New York || Damon Salvatore [1]

Chapter Sixteen

1976 — Manhattan, New York

   Christmas at Robert Belcher's home was filled with nothing but decorations, good food, and a happy atmosphere. Robert decorated every inch of his home: a big tree in the corner with blue and silver ornaments, four stockings hung up over the chimney, garlands on the chimney with colourful lights, garlands hanging from the walls, a little dancing Santa on top of the coffee table with little bowls of seasonal treats. The house smelled of peppermint, cinnamon, mulled wine, ginger and orange, and fir tree. It was a strange scent to Damon Salvatore, but he enjoyed it. 

   Robert Belcher had invited each of his workers for a Christmas party a week before Christmas. He knew they would prefer to spend actual Christmas with their family, so why not have it a week before. The old man prepared the house as best as he could. According to his girlfriend, the one he had gone on a few coffee dates with, he had spent all day cooking: a big roast beef and corn bread stuffing with bacon bits, a sweet potato casserole, roasted broccoli with garlic butter, and a chocolate Decadence Yule log he bought at the local bakery. He also made a pumpkin pie, his late wife's old recipe that he had memorised from watching her over and over again.

   For Damon, sitting in a large table with people had become okay. He no longer felt awkward, in fact he felt like he belonged. But, this time, for Robert's Christmas party, they sat around the living room with the warm fire from the chimney and the mulled wine warming them up. He sat on one of the sofas, Freya sat on his lap. She had a plate of pumpkin pie in her hand, sometimes taking a bite and sometimes offering one to Damon. At first, he was a bit reluctant of eating the pie, knowing that Robert wasn't the best cook around. But, when he took that first bite, he was impressed with the taste. It was delicate, sweet, gentle to the tongue, and it was the best thing he had eaten in a long time. 

   Everyone he worked with was present. Armando sat on the floor with his third plate of food in his lap, a glass of cold cola between his thighs. Joseph sat on the sofa with his son besides him, both wearing a similar sweater vest. His son, who they all had learned was named Ayodele Young, named after his grandfather, was a nice little boy who was curious of everything. He asked about every little thing, a big smile on his lips. The boy also took a liking to Freya, Damon had noted, since he took a seat besides them asked question after question. 

   Reginaldo sat on one of the chairs with a small tea cup filled with mulled wine. Whenever he drank it down, he would laugh and refill the cup, and then he would repeat. He had brought along his sister, a tall girl named Marinella, who enjoyed to talk and socialise with those around her. Akil sat on a stool behind a keyboard he had found in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Every now and then he would play a simple tune, then sing a part of a song, then laugh. 

   Jack Dawson, although he said he didn't want to come, was having a jolly time. He pulled on a Santa hat, made everyone sing Christmas carols, and danced along to the soft Christmas music that played from the radio. Out of everyone in the room, he seemed to be the happiest one. 

   Robert's girlfriend, Betty Dillingham, kept close to him. She was short and stout, with curling bright red hair—that stunk of chemicals to the vampire—and a bright pink lipstick that reminded Damon of bubblegum. At first, he didn't like her. After spending at least an hour with her in the same room, well, he thought that she was okay to be with Robert. 

   "I can't believe you made all of this," Armando laughed, his mouth full of a fork of roast beef and the corn bread stuffing. "This is delicious!"

   Robert let out a soft chuckle and nodded. "They're all Vivian's old recipes," he said. "I just remade them."

   "Well, they're amazing," Akil agreed. He had a mug of mulled wine in his hand, a smile on his face as he leaned back on the comfortable chair. "Even my mom don't cook so well."