[NOTE: The dialogue from the first bit of this chapter is (mostly) stolen from the show; sorry, but it worked out too well to toss it out. And by the way, I know this is my worst chapter title ever, thanks.]
"'Happy Holidays from the York family'."
Roxie glanced over Sabrina's shoulder at the Christmas card she was reading from. "More like the 'Dork' family," she muttered, sitting down across from me with her no-longer-frozen entrée. "What is it about Christmas that makes people want to wear matching outfits?"
"Oh, the Yorks dress alike for every holiday. Last St. Patrick's Day, they were all leprechauns. Cute on the baby... disturbing on everyone else."
Both Roxie and I snorted.
"Speaking of disturbing," Morgan said from the kitchen as she poured herself a cup of tea, "Josh can't come home with me for Christmas. His family is dragging him to Aruba to stay at some five-star resort on the beach. Poor thing... he'll be pining for me all week."
As the three of us were exchanging a look behind Morgan's back, Miles emerged from his Fortress of Solitude, bulging duffel in tow. "Well, time for another joyous, uplifting Chanukkah with my family. Ooh, I almost forgot my antacid."
"Y'know," Sabrina piped up, "I've never been to a Chanukkah celebration. What does your family do?"
"We light candles, spin the dreidel, and then twelve people attack a helpless brisket. Better take the Imodium A-D." He dove past Morgan into the kitchen cabinets again.
"Sounds rough," I said bracingly. "Bring us back some Kosher wine?"
He laughed bitterly as he stuffed the bottles into his duffel. "If there's any left. Well, I'm off to my parents' - unless I'm abducted by aliens on the way, God willing." And he was out the door.
I cleared my throat. "So Roxie, what are your holiday plans?"
"The usual," she shrugged, stuffing a fork full of... whatever into her mouth. I was afraid to ask. "We put up an aluminium tree, get take-out from Taco Bell and then I watch my dad and stepmom exchange cartons of Winston Lights."
"Your family exchanges cigarettes?" Morgan scoffed in disbelief.
Roxie stood up with her tray. "Hey, it's just not Christmas without a visit from jolly old Saint Nicotine." With those sardonic parting words, she retired to her chambers.
"I guess I should feel thankful," Morgan breathed as she plopped down in the now-empty chair. "Next to these guys, Christmas with my family seems so... normal."
"ANY Christmas compared to last year's will seem normal to me," I sighed, stretching. "They deck the halls for you at Swords Academy... and the only present I got was lukewarm figgy pudding for desert, which is even worse than it sounds."
Sabrina's eyes glazed over. "Yeah... just once I'd like to have the perfect white Christmas in the country; ski-chalet in Vermont, sleigh rides, roasted goose, cutting down your own tree..."
"Throw in some homemade pfeffernüesse and you've just described Christmas with my family," Morgan said with a wry smile.
"Wow!" She shook her little blonde head. "Nothing says Christmas like goose and pfeffernüesse."
"I miss ski weekends," I breathed with a wistful grin.
Morgan nodded, sifting through her mail for a minute, then perked up. "Hey! Sabrina, why don't you come with me? Oh, it would be so great to have some company along!"
"Oh, I'd love to, but... I kinda promised Libby we'd have Christmas together, and it might seem a touch rude to ditch her when she's sleeping in my house."
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Cheer-Stained: One Week In Westbridge
Fanfiction[CHEERLESS SAGA, Book 3/6] Libby blows back into town, and it doesn't take her long to run into her best blonde bud. But Sabrina's life has marched forward just like Libby's - can they still relate to each other?
