest. The glow of the Christmas tree lights softly illuminates her face.
"I thought she was coming here for Christmas."
Leah nods her head yes. "She is. I just don't know what time she'll be here."
The doorbell rings throughout the house. Her father looks up at the door.
Leah throws her fuzzy blanket to the side. "I'll get it." She stands up carefully, her legs weak from laying down for so long, and shuffles across the floor to the front door. "Who is it?"
"Open up, bitch. It's Santa Clause."
Leah smiles and unlocks the door. She throws it open for Riley, who walks in with a red hat, blood red lipstick, half a pound of eyeliner, and a cute little Santa's Girl dress Leah saw online. "Ho, ho, ho, little hoe."
Leah's eyes widen. She jerks her head in her father's direction as subtly as possible.
Riley covers her mouth and apologizes. "Oh God, I didn't see you there. I'm sorry, Mr. Price."
Leah's father hold his hand up, understanding. "Leah's a grown woman. Speak to her as you will. Just no talk about guys around me."
Leah smiles.
Riley returns her attention to Leah, then frowns. "Leah, what's wrong?"
Leah shrugs. "Nothing. Tired."
She places her gift bags on the floor and raises her hands to Leah's face. She runs her thumbs over her cheeks and turns her face from side to side. "Tired, my ass. You were crying."
"Riley, it's nothing important. Just let it go."
She gives Leah a look of disapproval. "Wait right here." She picks up the bags again and goes to the living room. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Price," she says.
Leah groans. She knows what comes next: Riley fights for an answer.
"Merry Christmas, Riley." They hug, and Riley hands him a few bags. "There's one for each of you. You, Sam, Leah, and Chris. And there's one I'd like to open with Leah and Chris tonight, if you don't mind."
"No, not at all. I think there are enough gifts here to give a child a heart attack." He laughs. "One won't be a problem."
"Thank you. Where are we staying?"
"You guys are taking the guest rooms in the basement. We fixed it up down there, plumbing and everything, so there shouldn't be a problem."
"Thank you so much for inviting us to stay."
Meanwhile, in Leah's head: Okay, what do I say, and what do I keep? Should I tell her my depression over Chris? No. I'll sound like a child. I'll just tell her I'm still upset about Sam. I think we're supposed to meet the father today, aren't we? Daddy better have hid the knives. That bastard. I'm going to kill him. I'm going to talk to him. I'm going to question him. Then I'm going to kill him.
"Alright. Come out with me to get my bags. We can talk on the way."
"Are you crazy? It's freezing out there!"
"It's just a few inches of snow. And there are only three bags. Come on."
Leah groans louder. She goes to the couch, grabs her blanket, and follows Riley out the door.
As soon as she steps outside, the icy wind stabs her cheeks. Leah flinches and squints her eyes. "I hate you," she says.
"Yeah, sure. Now what's wrong?"
