Family Isn't Just Blood (Complete)

(16)

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!!!" I say jumping on Colby.

"Why?" he groans.

"Because it's Christmas!!!!" I scream.

"Good. Did you get me a new pair of eardrums?"

"Ha ha. That was so funny. Can you get up now?"

"Yeah, I'll meet you downstairs" 

"Yay!"

I jump up and run downstairs. I see the Christmas tree with so many presents! I remember Christmas with my mom was a lot like this. Before she died she would get me and Jeremy 10-15 presents each but instead of opening them Christmas morning we would wait till dad left to get drinks with his friends. I sit down on the floor while everyone comes down.

"Present time!" Devyn sings and sits next to me. Everyone else sits down around the tree. From left to right it goes Aaron, Elton, Amanda, Colby, Me, Devyn, Corey, Sam, and Kat. We all open our presents from each other. There were so many it took us an hour to get through them all. 

"Hey, there's one more. It's for...Hailey" Kat says reading the name tag. I take it from her and open it. It's a stuffed bunny, it has the same little bit of ear gone where Jeremy cut it off. It smells like coffee and flowers....just like my mom. I think...this is the bunny my mom gave me when I was 7 for Christmas. A year before she died.

~10 years ago~

"Guys! Daddy left! It's present time!" mommy says. I waddle over to the couch with Jeremy. 

"Can I open the first present mommy?" I ask.

"Sure, bunny. I think your gonna love this one" she hands me a box and I rip the paper off. 

"It's a stuffed bunny!  I love it so so much! I'm gonna name her...Bun Bun! Bun Bun the Bunny"

"Aw that's adorable! How about we write her name on her foot? So everyone will know who she is"

"Ok!"

~Present time~

I look at the bottom of the foot. It says Bun Bun. 

"Who's this from?" I ask quietly.

"Me" Colby says.

"Is that Bun Bun?" Kat asks. We used to play with her together whenever we hung out.

"Yeah....where did you get this?" I ask. My voice breaks on the last word.

"Your brother gave it to me. He said you liked it a lot as a kid and he just found it in a box. He told me to give it to you and you'd be really happy" Colby says.

"Did he tell you why I would be so happy?"

"No"

"My mom gave it to me a year before she died....it smells just like her" I stand up with the bunny and go upstairs. I sit on my bed and hug the bunny.

"Mom? Are you listening? I really miss you and I really want you to be here right now....you were supposed to be here. I'm turning into an adult in 2 months and you're not going to be here. You're never gonna be at my wedding or there when I have my first baby...dad destroyed everything I had from you...except this bunny. Jeremy saved this bunny because he knew how much I loved it and how much I love you. I really want to see you again but I can't because my father killed you. I tried to blame you for dying for years, I'm so sorry. I know you tried to fight for 3 people for 13 years. From when you had a baby at 15 all the way until you died. Thank you for the bunny. You were my favorite person in the whole world, I really hope you died knowing that Jeremy and I love you.....I'm thinking about going to visit dad--Jason. He doesn't deserve to be called my dad. I'm thinking about going to visit Jason. I don't know....I met with Jer a few months ago...he's pretty cool now. Thanks for listening mom, I love you. Bye" 

I'm gonna go visit Jason.....I'm gonna go visit Jason......I'm gonna go visit Jason....I'm gonna go visit Ja--I'm gonna have a fucking panic attack.