Christmas With Kris Kringle

Chapter 20

“Anyone have any big plans for the start of the new year?” Kris’s dad asked over breakfast the next morning.

“Just work,” I said.

“And what is it you do again? Irene was saying it has something to do with decorating.” Gerrit scratched at the gray hair at his temples.

“I plan events.”

“I swear he doesn’t listen. Gerrit, we talked about this a week ago when I told you she was coming. She plans big events at the mall.”

“Well how is that a job? Decorating …”

“God Daddy, do you think the mall just gets all decked out by elves?” Rayna asked.

“Christmas is over so what are you going to do to keep yourself busy until this time next year?”

“Dad.” Kris’s tone marked annoyance.

“No, it’s fine. The next big event is Valentine’s Day. I’ll be going over the final plans for that. Ordering items, confirming vendors.”

“It all sounds made up to me.”

“Dad, there are tons of jobs that are more creative, less analytical. Look at me.”

“I’m looking at you. A man who left his job to go gallivanting around the world. I will never understand you young folks,” Gerrit said.

Irene placed her hand over her husband’s. “Boy you sure are in a crappy mood today.”

“Maybe he didn’t like his Christmas presents. Maybe he wanted a whatchamacallit and got a doohickey instead,” Celeste chimed in.

“Eat your pancakes,” I whispered.

Kris pushed out a gust of air. “I wasn’t siting on my ass the entire year. There is so much more to life than reporting to an office pressing buttons and drinking crap coffee.”

“A man should put in a hard day’s work each day.”

My eyes ping ponged from Kris to his father. I didn’t realize Kris’s micro retirement was a source of friction between the two.

“Sorry I just don’t buy into that live to work mentality.”

“To be fair Daddy, if I had millions in the bank, I probably wouldn’t work either,” Rayna said.

“Kris you have a girlfriend now. Women are expensive. They always want to go out to eat.” Gerrit nudged his wife.

“Baby, you know your father just needs to get his two cents in. This is a moot point seeing how Kris is returning to work next month,” Irene said.

“I’m with Kris on this one Dad,” Matthew said. “Not everyone gets to do what they love. Kris does and even he needed a break. I sure know I could use a vacation.”

“You’re always on a vacation mentally,” Rayna teased.

Matt shrugged off Rayna’s words, still focused on Kris. “Hey do you think I could visit you in California? I’ve heard the women are top tier.”

I chuckled nervously. My idea of a romantic getaway to Los Angeles did not include Kris’s baby brother Matthew.

Kris shot me a glance. His mouth a straight line. “Maybe, we’ll see.” Turning to his mother, he said, “How are the ladies at the library?”

“Maybe? Come on bro, you know you’re going to be bored all alone in Cali. Are you leasing a place or just renting month to month?”

Kris’s hand froze on my thigh.

“What?” I turned to him, trying to grab hold of the conversation.

“Hmm.” Kris looked just as confused as I was.

“Why would you need a month-to-month lease for an extended weekend in California?”

“Wait, does Belen not know you’re moving to California?” Kris’s father billowed despite a mouthful of eggs.

“Moving?” My eyes grew wide; it was like I was back in the middle of the snowball fight, the wind knocked right out of me.

“Not moving, temporary relocating.”

“Is that somehow supposed to make it better?” I pushed his hand from my lap.

“Oh shit, she didn’t know,” Matt said.

“Does everyone know about California but me?” I scanned the faces of the Kringle clan.

“I didn’t know.” Celeste reached for more sausage.

“Huh …” I huffed.

“Belen, just let me explain.”

“There’s no need to explain I got the jest. You’re moving to California. Looking for property. Because you are about to spend a considerable amount of time in another state.”

“Did you know that California is over two thousand miles away from Minneapolis?” Celeste announced.

“How do you know that?” Rayna asked.

With a lazy shrug, Celeste responded, “Doesn’t everybody.”

“I’m sure Kris does since he’s planning to relocate,” I spat out.

“Belen, I’m not relocating or moving.” His tone let me know he was annoyed with me, which made me angrier because I was the one caught off guard.

Turning my chair, I looked him square in the eyes and asked as calmly as I could. “Are you planning on staying in California for an extended period of time?”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “Yes.”

I pushed back from the table. “Celeste breakfast is over, we’re leaving, go pack your things.”

