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“Not anymore.”
Everyone’s heads turn toward the newcomer in the doorway.
“I couldn’t wait another minute.” With a bright smile and understanding eyes, Mom opens her arms for the hug she’s undoubtedly been missing.
She feels like comfort and nearly every good thing in the world when I wrap her in my arms.
“Dad’s not back yet?”
“No.” She squeezes me once more before holding me at arm’s length, looking me over for any signs of wear and tear as she’s done my whole life. “His flight got cancelled, too, and he wasn’t as resourceful as you to get back home.”
“I’m surprised he even made it to the game. He’s got bigger clients than me to take care of around the holidays.”
“He wouldn’t miss watching you play for the world.”
Even though he has more money to burn than I do, he clearly has no problem missing Christmas with his wife. I shake off the unhappy thoughts when Papou claps his hands.
“That settles it then! Christmas begins now! Robert, you go shower, and we’ll get out all the food.”
And so it goes. I’m herded upstairs with my duffle bag as the house erupts into controlled chaos while meals are reheated and gifts are pulled from under the tree.
By the time our bellies are full and the living room is littered with crumpled wrapping paper, my eyelids are losing the battle to stay open.
Quiet conversations wash over me, mingled with the familiar lines from It’s a Wonderful Life playing on the television. Evie’s warm weight feels better than any blanket where we’re snuggled up on the couch.
Tini chatters on about her latest boyfriend as Evie’s muffled laughs vibrate through me.
“And he got me this gorgeous designer purse, too! Honestly, he spent so much money on me, I feel like a spoiled princess!”
“You should not accept such things.” YiaYia clucks her tongue. “It is not fitting.”
“What am I supposed to do? Tell him I don’t want them and to take them back? Rude much.”
Mom’s warm laugh increases my peacefulness. “I had a boyfriend once in high school who spent an entire paycheck on me for Christmas. I remember thinking he was an idiot for doing that. We’d only been dating for two weeks!”
“Young love is priceless,” Papou offers, then chuckles. “It is only with age and wisdom that we realize expensive gifts won’t keep the girl with us. That, and several heartbreaks, regardless of the amount spent.”
YiaYia makes a strange sort of spitting sound, but I can’t pry my eyes open to see what she’s doing.
“You never spent so much on me. Is this because you thought me a sure bet?”
“Mama,” Diana laughs. “He’s given you a lifetime of gifts and love. I’m sure that adds up for as long as you’ve been together.”
“Still, every woman wants to feel spoiled now and then,” YiaYia retorts.
“See?” Tini crows. “I can’t give my presents back! You just said so!”
“I said nothing of the sort,” YiaYia bites out.
“Gifts mean nothing if not given with love,” Mom responds in a much quieter tone of voice. “All the diamonds in the world aren’t worth an ounce of adoration.”
I feel like I should be taking notes, but my arms wrapped around Evie are lead weights, incapable of movement.
“Do you think we should just let him sleep there? He doesn’t look very comfortable,” Diana questions to everyone else.
Evie snuggles further into me. I’d like to respond that I’m quite comfortable, but that would likely be overstepping the bounds of YiaYia’s generosity about letting me shower here, especially in light of her argument with Tini about propriety.
Just a quick nap, then I’ll go home with Mom and sleep in my own bed. As much as I hate to leave Evie to hide in the closet of her bedroom, sleeping with her here all night has always been out of the question.
