Valid Weaknesses ||Completed|| #Wattys2017

Chapter 16

Genesis

"Hurry up guys!" I call cheerily from my spot on the front porch. "Come on in."

Politely greeting all the adults and taking their coats, I welcome my friends and their families into our home, helping them carry the dishes they've brought with them into the kitchen."

"My goodness Gennii." Patty's mum exclaims when I rush into her embrace. "You've grown so tall."

"She has, hasn't she?" Uncle James, Jerry's dad chuckles.

"This generation of kids." She says. "All growing up so fast."

All the adults laugh it off, talking between themselves.

I'm just about to say something when something runs smack into me, holding me in a death grip. "Gennii!" she squeals after letting go of my neck. "I missed you this much." She smiles, extending her hands as far as they'll go.

"Awww." I coo, pulling her in for another hug. "I missed you too Livy."

"Didn't you miss me?" Jerry smirks, sliding his feet out of a pair of Nike's.

"I see you almost every day." I deadpan.

"Tsk tsk tsk." He replies, shaking his head in a mock disapproving manner. "Is that anyway to treat your one and on-

"Dad!" I yell, cutting him off. "Everyone's here."

"Coming!" he yells back as we all get settled down in the living room.

Smirking at Jerry, I saunter off to go say hi to Javi.

It's Christmas Eve and our parents had arranged that we all have dinner together especially since dad and I will be leaving soon.

"Ooh, your Christmas tree is sooo pretty!" Livy, Jerry's baby sister gushes as she makes a run for it, hugging the tree close.

"Come on Liv." Her mum says, tugging her along to the kitchen. "Let's go say hi to Uncle Brian."

From my spot close to the dining room I can hear her asking if my dad has any cookies and her squeals of delight when he hands her one.

Soon after, she dashes into the living room, cookie tray in hand.

"Who wants some Christmas cookies?" she announces. "Uncle Brian says we can all have one each."

"I think there's enough to go round more than once." Javi chuckles, but Livy doesn't seem too keen on that.

"No." she replies. "Uncle Brian says one cookie is good enough because you don't want to get a tommy ache."

"But I do." He smirks, reaching for the tray which Livy tries to pull out of his grasp.

"Cut it out you too." Lacey says, reaching for a cookie herself.

I spot Patty behind her and zoom off to hug her.

"Genii!" she squeals excitedly, almost choking me with the sheer force of her embrace. "I haven't seen you in forever and I missed you so much."

"You saw me three days ago." I chuckle.

"Yeah well." She shrugs smiling. "That almost qualifies as forever."

"So Gennii." Javi's mum interrupts. "How's school been treating you this semester?"

"It's been alright." I smile. "It was actually a really good term."

"I'm glad you're doing great." She replies, turning her attention to Patty.

The parents try to make small talk with the lot of us so I politely excuse myself to go help dad in the kitchen. When I get there though, he's just about done so I help him carry out the dishes alongside Aunt Helen who is also Jerry's mum."

Soon we're all seated comfortably at the table saying grace and munching on some roasted garlic bread.

Just looking at the rest of the food spread before us makes my mouth water. There's lasagna and some roast chicken, lots of Christmas cookies, brownies and a red velvet cake which Patty's mum baked. It's decorated in red and white icing and she's molded a little baby Jesus being cradled in Mary's arms with jolly old Santa waving at them from across on the fake snow. The words 'Merry Christmas' have been piped in beautiful cursive right between the two figurines.

We also have Christmas pudding, a platter full of roast potatoes, meatloaf, pepperoni pizza, some salad and tons of wine and apple juice.

"Is that a new haircut?" my dad asks randomly addressing Jerry's dad.

"Sure is Brian." He chuckles casting a quick glance at Aunt Helen. "She thought it'd be good if I changed things up a bit."

"She's right." I say without exactly meaning to. "It looks nice on you."

Uncle James chuckles. "Thank you."

"I wish we could have invited Tyler." Patty mouths to me from across and I quirk my eyebrow at her.

"Yeah me too." I reply, chuckling.

"You too what?" Jerry asks smirking.

Shoot! Did I say that out loud?

"Oh its nothing." I shrug. "We were just talking about Tyler."

"Oh." He replies, taking a bite out of his pizza slice. "What about him."

"Really Jerry?" Javi deadpans. "Quit harassing her."

Jerry rolls his eyes then, reaching for a brownie.

"Someone seems quite hungry." Dad chuckles addressing Jerry. "Just make sure not to blow up Jeremiah. We don't want to stain the walls now do we?"

"No we don't Uncle Brian." Jerry replies without missing a bit. Over the years, he's gotten used to dad's weird sense of humor. We all have.

After dinner, everyone gets in the holiday spirit and we sing some Christmas songs for fun and have a good laugh. It's really nice having friends and family over on special seasons like this.

When the adults start discussing politics, work and whatnot though, us kids except Livy who's busy with a cartoon excuse ourselves.

Up in my room, we chatter happily about nothing and everything. It's relaxing and I feel the stress of the other day roll off my shoulders. I'm blessed to have them.

"We should like exchange our presents now." Patty says conspiratorially. "It would be weird to do it with all the adults there since we mostly only got gifts for our parents."

"That's probably a good idea.' Javi replies and we all nod in agreement. Earlier, when the dinner was still in the planning stages, we'd all agreed that we would exchange our presents on the same night so the others had all come prepared.

"There's just one thing." Jerry adds, looking a bit shy. "Can we uhm, not open them until we're all alone. I just feel like it would I don't know, its all in my head."

"Yeah, that explains it clearly." Javi replies, playfully socking him on the arm. "It's cool bro. we'll do as you wish."

"So does everyone agree that we keep all our presents unopened until later?"

"Sure." We reply unanimously.

Ever so slyly, we pad downstairs, pick up all the gift bags and head back up, handing them to their respective owners. Although we don't open them, it's all still very exciting.

"Thanks guys." I say, hugging each one of them in turn before stashing the three gift bags in my closet.

An hour later, we're packing up the leftover food and saying our goodbyes. It's sort of sad but I've had such a good time and I'm truly grateful for it.