The Heartbreak Hotel

𝙸𝚗

"Come on dad!" I laugh, while trying to pull him out the door.

"I don't wanna!" He says in a whiney voice.

To explain, I'm trying to convince him to come to Shane's house for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

"Come on! We don't have much family. Mom's gone, and everyone else on your side is either dead, in a different state, or hates us." I say, and he rolls his eyes in a joking way.

"Where am I going to sleep?" He asks, while I'm still trying to pull him out the door.

"There's an extra room." I respond, giving up.

"Where are you gonna sleep?" He asks, tilting his head.

"Umm...in Shane's room. Duh!" I say jokingly, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, ok! Do y'all need lube or...?" He asks with a smirk.

"DAD!" I yell, laughing.

"Just asking..." he says with a shrug.

I manage to pull him out the door, and we drive to Shane's house.

We knock on the door, and Shane opens it.

He immediately pulls me into a tight hug, kissing my cheek and spinning me around.

"Hey Bruce!" Shane greets with me in his arms, and my dad waves in response.

"Come in!" Shane says, leading us in.

We see Morgan in the kitchen, covered in frosting, looking at Teresa with the most annoyed face ever.

"We're making sweets and a feast for tomorrow. Morgan's beyond pissed that she has to help." Shane explains after seeing our confusion.

"Hi, You must be Bruce, Ryland's dad!" Teresa acknowledged with a smile.

"This is Morgan." She says, pointing to Morgan, who responds with a "hi."

We help them cook for a few hours, until they finish making the food and put it in the fridge.

We each grab a few cookies since she made so many and get on the couch.

Shane snuggles into me as we read "The Night Before Christmas."

It's their tradition to read it every Christmas Eve.

We each take turns reading a section from it.

-

"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house; Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there."

"The children were nestled all snug in their beds; while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads."

"Mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap had just settled down for a long winter's nap."

"When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter. I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter."

"Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash."

"The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, gave a lustre of midday to objects below."

"When what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer."

"With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick."

"More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:"