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Chapter 10: Happy Golden Days of Yore

I LET HIM in and slowly closed the door.

I was taken aback by his presence, but I couldn't deny that I kind of saw it coming. On a different note, George was losing it: jumping, running in circles, barking in excitement, whining, and moving his tail frantically. 

Kneeling on the floor petting George he looked up and chuckled, "What are you wearing?" 

The onesie. I completely forgot I was wearing a Rudolph onesie.

Looking down and away in embarrassment I said, "I was trying to get in the Holiday mood..."

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked realizing he arrived unannounced at midnight.  I wasn't doing anything at all, but I could have had plans.

"No, not really I was-"

"Watching 'Love Actually," he finished my sentence matter-of-factly. 

He stood up but remained patting George's head, a very happy George, "Mind if I join you?" He asked pointing his thumb over her shoulder towards the living room.

"What are you doing here, Matt?" My question came across blunter than I had intended.

"I called Jack today to wish him and Lena happy holidays and he said you weren't with them," he bit his lower lip before continuing, "I knew this was going to be your first Christmas alone, and I just didn't like thinking you'd be here by yourself."

I nodded, my gaze meeting the floor as I mumbled, "Thank you," and a rush of sadness washed over me.

"I meant to arrive earlier, but there was an accident on I-95 and I was stuck in traffic for an hour and a half," he explained, "I'm sorry if I'm intruding, I can leave if it's awkward."

"Of course not, Matt! It's the middle of the night, and it just started snowing again," I beckoned him to follow me to the living room.

"Wow! You really overdid it with snacks this year, Liv!" Matt's eyes widened at the sight of the big basket on the coffee table, and I froze.

"It was a gift from Lena," I blurted without thinking and scanned the room until I found the card on the loveseat. I moved swiftly and sat on top of it. 

"She also gave me this onesie," I tried to sound as casual as possible.

Matt looked at me puzzled and sat on the sectional opposite from where I was. George hopped beside him almost as a strategy to avoid losing sight of him again. It was heartbreaking to see how much our dog had missed him. He grabbed a pack of salted caramel popcorn and laid down facing the TV.

I slowly managed to slip the card under the loveseat cushion while he wasn't looking. I was allowed to get presents from anyone, but I didn't want him to get the wrong idea. Or the right one.

"So, how was Christmas Eve? How's everyone?" I asked.

"It was good, you know, very chill as always," he lifted his eyebrows thinking, "remember that Christmas uncle Charlie was so hammered he passed out on the table? Aunt Margaret was not having any of it!"

"Oh my God, yes! 'Shame on you Charlie'!"I exclaimed laughing and raising my arms.

"'Shame on you'!" he repeated after me imitating Margaret's voice.

We laughed and the memories of Christmas past kept pouring down one after the other.  We always spent the holidays together with his family and before my mom passed she also used to join us. His family had been also mine for so many years, and maybe I was being ungrateful by not showing up.

"My mom is expecting you for tomorrow's brunch, you know?" He said gauging my reaction.

I doubted briefly, "Well, tomorrow we'll see..."