Clueless and In Love

Chapter 25

(Jackson)

I ran down the steps of my house wearing a mahogany jacket and jeans.

I loved the Christmas season. It was my favorite time of the year, well, aside from my birthday.

3 days before Christmas, I and the family were throwing a party at my house. It had been a crazy week and we all needed a break.

As I got down to the living room, I saw James and Jenny snug in front of the fireplace wearing red t-shirts. James had a reindeer on his, probably Rudolph because of the nose, and Jenny had a fluffy white snowman.

Dad was out to meet a client, but he’d be back to cook the food and serve the guests.

“Hey,” I greeted my siblings, plopping down beside them.

James pulled me in, wrapping his arm around my neck and giving me a noogie. “’Sup little bro.”

I laughed as I pulled away. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”

Jen playfully gave me a peck on the cheek. “Merry Christmas.”

We sat there for a while in silence, soaking up the heat of the warm fire that danced in front of us.

“So, when is everyone coming?” James asked after a while.

“Around five, according to dad,” Jen said, checking her watch.

“To bad mom can’t come,” I said glumly.

A few days back, my mom said she wasn’t going to make it for Christmas since the building she was designing is taking longer than expected. The parts hadn’t arrived yet, the client was adding new ideas day after day, and it looked like the building would collapse if left unattended. She was worried that if she left, the project might take a turn for the worst.

Of course, each of us tried to convince her, but she was as stubborn as always, so we had no choice but to have Christmas without her.

The rest of the day, we spent together making hot chocolate and telling stories. We stepped out for a while in the cold as we built a snowman, and yes, we hit anyone with a snowball if he/she started singing, ‘Do you wanna build a snowmaaaan?’ Whap!

After about an hour in the cold, we decided to return inside where we sat on the couch and joked around as we watched the Brooklyn Nine-Nine Marathon.

During the 8th episode, Jen’s phone rang.

She picked up the remote and turned off the TV as she pressed the phone to her ear.

“Hello?”

Me and James stared at her as she spoke with the guy at the end.

At first, she looked puzzled and confused, then distressed and sad, and finally, disappointed.

She hung up the phone and took a deep breath. “Dad says he’s gonna be a little late today, so we may have to cancel the party.”

“What?!” I asked. “That can’t be! I already invited everyone over!”

“And Roxie already agreed to come,” James added. We were going to roast marshmallows by the fireplace.”

Me and Jen glanced at him, as if not believing what he just said, but got back to arguing.

“What do you suppose we do?” she asked, flailing her arms above her head.

I stood up and paced the room, which always helped me think. I cupped my chin with my hand and started to come up with an idea to save Christmas.

Or….at least my Christmas.