World of If

Conflicted

Warring thoughts turned themselves over in Danny's mind as he restocked shelves and helped customers. Did he still love Beth? Of course he did. However, he was falling in love with Dahlia and her fiery spirit, so where did that leave him?

He was still turning this over while trying to plaster a smile on his face when Dahlia and Elsie's family arrived a few days before Christmas. Their reaction was about what he expected, certainly they weren't expecting a stranger in the house and Elsie and Dahlia to their credit gave the best explanation they could; Dahlia omitting what he had told her in confidence.

"So how long are you staying?" Dahlia's father asked.

"Not sure, sir." Danny hedged, "I'm still trying to figure that out."

The conversation was stiff for a while but eventually people relaxed (the alcohol helped) and conversation flowed easily while the woman bustled around the kitchen. Elsie and her mother arguing about who was doing what.

"Don't forget to take the turkey out to thaw." Her mother reminded her.

"Dahlia bought it the other day it's been in the garage since I brought it home. We'll start the prep on Christmas Day. I got it mother."

"I admire your initiative dear, but I do worry you work too hard." Her mother sighed.

"Elsie, when are we  going to meet that nice young man you were telling us about last week?" Her father asked. "Last you said you and Philip were no longer together?"

"Derek is coming over for dinner." Elsie replied shortly. "You'll meet him soon enough."

"Surely you can't be that serious?" Her father continued.

"No, dad. We only started dating a few weeks ago, we're not quite there yet."

While Elsie fended off questions about her love life from her parents Dahlia was humming Christmas carols under her breath while helping her mom and aunt in the kitchen and seemed to be in a much better mood than her cousin. She sidestepped the questions about Danny from her mother easily as they continued to discuss the holiday menu.

"I can say I was expecting such a full house." Her mother said conversationally. "Thank God this house is still in the family and big enough for holiday gatherings, regardless of guests."

Dahlia could almost hear her mother's air quotes as she glanced back toward Danny.

"You and Aunt Sophie didn't just come here to give me an Elsie the third degree did you?"

Her mother only smiled mysteriously, which irritated Dahlia.

The conversation, unlike dinner (porkchops and green bean casserole) took a while to warm up, but soon flowed easily between the older and younger adults.

Dahlia managed to steer most of the conversation away from her and Elsie's relationships and the seriousness thereof. It seemed their mothers had gotten the bees out of their bonnets and were (mostly) satisfied. Their fathers asked general questions along with the standard questions most parents usually asked when they came home to see their grown children over the holidays. Derek and Danny were engaged in conversation, but Danny found most of these questions hard to answer given his current circumstances, which he didn't really want to bring up to anyone except Dahlia. Not even Elsie knew the extent of what had brought him to Canada.

After dinner and a pie Dahlia's mother insisted on serving everyone was seated in the living room with their drink choice and the conversation continued. Between the conversation Christmas carols were turned on at low volume, and the evening was pleasant.

Afterwards Derek excused himself, kissed Elsie briefly and departed. Shortly thereafter, the parents left promising to be back the next morning and it wasn't long before Dahlia, Danny and Elsie were left in the house alone. Danny was relieved when they left and as much as he enjoyed the company it made him feel like he was under a microscope, which was the last thing he wanted to feel.

Over the next few days, Danny was grateful for his excuse to go to work. When he was working he could focus on something else, somebody else and not what was going on at Elsie's house and their family over for the holidays. It also gave him time to sort out his feelings for Beth and Dahlia, but that problem remained unsolved, much like his current dilemma. He had an uneasy feeling the decision may be made for him.

Danny came home late on Christmas Eve and collapsed on the couch in the living room.

"I think you probably got Santa beat." Dahlia quipped when she saw him.

"I think he's probably in a better mood than I am." Danny muttered.

"You got your presents ready?" She asked conversationally.

"Yeah, I'll put them in before I go to bed."

"Great! Can't wait!" Dahlia replied breezily as she made her way back upstairs.

Christmas Day was about what Danny had expected. An early noisy breakfast followed by presents, coffee and more conversation. Danny had mostly purchased a few gift cards, mostly as thank yous to Elsie and Dahlia. He would have loved to give Dahlia something more but his fledgling bank account wouldn't allow it.

Afterwards, the woman bustled around making preparations for dinner later that night. Danny had been pleasantly surprised when Dahlia had given him a messenger bag. Something he knew he needed but for what he didn't know.

"For whatever life brings you next." She said with a shrug.

That day was Danny's last day of peace. After that his life was turned upside down within 12 hours making him question everything and demolishing everything he had so carefully constructed.