Blame The Weeds (gxg)

13.5 - PART 2

Part 2

December '96

Kareena is 14

"Merry Christmas, dear," said dad, clapping Freya on the shoulder. He set a ribbon-wrapped gift in her hand with a rare proud grin. Freya looked up to my father.

"Can I wait a few days until Christmas Eve?"

"Boo!" I sounded, stuffing another store-bought sugar cookie into my mouth.

"Hush," dad said, patting Freya on the back again. "Sure, wait if you'd like. Ignore my daughter."

"Ignore my daughter," I mocked.

"See?" said dad. Freya threw a glance my way, her cheeks flushed.

"I see," she said.

"That gift better be a belt," I threw out, watching as Freya pulled her baggy jeans up for the third time that minute.

Freya and I ended up in my room, throwing paper airplanes to Luke across the way. They didn't talk much, like always, but I was there to break the tension.

I drew my nail crisp down the fold, kissed a wing, and flicked my wrist. The paper plane drifted right across the way and into Luke's room.

"Boom!" I said, marking down another point under my name. "That's a landslide, guys!"

"You're too good," Luke lamented, shivering under his coat.

"And obnoxious," Freya said, grinning at me. I smiled back, sweeping my arms out.

"I'm open to defeat!"

From downstairs, dad announced, "It's getting late!" Freya deflated, and I didn't ask why. I think Luke noticed too before waving us off and shutting his window. Snow still drifted through mine.

I went downstairs and told dad a few things. After promising to fall asleep and keep the chitchat to a minimum, he said okay. I dragged the old blow-up mattress up to my room, and Freya called her dad while I inflated it. Freya was so quiet for the rest of the night that I was worried. I thought she might cry, but she never did—or I never noticed.

As we waited for sleep in my still-chilled room, Freya whispered thanks from below. I reached down for her and we drifted off with our fingers linked tightly.