Page 31 of Scrooged for the Holidays
“Do you remember this?” I ask.
She shakes her head and nibbles her lip. “I don’t think so.”
“Keep watching.”
A flash of annoyance passes over her features, and I wonder what she’s thinking about me in her head. I bet she called me a bad name or two.
Young Greer lays the things in her arms on the couch cushion next to her, lining things up so she can see them all in perfect rows. In the mix of items is popcorn and cranberry garland, paper snowflakes, and homemade ornaments for the tree. She starts humming “Jingle Bells” and kicking her feet against the couch, bopping along to the tune. She picks one of the items up, a clear plastic ball ornament with a picture inside that must have been slipped through a slot in the bottom.
I focus back on Adult Greer, who’s still eyeing her younger self with interest.
“Greer, where are you?”
“In here, Mom!” Young Greer yells, bouncing on the couch.
When her mom rounds the corner, she’s wearing work clothes, slacks and a long-sleeved blouse. There are tired circles under her eyes and a frown on her face, but when she sees Greer, she smiles warmly at her only daughter. “How was Avery’s?”
Greer hops up, keeping the ornament tucked behind her back while she gestures to the items on the couch with the other. “Her mom showed us how to make popcorn garland with cranberries!”
It’s hard to miss how Greer’s mom bristles. Her shoulders become straighter, her lips tighter. Eventually, she looks back at her daughter. “That’s great, honey. But if we hang that on the tree, we might have pests around the house. You know we just got rid of those ants from this past summer.”
Young Greer frowns as if she doesn’t understand but quickly wipes it away, replacing it with her excited smile and rocking on the heels of her feet. “That’s okay. We made something else, too!” Her mom waits patiently as she takes the ornament from behind her back. She holds it out proudly.
“It has a picture of me and Cooper in it!”
Her mom takes the ornament, and Greer turns to the couch and points to another one.
“These ones here still need a picture. But Mrs. Jones showed me how to put them in if we wanna do more. She said they look real pretty when the tree lights are shining behind them. And they don’t cost an arm and a leg!”
Her mom grips the plastic bulb, lips morphing into a tight frown. I don’t think Avery’s mom thought Greer would repeat the part about the cost.
“Mom?”
The older woman lifts her chin and rolls her shoulders so they’re straighter than before. “That was nice of her.”
Young Greer’s smile falls once more, and it breaks my heart. “Do you not like them?”
Her mom crouches until they’re eye to eye, smoothing Greer’s hair back with a small smile. “I do like them. They’re sweet, just like you. But maybe this year we treat ourselves, hm? What do you say to a few fancy ornaments—glass ones, like the kind Avery’s family has? Something extra special for our tree.”
Past Greer worries her bottom lip, eyes darting down to the ornament in her mom’s fingers. “I thought Dad said we have too many decorations already.”
Her mom uses her free hand to take her daughter’s. “Your dad won’t mind. Sometimes, it’s okay to splurge on something beautiful. I just want you to have the very best, honey. Don’t you want that, too?”
Greer’s little nose scrunches as if she’s attempting to stop tears. “I guess.”
Her mom stands. “Go get your coat and shoes on; we’ll be back before Dad is home.” She touches Greer’s cheek thoughtfully, and for a moment, it looks as if she wants to say more, but then she turns and exits the room with the ornament in hand, leaving her daughter standing alone.
Young Greer looks after her mom then at the homemade garland on the couch. For a second, I think she’ll begin to cry,but then she rolls her shoulders back like her mom had done before, grabs the items from the couch in her arms, and leaves the room.
I don’t have to tell Present Greer to follow because she’s already moving. In the kitchen now, we watch as her past self dumps everything in the trash before running off.
Present Greer moves to go after Younger Greer, but I grab her elbow. She meets my gaze in confusion, but she doesn’t pull away.
“Shouldn’t I follow?” she asks.
I shake my head, observing her softened features. The earlier anger she felt toward me seems to have melted a bit. That’s a good thing, because I want her to feel what I’m showing her, really take it all in so she can understand.
“That’s what I wanted you to see. I have more to show you.”