“No, I don’t want to leave. I was going to help Mrs. Irene make one of those cakes that looks like a log.”

“That will have to wait until another time.”

“That’s not fair. Belen I want to stay.”

“Are you serious right now?” Kris asked.

“Are you?” I shouted. “How long have you known about California? Were you ever planning on telling me or were you just going to stop taking my calls and ghost me?”

I’d spent most of my life reacting to events, never really having the opportunity to think things through. Life just kept crashing down on me like a series of waves, leaving me caught in the undertow, fighting to make it to the surface before I drowned. Maybe I was overreacting, but I needed some time to process what I was hearing. A minute to catch my breath and cough up the buckets full of water choking my lungs.

“Celeste, go pack now.” My tone was final.

Celeste stomped all the way to the guest room but she complied. She knew me well enough to know I was past the point of rational discourse. I was in the retreat phase of this relationship. It came sooner than I expected. But the news of Kris moving stung deep and now I had to run as fast as my feet would carry me. I’d allowed myself to open up to him, he spent time with my sister, I made room for him in my life, just to be disappointed. Silly of me to think I’d beaten my Christmas curse. Christmas sucked and it always would. Avoiding Kris’s eyes, I headed to help Celeste pack.

I shoved my sister’s things into her luggage, listening to her complain the entire time because items weren’t in the correct spot. But I didn’t want to be here any longer than I had to. Us getting into a yelling match in front of his family made my stomach churn, but he’d lied to me. I’d been really clear about my deal breakers, but I thought living in different cities was an obvious one. I have responsibilities and a job I just can’t up and move. Was that what he was expecting? Or maybe I was never a consideration to begin with.

I feared I was just a holiday pastime and it appeared I was right. God knows why he’d have me meet his family, but maybe he got off on making women fall for him and meeting the family just helped to seal the deal.

Heading back to the room I was sharing with Kris, I swiped my makeup from the side table into my opened makeup bag. It was all a blur as I threw chunky sweaters and jeans into my suitcase.

“Can we talk?”

“No, I don’t talk to liars.”

“Liar, don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic?”

“Dramatic, you fucking lied to me.” I bit down on my tongue. I didn’t want to disrespect his parents’ home and that was why I needed to leave. “I don’t want to talk about this now.” I leaned all my weight on to my luggage so I could force the zipper around securing it shut.

“I was going to tell you, Belen.” Kris moved closer, trying to get my attention.

I draped my purse over my body. Sliding my feet into my boots, I tied the laces.

“Are you just going to ignore me?”

My shoulders rounded; I was suddenly exhausted. Perhaps I should listen to what he had to say. I wasn’t good with confrontation or uncomfortable truths. The vast majority of my romantic relationships ended because I’d dug my feet into the sand, unwilling to listen to reason or change my perspective. At a young age I’d learned the male species was prone to lying, when Santana Brighton told me he wanted to take me to the winter formal but ended up going with Synthia Harris instead. I could forgive a lot of things, but lying was where I drew the line. Standing, I deployed the handle on my roller bag. “No more secrets … do you remember promising that?”

“Yes and I meant it.” He blocked my way to the door.

“California is a pretty fucking big secret.”

“I’m not saying you don’t have a right to be mad. I’m not saying I wasn’t wrong. But what I’m asking is for you to stay and talk to me.”

This was a test of my conviction. Kris was practically begging me to stay and hear him out, and I wanted to relent and give in. But I was a Goodwin, and we were known for our stubborn nature. “I don’t want to talk Kris, I want to leave. Please don’t try to stop me.”

He stepped aside, his posture losing all its fight.

In the hall, I stopped in the dining room where the Kringle family was still all gathered.

“Belen, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mess shit up,” Matthew said. “If you leave, Kris is going to kick my ass.”

I ignored Matthew, addressing the family as a whole. “Thank you so much for having us. It was nice meeting you all. I hope you have a great New Year. And I’m sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused.”

“Maybe we just take a beat. This has escalated quickly. Why don’t you and I go for a walk,” Rayna suggested.

I glanced at Kris and his eyes were pleading for me to take his sister up on her offer. “No, I have to go.”

Irene rounded the table and clasped her hands with mine. “Sweetie Rayna’s right. It’s the day after Christmas. Where will you go? It’s going to be hard to find a flight back home.”

With a jerk of my shoulders, I said, “I’ll figure it out. I always do. Let’s go Celeste.”