Need no grinch types, no Ebenerzer's

Mona grumbled at Carmen's strange gift bag. Was that all she was getting at this stupid Christmas party? She never made pancakes, but Carmen went all out. Even a whisk was included, along with these little prep bowls that came in a set, along with a dish towel and mitt. 

"Oh, don't look so down," Rico smiled. He put his arm around her. At first, she thought it was a way to protect her in the crowded room at Sammie and Gabe's. But now she knew he just wanted to be with her and no one else. And she didn't think she was overthinking it.

It wasn't exactly a white elephant party, but it could have been. Carmen was on the cheap. Why couldn't she just give her a gift card? At least, Rico got a iHop gift card, but that only meant more pancakes in Mona's book.

It was then he presented her with an engagement ring. Not that he made a big announcement, but she was pleased. She reached to give him a hug and a kiss. Everyone looked at  them as if they were wondering what was happening.

Naturally, Jared was the lone wolf. Actually, Justin hadn't expected him so early, but at least his room was made up. It was settled. He at least had a night to sleep with Carmen, which was a bit unusual but good.

Of course, Randy put him to the test. "Hey, wait a minute, what's going on?" He'd asked.

"Nothing." Both Justin and Carmen had said in unison.

"I don't know, how do you do nothing?" was his next question. Thankfully, he went to Cassie's the night of the party, so Justin had extra time with Jared, who looked plenty out of it. He did wonder then if he'd drank too much on the plane, although he protested he hadn't.

They had brought Jared a goodie bag that night. Justin kept thinking he wouldn't feel left out. Only that night, Vada met Jared, and Justin suddenly felt someone else was left out. Justin felt he needed to be Kevin's friend. He hoped Vada would snap out of it. For all he knew, maybe it was her way of getting revenge on him.

"Why hasn't it happened yet," Nic found himself saying into the phone when he got a hold of Tristan.

"I dunno man."

Nic could hear Tristan's yawn. He was no help. Nic wanted to be married, but it hadn't happened with Felicity yet.

"Maybe, it's her fault," Tristan said. "Have you ever thought of that?"

Nic pressed his lips tight. He knew it couldn't be his fiancee's fault. Why was he so scared about taking the plunge?

"Well," Nic half hugged himself and knew he had to go. Felicity was still in the shower. They would be going to Liv an Woo's soon. "You're not married."

"Fine." 

Finally, Tristan sounded awake. "Let's set a date and get to it."

"Before the new year?"

"No man," Tristan laughed. "Same time in 2025." He sounded as if that would be their year to marry their fiancees.

Toys in every store

 "Why can't her mother keep her?" Chewy sounded mean, but Chai knew that wasn't true. After all, he was the one lugging the little one. 

"I am her guardian, you know." Chai wished Chewy would accept that about Daisy. "I was her father's best friend."

"OK, I know, but you need some down time yourself," Chewy went to put Daisy in the cart seat. Finding gifts at the mega grocery store might not have been ideal, but Chai knew they needed food just as much. 

"I guess, she could stay with you guys, so..you know I could get Daisy a few presents," Chai knew it was last minute, but he thought Sunny would be OK if Daisy stayed a few hours there.

Chewy sighed as if he was doing too much for Daisy. "I guess you'll get her mother something too."

"She'll be on a business trip."

"Where's she going?"

"Shanghai."

"Oh, I bet she won't come back, then what?"

"It'll be fine." Chai had a feeling it might be coming, but it made him sad and perhaps a little nausea to think about Daisy's mother.

"Will you be fine?" Chewy wanted to know. 

Chai went to look for disposable diapers for Daisy. Chewy was still looking at cheap gifts in the bargain bin. Of course, he sampled many treats, too. "Hey, wait up." 

Chewy caught up with them when Daisy had a fit for a stuffed animal. Chai sighed and moved on, but Daisy kept fussing.

"What should I get Louie and Sunny? Should it be something for the both of them?"

"That sounds great," Chai nodded. Honestly, he was too exhausted to think about gifts, but he knew someone really loved those plushie Squishmellows.

"I don't know what to get them," Chewy shrugged as if he was about to give up.

"Maybe some towels and body wash," Chai thought that would be nice to have.

"Really?"

"Look, the white bath towels are on sale." He pointed.

"But I like black," Chewy informed him.

"Good to know," he nodded. "But it isn't for you."

Chewy was going for the black bath towels anyway. Just like Chai expected, Chewy was going to do it his way. No matter what.

Take a look in the five-and-ten glistening once again

 "What is he up to?" Justin shook his head. 

"What happened?" Carmen wanted to know as she stood by the cart with an armful of pancake syrup.

"He's cominig for Christmas," Justin shook his head. "Alone."

"Alone?"

"I don't know what to do," Justin didn't  like the thought of his brother coming to the states.

"He can stay in your room," Carmen said. "And you can stay with me in mine."

