Page 116 of No Greater Oblivion

By the time we finish what was supposed to be a stroll to see the sights, both Lettie and Dahlia have shopping bags lined up and down their arms and that’s only because Diego and I cannot possibly carry anymore—especially after back-to-back trips to Saks and Bergdorf’s. It seems my sister’s spending habits have finally rubbed off on my girlfriend.

Thank God.

“My favorite movie is It’s A Wonderful Life,” Dahlia says on the drive to her aunt’s house. She examines a perfume bottle before spraying some on her wrist. “After we finished opening gifts, I used to lock myself in my grandparents’ room to watch it because their TV was the only one with a built-in VHS player.”

Lettie frowns and looks up from her shopping bag. “What’s a VHS?”

Diego and I exchange looks in the front seat. “Oh my God.”

“I’ll show you when we get there. My aunt still has one in the basement.” Dahlia smiles.

“Speaking of, how far are we?” Lettie glances out the window but there isn’t much to see in the dark. “I feel like we’ve been driving forever.”

Dahlia glances out the window at the snow-covered trees and glittering houses. “The house with the obnoxious nativity scene out front.”

“Should I park on the street or in the driveway?” I ask.

“The driveway is fine.” She jabs a finger over her shoulder. “And tell the Secret Service not to linger. The neighbors are slightly racist and very suspicious.”

Diego digs his phone out of his pocket and types up a message. “Noted.”

I pull into the driveway behind a red SUV. There isn’t much wiggle room as there are two other cars, a black Jeep and a blue sedan. Upon seeing them Dahlia groans aloud.

“Fuck.”

Lettie frowns. “What?”

“Our cousins are here,” she says. “The ones we don’t like.”

Karina’s house isn’t what I expected. I’m not exactly sure what I expected but it certainly wasn’t this. It’s a charming, two-story all-American home with an attic and a wide veranda. As if plucked from a storybook, all the windows are covered in Christmas lights and holly and garland are wrapped around the white pillars supporting the awning above the front door. A stone path lined with bushes and plants I’m sure are vibrant with life in the summer months leads to the veranda. Scattered across the front lawn are inflatable snowmen, angels, and a large Santa waving at Mary and Joseph who look down at the empty manger.

I open the car door for Dahlia and she takes my hand as she steps out. When she catches me looking at the empty manger, she explains, “We put Jesus in at midnight on Christmas Eve. It’s tradition.”

“The Santa is throwing me off. Why is he waving at Mary and Joseph?”

She manages a smile. “My family may not agree on much but the one thing they’ll never fight about is the legitimacy of Santa Claus. Apparently, St. Nick was Jesus’s cousin.”

In my surprise, a horrible sound leaves me—a cross between a laugh and a snort. “You’re joking.”

“I wish I was. A few years ago, we all got into a heated debate about how they were cousins. Karina drew a very impressive family tree, explaining how St. Nick is descended from John the Baptist.”

“But he was⁠—”

“Beheaded?” She grins. “I know.”

“Oh, I’m so excited!” Lettie rushes over to us carrying half a dozen boxes and bags. “Do they know we brought gifts?”

One of the boxes almost falls from the top of her pile and Diego swoops in to save it. He helps alleviate some of the bags lined up and down her arms and says, “There won’t be any gifts to give if you break everything.”

The sudden shift in Dahlia’s demeanor captures my attention. Without warning, her grip tightens on my hand and she worries her bottom lip between her teeth as she glances apprehensively between the house and us.

“Hey.” I give her hand a gentle tug. “What’s wrong?”

She sucks on her teeth before responding. “I just realized…this is the first time I’ve ever brought a boyfriend home.”

A smug smile crosses my lips. “Really?”

“Not to mention his whole family. Look,” she rubs her forehead, “you have to be normal.”