A Christmas Baby #Wattys2019

11.

At 9:30, there's a knock on the door and I see Uncle Lucas standing on the other side. Opening the door I invite him in. "Hey, Uncle Lucas. I'm glad you made it."

He hugs me. "Kadence, I'm not happy to be here under these circumstances, but I'm glad to see you."

"Me, too. Are you going to come to the Christmas Party next week?"

"Yes, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I heard you were planning it this year?"

"Yeah, I am. We're going to set up everything today." Looking down the hall I say. "We could use some help after you speak to the wicked witch of west."

He laughs. "I see things haven't changed for Jenna or you."

"Nah, there's nothing that will be able to make what she's done to me, 'to be water under the bridge.' She's hurt me a lot and I just don't have it me to forgive her for many years of verbal abuse and framing me for things I didn't do."

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that because of my daughter. If I wasn't drunk that she wouldn't have been conceived and a problem in your life."

Dad walks into the hall and sees his brother. He crosses his arms and says. "What's he doing here?"

"Taking responsibility for that train wreck you have in the kitchen. I hope she doesn't put rat poison in our food."

"Enough, Kadence. I think it's time you went into the ballroom and get started on preparing the room for the Christmas party."

I whisper into my Uncle's ear. "She needs to be out of the house tonight. We've dealt with her for too long and it's breaking the family apart." I walk away from them.

When I walk into the ballroom I see Mom standing next to a ladder, holding it for my brother while he puts the decorations on the wall.

Coden looks at me. "How's this, Kadence."

I give him the thumbs up. "It's perfect."

Mom turns her attention to me. "Who was at the door?"

"Uncle Lucas."

The whole room goes quiet after I said that. Storm walks over to me. "So, that's what took you awhile to come downstairs for dinner?"

I nod. "I need to get rid of Jenna once and for all and having Uncle Lucas step up as a father is the only way we're going be free of that girl. You and Mom had to deal with a lot while she was pretending to be Dad's daughter and your sister. I have a feeling she was playing the good girl, but underneath all that she's a real snake trying to latch onto my life and destroy it from the inside."

Mom walks over to me and give me a hug. "Thank you for doing something that you're didn't have the guts to do. That man wants to save as many people as he can. He has a big heart and people are using it to their advantage, just like Jenna. She knew how to wrap her fingers around your father and he fell for it, hook, line and sinker. I just wish you were here to discover it all sooner. Then we wouldn't be in the boat right now."

"We probably wouldn't, but I'm sure she would have found a way to get me put behind bars or seeing a psychologist because of the things she did. She's good at making people believe what she wants. I hope there's a smarter person than her out there. Hopefully, they can call her on her crap." Looking around the room I see so much that needs to be done. "I'm going to help with the room. We'll talk later, Mom?"

"Sure," she walks over to the ladder and holds it again for my brother.
I untangle the lights that we put in the roof before I went away. I call for some of the maintenance men and they rush over to me.

A guy with brown hair and blue eyes is the first to talk. "What can we do for you, Miss Hilton?"

I want these lights hung around the room. Pulling out my phone I show them a photo of the way it looked a couple years ago. "Can you make it look like this?"

"Yes, Madame. Is there anything else we need to do?"

"There's a disco ball in the one of boxes. I would like that hung up somewhere in the room. Once it's done I need you to report back to me."

"Yes, Madame." They grab the lights and start at the door.

A smile spreads across my face when I see the Santa seat sitting on the stage. It has presents in a red bag next to it.

Growing up my Grandfather used to dress up as Santa and sat in the chair. He would ask us what we wanted for Christmas, before pulling a gift out of the bag and giving it to us. The present was the same for everyone that attended the party. He didn't want anyone to feel left out. One year we all got an iPhone. The following year was a Rolex.

My grandfather didn't care about how much money he spent on the guests. What was important is that they had a wonderful time.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Dad bought everyone this year.

As I'm standing on a ladder fixing one of the signs I see Jenna walk into the ballroom and she makes a beeline for me. "This is your fucking fault I'm getting kicked out this house."

Climbing down the ladder I look her in the eyes. "Of course it is." A smile spreads across my face. "You see, Jenna. You can't continue smooching off my family and playing my Mom's dead card to make people feel sorry for you. Especially, when you're trying to ruin someone else's life to give yours meaning."

She slaps me across the face and my head turns to the side. I place my hand over my face. "You're going to regret this moment, Kadence. I'm going to make your world crumble around you until you have nothing like me. You're going to be as bitter as me and then I'll be at my happiest."

Uncle Lucas walks into the room. "Jenna, get your stuff now. I want you stay away from my family."

She glares at him. "I'm your family too."

"No, you're just the bastard that your mother kept after a drunken one night stand. A night that I'll regret for the rest of my life."

Dad hits his brother upside the head. "I told you to be nicer to that girl. After all she is your flesh and blood. The cabin isn't too far from you're place, Lucas. Make sure to check on her every day." He gives him the keys.

"I will." Uncle Lucas turns his attention to me. "I'll see you next week, Kadence. Hopefully, it will be under better circumstances."

"It will be. It's Christmas after all. Things can be pushed under the table for one night of celebration. You should bring Jenna with you."

"Are you sure?"

No, but it's something I'm willing to do for my Uncle.

"Yes."

Uncle Lucas smiles at me. "Thanks, Kadence." He walks out of the room.