A Family Celebration (Writing Contest)

❄️Snow ❄️

Céleste didn't waste time in running outside when she noticed the first snowflake of the year peacefully land onto the neatly trimmed grass of her parents' lawn.

Barefoot and just in her light bathrobe, she admired the thousands, if not millions of little snowflakes falling down, each of them different than the other.

"Just in time for Christmas!" She excitedly told herself, happy to finally get a white Christmas after all the years of going to tropical places during the winter.

Her parents were more impressed with water in its liquid form. Céleste however, preferred ice.

"Get inside, mignonne! It is très froid!"

She groaned hearing her mother's voice; she never did let her have fun. Even after she had moved out, her mother still had a lot of influence over her.

"Je suis bien, maman!" She answered annoyed, observing her now snow-covered robe.

Oh, how she loved the winter!

"Get inside maintenant! And help me with the food!" Her mother ordered, making her roll her eyes.

"Oui, maman." She mumbled irritably, throwing the snowy white cover a last longing glance before trailing after her mother; painfully aware she'd never let her forget not helping with the preparations for the Christmas dinner party she was hosting.

...

Celeste squirmed in her tight red dress, now regretting choosing it; she was hot and restricted, having eaten more than was necessary.

She was subtly trying to loosen it up, her cheeks red from her exertion; or from her third glass of wine.

"Celeste, right?" A deep voice interrupted her inner, and outer, turmoil.

She turned around, moving the escaped strands of her hair from her face to see a blonde haired man smiling at her.

Briefly remembering him as one of her brother's friends, she also recalled he was quite the player.

She didn't like players, not since she fell in love with one and convinced herself she could change him, and, well didn't. He cheated.

Which is why she gave him a polite smile, but still decided to be snarky. "It's actually Céleste." She answered, hoping he'd leave her alone.

Instead, he smirked, slowly leaning closer to her.

"Your accent, it's sexy." He said, gazing at her intensely.

"Thank you." She nodded, glancing outside and wishing she could join the children playing in the snow at this very moment.

"You've grown so much." He said, appreciatively looking up and down her body.

She didn't really mind though, which surprised her.

Céleste smiled, putting a hand on his arm. "Maybe we could-"

She was interrupted by a sudden loud crash coming from somewhere in the room.

They both turned their heads to see her sister-in-law's father lying on the floor clutching his head.

His very angry wife being the one who sent him there, in the process of throwing another punch at him.

"Mon Dieu !" Céleste gasped, not believing her eyes as she stood there paralyzed.

"I should've known!" Rose cried out, hitting him again as her children rounded her, trying to calm her down.

"Please-" Thomas pleaded from the floor, looking both flustered and hurt.

"-I should've left when you fucked your first secretary! But no, I stayed with your cheating ass!" Rose bellowed, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, I could've married Johnny Harrison." She wept, burying her hand in her hands.

Thomas got off the floor with some help and was now trying to get his wife to talk to him, unsuccessfully.

Céleste turned back to the blonde haired man who was looking extremely uncomfortable about the situation.

Because he could relate, perhaps?

He turned to her and was about to say something when the bell rang, a thankful Céleste immediately going to open the door.

A short brunette bundled in several layers of clothes stood there with a big smile on her face.

"Hi! I'm Amy! Calvin invited me, I'm the fiancée of one of his friends." She chirped, her voice muffled by the scarf covering her face.

Smiling, Céleste moved away to let her in. "I'm Céleste, his sister, nice to meet you." She said, shaking her hand.

"So who's your fiancé?" Céleste tried to make small talk as they walked to the living room.

"Rick, you know him?" Amy happily answered.

"I might?" Celeste awkwardly smiled as they entered the room.

"Oh, there he is!" Amy exclaimed, pointing at the blonde haired man.

Céleste grimaced as she watched him sip his champagne.

"Is something wrong?" Amy wondered upon seeing Céleste's face, which was now set in a determined expression.

She shook her head, turning on her heel and marching upstair: to change into something more appropriate, leaving a confused Katy behind.

She was done trying to participate in the adult things, all she wanted was to forget all her worries for a while.

Because no matter how old you get, you can never be too old for a good snowball fight; and
Céleste knew that as she made her way to her nephews, who were currently struggling to make a snowman.

She might not know how to be a proper adult, but she sure knew how to make a proper snowman.

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  ⭐️Happy holidays to everyone! ⭐️