A Cozy Mountain Christmas - part 3

The following is part three of a four-part short story, with new editions arriving every Wednesday, finishing on Christmas Eve. Links for part one and part two are listed at the bottom of the page.

A COZY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS

A short story by Jason Haskins

Later than evening, Griffin and Daisy lay in bed, both under the covers, both with a book in their hands, though hardly any reading happened. Both had their books open – A Christmas Carol – but eyes glossed over the words, often rereading sentences. Throughout the house, not a creature stirred. Minutes of mimicking the act of reading passed before Griffin finally set his book down in his lap, frustrated. Without looking at him, Daisy calmly stated, “Let it go.”

Along the same keel, Griffin replied, “You don’t know what it, is.”

Daisy chuckled. “Of course I do. I can read you like a—”

“—a book?”

“—a fine wine.”

The two shared a laugh. “I suppose you can, honey. I know this lack of enthusiasm from the kids is bothering you all the same.”

“Can you blame me? I want to write off their attitudes as simply teenagers being teenagers, but it is more than that. Sterling for sure. I can only imagine being ripped from friends this late in high school.”

“I know.”

Griffin’s head and neck sunk into his pillow. Lost in thought, he stared at the ceiling. Daisy rolled onto her side, arms wrapping around his body, legs intertwined with his. “I really thought amping up the Christmas activities would bring them around. They always loved this time of year.”

“You tried, honey.”

“I am not giving up. We will have the best Christmas dinner, slim pickings as they are. We will do Christmas our way, albeit different, less so than in the past.”

Griffin kissed Daisy atop her head. “It seems, after all this time, the kids only loved the gifts,” he said with a chuckle.

“I’m serious,” Daisy replied, discouraged.

“Hey,” he said, hugging Daisy tight. “We unloaded the vehicles. We are here. You picked out the perfect spot for the tree and, tomorrow night, we will decorate it as a family. A magnificent tree will only be the beginning. They will come around.”

“And if they don’t.”

“Well,” began Griffin, without missing a beat, “then we’ll see if we can return each kid after the holidays.”

Daisy managed a wry smile, her mind playing out multiple Christmas scenarios, all leading back to one answer: creativity was the priority on this first Christmas of the family’s new life.

Upstairs, Miriam and Sterling were in their respective rooms, each bathed in the artificial blue light of cell phones, laying in their beds. Constant buzzing on Sterling’s phone finally bothered him enough to the point he stopped watching videos long enough to switch over to his messaging app to find out all the fuss was about. He discovered multiple messages from his sister. “hey, wat r u doing? Hey. r u still awake? Sterling!”

Sterling debated whether to answer her or not, or to let Miriam sweat it out during the night. He decided to reply, rather than take the chance Miriam grew frustrated enough to simply give up texting and walk down the hall to knock on his bedroom door. “Sup?”

Tiny dots blinked and faded and Sterling waited. Thinking he’d waited too long to respond and his sister had fallen asleep, he swiped over to watch videos. Only five seconds passed before his phone buzzed. “can u b serious pls?”

Sterling fired off a quick response. “I am serious. What do you want?” He added a smiley face emoji for good measure.

The response from Miriam arrived quickly this time around. If Sterling had to judge, Miriam had already written the message in another app and simply hit copy, then paste. “I am worried about mom & dad. They r stressed out & keep trying 2 push xmas on us & I’m like ugh, we get it. Ya know? this year sux. Don’t u think?”

This very issue had recently crossed Sterling’s mind in a fleeting manner, not even thinking twice about it before. But now, he realized he’d been so focused on himself he had not cared about the extra effort his parents had been putting in as of late. Forcing Christmas on him and his sister was indeed a choice. Sterling decided it was better to play diplomat here, rather than stoke the fire. He texted, “They are being parents is all. All whacked out over the holidays. LOL. Srsly, tho, don’t worry. We will all be fine.”

“Sure?”

“Positive,” Sterling sent back, “at least we have each other.” A little mushy for his taste but Sterling, normally annoyed at his little sister, wanted to encourage a little hope in these trying times.

Miriam rolled her eyes at the mushy sentiment, knowing Sterling only said the words to be kind to her. But she was glad he responded at all. Even though the words written to her were broad, they helped, and she did her best to accept everything thrown the family’s way. She accepted these little wins. Plus, she really did love the holidays, despite not really getting into the mood so far this year. Sleepy, Miriam shifted onto her side, sending off one final text to Sterling before calling it a night. “Hey. U remember going to the Christmas village when we were younger?”

***

“Shouldn’t you be helping Griffin at the store?” asked James from the living room.

Searching in the hall closet around the corner, Daisy yelled back, “He has everything under control and basically kicked me out.”

“Would you at least come in here to talk to us then?”

Daisy switched into daughter mode and rolled her eyes. She was on a mission at her parents’ cabin, and no matter how badly she wanted to visit with them, she wanted to be left alone until she located the ancient silver Christmas platter she so fondly remembered her mother using every Christmas. This was the third spot she’d checked with no luck. Frustrated, she withdrew and pulled the oak-colored door shut. "Okay. Here I come.”

Daisy, running her hand along the wall, rounded into the living room. Her dad, seated in a green recliner and her mother Hailey, lying on the couch, a forest green wool blanket pulled over her body, up to her chin, both looked at their daughter. “No luck?” asked James.

“Not at all. Are we sure you didn’t throw the dish away? Or took it to the thrift store?”

