Love & Lies

Chapter Thirty-eight

Jessie just stood there by the television with a hand on her hip as she grinned at the view of perfectly wrapped presents in her living room for what seemed like an hour. Although she could not wait to see everybody gathered at her parents' house in the afternoon for Christmas, Jessie really was anticipating the reactions of her nieces and nephews as they unwrapped her presents. The perks of being famous, she joked to herself as she reflected on the assistant both Crystal and the younger intern Katie found her to complete her Christmas shopping.

Being that the weak rays of the sun were only peeking through the garden window for an hour tops, Jackson still lay on his back snoring away in Jessie's partially made bed upstairs. Unbothered by her own lack of sleep, Jessie excitedly looked through the window like a child waiting for a photo opportunity with Santa. "He said anywhere from eight to ten," she assured herself contently as she observed the first of the light flurries to descend from the light gray puffs in the sky having a battle with the sun. While she was well aware that in the chance that the snowfall worsened it was going to cause traffic later and make driving a bit worrisome, Jessie's smile still beamed from her face as she continued to peer through the window. "Today is going to be best day. The best Christmas in a long time."

A sudden scraping sound coming from the left of the window immediately brought a smile to her face. She may not have lived in that house for only a few years, but she knew every one of George's antics by heart even if he was not visible from her view like that very moment.

Not caring she was still in her fleece pajamas, Jessie scanned her array of presents before immediately selecting a small box at the back the tree adorned with sparkly snowmen wrapping paper. From upstairs, Jackson lifted his head up mid snore at the sound of rustling only to immediately decide sleep was more important as he buried his head with his paws.

After Jessie raced by the door to quickly throw on her thermal boots that matched her long charcoal wool overcoat, she for once invited the cool air the moment she was able to step outside. For once in a long while, she didn't even bother alarming her house locking only the knob leaving her keys in the left pocket of her coat.

"Happy Christmas!" George exclaimed out of no where as he strategically placed his shovel next to his front door.

Jumping in surprise, Jessie then laughed being sure to express her Christmas wishes. "Is it really supposed to be that bad later?" she wondered as she reached the front of George's property.

Looking up at the patches of the fossil-colored sky, George shook his head back and forth. "Just an inch they think, but I do not want the kids to slip later," he answered.

"So you're having Christmas here?" Jessie asked in surprise given George's physical issues. She was concerned about the possibility of him shoveling, even just an inch, but decided to not say anything. She would just do it for him and be sure to salt everything as well.

"Yes, my daughters and their families are coming here in the afternoon," he gloated.

"I didn't know you could prepare such a feast," Jessie teased with a hand on her hip.

George let out a jolly guffaw as he slightly tossed his head back. "The girls did all the coordinating in regards to who was going to bring what," he explained gleefully. "I have a couple of cakes in my refrigerator from that new bakery that delivers."

While Jessie nodded happily, the shine of the red and green "for sale" sign attached to his railing slightly changed her demeanor as she clutched the gift in her right hand. "I just wanted to wish you an amazing Christmas, but also wanted to just give you this," Jessie said as she outstretched the present.