Problems Under the Mistletoe

Chapter 6

 Shouts of joy rang through the house as family stepped through our doors, signaling the arrival of the holidays. The screams of the youngest kinds bounced off the walls and to the kitchen.

My parents, Devan, and I grinned from ear to ear, knowing that the craziness has arrived and wouldn't leave until after New Years this year. I turned and raced to the door where I saw Aunt Jenn with her husband, Nathan, walking through the door with their three kids, Rachel, Benjamin, and Mallory. The kids squealed when they saw me and reached up to hug me

"Lanie!!" They called.

I grinned down at them, wrapping them up in hugs and telling them how much I missed them. They giggled as I tickled them and ran off to the play room my family kept around just for the family.

Aunt Jenn wrapped her arms around my shoulder's as I watched the kids leave and whispered into my ear, "Your mom told me that you've been having a rough time the past few months."

I turned to her with a sad smile on my face and asked, "Did she tell you why?"

"All she mentioned was that it's been hard." Uncle Nathan replied, hanging his coat on the hook and stepping over to us.

I nodded, confirming what they had been told. My mouth opened to begin telling them what happened when their eyes shifted to something behind me and Aunt Jenn walked over. Turning around, my eyes landed on Devan and Aunt Jenn giving him a hug, asking how he was doing.

"Oh, Devan!" She exclaimed, so happy to see him. "We missed you too!"

He gave her a genuine smile, one I hadn't seen in months, and replied, "I missed you too, Aunt Jenn."

My aunt seemed delighted that Devan remembered who she was in the crowd of people last year and she looked at me.

"Lanie, he's a keeper." She said sincerely.

My face felt like it had just been slapped harshly. My mind didn't know what to think and the only thing I could register was Devan's face, a mashed up look of awkwardness, disappointment, and... happiness? I don't know what my expression was but it must have told Aunt Jenn exactly why my year had been rough.

"Oh, honey-" she was interrupted by my uncle.

"Jenn, how about we see if Cari and Jackson are in the kitchen?"

Before she could say anything, Uncle Nathan swept her into the kitchen and away from the awkward atmosphere, leaving Devan and I in the same places.

"Sorry." I mumbled. "I had no idea she was going to do that."

He strained a laugh and replied, "No, it's okay. She didn't know. Last she knew, we were together."

I nodded and cleared my throat just as another family walked through the door. This time, it was Uncle Darin, Aunt Jenn's twin, and his family, Aunt Castra, Quinn, Tessa, and Harper. Devan and I greeted them the same as we had just a few minutes ago with the other's minus the awkwardness and questions.

Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Bart showed up a little later with out Kim and Darcy since they were at college and would be driving themselves. The same went for Uncle Marx and Aunt Ivy, Kyle's parents. Basically, we were waiting on all the kids Devan and I's age.

Dinnertime was creeping up on all of us and Devan finally told me that he should get going or he would miss dinner with his family. I said good bye, awkwardly watching him walk out the door without saying anything to me.

A few minutes later, Aunt Abygale and Harley came in and I grinned from ear to ear. Jogging up to them, I enveloped my cousin in a big hug but it might not have felt that big since he was now a head taller than me. He was probably just as tall as Collins now. I could feel hard muscles forming in his torso and arms and when I looked up at him, I felt like a midget. Harley sent down a beautiful, well carved smile and greeted me as energetically as I had.

"Lanie!! I missed you!" His now slightly deeper voice laughed as crushing me in an even bigger hug than mine had been.

I giggled and asked, "How have you been?"

He nodded for a moment before answering, "Pretty good. Things are working out pretty well. I mean, Mom's started dating again and I don't like it but you know."

I grinned and Aunt Abygale and raised an eyebrow for confirmation. When she nodded, I moved away from my cousin and into her arms.

"Aunt Aby, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you. Have you found anyone yet?" I asked her, excited that someone was having success with love.

Her cheeks flushed red and she played with a few strands of her hair as she replied, "Yes, I have actually! He's great, I like him a lot!"

Harley muttered something from behind me and Aunt Aby looked at him with a mom's scolding face. When I turned around to look at my cousin, he had his hands in the air and was stalking off to the living room.

"What was that?" I asked her.

She just rolled her eyes and sighed, "He's not to keen on me trying to date again."

I laughed and we walked into the living room just as Mom called us to dinner.

It was late now, all the young kids had found places to sleep and had gone to bed, though you could still hear the whispering and the occasional laughter.

It hadn't been forever since we had seen everyone, just since Thanksgiving, but the adults, Harley, and I were all talking as if it had been. There was laughter, stories, and memories being brought up from years ago. Those of us that hadn't heard them listened intently and provided a good reaction to whatever they said.

I glanced up at the clock to see that the time was now twelve-thirty and I smiled to myself. Time sure does fly when you're with people you love. I glanced around the room for the hundredth time tonight and smiled at all the people sitting here. There were only three missing, and they should be here soon.

Kim, Darcy, and Kyle were traveling over together since they all go to the same college now. They should have been here for dinner but they must have left later than they had planned.

Just as I was turning back to the conversations around the room, I hear the door open and people walk in. I jumped up from my seat and rushed over to my cousins. Kim, Darcy, and Kyle all smiled at me and I gathered all of us in a big group hug, Harley joining us at the last moment.

"It's so good to see you guys again!" I quietly exclaimed from the middle of the group. When they disbanded, I continued, "It has actually been awhile since I've seen you guys!"

"I know!" Darcy answered. "Since last Christmas, I think!"

Kyle hung up his coat and kicked off his shoes, saying, "Just since last Christmas? Man it feels so much shorter when you're not around people that annoy you."

All of us laughed and faked offense as Kim smacked the back of his head. "Kyle, shut up! No one listens to you!"

"Lanie," Darcy called, bringing up a younger girl that I hadn't seen walk in the door. "This is Naomi. She's my roommate's little sister and she'll be spending Christmas with us this year while Amy is in Africa."

"Nice to meet you!" She smiled, holding out her hand.

I took her hand and shook it, saying, "It's so nice to meet you! I hope you have fun with us this Christmas!"

"I hope so too." She replied with excitement.

We all walked into the living room and greeted my cousins and I sighed, knowing I had all of my favorite people in the same place. Well, almost all of my favorite people.