Hailey stirred, started to rise. “Let me look. I will find it.”

Daisy sat down on the couch, near her mom’s feet. “Sit. Please. It is not that urgent. I will keep looking.”

‘I don’t know what you want with that old platter anyhow. I don’t think we have used it since before Miriam was born.”

Daisy did not want to argue; did not want her mom to waste her breath and strength but she could not help but retort. “I am sure we used it the last Christmas we spent here. The platter had all those delicious Christmas treats arranged in such stylish patterns. Sugar cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, peanut butter cups, and divinity. Mints, too, probably.”

“Sounds like very Christmas since the beginning of time, sweetie,” added James.

“It’s, uh, well, ugh. Forget it.”

“I am positive I now where it’s at,” said Hailey, again trying to rise from the prone position.

Daisy gently rested her hands on her mom’s knees, looked her directly in the eyes, and softly spoke. “Mom. Please rest. Tell me where it is and I will get it.”

“Check the attic. There is a box of dinnerware and silverware up in the back corner. I think. Or is it out in the garage.” She trailed off, lost in a memory.

Daisy started to move but James waved her away and left to go on a search of his own. “If I am not back in twenty minutes, send a rescue squad.”

“Thanks, dad,” replied Daisy.

James left, after which Hailey abruptly asked, “When am I going to see my grandchildren?"

"Soon, mom. Once I can convince them to leave the cabin." It was an issue on top of other issues for Daisy; one she only had the beginnings of a plan to fix.

Indeed, Sterling and Miriam were hanging out in their new home, glued to their phones playing games and texting, but at least spending time together, in the living room. Close but far away, lost in their own worlds, sitting next to boxes labeled CHRISTMAS DÉCOR. Decorations the two of them were instructed to put up, still inside unopened boxes, where lights remained in tangled clumps amid the collection. Two kids with an unfocused attitude towards even moving an inch, taking part in the one form of entertainment they could always rely on.

Later that night, gathered around the dinner table, the family together, the night’s dishes were mindlessly handed to one another. A bowl of salad – a mix of romaine lettuce, baby spinach, diced carrots, sliced black olives, and cut tomatoes – began with Daisy, who landed a pile on her plate before she handed the bowl to Miriam, who repeated her mother’s actions. She then handed the white salad bowl across the table to Sterling, who dished his own before he gave the rest to Griffin. The menial routine followed suit with spaghetti covered in red meat sauce, and finally slices of toasted sourdough bread, taken from a small tan wicker basket with a blue napkin. No one spoke a word during the plating, a tired family made even more dreary by the cold, dark December night.

After Griffin filled his plate, he looked at each family member. “All right. Dig in.”

Silverware clinked. Sterling shoved into his mouth huge bites, racing to the dinner finish line. “Big date tonight?” asked Griffin to his son, tongue-in-cheek.

“Huh?” he replied, swallowing, oblivious to his dad’s sarcasm.

Laughing, Griffin answered. “Slow down. Please.”

Sterling laid down his fork, providing the speed requested, in defiance. The rest of the family continued at a pace befit of a sloth, taking their time with each bite, in a subtle act of defiance towards Sterling. Daisy, recognizing this and the dreadful silence, set down her fork. “You know what, we need some good Christmas music to set the mood. Johnny Mathis or Andy Williams?”

She looked at Griffin, who shrugged. Daisy turned next to Miriam, who stopped mid-bite, wide-eyed. “I don’t really feel like music, either way,” she answered.

Daisy, not discouraged, turned to her eldest child for approval of the music, or at least a vote to help settle the matter. “No music is much better,” answered Sterling, balancing snark and politeness in his voice.

He returned to eating. Daisy chose not to pursue music any further. She, however, would not let silence at the dinner table defeat the family. “Okay. We will put a pause on joyful songs,” she started, remaining cheery, “and perhaps discuss getting out the decorations that a couple of you failed to get around to this afternoon. I failed in finding the Christmas platter I sought, so no judgement. We can listen to music after dinner while hanging lights in the window, putting up wreaths. Maybe even grab paper to cut our own snowflakes. What say you all to that?”

The order the answers arrived stayed the same, with the responses varying only slightly. “Sounds wonderful, dear,” answered Griffin.

“Ugh. Sounds too much like school. Do we have to?” asked Miriam.

“A little childish, Mom,” added Sterling, an acidic tone delivered between bites of food.

Deflation in Daisy took hold, barely. She continued to seek out one of the Christmas traditions the family would embrace. “All right. There is one thing we haven’t done yet that I know we will enjoy: setting up the Christmas town.”

“C’mon, Mom. Really?” whined Sterling

“Yeah, Mom. We’re busy,” said Miriam without looking up.

This exchange began a back-and-forth between the two children, beginning with Sterling. “Busy doing what exactly, brat?”

“Same thing as you. Zilch.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” answered Miriam, sticking out her tongue.

“Doing nothing is better than creating a lame Christmas town.”

“Enough!” interjected Griffin, his voice rattling the room into submission.

Forcing a soft smile, Daisy scooted back her chair, wooden legs squeaking against wood floor. “Excuse me,” she said. Without another word, she walked out, leaving the family to disengage in silence. Griffin scoured at the kids, who offered no apology before he, too, stood, then followed Daisy from the dining room. Ashamed, the two kids froze, not bothering to talk, or touch a meal either felt like finishing.

A Cozy Mountain Christmas - part one

A Cozy Mountain Christmas - part two