Winter Season

Christmas nightmare

Christmas dinner in Oscar’s mind was already a nightmare and they hadn’t even left the house yet. He had thrown up three times since he rolled out of bed. He just knew this was going to be a disaster by no fault of Esther’s. Why did he ask her? Why did he get her involved in his seventh layer of hell? But here she was on his door step all smiles holding a poinsettia.

“Good morning.”

“Indeed,” he groaned.

“You look very pale, are you okay?”

“Who could say?” He fell on the couch.

“If you dread it so bad, then why do you go?” Her voice was calm. She sat the plant on the coffee table and joined him on the couch.

“Duty. I always do what is expected of me. Always have. The woman that gave me life has demanded I be at Christmas dinner. What do you say?”

“Treat me like a human being and I will.” He took a deep breath. “If I may be blunt, what relationship are you afraid of destroying?” She asked.

“I have asked myself that a million times.”

“And what answer do you come up with?”

“It’s always the same thing; I have too.”

“Close your eyes.” He did so, “tell me how this day will play out.”

“We will ride together to where I grew up. The house will be filled with noise, screaming children, mom yelling at Otis to control his children. P,” he paused. “Priscilla screaming at the kids. Otis telling her ‘to leave them babies alone they’re just playin’. It’s m. f’ing Christmas after all.’”

“Where are you in all of this?”

“Sitting in the living room amidst the turmoil.”

“Tell me something good about the day.”

He thought for a long time. “Nothing.”

“Not even the food.”

“Not today.” He opened his eyes, “let’s just get this over with.”

As they stood, Esther put her arms around him holding him tight. His heart was racing, she could feel it. She reached up and held his face in her hands, “O, it will be okay.”

“Promise me that.” He whispered.

“I can’t. But I promise you that I will be there no matter what.”

He bent down and kissed her. She was his life line. He wondered if she could feel it.

“What no, ‘I’m sorry’?” She smiled, playfully.

“Not to-day.” He couldn’t smile.

“The Oscar I know is polite and respectful. Your family does know I’m coming with you?”

“Of course.”

The ride to his family’s house was a silent one. They took Esther’s jeep.

She couldn’t help thinking how beautiful it was. The trees and ground were covered with snow. But there again, if you grew up here, it probably didn’t look that great to you. More like a chore instead of beauty.

The family was less than pleased when Esther walked through the door. And my oh my how Oscar was right. The house was nothing but a ball of noise. Going from the quiet house that he lived in to this amusement park was culture shock.

“Well I’ll be gol danged,” Otis spat. “If you didn’t buy a jeep.”

“No, that would be mine.” Esther smiled.

“Language,” Pam scolded.

They both got to meet Doris. She wasn’t a bad looking woman. She was about five foot nothing and looked like a dwarf to Oscars 6’2”. Her hair was jet black with a white stripe down the center. When she smiled she had four teeth, all in front. The end!  

Esther had to give Oscar his due, he was polite to her. But nothing more.

Esther felt like a duck in a swan pond. Oscar wasn’t doing much better but at least these were his kin. As she looked at everyone, she couldn’t help thinking that he didn’t belong either.

Doris was pouring it on thick; which was both funny and sickenin’ to watch.

She decided it was time to take a look around outside. To her delight, it had started snowing. Christmas seemed more like Christmas when it was snowing.

The back of the house seemed to be its best feature. The yard extended for five hundred feet, then dropped off into a thick wilderness. She thought that if she could stretch her full 5’5” she could reach the top of the mighty pine that was a stone’s throw from where she stood. The trees were endless; for miles and miles they went in all directions. It was a postcard picture of snow covered green pine. The only thing that was amiss was the smoke from a chimney that cut up out of the forest and mixed with the grayness of the sky then was gone. She took a deep breath filling her lungs full of the scent of pine, a faint hint of smoke, and Old Spice.

Oscar was standing directly behind her. He slid his arms around her waist. “You abandoned me.”

“Honey, you abandoned me when we left your house.”

“Sorry, this whole day just stresses me out. I know you are only being supportive.”

“This is amazing, will you look at this view.” She took another deep breath. This time it was all Old Spice. “Do you realize just how sexy Old Spice is?”

Winter Season