Under the Xmas Lights

home for the holidays

December 24th (6:01pm)

“Are you sure that it’s okay?”

“Yeah. There’s going to be too many people and little ones running around anyway, so what’s one more?”

They’re walking up Jesse’s driveway, hands locked together because Jesse refuses to let her run off. His house is done up for the holidays as well; a reindeer there, an elf here, boxed presents dotting the snow-covered lawn, stunning lights strung around the roof and…

“Is that… Santa and Rudolph?” Noelle stops, gaping at the figures mounted on top of the house.

“Yeah. Dad and I put it up there,” he replies, stopping to look at it also.

The curtains suddenly yank open, and Noelle catches a glimpse of grinning faces with brown ringlets bobbing in the living room window before the door suddenly bursts open and two little girls throw themselves at Jesse.

“You’re back!” they screech, grinning up at him. “And you’re wet!”

“Yes, snow does that,” agrees Jesse, patting their heads.

They back up to circle the both of them, staring at Noelle with curiosity. She realizes she’s still holding Jesse’s hand, but she can’t find a good enough reason to let go.

“Who are you?” they ask her. “You’re not Cathy.”

She blinks, figuring that Cathy must be the ex. But before she can process that thought much farther, a tall, smiling woman appears in the open doorway.

“Josie, Jenny, come in before you catch a cold!” the woman scolds, ushering them indoors. Then she turns back to the two teenagers. “Welcome back, Jesse. And who is this?”

“Hi, mom,” says Jesse, pulling Noelle up the steps. “This is Noelle. Except she doesn’t believe in Christmas, which is ironic. And I invited her over for dinner.”

“Oh. That’s nice. Hello, dear.” The woman smiles at Noelle. “Call me Anne.”

“Thanks for having me,” Noelle says shyly.

“Oh, don’t worry. The more the merrier, right?” Anne nods at Jesse. “Besides, it’s all this boy’s doing. Tell me, boy, what happened to Cathy?”

Noelle stares at her feet uncomfortably, feeling like she was intruding. Maybe she should go…

Jesse puts a hand on her arm, as if reading her mind. “Cathy and I… uh, broke up. Last month.”

“Last month?” Anne raises her eyebrows, but leaves it. She steps aside to let them in. “Come in, you must be freezing.”

They enter the house quietly, taking off their damp coats and boots. But as soon as she glances up, she completely forgets the awkwardness of before. The house is smaller than hers, but it’s the complete opposite. Lights and lamps and the fireplace are all lit, brightening the atmosphere. There are people sitting and chatting, rushing about placing last minute décor, and kids giggling on the colourful rug. The Christmas tree is bright and dazzling, and Noelle thinks it’s more beautiful than any other she’s seen so far. Warm, delicious aromas float from the kitchen making her stomach rumble. The whole place is like a familiar scene out of a family movie.

“Told you it’d be crowded,” says Jesse, standing beside her. His mother has retreated back into the kitchen. He shifts his feet, pretending to be casual but really watching her reaction to his home.

“I like it,” she tells him, smiling.

He smiles back, relieved. “Come on. Let’s introduce you to some people.”

Noelle shakes hands and nods shyly at Aunt This, Uncle That, cousin Him, family friend Her. She can’t remember the names, what with the relaxed atmosphere making her dizzy with a feeling she can’t understand. They all accept her, a stranger, as readily as Jesse had. It’s such a contrast from what she’s used to, she almost cried.

“Jesse,” Anne the mother calls. She pokes her head around the doorway. “Come set the table. We saved that job just for you.”

He rolls his eyes. “Thanks mom.” He gets up from the couch, his two younger sisters still clinging onto his legs. “Get off, you two. I’m not a jungle gym.”

Noelle follows him into the dining room. She stares at the light reflecting off the glass and chandelier.

“You don’t have to help,” Jesse says quickly, carrying the plates and silverware to the table. “You can just sit down if you want.”

She shrugs. “I don’t mind.”

They fall silent as they place the forks, knives and spoons around the table. It’s almost hypnotizing, the rhythmic moving as she follows her clockwise around the table. It’s a routine, but a comfortable one, not an agonizing cold one like at her house. She likes it; it feels like anticipating for something beautiful.

“Are you feeling the Christmas spirit yet?”

Her mouth tilts up. “I’m feeling something.”

“Good something?”

Without hesitation: “Yes.”

“Great.”

They share a smile, just staring at each other over the table. It seems as if something has passed between them. In that moment of stillness, as they stand next to each other in Jesse’s dining room, Noelle thought there is nowhere else she’d rather be.

Just when Jesse opens his mouth to say something, an aunt (or cousin, Noelle can’t be sure) enters the room presenting a grand plate of turkey.

“That looks delicious, Aunt Mel,” Jesse comments, reaching out to help her set it down.

“It’ll taste delicious,” the woman smiles. “It’s your mother’s cooking, after all.”

cutting it short because i'm a meanie >:)

song: I Want a Hippopotamus for Xmas ... i don't know why. i like this song. :O 

and it says Shirley Temple but all the comments say it's Gayla Peevey, but I have no idea, so if it's important to you, google it. happy a week and a day before the supposed end of the world!