Page 1 of Holiday Plus-One
Valentina
Lee-Ann Rimes’Blueplays as the Uber driver takes us to my family’s house. Bakersville still looks the same in my eyes; same people, same quaint town that feels like time is moving at its own pace. All of that but at the same time, sadness creeps in because I know Derek will never get to experience this.
Derek wasn’t from a small town, instead he was raised in a big city, but he wanted to see this place that I always talked about when I could. He was patient with me as he waited for me to be ready to come back home. There were things he didn’t know about me when it came to being here or rather the experiences I’ve had here.
It’s been a rough three and a half years without Derek. I don’t cry for him anymore, but I will never forget the first man I loved. He’s probably going to be my last since I barely put myself out there. I don’t have the time especially with the best memory and part of Derek that he left me, Paxton or as I call him, Paxy, our son. It makes me sad sometimes when I do think about how Paxy has started to not remember Derek’s face. Derek died when he was three years old but I do my best to keep pictures around and videos so he can remember his father. Paxy is a literal angel and I know all moms say this about their children, but he has been my drive. He is the reason we are even headed to this wedding. I didn’t keep him away from his grandparents or anything, but I did keep him away from Bakersville.
It was a bad time for me and maybe it was selfish, but my parents and brother did come out to see us a lot. They dote on Paxy, much more than ever and it warms my heart. I didn’t want him to grow up like I did. While they weren’t ice cold, they weren’t exactly sunshine warm either, especially my mother.
“What do you think of the town, Paxy?”
He looks my way and all I see is Derek from the bright-eyed expression in those big brown eyes that he got from me to his brown skin that glistens in the sun. He smiles as if I said he could have another one of his games.
“I love it! Look at the Christmas decorations and stores, it’s so nice. We need to do that at our house when we go back, mom!”
He’s excited and I love seeing the expression on his face. It makes me smile too. Matching his expression and joy for everything. I haven’t liked the holidays in years, even before Derek but now, seeing how much Bakersville is making my son smile, I can put it on the okay list of holidays to be around.
“You think Uncle Vic’s fiancée likes Christmas as much as he does?”
It was a valid question and them marrying on Christmas means he’s found his Mrs. Claus.
“I don’t know, maybe she’ll be like me.”
“You’re kind of like the grinch with Christmas, don’t you think?”
The laughter I wanted to hold in spilled out expressing just how much that made me laugh and I shake my head at him as I ruffle his short curls.
“Hush, child. You don’t know me like that.”
“Come on now, grown woman. I know you, we’re the only ones in the neighborhood without decorations. Missy said that her mom told her dad that Miss Monica saw you unplugging her Christmas lights.”
“I did not unplug it; I was shoveling the snow!”
“What snow? It hasn’t snowed yet back home?” Paxy looks at me confused.
“Shhh. Don’t repeat what grown people talk about.”
“Oh,” he gives me a grin. “So, you wouldn’t want me to tell you that Miss Monica said she saw you kicking Rudolph in the middle of the night last week?”
I roll my eyes at him and pretend that I didn't do that, the last thing I need is my kid going up to this little Missy girl and confirming I really did that.
Paxy slips his arm through mine and lays his head on my arm.
“Don’t worry, mama, I won’t ever snitch on you. You’re my number one girl.”
His words make my heart melt and I just know that I’d do anything for this kid. Paxy giggles as I plant a kiss on the top of his head then place my head on his as much as I could.
“I love you, kid, even though you really shouldn’t be talking about snitching on me when you’re the one who told your Mimi that I signed no on the RSVP even before I could change my mind.”
Paxy giggles and kisses my arm a couple times. That’s his way of trying to get out of being caught in the act.
“Mimi set me up.”
As he says that, the iron gates open and we pull up into the Myers U-shaped driveway.
“Well, well, well…” I say to him, and he looks out of the window with wide eyes. “Your Mimi is right there, tell her that.”
“Truce!” he yells out as the Uber stops and he jumps out of the car and runs into her arms. “Mimi! Papa! Uncle Vic!” He yells out everyone’s name and I almost shed tears because I’ve kept him away from my childhood home when I shouldn’t have. He doesn’t deserve this.
