How We Found Us | ✔️

Chapter Twenty

A large and heavy lump flopped onto my bed, followed by a second lump, and then a third. I grumbled and opened one eye to see Jake lying next to me. He puckered his lips and made kissing noises. I groaned but couldn't roll over due to another body on top of me. This one belonged to Kelly, which I was thankful for since she was the lighter of the three. I could only imagine the third lump belonged to Riley who was tickling my ear.

"It's Christmas! Santa came!" the three of them shouted.

"You guys do realize Santa is an invention by corporate America to delude children into behaving for the year, right?" I grumbled and tried to wiggle Kelly off me.

"Somebody is a Grinch," she said before rolling off me and onto Jake.

Jake shrieked and tossed her onto the floor. "Little sister cooties! Ew!"

"That hurt, you asshole!" She stood up, rubbing her side. "I agreed to help you guys wake her up, not get a broken arm in the process."

Kelly spun on the balls of her feet and stormed out of the room. I rubbed my eyes, but not fast enough to be certain of what she was wearing.

"Was your sister dressed as an—"

"An elf?" Riley interrupted, laying his head on my shoulder. "Yup. Told you, Mom loves Christmas. Yours is hanging on the closet door. Hurry up and change and get down for some milk, cookies, and a whole lot of paper ripping carnage."

I yawned as Riley removed his heavy body from my bed and pushed Jake out of the way. The two boys, both wearing matching elf costumes, fought to be the first one out of my room. I continued to lay in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Wait . . ." I shook my head and shouted after them, "What do you mean mine is on the closet door?"

My chest tightened when my eyes drifted toward the closet. While the room wasn't bright, the sun still hadn't fully risen, there was enough light coming in through my open bedroom door to illuminate the room. It reflected off a necklace of bells hanging along with a dress and pantyhose.

"You have got to be kidding me."

It wasn't that I was anti-Christmas. In fact there was a time when Christmas was my favorite holiday. Grams had me convinced for years that the red lights blinking on top of electrical towers and tall buildings were Rudolf guiding Santa to his destinations. I truly believed if I were a bad girl I'd get a lump of coal and nothing else. Christmas, however, lost some of it's cheer when I stopped being a child waiting for the Jolly Fat Man.

"What are the chances it won't fit?" Though I knew the answer to that before I asked myself. I'd spent an entire day shopping for a dress with Eleanor, she knew my size. When she had time to buy an elf costume for me, that I didn't know. My hand dragged over the felt that I was positive was green. "I officially hate you right now, Riley."

Not that it was Riley's fault per say, but I knew he didn't do anything to stop his mom. I sighed and turned to switch on the light. When I glanced at the clock, I grumbled. It was barely past six A.M. What manner of beast without pre-pubescent children woke up at that ungodly hour for Christmas?

"Put on a happy face, Chloe. You're their guest." My pep talk did little to help with the knowledge I'd soon be dressed as Santa's little helper. I grabbed the elf costume from its hanger and frowned. "Riley can die when we get home."

Red and green. I don't think I'd ever worn so much red and green in my life. The dress of the costume was mostly green with red fringe. There were two matching green gloves and pantyhose with one leg red and the other green. Christmas cheer had thrown up, and I was its vomit.