December 13th, 1993
"All done!" Mother cheered as she plugged in the lights to the Christmas tree.
The lights shot on and even though there were other lights on in the room, still blinded me. Our Christmas tree made any other light on Earth, even Batman's symbol, seem dim.
"Mom, their a little bright!" I yelled, even though the Christmas music was low enough to talk with your inside voice.
"Oh sorry dear," My mother apologized and pulled out a little remote.
It was a tree light dimmer. A freaking light dimmer for a Christmas tree. I decided to let it pass and thought that if their was anything that could make Christmas better, any invention at all, my mother would buy it instantly.
"That's it with the decorations? You're sure?" I asked my mother.
"Yes, I'm most definite darling," My mother reassured.
"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" Echoed throughout the house followed by a door slamming shut and the jingle of bells, indicating that it was the front door.
My little sister Jenna ran into the room followed by her twin and my little brother Jackson.
"Mommy!" Jenna exclaimed again. "Guess what!"
"What?!" My mother replied, picking my sister up in her arms.
"We saw Santa Claus!" Jackson exclaimed, cutting off Jenna, which she hated.
"You did?" Mother asked, not revealing her knowledge of the situation already.
"Hey!" Jenna whined. "I wanted to say that?"
Then Jenna was cut off again when my Aunt Clara exclaimed, "Hey!"
She entered the room and waved at my mother and I. I waved back.
"I brought back some hot chocolate!" Aunt Clara explained and everyone started towards the kitchen...
-------
Later ...
The kids were bundled in their beds. Meanwhile, my mother and Aunt were pouring glass after glass of eggnog and I was sitting there listening to their feminine conversations as I tried to find one of the Christmas movies on our new t.v. It was pretty hard to understand the remote though.
"So," My Aunt interrupted my concentration. "How is school little buddy?"
I turned to my Aunt and a sour smell seeped into my nose. I coughed and turned back to the radio.
"It's okay," I answered.
"Henry made honor-role," my mother explained.
My Aunt pushed me over and exclaimed, "You know your father was quite the smart ass! He was always rubbing his one hundreds in my face!"
The room was silent, I placed the remote down onto the table, and removed myself from the room. My father had left years ago and still people accidentally said something about it. My bedroom door softly thudded behind me.
Even Later That Evening ...
I creaked my bedroom door opened and entered the hallway. Cool air filled the air and hit my skin. My legs were covered in ice cold air in seconds because I was only in boxers and a tank top now. I peered my head around the corner and saw my Aunt and my mother lying on the couch, knocked out drunk. The t.v. was still on, and the tree was still lighted. I tip-toed down the stairs and picked the remote up from where I had left it and turned the television off. Then I heard a jingle bell ring.
