Stuck With My Christmas Crush (Sweet Christmas Kisses)

3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jason

“ H ey, Mom.” Maddie jumps down from the back of the Chevy in my sister’s driveway.

“Hey, sweetie. How was your morning at the mansion? Were you good and helpful?”

“Yes. Yes, I was. Wasn’t I, Jason?”

“So good and so helpful.” Meredith picks up Maddie and cuddles her.

“Thanks so much for taking her this morning. I’m all caught up now.”

“No problem. I love my time with Maddie. And I have to make the most of it now, before she becomes an obnoxious teenager in a couple of years.”

“I’m never going to be an obnoxious teenager, whatever that is,” says Maddie emphatically.

“Do you want to stay for dinner?”

“No. I’m going to get back and keep sorting stuff out. But it is endless. There are so many boxes and trunks. Every wardrobe seems to be full of junk. Really. I just want to torch the place.”

“I don’t think you are approaching this with the right frame of mind, soldier.” Meredith lowers Maddie to the ground. She runs off inside the house. “You have been left a sizable property by a distant relative we didn’t even know existed. Don’t you want to find out about her, and the people who owned the place? Their story? I mean, it was a hotel and quite expensive and fashionable in its day. There could be all sorts of treasures hidden in the walls and attic. I think it’s exciting.”

“It might be for you. You’re not there and dealing with it.” I grit my teeth and run my hand through my hair with exasperation. “I just want to get rid of the place so I can move along. At the moment, it’s actually costing me to be there. And the longer I hang on to it, the greater the expense which means the less we’ll get when it does sell.” I pause then change my tone. “Don’t you want your share?”

“Yes. It would be a welcome bonus for sure. We’re probably going to set up a trust fund or something for Maddie. But Daniel and I have good jobs.” Meredith smiles kindly, her head drops slightly to one side. “I fully appreciate you taking responsibility for selling the property. And, selfishly, I kind of like my brother living within uncle-duty distance. For a while. It’s great having you nearby after all the time you’ve been away. I know Maddie likes it.”

“Yeah. I should focus on the upside. It is good to be living a short drive away from my favorite sister.”

“Your only sister.” Meredith play-punches my arm.

I laugh and pull my car keys out of my pocket. “And it’s ex-soldier, by the way.”

“I know, Jason. But part of you is always going to be in Afghanistan.” Meredith can see right through me. I’ve left the military, but the military hasn’t left me. “You can get a contract anytime.” She shrugs. “But inheriting the mansion is an unexpected gift. Have some grace about that.”

“You’re right, Meredith.” I laugh again. “I’ve contacted the real estate agent, to get things rolling.” I shake my head and sigh at the endless list of things that need to be done to get the house ready for sale. And I think about all the things I’d rather be doing instead of packing up a big old empty house.

“I’ll come and give you a hand next week, alright.”

“Thanks.”

“It must be lonely out there. On your own.”

“I’m not really on my own. I have Rocko. He’s great company. Anyway, it’s Christmas soon and nothing is set to move in the property market until the entire legal profession sobers up after New Year, so there’s no real rush. Looks like I’m stuck there for a few weeks at least.”

“Well, try and find the joy in it. Otherwise, it’ll be a drag and you get so boring when you’re grumpy. No one wants that. Not me or Maddie. Got it?”

“Got it. Look on the bright side,” I say as if articulating the words will affect my negative mindset.

“There you go.” Meredith punches me again on the other arm this time. “And about Christmas. Are you going to grace us with your presence and presents this year?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s nice to be invited and… It’s just not…”

“Maddie will be disappointed if you’re not here with us.”

“I’ll need to sort out some security up at the mansion and there’s Rocko to consider… Any other time. ”

“There’s something wrong with you if you don’t like Christmas. And bring Rocko. We love him.”

Meredith may be right. There might be something wrong with me. But it’s not that I don’t like Christmas, it’s just that I would rather be on my own while the rest of the world goes crazy; eats too much; gets gifts they don’t want; watches sappy stupid movies. And don’t get me started on Christmas songs. I can’t stand Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey and all the rest of those Christmas classics on high rotation in every store in every mall. The whole tinsel-covered commercial con makes me want to run and hide.

“If I wasn’t stuck up at the mansion.” I point in the general direction. “I’d be far far away, somewhere where Christmas doesn’t even exist.”

“Scrooge.”

“Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Grump.”

“And again. Is the next one going to be Grinch?”

“Yes. How did you guess?” Meredith hugs me. “The invitation is there if you want it. Anytime. We love you. Now get lost, soldier.”

“Bah. Humbug. And it’s ex-soldier, again.”

“I know. I just like needling you.”

