"Yes mom, I got all of their gifts. Don't worry about it. Worry about getting that turkey stuffed and in the oven. I'll be there soon. I love you!" I end the call with my mother and sigh.
Christmas time is always a hectic one with the Daniels family.
Aunts, uncles, grandma, and grandpa all fly in for the special ocassion. Dad usually try's to get the biggest tree he can find. This year we decorated it with tinsel and candy canes. We hung lights across the porch and we stuck candles in all street facing windows.
Mistletoe hangs on every doorway and the smell of gingerbread wafts it way through out the entire building.
I smile as memory after memory runs through my head.
"Why are you still here?" James, my fellow employee, pokes his head into my office snapping me out of my thoughts.
"I'm just closing up. I could ask you the same." I smile sorting the important documents on my desk into a pile.
I work as a secretary in a law firm. Yes the job itself kind of sucks, but I'm happy with it for the most part.
James crosses his arms and leans against my office door frame.
"I'm leaving now. I just wanted to make sure you didn't plan on spending your Christmas in this shitty place."
"Ha! Don't worry. My mother would have my head if I did! You seeing any family over your break?"
I pull on my coat gathering everything I'd need to catch up on work at home.
Lap top, keys, my phone-
" No. My parents still aren't talking and the rest of my family...well I would rather not spend the holidays with them."
"That's too bad. Text me and we'll plan something. No one should be alone at Christmas James."
I smirk, flicking the light switch and locking up behind us.
"unless you're Mr. Dean Hayes."
James chuckles. A sparkle in his eyes.
"Ms. Daniels, don't talk about the boss like that. He shouldn't be alone during the holidays. He should be alone for the rest of his existence."
I scoff. "Don't worry he will be. He's so closed off and angry. It's too bad because he's still young and good looking."
I have to admit, when he first hired me a had a teensy crush on him for the first week or so. Then I realized how pointless it was. He hardly talks and when he does it's work related or an order of some kind. Being his personal secretary is hard sometimes.
James and I make our way down the hall, but before we get to the elevator I stop.
"You wanna wait a few minutes. I need to drop off a package with someone first."
"Yeah sure. Take your time."
James offers to take my huge bag filled with family gifts and I give him an appreciative smile.
"I'll be back in two seconds!"
I round the corner until I come to the door way of Dean's office.
Knocking twice I let myself in.
"Mr. Hayes I have a present for you."
His dark eyes widen for a millisecond before returning to their normal state.
"Thank you. Put it on the chair please."
I do as I'm told and place his Christmas gift on the chair. I want to say more, but I decide against it.
"Merry Christmas Dean."
"Wait. Brooke. You didn't have to get me a present."
I stop and smile, turning to face my boss.
"No it's fine. I wanted to. Have a great holiday."
"you too Brooke."
I make my way back to James who is waiting by the elevator patiently.
The elevator ride is short and I find myself walking along side James to the parking lot.
We hardly get any snow at Christmas, but today turned out to be the opposite.
Little snowflakes fall from the sky and land in my hair.
I kinda like snow. I don't why, but I think it's because we hardly get it a person learns to appreciate it more.
Chase used to love making snow angels with you.
Remember when he stole the key for the football stadium and you two broke in at 3 am just to build a snowman and make snow angels on the green?
James notices my change in mood and grabs my arm. He knows about the shooting and everything I've gone through this past three years.
Hell, I wouldn't even have a job if it weren't for him.
"Brooke. You okay?"
I force a smile.
"Yah. Of course."
He squeezes my arm one last time, then pulls his car keys from his coat.
"Well here's my ride. Merry Christmas Brooke. I'll call you."
"Merry Christmas James! Don't be shy to shoot me a text either."
I pull my own SUV keys from my pocket and unlock it.
" When am I ever shy?" He smirks knowingly as I get into my vehicle. I slam the door sticking my tongue out before muttering,
"Never actually. Sometimes you don't shutup."
I back out of the parking lot slowly, and my phone dings.
It's from James.
"I heard that."
Giggling I pull away and out of the almost empty parking lot.
•••
"Mom what can I do to help?"
I'm almost yelling because of how loud and noisy the house is. When she said she invited a few extra people I thought maybe she invite two or three, yet more then half of my childhood neighbour hood showed up!
Christmas in my house is a big deal.
We go all out and we all go crazy. We all the love the presents and stuff, but Christmas with my mom is more about the feeling. Everyone knows my mother around Christmas time. It's actually kind of hard to say no to her so I'm pretty sure half of the people she invited aren't even here yet.
"Oh! Brooke dear! You can take peoples gifts and put them in the sitting room under the tree!"
Alrighty then.
Before I can even reply she runs off with her oven mitts and apron strings flying.
I gather up all the shiny boxes, gift bags, and paper wrapped shoe boxes and place them delicately under the shining tree.
I stand admiring the decorations.
There's so many from my childhood.
So many memories.
"So many memories hey."
Startled by a deep warm voice I soon around to face my one and only brother.
"Oh my word Will!!"
I throw myself into his arms and we embrace tightly for a few moments. Trying to savour the moment I reluctantly let go.
I have so many questions. He must know because he says,
"Nice to see you too little sister." He chuckles ruffling up my hair like he used to when we were little.
I quickly fix it and I swat him away.
"When did you get here?"
"I flew in a few days ago. I'm done."
He nervously runs a finger through his hair.
Done? I gasp quietly.
"You mean you don't have to go back?"
When Will turned eighteen he enlisted to be a soldier. Now being twenty-five he wants out.
"No. I'm completely done."
"Will... I will fucking kill you if you're shitting me right now."
He chuckles, eyes sparkling. "Don't worry Bookie. I'm not shitting you in the slightest."
"This is the best news I've heard in so long Will. Does mom know?"
Mom was heartbroken when she found out Will had to go over seas. She cried for about a week. It was the hardest on her I think. The rest of us didn't support it, but we knew if he thought it was the place for him we would stand behind him all the way.
"No, but I'm going to tell her later tonight."
I nod in understanding when aunt Claire pops her head in the room.
"Come and get over here you hooligans! Let's eat some food!"
We make our way towards the bustling kitchen, the delicious smells invading our nostrils.
Time to get fat.
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