A shiver went through Justin. What was she saying? He looked at her blankly.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," he shook his head no. Maybe it was best just to bunk with dear old Jared. Yeah, he thought that would be best. It would be just confusing, he thought, staying with Carmen. What was she going to do? Sleep on the floor?

"Why not?" She looked at him as if he'd clearly forgotten something.

"Well." Justin remained even-lipped.

"We want him to have a nice time, now don't we?"

"Well, not that great of time. I want him to go home, you know."

Justin squinted harder as if this was just too much for the holiday. This was all so crazy. Jared was married with a baby and he wanted to be here?

Justin called Jared to see what was going on.

"What's going on?" Justin asked first thing. "Did mom put you to this?"

"No, but..but she does think it's a good idea."

"A good idea?"

"I..I just didn't want to tell you," Jared started.

"Tell me what?" Justin couldn't imagine Jared having troubles. Jared lived his life on the sea. He was good with boats and what came with it, like fishing and knots and that kind of thing.

"Well..." he was very quiet then.

"The baby's not mine. And then I hurt my back. And my hand isn't doing so good. I can't work like I used to. So I got a lot of time on my hands, and mom wanted me to see you."

Justin listened. This was not going to be the holidays he was hoping for, but he would do as Vada asked. They'd make the room nice for Jared.

It's beginning to look like Christmas

 

Vada wasn't so sure whe was up for Sammie and Gabe's party.

"But we already drew names," Kevin told her with a shrug. It wasn't like they were living together yet, but they did spend a great deal of time together.

"I know," she said while they were out for a late lunch at the University Commons. "It's just." She wasn't sure she wanted to explain it. "I'll see my ex with his new girlfriend." She didn't want to elaberate.

"Well, it's a party. It can't be that bad," Kevin smiled. There he went again, all happy go lucky. Just how did he do it?

Vada managed to smile. Although, she dreaded seeing Justin the most. She hated him. And maybe she'd made up a lot of bad things about him. It seemed to bother no one but her. She couldn't remember the last time she saw him, and she wanted to keep it that way.

"I think I drew his name," Kevin nodded as he went back to his hot roast beef sandwich. Vada opted for soup and salad. Although, she ate far too many salads these days. And it was so cold with ice and snow these days. Just the thought made her shiver.

"You drew Justin's name?" Vada couldn't help but scowl as she looked at him.

"I  thought I'd just give him a gift certificate. You know, a local resteraunt." He told her. She nodded. She liked the idea of helping out local business, but she wished Justin would stay away. 

"He'll be there with that Carmen," Vada was straightlipped.

"They just live together. They're roommates," Kevin shrugged. He knew of her on Campus. In fact she was taking Art 101 which he was teaching. "She seems nice to me."

That was all Vada needed to hear. She couldn't help but fret a little. 

"She and Sammie are good friends. You should try to like her." 

He looked at her blankly. Then bit into a fry. He made it sound that the best gift she could give Sammie this Christmas was to be nice to Carmen and maybe Justin. Of course, she had no intention of bothering with those two.

Carmen got Mona's name in the drawing. It frustrated her, wondering what to get her.

"Remember, she said no candles," Justin had seen Mona's list. They were out at their favorite department store looking for Christmas deals.

"Got it." Carmen nodded.

She knew Justin was looking for a one stop present that would be close to twenty dollars. As she looked at hoodies, scarves, something for the kitchen (Like the Paris Hilton fry pan), she didn't see anything Mona might like. She didn't even like pink.

Of course, the longer she held that skillet, Carmen wanted it for herself. She put it in the cart.

"What are you doing?" He winced with a smile.

"I'm getting myself a Christmas present. I'll wrap it and say it's from you," Carmen shrugged.

"Oh, really," Justin sighed. "You think I'd buy you a skillet?"

"I don't know? Would you?" She looked at him as if he could.

She pushed onward. That was when she found the close out sale for the Dolly Parton Pancake mix. She'd make a package for Mona to include the mix and maple syrup. Although, she was tempted to get Mrs. Butterworth's Dunkin Donut Syrup that was a lot cheaper. She would think about it. She needed to stretch this twenty dollars the best she could.

Just then Justin's phone dinged a text. He looked to see who it was. "It's my brother." He didn't look that happy to see the message.

Every now and then I get a little bit nervous

 "No, no..that's not me," Tristan cracked up when Jade showed him the pic on her phone.

Funny or was it peculiar they were here at Mel's waiting for pizza at the same time. He looked back at the snow falling  ever so gentle. God, he hated driving in the first snows of the season. That truck of his just didn't know how to react. Well, maybe it was Tristan behind the wheel.

"What?" She was adamant that was him in that goofy picture.

"That's your husband Ari," Tristan looked at her as if she had to snap out of it. It wasn't like he saw Jade often. Maybe he did his best not to see her. He didn't want to think about her.

"It can't be." 

She looked at him and then the pic on her phone.

