Page 54 of Re-Writing Christmas

Mum placed her hands on my shoulders as we parted."Why don't you put the kettle on, and I'll deal with the food.But after that, you're going to need to actually participate in the socialising."

I nodded."I know.Hopefully, opening presents will help."

"Yeah, we will do that before lunch.I'll put some music on too."She kissed me on the cheek."Come on, darling.You can get through this."

"Yeah.I can."Rolling my shoulders once more to straighten myself up, I said, "Let's do this."

Within half an hour, we all sat in the living room with our bacon sandwiches and hot drinks, the lights in the windows and on the tree twinkling gently around us as Christmas songs played softly in the background.When I'd first walked into the room, coat and boots removed, Donovan's eyes had fallen on me, and I felt them following me as I handed out the drinks.It was the first time he'd been able to see my outfit.The red jumper dress clung to my curves, and I'd teamed it with a wide black belt with a silver buckle.I wore dangly silver earrings too, which had tiny silver stars on the ends.Like the other women in the room, I'd made an effort with my makeup, and I'd curled my hair the way I had when I'd been out with Gaby and Shannen.

Donovan’s eyes on me made my skin tingle, but I pretended I hadn't noticed.As I placed his cup down on the small side table next to the chair he sat in, I glanced at him, instantly wishing I hadn’t because, even with such a brief look, his blue eyes glimmered with a warmth I hadn’t expected.He was wearing a pair of smart jeans and a black dress shirt; something I’d never seen him wear before, and man, it looked good on him.

Moving away quickly, I tried to get my heart rate under control, but I could still smell him.Coffee and his cool, ocean-like scent surrounded me.My body physically ached with the need to curl up on his lap and breathe him in.Instead, I took a seat on the sofa next to my dad.June was at his other side, and Mum sat on the armchair adjacent to Donovan's, by the window.The Christmas tree was in the corner beside her, and once we were all settled, she slid down to the floor to take charge of the gift giving.

"We'll just do one each for now," she said, and it didn't take a genius to figure out where I got my love of Christmas.She was practically buzzing with excitement, and I smiled at her.She handed me the bag of gifts I'd brought with me, and the one June and Donovan had brought was given to June."Who wants to go first?"

"Why don't we do some of the ones under the tree?"Dad suggested, sitting forward.Considering we were only a family of three, there was a pretty big pile there.Even factoring in our guests, it was a lot, but this was standard for us.Mum loved giving gifts, and I knew she had bought a few extras for all of us.Everything under the tree was from my parents, and I could see how eager she was for us to see what we'd got.

Mum picked up a rectangular present wrapped in silver foil paper with reindeer all over it, checking the label before handing it to Dad.She then rummaged through until we all had one each, and we began unwrapping them in between sips of tea and bites of our sandwiches.

The one in my hands was big, a little weighty, and rectangular—I'd expected her to start smaller with everyone, but mine was the biggest so far, and I unwrapped it with curiosity, letting out a squeak when I saw what it was.

"Oh my God!Stranger ThingsMonopoly!"I said, giving my first genuine smile since we’d arrived as I hugged it to me.It combined two of my major loves, the hit TV show and Monopoly.I didn't get to play it too often anymore, but board games were a Christmas Day and Boxing Day thing in our family home, and I couldn't wait to get into it."Thank you so much!"

Mum beamed at me."You're welcome, sweetheart.Maybe we can play later."

"Nope," Dad said."No Monopoly on Christmas Day.Anything else is fine, but that takes way too long."He was smiling as he said it, and I knew he was just kidding.He had always loved Monopoly, and we were both super competitive.

I pouted in his direction before laughing and then giving him a hug."You'll change your mind this afternoon," I teased, and he kissed the top of my head.

"I probably will," he said, then went back to opening his gift, grinning at Mum as a burger recipe book sat in his lap."Thank you.That's January's tea times sorted out.Burgers every day!"

Laughing, Mum said, "I don't doubt it!"

I could feel Donovan's eyes on me again, but I remained focused on June, who was opening whatever Mum had handed her.It was too small to be the robin ornament, and too big to be the special gift we were saving until later.There was a cube-shaped cardboard box beneath the wrapping paper, and June peeled the tape off and lifted the lid, pulling out some tissue paper, followed by a small snow globe.Inside the globe was a mini scene showing a row of festive-looking buildings, and in front, a couple sitting on a bench with their arms around each other.June's eyes misted over, but she chuckled as she turned it over to make the snow fall.

"This is beautiful," she said."Thank you."She smiled at my mum then my dad, and he placed his hand over hers.

I knew the reason my mum had chosen that gift, and so did June.She and Trevor had shared the memory with Mum and me last Christmas, both of them roaring with laughter as they spoke.Donovan, however, wasn’t familiar with the story, and he said, “Can I see?”

June handed the snow globe to him.He fixed his eyes on the tiny figures inside, then looked at his grandmother curiously.

June told the story of how she and Trevor got a flight from Italy to London a few years ago after visiting who I now knew to be Donovan's parents.It was snowing, and they got stuck in London.Both exhausted, they'd argued about what they would do.June wanted to stay in the airport and wait for the next flight to Bristol.Trevor said they were lucky to have landed at all and there would be no flights out anytime soon, so they should find somewhere in London to stay for the night.In a stubborn truce, they sat outside the airport on a bench, neither speaking to the other until they were almost frozen solid.At the time, they were both fuming with each other, but they had found it hilarious to look back on.

Even as she told it a second time, June giggled, and Donovan smiled.“It’s hard to imagine you and Grandad arguing,” he said.“It was mostly just you telling him off.”

Nodding, June said, “Yes, I did have to tell him off a lot.He was always being so silly.”Her smile faded slightly, and Donovan reached for her hand.My dad was still holding the other, and I looked at my mum.

Without a word, she nodded in understanding and sought out the gift we’d had made for June.It only took a moment, and Mum shuffled across the floor and gave it to her.“We were going to save this for later, but I think now is the right time.”

With both hands now free, June began to unwrap the small box, and I also sank to the floor and scooted closer to her.We’d naturally created a cocoon around her because, as much as she would love this gift, it would make her emotional.Even before her fingers had opened the package, a strange wave of grief for Trevor and love for June permeated the room.As she lifted the lid, she raised the box closer to her face.When she caught sight of the photo of her and Trevor engraved on the pendant, she let out a small sob.

“Oh!”She covered her mouth with one hand, the other holding the box shakily.“Oh, this is so beautiful.Thank you.”

Her eyes closed as a couple of tears fell down her cheeks, and Donovan leaned over to see what had made his nan cry.She held it towards him, and his eyes glazed over too when he saw what it was.My heart stuttered inside my chest, and a sharp pain tore through me, wishing I could go to him but knowing he didn’t want that anymore.I was just an annoyance now.Someone who’d taken whatever we were too seriously, and I breathed deeply, trying to ease the ache taking over my body.

Every one of us had been caught up in a wave of emotion, and I carefully wiped away a tear as Mum knelt up and pulled June into a tight embrace.

“Thank you, Anita,” June said.“Thanks, all of you.What a thoughtful gift.”

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