Aspen Holiday

Chapter 2 - Tree

Ten days until Christmas.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. Just like the ones I used to know..." The lyrics sounded in my ears from the car radio as I hummed along, looking at the snow filled streets out my window and nodded my head, my lips warm with delight.

After we had gotten off of our flight — which was amazing, by the way! — my brothers and I collected a rental car and are now headed to our house! Well the house we're renting? I don't know, Cal said that they got an airbnb, whatever that is, so we're staying there.

I'm so excited! Caleb didn't tell me much because Ace kept on shushing him, but from what I gathered Caleb is super excited about the house. I guess they looked pretty long and hard to find the perfect holiday wonderland house. Like a hallmark movie! Even though I have no clue what this house looks like I am super excited.

I am for sure, one hundred percent the biggest Christmas aficionado in my house. I think it's Ace's favorite holiday too, but only because I love it so much. Ace said that one of the things he used to look forward to when we were younger was seeing how he could out-due his previous years self and see my face light up with all of the Christmas decor, events, etc.

Caleb also — seeing the child he is — loves Christmas. My brother's best friend is always cracking jokes and is super funny. But around the holidays it gets even bigger. Cal really loves to take perfectly planned events and turn them into mayhem. I vividly remember not being able to go a day without Caleb starting a snowball fight in Massachusetts. If there was Caleb and there was snow there was going to be a fight. It's a perfectly balanced equation! — my math teacher would be proud.

So even though I know that my brothers sometimes think it's lame to be so into Christmas, I love it, and I love that they pretend just for me.

Santa is a whole other thing. Spoiler! But yeah, Ace told me Santa wasn't real when I was around eleven. I think I knew for a little longer than that, I was just in denial and didn't want to believe it. Santa was the best part of my childhood! Still is, since my brothers still keep the tradition alive and pretend — we never ever talk about the elephant in the room. It's like one of the ten deadly-holiday sins.

"Where the sons are listening! And the snowbells glistening! Just like the ones I used to know!" Caleb belted out, looking at me from the passenger seat of the car.

Ace's face screwed up all wonky before he could school his expressions once again — fixing his friend with an incredulous and distasteful look. I scoffed, my lips curling up into an inevitable smile as I returned Caleb's look from the back seat.

"Those aren't the lyrics, Cal." I told him, shaking my head.

"Oh, I think they are." Caleb said, relaxing in his chair and bringing his hands up to fold behind his head to show that he was not bothered by my criticizing opinion.

"They're really not." I insisted.

"What are the real one's then?"

I knew he was inviting me to sing as I hadn't so far in the car, but I didn't care if I was playing into his trap, beginning to sing as the same verse Caleb butchered came on.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. Just like the ones I used to know ... Where the treetops glisten and children listen. To hear sleigh bells in the snow." I swayed my shoulders from side to side, making sure I kept on track with the music and the beat.

I looked up at my brothers with a sort-of-shy smile once I had finished singing, waiting to gauge their reactions. Caleb's face was neutral from what I could see, but Ace's lips lifted up into a small, comforting smile. His gaze focuses on the road, but his heart focuses on me.