Dear Jamie (on hold)

8 - that's not the christmas spirit

"I don't know, I just feel like I forgot something."

"Mom, you had a list, you checked it twice. You didn't forget anything," I say, storing my bag in the overhead compartment.

I hum to myself while I watch my mom go over everything in her head once more. She's been an anxious mess since Sunday, running around the house, dragging out all the old luggage, and tying up every loose end that she can possibly think of.

"I'm okay, I'm just … nervous. I haven't gone out of town since …" she stops and takes a breath before finishing. "… since you and Will were younger."

"I know, Mom. Everything's going to be fine. The flight's only, like, forty-five minutes. We should be there before you know it." I've been the one to calm my mom since Will moved out. He was always better at it, but someone has to help her.

"I know, I know…" she says quietly.

"Read a magazine or something. And make sure to take plenty of deep breaths."

"You're right, thank you, honey," she says, giving me an awkward side-hug.

The plane is quite small, so my mom and I are the only two in our row. I pull out my earbuds, plugging them into my phone, as I stifle a yawn. I had to wake up early. Too early.

After a few songs, I start having a tough time keeping my eyes open. Before I know it, I find myself drifting off to sleep.

"Isaac, honey, wake up."

My eyes shoot open and it takes me a moment to realize that I'm on the plane.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask, stretching as much as I can in the small expanse of space.

"About an hour… We ran into some bad weather, but we're supposed to land in just a minute."

"Okay." I rub my sleep out of my eyes and as I'm stuffing my phone and earbuds into my backpack, the pilot announces our landing.

When the plane hits the ground, I hear one person behind me start clapping, but it doesn't catch on. I join in to help evaporate the awkwardness from the air and my mother sighs.

What can I say? I like to help.

We wait as first class exits the plane and a few minutes later, my mom is once again dragging me through the airport.

"Okay, Avery should be here any minute! Isaac, please don't say anything stupid."

"Why would you even--"

Will cuts me off. "Tell the public pool story and I will murder you in your sleep."

"That's not the Christmas spirit, William."

"I'm sorry, I'll brutally stab you with a candy cane in your sleep," he corrects himself.

"I have to give you points for your creativity," I reply, "but you know, that's a threat that I can't just take lightly. I could …"

This time I'm silenced by a glare. I huff. Can't catch a break in this family.

We sit in the quiet for a few minutes, the only sound being Will tapping away at his phone screen, before hearing a knock.

"Oh, that's her!" Will stands up to answer the door, but not before glancing in the mirror and straightening his sweater. Gosh, he's such a girl.

He opens the door with a grin and pulls Avery inside, whispering something to her. She returns his smile and only seconds later my mom is already embracing her.

She's a hugger.

"Um, that's my mom," Will says. "Oh, and this is my brother Isaac. Don't listen to anything that comes out of his mouth. He's a compulsive liar."