Different

Chapter 15 Black Friday

Chapter 15

Black Friday

My peaceful escape was cut shorter than I had expected. An unwelcomed buzz of vibration flowed through my phone and unto my bed ion which it laid. The vibrations paused before repeating, meaning the caller was probably trying again. I huffed as I rolled over grabbing it and hitting accept. “Hello?” I answer softly. “Allison? It’s Miss Macie,” She said with the usual enthusiasm. How could she be so enthusiastic this early? I look at the time out of the corner of my eye. Oh, it’s noon. That explains it a little better.  “Did I wake you darling?” Miss Macie continues on the phone. “No, no of course not,” I say jumping out of bed and adding emotion into my vocals. “I was wondering if I can borrow you for a bit. That is if you don’t have plans?” I mentally chuckle at how she thinks I would have plans. “Nope, I’m free. I’ll be over in a few.” I say pulling on some sweat pants and a sleeve less Guns N Roses tee. I’m comfortable enough with Miss Macie at this point to wear this kind of stuff around her.  I debate going barefoot, but the November chill I feel as I reach door tells me otherwise. I grab my Sperry’s and hurry over. I see a green wreath with pinecones hanging from the front door. I tap the door with my knuckles as I step in. I immediately see the railing of the stairs in the foyer wrapped with garland. Off to the side of the foyer in the open dining room, the table has a new pinecone center piece which is contrasted from the vase filled with bright red, yellow, and orange scented leaves that were place there yesterday.  As I pass through the house into the kitchen where I assume Miss Macie is I notice either slight decorative touches or open boxes lying in the proximity. I walk into the newly decorated kitchen right as Miss Macie pushes the oven door closed. The kitchen is further illuminated by scented candles as well as the usual lighting. The island is covered in flour, a sign I’ve come to realize means she’s in a baking finch. More decorative garland encircles the islands perimeter under the marble slab top.  “You don’t waste any time with decorating huh?” I smile at her. “Of course not, the sooner you can get into the spirit the better!” she replies. “That’s actually what I need some help for. I have this big old’ house to myself and my age is starting to show in my back,” She continues. “Of course,” I don’t really buy what she’s trying to sell me. I don’t think Miss Macie doesn’t like to be alone. She likes to be hosting, or mothering and simply prefers company. And I don’t mind giving that to her. We go through out all of the huge house decorating. Hallways have elaborately large ribbon lining the walls with large bows placed evenly apart. Nutcracker and snowmen trinkets placed on banisters.  Windows are frosted to look like it is snowing, which probably will not happen due to the fact we live in Texas. Holiday candles are placed miscellaneously. Chandeliers throughout the house had more wired green garland that is creatively wrapped around the base with decorative faux red berries coming out of the greenery. The formal living room, which I have only walked through, was my main decorative area. Ms. Macie played classic rock throughout the speaker system which is expertly placed to be able to hear throughout the entire house. In the living room there was a stone fireplace, two couches, a chair, and side tables. The wall opposite of the fireplace is taken up by windows showing the front lawn. The only wall attaching the fireplace to the window was mostly taken over by a bookshelf. The opposite wall was open allowing you to see through the foyer and into the dining room.  I was left to decorate this room alone as Miss Macie took care of one of the guest areas. Above the fireplace, on the mantle there were white candles inside oval vases. I put acorns, with the shell intact, in one vase around the bottom of the candle, walnuts in another, and pecan in the last. I added twigs twined together around the bottom of the exterior of the vase. Miss Macie seemed to have a very outdoorsy type of style. I picked up a small green grassy feeling reindeer with a red bow around the neck out of the box and placed it on one of the side tables.  On the coffee table in between the two coaches I put 3 mason jars in the center. I placed small bells in one, faux red berries in another, and red and white circular mints in the last topped off with their lids. I put all three on a large white flat platter and line cinnamon sticks in-between the jars. On the last side table I put a red canvas with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” painted in white with white hand prints in each corner. The two prints on the right side are slightly larger than those on the left. Each word of the phrase is written below the next and in two distinct different handwritings. The canvas on the back has one of those pull out tabs like a picture frame to stand, as well as a written note along the border. “Merry Christmas Mommy and Daddy” is written in one hand writing which matches where Damon signed his name. I less legible signature of Mason is next to it followed by the date 2004. I smile and imagine the boys as kids trying to make this. I leave the room content with my decorations. Trying not to over decorate the house seems to the dilemma Miss Macie and I begin to come across throughout the previous areas.  