Christmas Behind Bars #simplychristmascontest

Chapter 1- The Big Lie

     The fire crackled and reflected in the shiny red and gold ornaments as they were hung with care on the fresh pine tree. Darcy breathed in the aroma of tree sap and hot chocolate and for the first time in years, it left her with a sense of emptiness and longing instead of peace and joy. Nothing was working out like she planned, and her eyes burned as she wondered if her life would ever be the perfect fairytale she dreamed of as a girl.

Hanging her head, she let her auburn hair shield her face from the prying and all too observant eyes of her parents, grandmother, and brother. Of course, her brother Jacob's girlfriend, Lexi, was there too, and while she did not want to show any sign of weakness for her to judge later, she truly could not care less what the other woman thought of her. They never really hit it off to begin with. Her annoyance rose as she wondered why this new woman in Jacob's life felt comfortable horning in on their family Thanksgiving like a bull moose at a campground. It was unacceptable, but if she made a big deal about it, she would be taken for a bitter, old shrew.

Sighing, she blinked back tears and continued strategically placing a hodge-podge of old, handmade ornaments on the boughs of the evergreen. Strings of multi-colored lights twinkled, and for a moment she lost herself in the nostalgia of remembering the history of each ornament. Pulling a snowman made out of old fabric and pipe cleaners, a smile toyed with the corners of her mouth. She made it with so much care when she was around five. Almost laughing, she remembered how proud of it she had been. When she gave it to Grandma Trudy, she was the glad recipient of a hug and high praise for her creativity. Now as she looked at the lopsided mess of glitter, buttons, and glue, she knew such accolades were far from deserved. It looked like it was made by a three-year-old monkey on a farm. Still, she hung it on the tree.

The next ornament her hand found in the tote was made by Jacob twenty years earlier. Unlike her feeble attempts at artwork, this was really something. It was a tiny birdhouse constructed from popsicle sticks. A light dusting of artificial snow covered the miniature roof, and a spray of evergreen and itty bitty holly berries were used as a perch for a tiny handmade cardinal. Her gaze shifted to her sorry excuse for an ornament then back to Jacob's nearly professional quality creation. If there was a more accurate depiction of how different she and her brother were, she was at a loss to think of it.

Jacob seemed to possess the Midas touch; everything he put his hand to turned to solid gold. In contrast, all of Darcy's life lay in a shambles at her feet. Many nights were spent in tearful prayer for a change in her circumstances, but up to this point, her prayers remained unanswered.

Movement on the other side of the tree caught her eye, and she focused her attention on her brother who was now kneeling on her grandmother's faded, Persian rug. Holding the famed, Tiffany blue box out to Lexi who was partially hidden from her by the tree, it was the final straw for Darcy. Heaving a sigh, she rolled her eyes as her parents and Grandma Trudy erupted in cheers and applause as soon as the gaudily large ring was slipped on the blushing girl's finger. The clapping did not stop until Jacob pulled Lexi against his chest and kissed her a little too deeply for Darcy's comfort.

It was official, her little brother was granted looks, brains, and probably a sprinkling of pixie dust as well judging by his uncanny ability to see everything he did turn into a dream come true. She was the family's token loser, and if things continued like they were, her position would not be quickly abdicated.

As they sat around the table in the dining room to eat, Darcy's usual spot was taken by her soon to be sister-in-law who shot her a smug grin as she made a show of sitting down and resting her sparking finger on the tabletop for all to behold with wonder and admiration. Darcy just took her place at the far end of the table, or the leper colony of which she was the only resident, and tried not to think about how this would probably be her most depressing Christmas yet.