[Completed] Moments Around the Mistletoe

Ten

It's six in the morning and I just took my shower, I'll go downstairs later, I'm still a little bit sleepy. I check my phone to surf Instagram when suddenly Sarah, my older brother's girlfriend called me via FaceTime. I answered the call and lie on the bed.

"Yo, sis! Merry Christmas, how are you!" She said in her usual Austrian accent.

"I'm fine, sis. Just a little bit sleepy, I just woke up and took a bath. Good thing that I opened my phone when you called," I said then we both laughed. Sadly, she can't come to America for Christmas since she has worked, medical life is a hassle, according to her and also my uncle who is also a nurse.

"By the way, where are you going to celebrate Christmas?" She asked.

The last time we talked about where are we going to celebrate Christmas is going to be in the orphanage a but yesterday when we were having dinner at a restaurant Grandpa Fuller suggested that we celebrate Christmas there in the morning until four in the afternoon. When we arrive home we will also celebrate Christmas as a family, but it's more of like dinner after that we will give our gifts to each other, not an exchange gift. So practically, we will have two parties in one day.

"In the orphanage and at home," I answered.

She nodded with a sad smile. "I wish I could come there to celebrate Christmas with you but sadly I still have work and there are a lot of patients that need to be taken care of."

Yeah, and that's what you call medical life but sometimes you need to take a break no matter how workaholic you are. I am a workaholic but I know to manage my time between family and office, rest and work. Just like now, I'm taking a break from work. I always work hard and now I deserve the rest that I need.

"Don't work too hard, Sarah. Caesar will be worried about his girlfriend working too hard."

"Tell him not to be an idiot!" She snapped then burst out laughing. "He's sometimes an idiot you know. I feel awkward doing PDA in front of you, such a show-off."

Thankfully someone mentioned that my brother is an idiot and that work comes from the mouth of his girlfriend. Sarah and I are close even before she dates my brother. We become close when I went to Austria and suddenly bumped into her and we exchanged number and since then we became close, long story short, when she visited here in New York for vacation I introduced her to my brother, my fell in love with her and they are dating. The end.

"Yes, don't worry sis. I will tell him not to be an idiot." She laughed and drank a can of coke. I know that because of the red can with a white twirly thing. I'm guessing she's on her way to work because her background is in the car. "Are you going to the hospital?"

She shooked her head. "No, I'm going to the grocery store to get some groceries for Christmas. By the way, you need to eat breakfast I'm guessing that it's six or seven in the morning there."

"Yes, it's six twenty-seven in the morning," I said looking at the digital clock beside the bed. "Alright, you drive carefully, Merry Christmas. Love you!"

"Merry Christmas, Love you too. Extend my regards to your parents," she said waving goodbye.

"Bye," I waved goodbye and ended the call.

Austria is six hours ahead of New York I'm guessing it's lunchtime there. If it's lunchtime there then it's breakfast time here. I stand up and arrange my bed before going outside to eat lunch. I have a feeling that my brother is still cooking breakfast I can hear the sizzling of the food being fried from the stairs. I inhale the fragrant aroma of fried shrimp in the air. Disclaimer, I hate shrimp but I love fried shrimp I don't know why it's weird.

"What are you cooking?" I asked while sitting down on the chair. Caesar puts the fried shrimp on a bowl with tissue and puts chilli sauce in a small bowl. "Fried Shrimp, Rice, Salad, Quesadillas and Rolled-up Bacon Toast with Eggs," He answered.

That's delicious! Caesar is always the one who is cooking in the house maybe I should cook tomorrow for breakfast and that is if only I am free and what I mean by free, I mean not being lazy. Yes, my brother is an idiot but he's still my brother and I care for him. Cooking is hard work you know, you have to make sure that your dish tastes good to impress the one who is going to eat.

Of course, I almost forgot! I massage my head in frustration. I need to tell him that Sarah and I talked a moment ago and I have to tell him not to be an idiot. "You know what, Sarah and I talked a moment ago."

He faced at me while pouring Caesar Dressing on the bowl. "What did she say," I can see the smile on his face.

I smirked. You're gonna love my answer, brother. You won't believe that she said this but she really did. "She said to you to not be an idiot. Well, she said that to me but it's for you. She also said 'He's sometimes an idiot you know. I feel awkward doing PDA in front of you, such a show-off.'" I repeated what Sarah said when we were talking and by the looks of it, Caesar didn't believe anything I said. I'm sorry, bro but that's the truth and I can't lie.

"No, she didn't!"

"Oh, yes she did. You won't believe me? Then ask her yourself and I'm innocent about that," A smirk and a feign laugh escapes my mouth. I love it when my brother is suffering. Yes, I love my brother but I sometimes love badmouthing Ceasar.

"Fine, fine I believe you, and you're innocent. Just watch out she will never lie to me." Caesar puts the dish in the table and I decided to help him.

***

I am here alone in my room listening to music. Mom and Dad are out and it's only my grandparent here in the house. I can't wait for Christmas, I'm so excited and I don't know why. My Uncle Frank called when we were eating breakfast until now and I don't want to talk, obviously, I have no guts to talk about something since I have no story to tell.

Baby baby, you're a Caramel Macchiato. Your scent is still sweet on my lips
Baby baby tonight...

"Baby baby geudaeneun Caramel Macchiato yeojeonhi nae ipgaen. Geudae hyanggi dalkomhae. Baby baby tonight.." I sing with my seriously broke Korean.

I wrap myself with my blanket and focus on reading on my book. My eyes are getting heavier and heavier when my peaceful music is being disturbed by my Marimba ringtone. I rolled my eyes. Who in the world could that be. I detach my headphones from my phone and answered the phone without looking at that caller ID.

"Hello? Who is this?"