Beyond the Broken Angel

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

— homesick —

November 24th, 2017

GISELLE WAS VERY good at ignoring things. Had always been good at it. She supposed it began sometime around seventh grade when her best friend made the cheer team and she didn't.

She was overcome with jealousy, and hated the feeling. So she ignored it, bottling it up and shoving it out of sight. Only then was she able to look at her friend in her cute cheerleading uniform and not feel envy.

The act of ignoring had also become useful when thinking about the tree and what it had taken from her. But no matter how talented you can become at ignoring your problems, they never just disappear. You'll have to face them at some point.

Giselle was beginning to face that reality shortly after she got off the phone with her mother, who had told her all about that year's annual Thanksgiving feast she had gone to.

The feast was always hosted at Giselle's grandmother's house, and her mother's entire side of the family showed up. It was usually a chore for Giselle to attend, as she had always seen the family a week prior at her grandmother's birthday and would see them again for Christmas a month later.

But this year, she yearned more than anything to go see them. To go home. To sleep in her own bed.

Her mother had sent a care package to Giselle to ease some of the homesickness two months ago when she got back from 1937, having packed a few of her knickknacks and blankets and old stuffed animals from home.

That only made her miss everything more, especially with Christmas steadily approaching.

It was her favorite holiday, and she was a stickler each year when it came to family Christmas traditions.

Exchange homemade cookies with the Kincaids next door for their Italian Christmas cookies, open one present each on Christmas Eve, make a gingerbread house to bring to Grandma's on Christmas Day—she couldn't do any of her traditions this year, and there was no ignoring that.

A knock at the door pulled Giselle away from her troubling thoughts.

"Who is it?" she called out.

"It's Ajay. Are you decent?"

Giselle smiled, getting up and opening the door. "Yes, I'm decent," she said.

Ajay smiled back. "Good," he moved past her to enter the room. "The Gaggle of Grannies are downstairs. Nana made me come, obviously," he told her, plopping down on her bed and snatching up the remote to her television. "What do you want to watch?"

"Actually, I kind of want to go somewhere," Giselle said. "I think I need to get out of this house."

Ajay perked up. "That works out. I know just what we can do."

• — • — •

For once, Giselle frowned as she stared at the wreaths and garlands and baubles decorating the shopping center Ajay had taken her to.

All the Christmas cheer and decorations served as a constant reminder that she wouldn't be spending her favorite holiday where she wanted to be.

"Which one smells more grandmotherly?" Ajay asked, holding up two different bottles of perfume. "Nana's favorite scent is grandma."

Giselle leaned in to sniff both scents before pointing to the one in his right hand. "That one, for sure."

He nodded, setting the bottles down and picking up the correct perfume package from the counter. "Brilliant. Now, off to the bag section for my mother. Are you sure you don't want to get anything for anyone? It's best to get presents early. It's always a nightmare coming in here in December."