AllFreeNovel
Share Us
One end of the city gradually became the other. We exited the highway and drove along the Lake Shore, passing run-down corner shops, the neat-looking corners of a college, and retrofit storefronts slowly transforming from questionable to cool as the neighborhood remade itself yet again.
The whole trip from Rob’s parents to my stepfather’s house took about forty minutes. The area was full of bungalows with large lots that were disappearing as property developers bought them up and replaced them with giant suburban houses. They had always looked out of place to me, sweeping staircases and giant pillars next to one-story houses built just after the war. Because it was still affordable, the area was becoming popular for a lot of young couples looking to own a house but still be able to get downtown via the streetcar line.
Even though Meghan and I had spent the last couple of years of high school here, it had never felt likeourhome. Despite all the order that Camille insisted upon, Rob didn’t think twice about walking into his mother’s house, dumping his bag at the door, crashing onto the nearest couch, and promptly turning on the television as if he was fourteen and just home from school. He never rang the doorbell. I always did.
My mother answered the door wearing a gigantic sweater over knitted leggings and holding a giant cup of eggnog.
“Kelly-kins! My darling girl, I was about to send out a rescue party.” Her hair was gray-platinum and her lipstick bright red. “Come in, come in! We’ve been waiting to open presents. Rob, you handsome devil, get that butt in here so I can squish it!”
My mother pulled us into the hallway to help us with our coats. “Kelly, Annie’s here. Her flight got delayed, so she’s joining us after all. Rip-roaring as ever.”
The tone of my mother’s voice was all caps and exclamation points. Rob found it hilarious that she was so quirky. She embraced him fully once we were out of our coats, spilling half of her drink in the process.
“Merry Christmas, Mom,” I said. Her perfume enveloped me as we hugged, bergamot and rose, delicate and dainty, the exact opposite of my mother. “The house smells incredible. Please tell me you made creamed corn this year.”
“All your favorite foods. All Meghan’s favorites. All Carl’s. We’ll be eating for weeks, but it’s worth it. I’ve got mussels on the go now for an appy. I’m just hoping they won’t poison everyone, and we’ll be all shits and giggles before the main course is on the table.”
My mother found everything funny. It was a charming attribute. Conversation was never dull. Her laugh could fill a whole room and then some, it was so plentiful. Humor was how she had survived my father, Toly, and all her other failed relationships. I’m sure it was the only thing that had gotten her through parenting us as teenagers too. And Carl always laughed along with her—they were jolly together.
“Your stepfather’s parked in front of the television. He and Annie and the boys are watchingA Christmas Carol, the deliciously old one. I’ve made popcorn. Go snuggle.”
And just as I was about to pull away, my mother had grabbedthathand. “What onearth!” she shrieked. “Carl, Carl,Carl! Annie! Carl and Annie,get over here! Meghan, you’d better come running!”
My mother pulled me toward the family room off the kitchen where everyone was folded into the various bits of haphazard furniture. Pullout couches and giant cushions all faced a truly massive television that Carl had bought with his bonus two years ago. Annie and Meghan stood up to see what the commotion was all about, and Carl paused the movie.
“Kelly isengaged. Look at this ring! Kelly is engaged! Rob, oh, congratulations to you both! How wonderful, a wedding, a big, juicy wedding is coming my way and I cannot wait. Oh, you could have a holiday wedding, we could have holly and wreaths on all the tables, serve turkey for dinner …”
I looked at Rob and half smiled. I had already ruined Camille’s Christmas. I couldn’t ruin my mother’s too. “Mom, you’re getting ahead of yourself. Really. Rob just asked me yesterday. I haven’t even had time to process what it all means.”
Annie whooped. Meghan screamed, “Finally, let me see this ring!” and in a matter of seconds, Rob and I were swept up in the massive embraces of my family members. Even my teenaged stepbrothers stood up and gave us both a hug. Everyone was so happy, and when Carl shook Rob’s hand, he said, “You’re in for it now, my boy. I’ve been married to a Haggerty woman for well over a decade now, and I still haven’t fully recovered. Champagne, woman, we need champagne!”
“I’ll get the glasses, Linda, if you get the bubbly,” Annie said.
“Carl,” my mother shouted from the kitchen, “it’s a good thing you bought a good bottle for New Year’s. We’ll need to replenish before the countdown. But you’re right, we need a family toast!”
My sister held tight to my hand and whispered, “After dinner I want the whole story.”
“Yes. Also, you have to make a big deal about telling Rob that you’re pregnant.” She looked at me funny. “I didn’t tell him yesterday for many reasons, which I’ll tell you later, and when I said something today, I needed a cover story.”
“Sneaky, sneaky.”
“Come on.” I laughed. “Help me out here.”
“As if I wouldn’t.”
“Thank you.”
“Oh please,” she said. “I like being married.”
“I know you do,” I said. “You were born to be married to Jason. It works for you. I’m not sure if it’ll work for me. How is baby?”
“It’s the size of a pea, now. And doing a number on my whole being. I’ll never forgive Jason for this.”
“You never forgive him for anything,” I said. Meghan glared a little until I hip checked her. “Joking.”
My mother came back into the room carrying the champagne, followed by Annie holding a tray of flutes. Carl popped the cork, and they toasted our happiness. My mother grew teary. “A grandmother and a mother-in-law in the same year, how am I going to survive it?”
Annie said, “Good thing you’re not the one giving birthorgetting married.”