"I know why you fell in love with him," Tristan beamed as if he would always be an arse you couldn't forget.  "It's because he looks like me. But we're nothing alike. And you know that. And I am very happy we are nothing alike."

He knew he was smiling too much. He checked his receipt, wishing the pizza would arrive, but Dale ordered a veggie. He had to have his Italian sausage.

Thankfully, Jade snapped out of it. He wasn't going to ask if she was just getting mellow.

"Things are good, right, with you two?" Tristan managed to ask. Jade nodded as she stood there looking at her phone and the picture as if she was trying to figure out the memory of it.

"My sister is having a baby." 

Jade didn't sound herself.

"She and James are finally gonna do it?" Tristan remembered their dog more than he did the couple.

"No. It's not with James." She swelled a frown as if she might miss him more than she would ever admit.

Tristan nodded, thinking he could say nothing worse. He looked out the store window. God, he wished the snow would stop. He felt a little frozen already, but he was kind of in a tizzy or just in a hurry.

"Well, you're gonna be an Aunt," Tristan smiled like a fool. He told her. "I'm going to be an uncle."

"Yeah, Liv will be so surprised that I talked to you," Jade looked up at him with almost a smirk.

"Really?" Tristan squinted with a laugh. He didn't even know Jade knew his sister Liv.

One memory leads to another

 Jade supposed life was good. But things had gotten strange after Thanksgiving. Rudy moved in with Jewel, and here, all this time, she was expecting him through the holidays. Also, he got on in maintenance at the hospital.

"Well, aren't these good things?" Eric brought her a bubble tea from nearby as if she needed a pick me up in the afternoon at the dance studio/gym where Eric seemed to be constantly working out, or so Jade couldn't help but notice.

"Yeah, I guess." Maybe she should leave it at that. Jade knew she should, but she only had Eric to talk to. "My sister's pregnant."

"Huh, and she doesn't mind having your cousin around?" Eric said after sipping his cold drink on this very cold day.

"Well, it was a surprise." Jade hadn't had much time to think about it. Jewel was going to be a mom come late spring, and she was alone. "I mean, I didn't even know she was seeing anyone."

"Did you get to meet the guy?"

"No."

It was an unsettling mystery. As long as she'd known her older sister Jewel it was always "Do The Right Thing."

"Maybe she went off the deep end after she divorced James."

Jade told Eric that James was her sister's high school boyfriend and they'd married as soon as she got out of high school. "They went to college together and everything," Jade remembered their history. "I felt I had so much to live up to. I dunno. I let her down a lot."

She thought of her shoplifting life back then which didn't last all that long. She was hardly a criminal. Still, when she thought of that it led to memories of Tristan. Jade pushed her fingers over her eyes and had a good laugh. Such a  miserable time and yet,  he'd made it all better.

"What's so funny?" Eric was curious.

"It's nothing really."

Jade composed herself at her busy desk. The phone rang. It was time for Eric to go. She needed to focus. Some things were never coming back. Her sister would never be her high school self. And Jade knew Tristan never remembered. How could he?

The Christmas gift list is growing

 "Oh, I hope we do a lot of Christmas things this year," Sunny sounded a little too happy for Chewy. After all, he knew where this conversation was going. She was hinting about Chai. They'd spent Friendsgiving with Sunny and Louie. Wasn't that enough?

"Well, you know, it's just Christmas." Chewy shrugged. It was no big deal. "I'm not doing couple things with you guys. I mean, I'm not in a relationship, and don't you guys have Woo and Liv to worry about?"

Sunny brewed him a pour over. It was not of the coffee shop standard. He'd hoped she would have gotten better at making coffee, but Sunny would never know the green coffee bean like he did. And those days were over. He was now at the Assisted Living place too. They were on a coffee break. Luckily, Chai got on in the kitchen there, but their schedules were quite different. 

"Oh, try not to be happy," Sunny covered her mouth so as to not show her silly giggle. 

Chewy sighed.

"Are you going to get Chai a gift?" She asked as she sat at the table with him in the pristine breakroom, which was much finer than the old coffee shop.

"I dunno, what about you?"

"I'm knitting Louie a red scarf." She let a smile slip as if that was the perfect Christmas gift.

"That's all?" Chewy couldn't help but scowl. Oh, he was finding the black coffee bitter. He got up and reached for the creamer in the fridge.

"What do you mean?" She looked at him horrified.

"I dunno, maybe he needs underwear." Chewy sighed remembering his grandmother always got him briefs and socks for Christmas. They never had much, but it was essential.

"Underwear?"

"Just a thought." Chewy went back to his coffee. 

"Let's see, you're getting Chai underwear?" She teased and even stretched her hand out to poke him in the upper arm with her index finger.

"Shut up." He snarled. Yes, she'd always be the little sister he never had. Chewy guessed he'd have to buy her something for Christmas. He guessed he could ask Chai about this.