Page 32 of A Grinchmas Delight

Mom heads into the kitchen and pulls out a container of her famous banana pudding. Dessert to heal your soul, she always used to say. It was Dad’s favorite that she made and she makes it every holiday and birthday in our family.

She fixes two bowls and sets them at the dining room table. I sit down in the chair across from hers and we sit together chatting about Dad and eating pudding. I leave late in the evening and make it home around midnight.

The crippling anxiety I had earlier isn’t so crippling. It’s still there, it just isn’t overwhelming. Mom is right. I just have to give her time, no matter how badly I do not want to give her time. Christmas is only days away and I wanted so badly to see her face light up on Christmas Day. My girl, the one who loves all things Christmas and has even warmed this old grinch’s heart this year. I haven’t felt this alive during the holidays in my entire life.

That ache in my chest is growing as I try to busy myself around the house. I wrap Dayra’s gift that I picked up earlier and place it on my nightstand underneath the small tree I decorated just for her. I shoot a text to my brother to see what he’s into this evening and get nothing back. He’s probably out doing something with his family. And I know my sister is busy with her family. I’m the middle child and somehow the only one without a family of my own. It isn’t my fault no one I’ve met has been worthy of carrying my child and last name.

Until now. I didn’t realize how smitten with Dayra I was until she was no longer an option for me. My brain races at all of the possible outcomes of the conversation that we will have when I see her again. Iwillsee her. She can’t avoid me forever. I’m exhausted and finally crash with Dayra being the last thing that crosses my mind.

I wake up Christmas Eve morning to my phone chiming back-to-back. Groggily, I snatch it from the wireless charger on my nightstand. With one eye open, I type in my passcode and glare at it. Text messages from a number I don’t have saved in my phone are pinging one after the other.

I click it and have to scroll up to see all of the messages.

Unknown: You piece of trash! How dare you treat Dayra like that. I can’t believe I’ve been telling her this whole time to give you a chance and literally the day after you’re with her, you go and fuck another coworker? Are you serious right now? I am baffled.

Unknown: I do not know how you can live with yourself. Actually. I do. It’s because you’re exactly who she thought you were all along.

Unknown: You really are the Tall Hateful Devil, aren’t you.

Unknown: What do you have to say for yourself? Or are you going to be too much of a pussy to respond? Fucking defend yourself at least.

Unknown: or don’t. Whatever. I don’t care. I just thought you were different than this. Better than this. I guess I was wrong.

Unknown: This is Maia, btw. In case you haven’t figured that out.

It’s too early for this. I tap the button at the top right and call the number. I am not texting a whole defense this early in the morning on Christmas Eve, nonetheless. It rings for half of a ring before she answers.

“What? You’re calling me?” she whispers.

“Yeah. It’s too early for texting that damn much. And I have a lot to say.”

“You’re right, you do have a lot to say. Really? Jade? How could you do that?”

“Pump your brakes, lady. Can I talk?”

The other end of the line gets quiet and I wait a few seconds longer before I begin.

“The simple answer is… I didn’t.”

“Bullshit!”

“Look, I didn’t sleep with her, or anyone else for that matter. I don’t evenlikeJade as a human, much less as a woman. But, I don’t have to defend myself.”

“You don’t? I guess she isn’t that important to you after all, then.”

“I don’t have to explain myself because Dolly and Cassidy are both friends of yours and Dayra’s and they can each pull the security tapes from Saturday and show Dayra. Let them do the talking.”

“Security cameras don’t show everything.”

“They will show her everything she needs to see. Trust me. Please, tell her that. Tell her to pull the tapes and watch them. For me. For her. Forus.I’m begging you, because if you don’t tell her that then I have no way of reaching her to tell it to her myself.”

Maia gets quiet, for the first time this morning. She’s quiet for so long that I have to look at the phone to see if the call is still connected.

“Hello?” I say after she doesn’t say anything.

“Yeah. I’m here. I just… I didn’t expect you to be innocent. And I was kind of an ass to you. Well,at least you’re proclaiming innocence. I’ll see for myself.”

“Thank you.”

---