"Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps means a little bit more!"
~How the Grinch Stole Christmas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kelsey woke up at exactly 6:30 in the morning, a smile already on her face. She shook her mom awake. "Merry Christmas!" she sang, flinging back the covers.
"Ugh! Kelsey! It's so cold!" her mom grumbled, but Kelsey was already on her feet.
She came out into the hallway just as Ethan ducked out of his bedroom.
They both broke into a wide smile. Kelsey flung her arms around him and he swung her in a circle.
"Merry Christmas!" they whispered excitedly.
Kelsey snuggled against his chest, breathing in the scent of new pajamas and soap, allowing herself a few moments to wake up. "Our first Christmas," she murmured.
Ethan kissed the top of her head and hugged her close. "Best one I've ever had so far."
"Hey, you two lovebirds!" Jacob croaked, his eyes still bleary as he came out of his room. "Were you just going to let Christmas pass without the rest of us?!"
The three of them ran around the house, raising as much havoc as they possibly could, until everyone was assembled in the living room.
Kelsey had to wait impatiently for the adults to get a cup of coffee until she remembered that she was an adult too, and went to get a cup for herself.
Finally, every was sitting down and the unwrapping began.
They let the little cousins go first, then the parents, then Becca, Kelsey, Jacob, and Ethan.
It took a while for the presents to be opened, just the way Kelsey liked it. There was no fun in tearing everything open all at once and not being able to see what everyone got.
So far, she had received a pair of pie-printed socks, a moisturizing kit, a new copper pan, and some exotic baking chocolate from her mom.
Uncle Hernandez was already busy undoing the wires tangled in Livvy's new Barbie dolls' hair.
Kelsey met Ethan's gaze.
"You ready for your present?" he asked.
Kelsey shook her head. "I don't think so."
He looked over at Becca, and some unspoken word was exchanged between them because they got up at the same time and ran off to the hallway.
Aunt Josephine and Kelsey's mom snickered on the couch behind her.
"What is going on?" Kelsey asked with a laugh. She raised her eyebrows at Jacob, but he shrugged.
Soon Becca and Ethan came back, holding a golden box with a red ribbon tied on top.
"Merry Christmas!" they both cried as Kelsey got to her knees.
Kelsey undid the ribbon. "What on earth, you guys..."
YOU ARE READING
Christmas from L.A.
Short StoryNot only has Kelsey decided to spend Christmas with her mom, whom she hasn't seen in almost eight months, but she decides to take her movie star boyfriend, Ethan, and flamboyant diva bestie, Becca, to Idaho as well. But the worst part is that she wi...
