Page 12 of Holiday Unscripted
I get up and make my way to the kitchen, when the front door opens followed by a loud commotion. “Well, well, well.” Their uncle Max comes into the kitchen, followed by his best friend and brother-in-law, Matthew. From the stories everyone tells, the two of them started out as enemies. Then Max dated Matthew’s sister in secret, which made them even more enemies, until push came to shove and now they are inseparable. “We have arrived.”
“Max,” Denise calls, going to her brother and they share a hug. “Where is Allison?”
“She’s going to come down tomorrow with everyone else,” he explains. “We came so we can help out with carpooling to make sure everyone is taken care of.”
“Isn’t that special,” Elizabeth deadpans as Max walks to her and hugs her, kissing her on the top of her head. “They forgot about me, didn’t even pick me up at the airport.” He gasps. “I was going to have to sleep on the street,” she tells him, “in the freezing cold.”
“Never,” he declares to her, “I would never let that happen.”
“At least one person loves me.” She wraps her arms around his waist.
“I’m ready to go when you are,” I say quickly. I don’t know why I say it, but I do.
“Fine,” she huffs. “Denise.” She looks over to her mother, who gives her a look. “Would it be possible for me to borrow a pair of pj’s until I can get myself to the store tomorrow?”
“Yikes,” Max notes, “she used your first name.”
“That is never a good thing,” Matthew adds going over to Jack and slapping him in the stomach. “How’s my man doing?”
“Sweetie,” Denise says to Elizabeth, “do you want to go and choose something?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “The last time I opened a drawer in your room, I had blood leaking out of my eyeballs for a month.”
“I told you it was a neck massager,” Denise defends. “Do you think I would leave my toys out in the open?”
“And now my ears are bleeding,” Jack grumbles. “She said toys. Like plural.” He fake vomits. “I’m never even going in their bedroom anymore.”
“Get your head out of the gutter,” Denise scolds. “I just heard they were called that. Uncle Matthew threw out Aunt Karrie’s toy chest.”
“Oh my God”—Elizabeth puts her hands to her mouth—“what is happening right now?”
“Bet you want me to take you away now, don’t you?” I ask her and she glares at me, which makes me laugh. I wink at her, which makes her glare at me even more.
“You do know that she is secretly planning to kill you in your sleep,” Zack leans in to whisper in my ear, “and she’s been watching those murder documentaries with her mother since she was like ten, so she can get away with it.”
I laugh as Denise comes back down with a bag. “Here you go, sweetie.” She hands her the bag. “There were a couple of things that you left here the last time you came to visit.”
“Well, now that I’m thrown out of the house”—she grabs the bag from her—“I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
I walk back to Joshua. “You call me if you need anything.” I hold out my hand for him to shake and he slaps it and then we fist-bump. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Will do,” I affirm and then walk toward the kitchen and give Elizabeth a chin up before holding out my hand to her.
She looks at me and then my hand. “You think I’m going to hold your hand?”
“Do you want me to carry your bag?” I ask her, and she ignores me and turns to walk toward the front door.
“Have fun.” Jack slaps me on the shoulder. I follow Elizabeth out, my eyes going to her ass and then flying right back up before someone catches me looking at her like that.
I reach for her big carry-on bag while she slips her shoes back on and I look at her. “Don’t argue with me,” I warn her. “You’ve had a long day.”
“Whatever,” she mumbles and opens the door to walk out of the house. “Which one is yours?” she asks of all the vehicles parked.
“The black truck.” I point to the pickup at the curb. “Right over there.”
“Figures,” she mutters as she walks toward it, “big truck.” She looks over at me, eyes landing on my crotch with a smirk, as she opens the passenger door. “Must be making up for something.”
“We both know I have nothing to make up for.” It’s been over seven years, and this right here is the first time I’ve ever spoken about that fateful night.
