“Yeah. You know her and Donovan just bought that house in Oakland. I told her I’d come over and help her unpack her decorations and make the house a home before we go shopping since she’s all big and pregnant and not wanting to do shit.”
“So you gon’ go save the day, huh?”
I swiped my purse, keys, and box of decorations off the island and headed for the door. “You know me. But listen, I’m already late and you know how traffic can be, so I really gotta split.”
“Okay, I’ll let you go.”
“Never let me go,” I said, feeling myself turn to mush as the words fell past my lips.
“I’ll never do no crazy shit like that,” he confirmed before his killer smile sprang across his face.
I giggled. “Good. Bye, bae.”
“Bye,” he replied before ending the call.
OneAshanti EssentialsApple Music playlist, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and a grocery run later, I pulled up to Lauryn and Donovan’s two-story home bearing gifts.
“Merry Christmas!” I beamed as soon as Lauryn swung open the door.
“It’s not Christmas yet, Cass. Calm your holly jolly ass down.” She chuckled.
“Well, ho-ho-ho to you too,bitch.” I ushered a few steps into the foyer and gave the place a once-over. “Wow… where is your Christmas cheer? There’s practically nothing in here.”
“Did you forget wejustmoved here like a month ago? You were the one telling me that you were gonna come over, help me unpack, and sprinkle your little elf magic everywhere.”
“Yeah, and trust me, I will. We can get you some stockings hung over your fireplace for you, Donovan, and even one for the little babyboo on the way. We can get you some holiday throw pillows for the couch and get you some lights and some more decorations for the tree for us to decorate.”
Lauryn’s face switched to a frown. I loved my girl, but I had the feeling that out of the two of us, I was the only one hype about the holidays. “Fuck Christmas, Cass. All I wanna know is did you bring what I told you to bring?” she fussed.
I held up the grocery bag with a pint of Ben and Jerry’sNetflix and Chilledice cream and a fresh bottle of Pinot Grigio for me. “Yes, damn.”
“Good. You may proceed to enter the rest of the house,” she pinged back, turning to lead us to the kitchen.
“Why thank you. Now, let me see this tree,” I suggested, charging forward to the living room. When my eyes landed on the skinny, artificial tree tilted to its left side, I frowned. “This is it?”
She smacked her bow-shaped lips. “Shit, you lucky we got a damn fake-ass tree for you to decorate. With the stress of this move and having to pee every five seconds, I am not in the Christmas spirit.”
“Oh, you ain’t got to tell me. I can see it all on your grill. But don’t worry, I got some decorations in the car, and I’m about to bless you with my Christmas magic. Let me go back out to the car and get the box of decorations.”
I spun on my heels and walked back out to get the plastic, green tub of decorations filled with garland, ornaments, stockings, holiday knick-knacks, and more. Lauryn took one look inside the tub and shook her head.
“You don’t think you’re overdoing it?” she asked.
“No, why?”
“Can I be honest?”
I huffed before sitting the tub down. “Yeah, sure.”
“I love you with every beat of my heart, but your obsession with Christmas is too damn much. You’re like a little holiday whore with a nice ass.”
I cracked a half-smile before looking back at my booty. “I know, right.”
“I already know your ass got a Christmas tree in the living room bythe window and another tabletop one in the kitchen. You probably got one in your bedroom too!”
I rolled my eyes to the sky. “And don’t forget the big wreath on the outside of my door and the countdown calendar on my kitchen island that counts down the days ‘til Christmas, and the garland on top of all my kitchen cabinets! It ain’t no secret that Christmas is my favorite holiday! I’m loud and proud with mine!”
The two of us stalked over to the bare tree, and I started putting up ornaments and stringing lights while she sat Indian style on the couch with her ice cream in hand. Lauryn wore a half-smile as she indulged in the sweet treat, but I’d known her too long not to be able to see through the bullshit. Pregnant or not, she was eating her feelings. There was something on her heart that she wasn’t talking about, and I wasn’t going to stop until I found out what it was.
