The Unholy Trinity

The Unholy Trinity-Chapter Fourteen

For the first time in her life, Fallon didn’t care about Christmas. Besides the fact that she didn’t want to deal with her first Christmas without her dad, she didn’t really feel like celebrating Christmas anymore. The thought of celebrating the birth of Christian’s father made her stomach turn, which made Lucian laugh when she told him that.

The problem was her mother. Not only did her mom want to celebrate, but she seemed to be trying hard to make sure it was the best Christmas ever. It started with the lights she hung in the front window of their apartment. Fallon cringed every time her mom plugged them in. The last thing she needed was someone seeing the soul mate of Satan’s son getting so in to Christmas. After the lights came the stupid scraggly tree she insisted on decorating on Fallon’s first day of her three week winter vacation. All the while, her mom bugged her about what she wanted for Christmas while warning her not to be too extravagant because money was tight. To make her happy, Fallon wrote a list and kept all her requests under fifty dollars. One week before Christmas, she dropped the big bomb.

“Guess where we’re going this Friday,” Gwen said.

“I don’t know,” Fallon answered. “Where?”

“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you. Maybe I should let it be another Christmas present.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want.” 

“You’re no fun.”

“Okay, tell me where we’re going.”

“We’re going to the midnight service at Christian’s uncle’s church.” 

“What? How did you even know his uncle was a preacher?”

“One of the girls I work with told me all about the big show her church puts on every year,” Gwen explained. “She said they do a play about the birth of Jesus and the choir sings and there’s even a bell choir. And she told me Elliot Church is the pastor, and his nephew Christian has the voice of an angel and sings a beautiful solo every year. Anyway, I put two and two together and figured out it was your friend Christian, and I must say I’m surprised you didn’t tell me.”

“We don’t really hang out anymore. I think he’s jealous of Lucian.”

“Then maybe you should see if Lucian wants to come too. Christmas Eve would be the perfect time to put aside their differences, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know.” 

“Talk to him tomorrow when you guys are Christmas shopping. That reminds me, what size shirt does he wear?”

“Why?”

“So I can get him a shirt for Christmas of course.”

“You don’t have to do that, Mom.”

“It’s no trouble. I thought I’d go to the mall with you tomorrow and finish my shopping while you did yours. That’s okay right?”

It wasn’t okay, but Fallon lied and said it was. It wasn’t like she had a choice. Besides, her mom hanging around while they were at the mall was the least of her problems. She needed to figure out a way to get out of going to church.

They met up with Lucian at the mall on Sunday afternoon. Before they left, Fallon made sure to call and warn him her mom would be there. As soon as her mom spotted him, she gave him a big smile and waved at him as if they were old friends.

“How are you, Lucian?” Gwen said and then gave him a hug.

“Um, hey, Mrs. Keyes,” he said and frowned at Fallon over her mom’s shoulder.