"Oh, your Aunt will be here and so will your grandparents," Amanda's mother gave her an earful. Amanda had to come for Christmas. Everyone was let down when she didn't show up for Thanksgiving, or so she reminded Amanda.
"What did that Jay have you doing, anyway? What was so important?" Her mother kept wanting to know.
Amanda only sighed and lied that Jay had to work and she wanted to make sure she was here for him. She'd brought home sandwiches from Jimmy John's for Thanksgiving.
"Well, is he coming for Christmas?" was her next question. Didn't her mother know the answer to that? He never came with her to any of her family's celebrations.
"He might be busy," Amanda managed to say. He would be in his room on his computer gaming. That seemed to be the only world he truly cared about. She knew her family made him nervous, and it was hard for him to be around such a silly blissful family. But he was her Jay. And she felt an obligation to be there for him because she loved him.
Sure, things were quiet. Maybe too quiet. But she was OK with that. She did her own creative adventures, too. Well, some of it was binge-watching Buffy and FRIENDS. But sometimes, she might get up the nerve to sew or just color in her coloring books. She liked to doodle. Actually, she didn't think any of her art was good enough to show anyone. Yes, this was her obscure life. She didn't mean to be hiding from her mother.
Just then another phone call was coming through. "I'll get back to you, mom."
It was Jody and was calling about Christmas too.
"We could have it at our place," Jody said she'd always wanted to host Christmas. "We could do it on Christmas eve."
"Oh."
"Are you busy then?"
"No, not really," Amanda let slip. She knew Jay wouldn't go there either.
"I'm texting everyone an invite. Bring a twenty-dollar gift and we'll draw names." Jody made it sound so simple but the holidays were never simple with Jay. No Christmas tree. No holiday music. Somehow, it always turned out to be the worst day of the year.
btw I LOVE THIS SONG !
ReplyDelete:) :) :)
DeleteHave yourself a merry little Christmas...
Deleteall the best :)
Delete:)
DeleteInteresting
ReplyDeleteGood :-)
ReplyDeleteGenial fragmento te mando un beso
ReplyDelete"He never came with her to any family's celebrations." Why? This is weird.
ReplyDeleteI have one friend that this has happened to before the pandemic ever started.
DeleteI really like Amanda and what you say about her here: "She did her own creative adventures, too. Well, some of it was binge-watching Buffy and FRIENDS. But sometimes, she might get up the nerve to sew or just color in her coloring books. She liked to doodle. Actually, she didn't think any of her art was good enough to show anyone. Yes, this was her obscure life. She didn't mean to be hiding from her mother." It's always refreshing for me to read about characters with rich interior lives. Even if, in Amanda's case, that life includes dealing with a challenging boyfriend. It's so hard having a significant other that doesn't mesh with your family -- or holidays in general. Still, Amanda's devotion to Jay is touching: "But he was her Jay. And she felt an obligation to be there for him because she loved him." I just hope she doesn't get hurt.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. I think a lot of her too❤
DeleteTomara que Jay se adapte as comemorações de Natal.
ReplyDelete(✿◕‿◕✿)
I really like family celebrations now, it was better as a child
ReplyDeleteI hope Jay won't let her down this year.
ReplyDeleteI hope he comes to some of her family gatherings,
ReplyDeletedon't every woman want that?
Ann
https://roomsofinspiration.blogspot.com/
I loved the chapter. Christmas is always a mess, but it's great
ReplyDeletexo
https://www.dearlytay.com.br/
Mery Christmas and happy new year
ReplyDelete