Love Thy Neighbor

Chapter 19

Shawn stops by my place in the morning before he leaves for Pickering. He has a suitcase and several shopping bags full of gifts.

"So I'll see you around 7:00?" he asks.

"I have to let the menorah candles burn for 30 minutes after I light them, but as soon as I put them out, I will hit the road," I tell him.

I spend my day cleaning house since my family will be here in a couple days. My mom and dad are staying at the hotel I work at since I only have one bedroom. I got them a great deal. Elsie is staying with me. I tend to think this was her idea since it increases her odds of seeing Shawn, even if my mom was the one who suggested it to me.

I finish wrapping presents for my family and the presents I am bringing to Pickering. I shower, put on a nice outfit, and pack an overnight bag.

The sun is fully set by 5:15 and I proceed with the ritual. It's my first time doing this totally alone. I miss having my family with me. I miss having Shawn with me, too. I call my parents while the candles burn to thank them for today's gift. This time they got me a jewelry box. I was still using my ballerina box from my 7th birthday. I guess my mom felt it was time to grow up. Jokes on her...I am still keeping my dancing ballerina music box. It can sit next to this lovely inlaid wood one.

We hang up and I see on my watch that I can put out the candles and go. I wave my hand in front of them to gently extinguish them, since blowing them out is considered disrespectful. I'm not super religious, but I love these rituals and try to follow them as best I can.

I grab my bag and the presents, turn off the lights, and lock the door. Before long I'm on the highway headed east.

"Jessica!" Mrs. Mendes exclaims, wrapping me in a hug. "Come in!"

I walk in the foyer and Shawn steps forward. He gives me a kiss on the cheek and grabs my bags.

"I am going to take these upstairs," he says.

Shawn's mother, who keeps insisting I call her Karen, leads me to the family room. There's a gorgeous Christmas tree in the corner and the whole room is decorated. I take a seat next to her on the sofa.

"Dinner is almost ready," she tells me.

"I hope you didn't delay it for me," I say apologetically.

Shawn then reappears and sits next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

Karen waves a hand dismissively. "We always eat late."

Dinner is just Shawn's family. And me. Mr. Mendes, who I am to call Manny, has made a traditional Portuguese meal. We start with a simple salad but then have fried fish cakes and a soup called caldo verde.

"I used a poultry sausage in the soup," Manny tells me as he ladles a bowl for me.

I don't eat pork and am touched that Shawn's family is so respectful.

Shawn's parents want to know all about my family, which makes sense since holidays are all about your family and loved ones. I tell them about how my grandfather and grandmother ended up in Quebec and how so many of my extended family members are New Yorkers.

"I want to live in New York one day," Shawn says. "I love the vibe in Brooklyn."

Karen frowns. "That's too far away!"

"I bet I'd see you just as much as I do now," he says. "And wouldn't you love an excuse to visit New York frequently?"

Karen is not convinced. "But someday you will be married and will have kids. I don't want to have to fly to see my grandchildren!"

The table suddenly gets pretty quiet. Talking marriage and kids in front of a couple who aren't even officially a couple tends to do that.

Aaliyah thankfully breaks up the tension. "Well I'm moving someplace where it is warm more than five months out of the year, so you are going to have to learn to deal with flying a lot, Mum. Start saving your frequent flyer miles now!"

After dessert, which was a rich rice pudding, not unlike something my Nana would make, we go into the family room.

"We watch a movie every Christmas Eve," Shawn explains.

"What are we watching?" I ask.

"It was my Mum's pick this year, so it's A Christmas Carol."

He does not seem thrilled.

"I love Dickens," I tell him.

"I thought you were into math," he teases as he pulls me onto the sofa and throws a blanket over us.

"I know how to read."

The movie is actually pretty great, and I love the message of it. Shawn's parents and Aaliyah head up to bed as soon as it's done. Shawn and I stay where we are since the tree is beautiful and the fireplace is cozy.

"This is nice," I say. "All of it. I'm glad I came."

Shawn doesn't answer but instead pulls me onto his lap and kisses me.

When we break apart he says, "It's been a long time since I made out with a girl with my parents upstairs."

"I bet it happened a lot, huh?" I ask.

"Not usually here. Too much of a risk for getting caught. The basement was better."

"Are you suggesting we go down there?" I joke.

"It's not like we are going to do anything that we'd get in trouble for," he says and he starts to kiss me again.

I don't think Shawn knows how much I want to take things further. The physical part of me craves getting as close to him as possible. Based on everything we've done (which isn't much) I can tell that he's probably incredible in the bedroom.

Author's note: thank you to those reading! :)