A Christmas Carol

Merry Christmas

     Song of the chapter :
        Merry Christmas Baby - Christina Aguilera

      “Just help”, she muttered. The sunshine rays hit her face and she jumped up from the bed. “Oh my God”, she touched every part of her body, “I’m here. I’m real. I’m not dead.” She jumped and whooped, she ran to the parlor and saw her TV on, “And in time for our Christmas celebration”, she laughed happily at the TV.
                  She took the fastest bath in history and brought her phone out, she dialed Efe first, “Hello?”, his voice was hopeful, Carol smiled, “Efe forget about the phone. I’ll meet you in the evening okay?” “OK?”, he sounded confused, Carol couldn’t blame him but she couldn’t explain either.
                  Chioma was next on the line, “Hello Carol, how far?”, she sounded sleepy, “I just wanted to tell you that I’m coming back to church as soon as I do something first.” “Praise the Lord!”, Chioma shouted, all trace of sleepiness gone. Carol gave her an enthusiastic response before hanging up.
                Carol bounded out of her apartment with joy, singing Céline Dion’s ‘I’m alive’ under her breath. She passed her neighbors going to church and shouted, ‘Merry Christmas!’ at them, they were left wondering if she had run mad.

           Of all the things she had done that morning, standing in front of her sister’s house was by far the scariest for Carol. She took a deep breath and knocked on the gate, a gate man answered, “Who be that?”, “I be madam sister.”  The gate opened and she was faced with a wizened old man and a beautiful duplex.
            Her sister was getting the children ready, evident by the shouts coming from the house. “Junior come here before I beat you.” The gateman opened the door and spoke to Jennifer about her ‘sister’, she came out immediately, thinking she was wrong.
            Carol was leaning on the gate when the wind was knocked out of her, she chuckled, “Is there room for one more?” “Of course there is, you’re family. There’s always room for you”, Jennifer was delighted. She led Carol into the house and introduced her to everyone especially sneering when she reached the woman who had gossiped the previous night.
              They went to church for the Christmas service and for the first time, Carol didn’t feel uncomfortable on Christmas day.