Ringo Wheeler had enough problems - she was named after a member of a band she doesn't even like, she can't find her favourite record in any store along the East Coast and she pissed her parents off enough to be shipped to Indiana.
Now, she has a ne...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE DOORBELL PIERCED THROUGH THE EXCITED CHATTER OF THE WHEELER HOUSEHOLD, promptingKaren to nod towards her son to open the front door and invite their guests inside. Mike lazily got up with a huff, but he couldn't complain today - his parents just bought him a BMX bike for his Christmas present.
Opening the door, he was greeted with two smiling blondes, who broke into eerily similar grins at the sight of his rather festive sweater.
"You look like Christmas threw up on you," Ringo snickered, her mother slapping her arm in protest but still hiding giggles of her own.
"Shut up, Ringo. Mom made me wear it," he rolled his eyes, leaving the door open for them to come inside and trailing back into the living room. They each had bags between them, filled with presents for their extended family. Perhaps they had gone overboard, but Julia and Ringo hadn't celebrated Christmas with anyone for nine years.
They entered the room rather sheepishly, both worrying that they were intruding on private family time. Rather comically, the same sweater had been forced upon every member of the house, making them look like a Christmas informercial. Or a horrific pop band releasing a Christmas anthem.
"Julia, Ringo!" Karen stood up giddily, gesturing with her hands for them to come further in and sit down. "We're so glad you could come, dinner will be ready in an hour!"
Settling the bag down next to the tree, Ringo immediately gravitated towards Nancy, who was clutching a box of brand new hot curlers in hand. Julia still felt rather awkward, and chose to sit in a free armchair by herself. She noticed how easily Ringo fit into the family, being so familiar with them. But she was also a blood relative - and Julia was merely the wife of their deceased brother/uncle.
Picking up on her mother's discomfort, Ringo decided to strike up a conversation to get her involved.
"We brought presents, as payment for not having to cook a turkey!"
"Ringo can't handle looking at uncooked meat," Julia rolled her eyes in amusement, "it's almost a phobia at this point."
"Only psychopaths can handle a carcass with ease, mother," she spoke with a flat tone, eyes narrowing dramatically.
"You didn't need to bring anything!" Karen insisted, but she smiled widely all the same with Holly balanced on her hip. Ted was nearly dozing off in the corner, likely having guzzled too much mulled wine.
As presents were divided out and happily opened, Karen handed a smaller one to Holly, pointing towards Julia for the girl to give to. Teetering across the room, Holly childishly smiled as she handed the wrapped box towards the blonde, who looked up in surprise. She hadn't expected to be included in their gift giving, and was feeling rather emotional upon opening the box to find a beautiful necklace inside.
