Sandcastles

Chapter Eighteen

"Isabelle!" A voice rings through the house. I barely open my eyes and groan just as someone jumps on me, squishing my body beneath them.

I open my eyes just enough to see that Ben has ran in my room and jumped on me. I push him off and he rolls onto the floor. I knew he would do this. It's kind of our Christmas tradition.

"Isabelle! Wake up!" he whines. I have to force back a grin. I push my blankets away, immediately wanting to replace them and never leave my bed again. My nose is cold from being unprotected from blankets all night and my house is freezing as usual.

I stand up from my bed, immediately shivering. Ben grins before running back into our living room. I pull on Alexander's crumpled hoodie from the floor and pull my unbrushed hair up into a ponytail. I also put socks on because the floor of our house is icy cold. I walk out into the living room, the white light from the snow outside reflecting in the window. Our shabby fake Christmas tree is decorated with multicolored lights and various ornaments. Only a few presents sit under the tree, maybe two for the each of us. But that's fine with me. I didn't want much.

There's already a mug full of my coffee that I drink and I take it before snuggling up on the couch. Madeline sits beside me, also sipping on coffee. Ben sits in a chair eager to open his presents just like every Christmas.

Mom walks in from her room and hands each of us a filled stocking that was hanging from a cracked mantle. Mine sits in my lap, overflowing with all kinds of candy. Each of ours stockings were filled with our favorite candies. Mine had Reese's peanut butter cups because who doesn't love those? There was also tons of candy canes and other things.

When we set our stockings aside, Mom hands each of us our presents from under the tree. We each had 4, two from Mom and then one from each sibling.

I open the one from Ben first, grinning whenever I see a box full of three books that he knew I wanted. I hug him quickly before opening the one that Madeline bought me. It's a simply beautiful black dress that she says she bought me for New York. I then open the two that Mom got for me. One has the DVD for season one of "The Fosters", which is my favorite TV show. I didn't get to watch it all so I'm glad I can now. The other gift was three tee shirts for a band that I really like. I thank all of them and set the gifts aside before going back to drinking my coffee.

Everyone else still hadn't opened their last gift when a knock came on the door. Who would show up on Christmas Day? People are supposed to be with their families on Christmas, not off visiting their friends. I get up to go answer the door since no one else is.

When I swing the door open, I stand frozen in shock. He stands with a Santa Claus hat just like the one Alexander wore days before and a huge red sack slung over his shoulder. A huge smile erupts across his face, shining out through the layer of graying dark stubble.

"Dad!" I yell, jumping and throwing my arms around him. He chuckles lowly and hugs me with one arm.

Ben and Madeline rush over and also look shocked when they see our father standing in our doorway. They hug him as well to where all four of us are in one big group hug. We haven't seen him since we moved in September, so it's been three months. Our mother clearing her throat behind us breaks us up. She glares at Dad and we move away.

"Why are you at my house, Henry?" she asks him. Dad looks a little uncomfortable and shifts on his feet.

"I haven't seen my kids since you moved and you refuse to let me talk to them." He replies. "So here I am."

"Get out of my house." She tells him. I look at Ben and Madeline who are probably feeling just as awkward as I am.

"Fine, but let me give them their presents first." Dad says with a grin. He pushes past Mom and sits on the couch before pulling packages out of the sack.