Meredith is my kid sister, but she has always seemed older and wiser than me. I trust her more than anyone else in the world. And I don’t like to disappoint, but Christmas is not my friend. The whole holly-jolly shebang makes me nauseous. And anxious.

Every year it’s like watching a parade from the sidelines. I don’t get how people are so invested in something so commercial and trite. I’m planning to have a nice time with Rocko without sleigh bells or snow.

I climb back into the Chevy and drum the steering wheel. Focus on the positive. Key in the ignition. Get my head down and get the mansion ready for a quick sale. Turn the key, start up the engine, and back out of the driveway. Sell the mansion and I’m free.

On the way out of town, I remember to pick up a few things from the supermarket. Dog food mostly. But it’s a good idea to go shopping when I happen to be in town. Living at the mansion means it’s inconvenient to run out of anything when it’s a thirty-minute drive to the nearest store.

At the supermarket, I sit for a minute in the busy parking lot, mentally preparing myself, as if I’m on a military exercise. Then, like a bullet from a gun, I’m in through the sliding doors, blotting out the inane jolly songs that assault me at full volume. I ignore the oversized grinning Santas and twinkly-colored festive lights. Every product seems to have holly or mistletoe pictured, or an elf or reindeer. I charge up and down each aisle, avoiding collisions with families and their shopping carts, gathering what I need at breakneck speed to get to the row of checkouts as fast as possible. I assess which line to join and stand patiently, inching forward, until it’s my turn.

The checkout operator is wearing a Santa hat and Christmas tree earrings and has a snowman painted on her cheek. She twinkles at me as she scans my items.

“Do you have plans for the holidays?” she asks with a friendly smile.

“No. Not really.” I’m in no mood to chat.

“Do you have a Jolly Holly Holiday Christmas discount card, sir?”

“No. I don’t.”

“Well, would you like one? It’ll give you ten percent off your purchases from now until the end of January. All you do is fill out the form with your details and…”

“No. No, thank you,” I say abruptly cutting her off.

The checkout operator purses her lips, takes my bank card, and swipes it through the machine.

“Well. Did you hear? There’s a storm coming. The weather channel has issued a warning. Severe is what’s expected. Looks like we’re in for a white Christmas.” She beams. “Now that’s something to be cheerful about, isn’t it? ”

She hands my card back to me with a receipt and bats her eyelashes.

“Thanks.” I am trying to be cheerful, but I know that I’m gritting my teeth with the effort.

“Merry Christmas, sir. I hope to see you again soon.”

I grab my bags and get out of there as quickly as I can. Once safely back in my truck, I take a deep breath and hope that I haven’t forgotten anything.

The last place I want to be is a busy supermarket at Christmastime. The flashing lights remind me of emergency strobes and the tinny electronic sounds are too much like sirens. But I relax knowing that I have enough supplies for a few days if a storm does blow through. And, thankfully, I don’t need to endure another shopping trip until the silly season is well and truly over. Who knows how long the storm will last? But then I’ll be snowed in and have a valid excuse for not showing up for Christmas at Meredith’s.

With these happy thoughts in my head, I drive back up the hill to the mansion, noticing how heavy the sky is and how it is getting darker by the minute. Definitely looks like a storm’s coming. I turn onto Belleview Road. It’s quiet. There’s no other traffic which is not unusual. Even when the traffic on the main highway is at a standstill, there’s no real advantage to driving this way .

As I approach the mansion’s driveway, I see the fairy in the ladybug still sitting where I left her. I slow down, pull over, stop, and get out.

“Hey. I’m surprised that you’re still here.” I zip up my jacket. The temperature has plummeted.

“Yeah. Me too.” The fairy winds down her window. “I shouldn’t have to wait too much longer. I hope.” She holds up a hand with her fingers crossed, smiles, and shivers slightly.

“Well, okay.” Then, without thinking, I follow up with, “Why not wait at my place? It’s just around this corner, up that driveway.” I point up the hill. “You could call the roadside guys and tell them to meet you there.”

“Oh, that’s kind of you. But I think I’ll stay put. I have everything I need here. It’s fine. I’m not going to be here long.”

“Well, if you’re sure.”

“Yes. I’m sure. But thanks, again.”

“Look. If you change your mind, I’m right around the corner in the big house, The Mansion Hotel. Take my number. I’ll come and get you.”

“I appreciate your offer, but I’m fine. Really.”

“Okay, then. Take care.”

The fairy winds up her window to end the conversation. I look up and down the empty road, then back away to my truck. She is a grown adult person who can make her own decisions. But I can’t help but be protective. It’s in my nature. I will stop by in a couple of hours to make sure she is still okay or gone.