Christmas Carols

n i n e

   "So, did you get back together with Iris?" I ask Ezra the next day.

  "Yes," he says, a huge grin on his face.

  "When is she coming over?"

  Ezra laughs and opens his bedroom door more to reveal Iris sitting on his bed.

  "Oh, hey, Iris," I awkwardly say.

  "Hey, Scarlet. I know we didn't start off on the right foot but it means so much to me that you helped get Ezra and I back together."

  "I had to do the right thing," I say.

  "Thanks for doing the right thing."

  "No problem. Anytime," I tell her and then I say to Ezra, "Well, I have to go!"

  I rush back to my room and I hear Ezra tell Iris, "she's awkward like that."

  Jerk.

  I lay down on my bed, and think about what Stella must be doing. In that moment she sends me a text that asks if she can come over to my house. I instantly respond yes and I squeal in excitement since she's going to be here in my home.

  Soon enough, the doorbell loudly rings downstairs and I run downstairs but I'm too late. My dad answers the door, and greets Stella.

  "Thank you, Mr. Lox."

  "Call me Sam."

  "Um, ok, thank you Sam."

  "Anytime."

  "Stella, I'm here to save you! Don't worry."

  She laughs and my dad says, "I wasn't doing anything wrong."

  "You were being a dad," I tell him.

  He shakes his head and says, "guess I can't be good with all the kids."

  "I'm almost 18, I'm basically an adult."

   "Don't remind me," he says and he seems to start thinking about the past since he adds, "time goes by so quickly."

  "You can reminisce dad, but Stella and I are going upstairs to my room."

  I lead her upstairs and she comes in, sitting on a chair that has a view of the window.

  "You have a nice view," she says.

"Yeah."

"It's the window you used when you were stalking me."

"I was not stalking you!"

"Sure," she says and then she smiles, "I'm so lucky I'm your girlfriend."

"What are you talking about? I'm the one that's lucky."

"We're both lucky."

"Very," I tell her and before I can begin to kiss her, my dad walks in.

"Scarlet, Stella. I finished cooking a meal, would you both care to join me?"

We both nod but when he goes downstairs, Stella worriedly tells me, "I don't know if your dad will like me."

"He will. He likes Iris so why wouldn't he like you?"

"He probably has a grudge against blondes. Most people do."

It's a foolish argument, and she knows it. She's using that point just to mask her deeper concerns, which is something I understand, since I've done it plenty of times before.

"He's bald. I'm sure he's glad that you have hair."

"Are you sure?" She asks me.

"Yes! Now let's go downstairs and have some food."

We both go downstairs and the table is already set so we both sit down. My dad brings out the trays of food and sets them on table for us to eat.

"Dig in," he says.

Stella anxiously starts to eat and I rest my hand on her thigh to ease her feelings.

"Delicious food, Mr— Sam."

"Thank you, Ms— Stella," he says, returning her nervous stutter.

She simply nods in response and I try to begin a conversation. It works and so Stella and my dad engage in conversation while I listen. After dinner is done, we both go back upstairs and Stella gives me a huge grin.

  "That went by amazingly! Your dad is great."

  "You thought my dad was great even though he kept making dad jokes?"

  "Especially because he was making dad jokes," she says while laughing.

  "I could tell he liked you too!"

  "Really?"

  "Yeah, he was talking so much that I could hardly say anything!"

  She laughs and we lay down on my bed together. She begins to cuddle me and I relax at her warm touch.

"I'm happy that your dad likes me," she says.

"I'm also happy."