Standing By

Saving Adam

(Chris)

"Oh, that's awesome, man, let me see it!" I crowed, jealous as hell as soon as he unwrapped that sweet music get-up. I likey. I reached out for it. "Lemme see!"

"Let me see it first!" Adam demanded, sticking a big green bow on the end of my finger.

I lifted it to my face and blew it off in his direction, making my niece Cerise giggle. "Well, hurry up!"

"It's his gift, Chris!" Mom laughed at me, Adam squealing excitedly as he pulled more and more awesome-looking music gear out of the box—a dream come true for a singer/songwriter. I reached down and snagged a ivory guitar pick. "You won't be needing this—you're still stuck in a cappella world." He didn't even notice my taking it, still too wrapped up in uncovering goodies.

Dad had caught me though. "Give it back to him, Chris," he scolded through a grin.

Balancing it on my thumb, I flicked it at him. It landed in his hair near his ear, making me chuckle. It even stayed there for a few minutes, me cackling at him like an old rooster.

Adam stood up, the pick finally tumbling to the floor. "Thank you, Mom and Dad! You guys are awesome!" He wrapped them in a giant parent hug just as his phone started a rhythmic ba-da-bum-bum ringtone. He pushed it to his ear, so I sneakily snagged the pick again, grinning to myself.

"Hey, Chance, merry Christmas!" he greeted him.

"Chance?" I asked, leaning forward and sticking the pick in my pocket. Our sister Tristin started giggling at me and Ericha wagged her finger at me. I grinned at her and winked. "Tell him hey for me."

"Having a good Christmas?... uh-oh." He let out a loud burp into the phone, sending me into giggles.

He stuck out his tongue at me. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

That didn't sound good. I raised my eyebrows at Ericha, who frowned.

"I don't wanna sit. Chance, talk to me. What's going on?" Adam twisted around quickly, getting his foot stuck under Mom's stupid eighteen-inch decorative sleigh and pitching forward, knocking a lamp off the table. "Shit."

Dad and I leaned forward, reaching for it to catch it before it hit the floor. Neither of us moved fast enough, the shade popping off and the bulb shattering on a pile of discarded wrapping paper, immediately bursting into flames. Tris, Ericha, and Mom screamed.

"I'll get—," Adam was saying, reaching down to grab the lamp. Cerise started crying, calling out for her daddy.

"No!" I shouted, jumping to my feet as my brother reached down and grabbed at the fiery bulb, fingers falling in the flame.

He yelled out in agony. "Owww! Oh shit, that hurt! Oh God, oh my God!"

Half the flame was now alight on his hand. Dad threw his glass of water at it to put him out, the fire still fizzling away at the wrapping paper. Adam sat down hard on the floor, hand now an interesting shade of red. The phone tumbled to the floor, forgotten. I scooped it up, Ericha running to her husband.

"Hey, we'll call you back, we—"

"Chris! Get out, get out, get out! Now!" Mom shrieked at me, tears in her eyes as she reached for Adam.

"Chris! What's going on?" poor Chance yelled frantically. "Chriiis! Adammm!"

I glanced down at the phone, knowing he had to be scared out of his mind, not having a clue what was going on. Tris snatched it out of my hand and ended the call for me.