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We arrived at my grandma’s house to open arms. She was a sweetheart of a woman. Granddad was in his lounger with the largest smile on his face. His hip hurt too badly to stand up for a hug so we all went to him.
We ate dinner at grandma’s and granddad's once a week, every week but they greeted us with such fervor each time. It was as if we were returning to them after a long absence.
We opened gifts, played games, laughed, ate, and sat around. I was very careful to make sure that everyone was content and having a good time before I took Danny out to my parents’ car to show him Jesse’s gift. I didn’t want people wondering.
“Hey, Danny?” I asked.
“Yeah Elliott? What’s up?”
“I have something I want to show you. I need your opinion on what we should do.”
“Can’t it wait Elliott? It is Christmas.”
“I don’t think it should.”
He looked annoyed but got up anyway. My mother’s eyes followed me as I lead him to the car. I opened the back passenger door and pulled out my bag. I handed him the gift.
“From Elliott,” he read.
“It’s not from me,” I revealed. “Actually, Jules found it in the passenger seat of her locked car on Christmas Eve after church.”
“You didn’t open it?” He asked.
“No, I thought it would be best to wait for you to look at it.”
“Wow,” he said, surprised. “What amazing self control.”
o;Oh! Well, I don’t know Jules. I’ll see if my mom will give me a couple of hours at two o’clock before we go to my grandma’s. Can you steal away then?”
“I’ll try. Give me a ring if you’re not able to and I’ll do the same if I can’t. Otherwise, see you at the rock bridge at two?”
“See you then. I love you Jules, Happy Christmas.”
“I love you too Elliott. Merry Christmas.”
I hung up the phone. It was enough to tide me over until two and I could breathe a sigh of relief. There was something about that phone call that didn’t set easily with me. It was the way she hesitated after she asked me to wait. Maybe I was reading too much into the inflection of her voice but I was already on edge as it was and this kind of stuff drove me insane. Just wait until two, I thought, she’s with her family. Jesse wouldn’t dare step foot in or around her house with them awake.
“Hey ma’?”
“Yes Elliott?” She asked, helping my little sister put together some ridiculous Barbie house Jules’ Aunt Isabel had gotten her.
“Can I see Jules’ at two? Before we head out to grandma’s and granddad’s?”
“Sure, I don’t see why not. Just make sure you’re back by four thirty, we leave at five.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thanks mom.”
“Mm, hmm.”
I headed to my room and got dressed. We ate lunch at one and I piddled around until half an hour ‘til and just couldn’t sit around any longer. I decided to leave early and just hang out, enjoy the cool air, and wait for Jules but when I got there Jules apparently had been there since one.
“If I’d known that Jules, I would have been out here sooner.”
I grabbed her face and kissed her glossy lips.
“I called but no one answered,” she offered.
“Oh, it must have been when mom was running the blender. She was making Maddy an orange smoothie.”
