Accidental Christmas Miracle

18.

Miracle

"Gabriel? What about him?" She asked, confused.
"Today I saw him being..." I paused, searching for the right word. "Mistreated, I suppose is one word for it, but I know that that wasn't the first time that happened, making it bullying."
Sandy's expression was one of worry and concern for her child. "Was he hurt?" She wanted to know.

I shook my head. "Not that I was aware of." I told her. I then explained what had unfolded.

When I was done, Sandy didn't say anything for a bit. However, when she did, she frowned. "I knew that Thompson kid was never up to any good."

I said nothing.

"What's bothering you about it all?" She asked me.

"Well, first things first, I don't like the idea of Gabriel getting bullied."

"I would hope not but, I don't think any of us like that idea." She sighed. "I just wish he had told me." She looked at me. "Despite all my children thinking that I know everything, I don't. I just have a good sense of telling when someone did something."

"Oh. So, you don't know everything that happens?" I asked.

She laughed and shook her head. "No." She paused. "No." She repeated. "Or I would have been able to tell that something was happening with Gabe." A tear rolled down her face. "It's just been harder with Scott gone and everything." She let out a soft laugh. "You'd think that eleven years would be long enough to get your life back together but there are times that I wish he were here so I could ask him what he would do."

I handed her a tissue that I had gotten.

She wiped her eyes with it and blew her nose. "Sorry." She apologized. "I shouldn't be complaining to you."

"No." I stopped her. "It's better to get the things you want to say out rather than let them bubble inside of you and then break some time."

"Hm." She sighed again. "It's just that...Elle and Gabe were teased because they were adopted and we've tried our best to make sure they felt included but I think it was harder because we were still grieving Scott. Dot and Christi definitely had the pressures of being good older siblings." Her shoulders sagged and she wiped her eyes again before getting up. "But, no matter. That was in the past. We can't change the past, now can we?"

She took the cup of hot chocolate that I had barely touched, barely thinking about doing it.

I got up and was about to go to my room to read or write when the others came into the house, laughing loudly and smiling. I hung back as Christi suggested a game of Uno.

Sandy said that she was busy and to go on without her but I think she just didn't want them to see that she had been crying.

I told them that I needed to drop off something in my room but that I would be right back.

After I put the bag with the items that I had acquired when I was in town in my room, I came back down and when the cards were being dealt out to Dot, Christi, Jules, and I - the twins said that they were going over to a friends house to hang out - I was asked why I didn't ask to be driven back home.

I shrugged. "I didn't see any of you guys around and I figured that you were probably having a good time. I didn't want to interrupt that plus, I liked the walk." I explained as I placed a red one down.

They seemed content with my answer - which was the complete truth - and aside from the occasional bantering between all four of us, we didn't talk much but that was fine.

After five rounds - it was almost a tie - I won with two wins while everyone else had one. The award for me winning was hot chocolate which this time I drank. It was the best cup I'd had the whole time.

The Taylor family was a family of resiliency and pushing through hard times. They had each other for support and they all knew that.Much different than my family.

In my family, it was a fend for yourself with a few helping hands along the way. It wasn't a bad way to be raised - I turned out fine, I think - just different. The contrast between the two families - the Taylor and the Winters - showed me many things.

It showed me that while the world was a cold place, made of people trying to get to the top, it was also a kind place, made of people that were content with staying where they were.

The Taylors showed me that where there was happiness, there was sadness because those two things are very much intertwined. If one isn't felt, then the other feeling isn't truly that feeling because you never knew the other.

The Winters showed me that if I want to get something done, it isn't going to happen just by sitting around and twiddling your thumbs.

That is when - after another deliciously home cooked meal - I rushed upstairs and opened my laptop, the blank white page staring at me.

Immediately, I started writing, words just pouring out of me. Staying up all night, I wrote furiously, barely registering the time that was passing.