The Christmas Grinch - Rebel Hart Page 0,46

the paper - a clue to what was inside from her favorite boutique that we often went shopping at on lunch breaks. “You didn’t!” she gasped, remembering the pair of earrings she had been ogling over with me for weeks.

I simply shrugged and smiled. “I guess you’ll just have to open it up and find out.”

She quickly scurried off to her office to do just that, leaving me with a sense that everything would be okay. Again, it was all in the little things. And I was determined to do enough little things to compound into one big perfect Christmas.

Everyone left work early that day to start getting ready for Christmas Eve. I did too, even though I didn’t have much to rush home to. I got some cleaning done, spruced up the decorations, and cooked myself a nice dinner. I was used to being alone, just not on holidays. But like Chris said...they were just more days on the calendar. They were only as special as you made them.

The next morning, I got up early to run a few errands before all the shops closed up early. I finished buying everything for Margo’s gift basket and bought some fresh flowers and bread - two things guaranteed to cheer anyone up just on scent alone. With a few scented candles, my Christmas Eve shopping was complete. I was eager to get home and enjoy it all.

No sooner than I walked in the door and got everything put away, my phone dinged with a message from my parents. It was a photo of them smiling in front of the The Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge. They were about to make their trek over the border and they both looked so excited.

I stared at the photo for a moment, feeling an ache in my heart over wishing they were home. But they were happy, and I wanted to be happy for them. I typed a sweet response, telling them to have fun and be safe, and carried on with lighting my new candles. Once my apartment was filled with smells of cinnamon and gingerbread, that pesky ache would be long gone.

But just as I lifted a lighter to the first candle, the phone dinged again. This time from Payton.

Payton: So far Christmas with boyfriend is a bust. His sister might be psychotic, and I think I caught his dad staring at my boobs.

I couldn’t help but laugh a little, but sucked it up and stepped into my shoes of being the older, wiser, big sister.

Hazel: I’m sure Josh is delighted to have you there. They are probably wonderful people once you get to know them. Stay positive and have a merry Christmas. Love you!

It took everything in me not to fire off a follow-up text begging her to come back home to me if things didn’t get any better. What the hell did I know about meeting a boyfriend’s parents anyway? Four years younger than me and she already knew more about relationships than I did. Good for her.

With my candles all lit, I set to putting together the gift basket for Margo. I googled all the best remedies for morning sickness...or all day, every day sickness in her case, including ginger lollipops, sour candy, mint tea, vitamins, gourmet snacks, and anything else the internet said would help. I even threw in the cutest baby onesie I could find to remind her what she was doing all of this for.

Once it was all tied up in the perfect bow, I was eager to pay her a visit, or at least deliver it to her doorstep. But I was disappointed when she didn’t answer my call.

I frowned and put the phone away, wondering if I should go drop it off anyway. It would be a nice surprise for her. The phone quickly dinged again, prompting me to snatch it up and see if it was her.

My heart dropped when I saw the text on the screen.

Chris: Hey, I know this is short notice. But come to my place right away. I have a surprise for you.

20

Chris

I couldn’t believe it all actually came together. The scene was perfect with all my newly purchased entertainment ware and my whole family gathered around it. I thought I had been beating my head against a wall, trying to get through to my family. But apparently something I said worked, because earlier that afternoon they called to inform me they would be in attendance for dinner that evening.

I