Turning Tables ---Going Under Construction---

Christmas Party

All things bought between Thanksgiving and Christmas should come pre-wrapped. The reason being, wrapping presents sucks. I don't know how there are people out there with this obscene gift for getting perfect corners and beautiful handmade bows. All I know is that my mother is one of them and will judge every crinkle in my paper. 

"I need a drink," I sigh out loud to my empty living room. SAgging onto the couch I look at my handy work. My mom's gift (candles, perfumes, and lotions) was easy enough to put in a bag so one thing I don't have to worry about. I also threw Xanders sweater into a bag. I thought it was just thoughtful enough to give someone without them feeling like you didn't know them at all. 

Everyone else's gifts I felt needed wrapping paper which began the longest three hours of my life. 

A knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts. I rushed over and opened the door for Greg. He thought it would be better if he drove me in case I needed to raid my parent's liquor cabinet. As I moved aside to let him in just as he pulls a present from behind his back. 

"I thought you could use something before jumping into the lion's den."

It's a perfectly wrapped box with a little blue ribbon. "Of course you can do it?" I mutter. 

"What?"

I just shake my head and lead him inside, the box now securely in my hands. "What is it?" I give it a shake. He grabs my hands before I can do it again. 

"Just open it."

 Carefully, I take the ribbon off and undo the corners. I figure if I do it slowly enough I can learn the trick of the trade. I pull out the contents. 

I lift up a colorful picture frame with a quote written in box letters across the top and bottom. "Here's to the nights that turned into morning," I read out loud. "With the friends that turned into family." My eyes started to water up as I looked at the picture. It was one of Greg, Sasha and me on our first outing with all three of us. It took a lot to convince Greg to even go, he thought the girl I met at work would be around a few months, why did he have to meet her. 

Instead, she took us on this crazy adventure and somehow we found a carnival. It was one of the greatest nights of my life. A tear hit the picture frame and I put it down on the counter. 

"Jade, I'm sorry..." Greg started, putting his arms around me. "I didn't think you would cry or I'd have given it to you later."

Reluctantly I pull away from him and dry my eyes. "It's fine. They're happy tears, they'll be gone soon." I reach over the table and pull out a poorly wrapped red tube. "This is for you. I doubt it'll be as heartfelt though."

 Eagerly he rips it from my hands and tears it open. He pulls open the poster board to reveal a large wall map. 

I leap over when he looks too confused. "You scratch off the places you've been to," I tell him. "Like you can scratch off Colorado because we live there and wherever you were in New Zeland for your gaming thing last month, etc." At my word, he pulls a coin from his back pocket and scratches four places off of the map with a smile. 

"Thank you, Jade. I love it." He rolls it back up and puts it back in the tube. "We should get your gifts into the car, Sasha is still waiting for us to pick her up."

"Don't make me go in," I whine from the passenger seat of Greg's car. He leans in through the window. "Tell them I died, they'll adopt you and then I'll run to London and start a new life."

"Get out." 

We stare each other down until Sasha cant take it anymore. "I am holding 1000 lbs worth of presents here. Get out and help me."

I let out a long-winded sigh and open the door. Sasha hands me a few bags and Greg takes a few of the boxes and we take to the front door together. Before the door even opens I can hear the classic Christmas tunes playing and business laughter. If you don't know what that is, go to a fancy business lunch, all the men have the same laugh. Three (and only three) stiff chuckles that come from the gut so they are deep and reverberate across the room. 

Example: Heh-Heh-Heh Marty, you are so right, that merger was the tops. 

I don't remember in full detail, but I am fairly certain that is verbatim what my dad said to a man at the first business party I was dragged to as a child. 

Finally, my mom comes to answer the door as she always does. Today she chose to dress in a red and green polka dot dress that fell just below her knees. She completed the festive ensemble with a pair of reindeer ears. Without warning, she started to clap and pull us all in, Sasha and I almost lost control of our gifts.

"I am so glad you made it," she chirped as she shooed us into the living room. "Let's put those gifts under the tree."

I looked around the house and everything looked the same as it did every year. On one wall hung our handmade stockings, each knitted by my paternal grandmother. She died when I was only about three so I don't remember her, but I cherished the little penguin covered stocking she made. 

Along the next wall hung garland, mistletoe, and lights just above the food and drinks station. Then you would find the tree, always real and decorated in the same blue and white bulbs and ornaments. 

Everything was beautiful, as it always was. From the gingerbread houses to the lights that danced to the music. The one really important thing from this year is that I wasn't apart of any of it. I don't think there was ever a year that I wasn't a part of it all. 

"I see wine," Sasha whispers behind me. "Let's get wine." 

I push back my thoughts and nod. "Let me just out the gifts down and say hi to my dad."

She cringed. "I'll pour you an extra big glass." 

Slowly, like walking up to a rabid dog, I approach my dad. He sees me I bend down to put away my presents, Greg behind me. "Jade," he nearly spat my name. 

Subtext: I'm continuing to ignore everything that happened at dinner. 

"Dad,"I reply. "I have to go back with my friend."

My Subtext: Of course you are, you ignore everything. 

He just nods and goes back to talking to one of his colleagues. Greg grabs my arm tightly and leads me away before I can fume around the living room. 

"Relax, Jade. It's one hour, then we are gone." 

With a few deep breaths, I am able to relax. Sasha hands me my large glass of white wine. 

Suddenly my mother comes and grabs me. "Jade, darling, I have a  surprise for you."

I cough on the wine that went down my throat wrong. "It's Christmas mother, the surprise is most of the charm when giving things."

"You'll like this one," she grins and I can smell the wine heavily on her breath. I let her lead me to the door, throwing glances over my shoulder at Greg and Sasha who just shrug. "I found something out and I wanted you to know, I'm okay with it darling."

She looks at me like I'm supposed to understand or jump onto the roof and confess something. "What is it?"

Silence has now filled the small space between us as I try to decipher her stare. Then the doorbell rings and I jump. My mother nudges me until I reach for the knob and turn it slowly, hoping a clown or serial killer doesn't jump out at me. Though it is Christmas. Maybe an elf. 

I swing the door open and she cheers as I lay eyes on my present. Xander.