The Gift

December 24th 6:36PM

Morgan closed the piano as silent as she possibly could, using her thumbs to catch most of the weight of the heavy lid. She slid off of the bench and walked towards Henry. He reached out a hand and took hers, pulling her in towards him. There was a crash from the mudroom and Henry's grip on Morgan's hand tightened.

"You know if you speak, we can understand why you're upset," Morgan called out, moving towards the front entrance of the house. Henry followed, his hand still holding on to hers.

"You are a disgrace and I can't believe you are even in my house!" Anita screeched, her finger pointing at Morgan.

"What did I do now?" Morgan asked, sounding bored with Anita's antics. Anita recoiled, her hand going to touch her graying blonde hair. She ran her fingers along the bottom of her hair, perfectly straight going all around her head.

"Do you know who just called me?" Anita questioned, pulling her phone out of her pocket to wag it at Morgan. Morgan looked down at the device and back up at Anita. The young adult shrugged. "Amber's mother!"

"Oh god," Henry whispered. He let go of Morgan's hand and wrapped his arm around her back. She took her own arm and wrapped it around his body, pulling him closer to him.

"You know what she said?" Anita exclaimed, her makeup around her eyes was beginning to smear from tears.

"Just tell us," Morgan stated, her voice flat. Anita recoiled again and shoved her phone back into her pocket.

"She said that Amber just got married to some guy," Anita snapped. A small huff escaped Henry as he tried to hold back a laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Well good for her, I'm glad she found someone to be with," Morgan said. Her voice sounded enthusiastic as she quickly glanced at Henry.

"That's not good! Not good at all!" Anita exclaimed, stomping a foot into the floor. Morgan bowed her head and held back a laugh of her own. Taking a breath, she returned her gaze to the childish woman in front of her.

"Why not?"

"Because if she marries just some random guy she won't be able to afford anything!" Anita replied. Allison sucked in a sharp breath.

"Called it," Katie whispered.

"Called what?" Anita snapped.

"That you were in this family just for the paycheck," Morgan said, beating Katie to the response. Anita's head whipped around and glared at Morgan. Morgan shrugged her shoulders. "Just saying. Why else would you be mad about your best friend's daughter being happy enough to marry a guy?"

"You don't know anything you little scoundrel, why else would you be here? You're living off an artist salary and traveling. You don't make anything. Of course you would be here, too!" Anita replied, stepping closer to Morgan. Henry could feel Morgan tense up as she let him go to step forward to meet Anita.

"You are the one that doesn't know anything. I would much rather live in a tent on the side of a highway than live with a greedy bitch like you," Morgan snarled. Katie and Allison both stifled a laugh as Henry looked on in shock. Anita's eyes widened and she let out a gasp. She lifted her hand, ready to hit Morgan, but Morgan smacked her hand away. "Don't even try it."

"You are the worst thing that has ever happened to this house," Anita responded, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Actually, I would say she's the best," Allison stated. She looked down at her sister and the two shared a high five. Turning back to Anita, Katie shrugged her shoulders and grinned.

"Your father will hear about this," Anita said as she stormed off up the stairs.

"Make sure to tell him every single detail!" Allison called up after Anita. A shriek was heard as the master bedroom door closed. Allison grinned and turned back to Morgan. Her head was bowed and Henry was rubbing a hand over one of her shoulders.

"What's all that commotion down here?" Gram asked, peering over the railing. Katie looked up at her grandmother and grinned.

"Morgan just won against Anita," she called up. Morgan collapsed into a hug with Henry, her face pressed into his chest.

"You're okay," Henry whispered.

"I know, I just, I grew up with nothing, I don't need anything, and I hate when people think that's all I'm out for," she mumbled back. He tightened his grip around the girl and rested his chin on her head.

"Let's go watch something."