Nora

Chapter 15: The Season of Giving

"Riley! Get up!" 

I roll over onto my side and ignore my mothers voice.

"Riley Lawrence if you don't get up right now I am going to be very cross." 

I turn over again. "Five minutes."

I hear my door open and I open my eyes. "Riley get up. It is Christmas morning and there is no time for playing around. I already had enough trouble getting your father up."

I groan. In most families Christmas morning means excitement and time with your loved ones and just general happiness, but with my mother around keeping a firm eye on the time that's a little hard to achieve.

I sit up and rub my eyes whilst my mother stands in my doorway, in her pajamas tapping her foot impatiently. 

"What time is it?" I ask groggily.

"Seven thirty." Mom says.

That grabs my attention. Mom said she wanted us up by eight. Nora was here last night. I told her to be gone before then. Didn't I? 

Hang on.

I was sleeping on the floor last night.

How am I in the bed now?

Is Nora beside me? 

I look next to me hoping my Mom doesn't notice and see that Nora is not next to me. Nor does she seem to be anywhere in my room.

"Okay I'm getting up now." I say.

"Well hurry. We have not got all day." Mom closes the door and leaves.

I take another look around the room. Nora is not in here. The make-shift bed I made on the floor last night is not there either. Did I sleep walk back to bed? 

I swing my legs over the side of the bed and yawn. 

Christmas morning should not be this hard. In fact no scheduling should ever be allowed on Christmas. It's just not right. Waking up at seven thirty on Christmas morning should also be banned.

I shuffle around my room looking for signs of Nora but can't see any. She must have left. 

I go over to my phone and check for any messages but find none. I really hope she doesn't regret telling me about her past last night. Or staying over.

I didn't pressure her into telling me did I? No. No I couldn't have. She wanted to. In fact I think she needed to. 

"Riley I swear to god if you are not out here, sitting in front of the Christmas tree in ten seconds I will I am going to-"

"I'm coming." I say cutting her off.

I quickly make my way into the living room where Mom sits cross legged in front of the Christmas tree looking mad/over excited and Dad sits on the couch with a coffee in one hand and the other rubbing his temples.

"Merry Christmas." I say with less joy than most years.

Mom seems to forget that she was yelling at me only moments ago and bounces up from her position on the floor. "Merry Christmas sweetie."

"Merry Christmas." Dad says with about as much enthusiasm as a Turkey on Thanksgiving.

"Stocking time!" Mom announces.

She rushes over to the stockings which have been laid out on the floor as there is no chimney in this house. 

She gives me mine and then Dad his and goes back over to ger hers. Like an excitable child she sits down on the floor with me and carefully takes out the first item.