Thankfully the large scale the house is on helps space everything out a little. After hours of decorating the house is full of festivities. We decide the boys can decorate the outside with lights and end the day eating the cookies Miss Macie has been making simultaneously. I’m eating the cookies as Miss Macie is wiping down the counter tops. I hear the front door open as two masculine voice flows through.  I don’t even bother to glance in their direction too into the post on tumblr. “Al do you ever go home?” Damon chuckles as he messes up my hair. “I don’t know do you ever get funnier?” Miss Macie spouts out a laugh but quickly tries to conceal it. I smile at Damon triumphantly that my comment was funnier than his. He rolls his eyes and grabs a cookie.  Mason grabs some and sits by me on the bar stool. “Wasn’t yesterday Thanksgiving? Now it looks like the North Pole,” Mason said. “I said the same thing,” I lean toward him and mumble.  “How your still surprised by this is concerning Mas, it is my tradition to decorate the day after Thanksgiving,” Miss Macie replies. “So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye; So you think you can love me and leave me to d-”Damon’s phone sings a piece of the Queen song. “What is it your girlfriend?” I chuckle at him as he walks out of the room answering it. “Well I no longer feel like cooking, so leftovers or pizza?” Miss Macie says finishing the countertops. “Pizza!” we hear Damon yell from the other room. Mason nods in reply to his brother’s reply. “Allison are you staying dear?” Miss Macie asks toward me. “If y’all don’t mind,” I state with a bright smile. “No. Leave.  Seriously how do you not understand we don’t want you here?” Mason says sliding off the chair sarcastically. Miss Macie leaves to order and I follow Mason into the living room plopping on the couch. Mason sits normally on one cushion while I lay across the other two. He flips through the channels as I scroll through my dashboard.  He ends up putting it on The Incredible's and I smile at his choice. “Love this movie, I always thought they should have done a sequel,” I tell him. “How?" Every piece of plot ended! Violet and that guy, Dash and his sports, and they defeated that evil guy.” “Oh so you’re telling me that’s the only bad guy? What if Violet’s man had a secret power too? And how the baby would help save everyone as an older kid. Then they could have that little boy on the tricycle be grown up on a skate boy and be like, ‘yo that’s legit; swag’. And what about Ice Man’s kids? Are they just totally excluded?” I tell him setting my phone down, getting into the quarrel. “No, that would have been dragging out the plot too much. They ended this movie perfectly.” “No-” My reply is cut short when mason grabs me by the back of the knees and scoot my legs over his. Now that his arm is in reach he puts his hand over my mouth.  He doesn’t even flinch when I stick my tongue out to lick it. I bite down onto his hand, but he shows no reaction. I huff in annoyance mixed with a tiny piece of defeat and he smirks. “If you would shut up, you could enjoy the only version of this movie there is,” he says. I roll my eyes and he lets go of my face. I grab one of the decorative pillows and put it under head so it isn’t at such an odd angle to the television. We stay like throughout the movie, with small commentary made, for thirty minutes before the doorbell rings from the pizza man. Mason stands up to answer the door and moves my legs off his. I roll off the couch into the kitchen and grab some plates and sodas; two Doctor Peppers for the boys and a sweet tea for Miss Macie. “There’s a sprite behind the Soy sauce for you,” Mason says as he sets down the pizzas.  I hand him his drink as he hands me a plate with three slices of pizza on it. He was right about the Sprite; it even had my name on it in his hand writing. I follow him into the living room again leaving the drinks on the counter for the others.  “You are literally the worst female eater I have ever seen,” Mason says handing me a napkin. “I’m still waiting on a trophy or something,” I take the napkin from him. “The trophy is being single for the rest of your life.” I tip my head up faking I’m considering the statement.  “I can deal,” I finally nod at him. He looks at me and laughs. “Al, you still have pizza on your face,” Mason says once he catches his breath. “I’m done trying at this point. Where?” I huff in annoyance setting my last un-finished slice down. He grabs a new napkin and uses it to wipe off my upper cheek. “Most people would ask how you get it up this high on your face,” Mason smiles pulling away slightly. “Actually most people don’t say anything, they just look at you strangely,” I correct. “You would know,” he chuckled relaxing into the coach with his arm against the back.