Resentment - (18+)

C7

MIA

On Christmas Eve, my house is packed with my mother's side of the family. They're all congratulating me on the Harvard acceptance every few seconds and my mom is doing her best to pretend like she and I are so damn happy. (We're even wearing matching holiday sweaters.)

"Do you still do art, Mia?" My aunt asks. "What happened to that painting you were working on the last time we came?"

"She never finished it." My mother answers for me, passing me a bowl of mashed potatoes. "She realized that art wasn't her thing. Thank god, you know? Remember when I thought I knew how to sing in college?"

"Oh, well that's okay, Mia," my aunt says. "At least you knew when to quit. It would've been awkward to have to hang your paintings around the house anyway. You know your mom only likes to look at the best of things. She's high class like that."

Everyone around the table laughs and I push my chair back. "Can I be excused for a moment? I need to get something out of the kitchen."

My mom waves me away and I quickly rush into the kitchen and grab my phone. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I left it out of reach, and I immediately text Autumn.

MIA: Can you please come save me? Like, NOW? I feel like I'm stuck in the Christmas from hell.

AUTUMN: Can't...I'm trapped in my own version of Christmas hell. My mom just found out that I'm not a virgin and she's giving me the abstinence speech. (Wait...Are you still a virgin? O_o )

MIA: Damn...Sorry. (What? Of course, I am! Why wouldn't I be?)

AUTUMN: She wants me to sign a contract saying that I won't have sex again until I'm 21. BAHAHAHA! (Because of who you're dating :-) We'll see how long THAT lasts!)

MIA: Okay, wait. How did she find out? (He promised me that we wouldn't have sex, so it'll be lasting a long time.)

AUTUMN: She found an empty condom wrapper in my purse. God, now she's bringing out some "The Dangers of Sex" brochures. (No, he promised you that he wouldn't PUSH you into having sex. Big difference!)

MIA: Ew. Where is Jacob? (Trust me, we're not going to have sex :-) )

AUTUMN: He's actually under my bed right now :-) (I'm willing to bet my life on the fact that you will. And SOON.)

My mom walks into the kitchen and I quickly slip my phone into my pocket.

"Do you plan on rejoining everyone else or are you going to hide in here for the rest of dinner?" she asks.

"Depends...Is Eric coming? Did you finally decide to call him and personally give an invite?"

"Really, Mia?" She scrunches up her face. "You're going to bring him up on Christmas Eve?"

"Him? You say that like he's some type of stranger. He's my older brother, and he also happens to be your son."

"No, he was your brother. He made the decision to be a social deviant and turn his back on us. Until he makes some major changes to his personal psyche, he's not welcome here."

"His 'personal psyche'? It's been four years."

"Well, let's try to make it four more years and see if he'll finally come to his senses."

"Mom-"

"Now is not the time, Mia. We have guests. We can discuss this in private later."

"You don't really mean that."

"Of course, I don't." She picks up a stick of butter "So, can we please focus on having a nice holiday with the people who actually cared enough to show up tonight, please?" She walks out of the kitchen.