And I won't fuck it up.
25
Later.
"I think we may have overdone this."
Jack, wearing boxers and a t-shirt, was standing on what little floor remained in their den, surrounded by a sea of toys.
"It's their first Christmas with us," Demarco said, safe on Sofa Island. "I want it to be special."
Jack did a slow 360. "Yeah, it's pretty special. Insane might be a better word though."
The wrapped presents were predominantly under the modest six-foot tree in the corner. However, billowing out from its nexus were concentric circles of gadgets, books, games, action figures, command centers, castles, plush animals, puzzles, video game consoles, remote control vehicles, and on... and on.
Jack tiptoed his way out of teeming toy tumult and made a dive for the sofa, stretching out on the unoccupied section, and resting his head in Demarco's lap.
Demarco was flipping through channels on the television. He landed on the Hallmark channel and a Christmas movie. In it, a pretty young woman was fretting because, somehow, she had managed to schedule blind dates with two different men... on Christmas Eve.
"Who the hell goes out with someone you don't know on Christmas eve?" Demarco asked.
"Presidents... volunteers... philanthropists... generous souls..."
"That's not what this is about, Mr. Smarty-pants."
Jack was looking at the Christmas tree. Demarco combed his hair with the fingers of his right hand while aiming the remote with his left. "We're not watching this crap. Alec will have no problem standing out if this is the best they have to offer... and the guys will be even hotter."
"We could just be quiet... enjoy each other... and the tree. Alexa, please turn off the lights."
All the lights went out except for the television and the tree.
"Yes!" said Demarco. "Now,thisis what I'm talking about."
"Yeah... it's nice"
"Miracle on 34th Street,1947."
Jack, realizing that they were talking about different things, rolled over to where he was facing the TV. "It's in black and white," he said, more intrigued than dismayed.
"Yeah. The way it should be—none of that colorized bullshit."
"LikeLeave it to Beaver...andThe Munsters," Jack said, slyly.
Demarco mussed his hair. "Yes... very astute observation,Mr. TV LAND."
"It's MeTV... TV LAND doesn't show the old ones that I like."
"I stand corrected. Well, this movie is an old one too. It won three Oscars and was recently preserved in National Film Registry."
"How do you know all this stuff?"
"Because I love it. I spent my childhood watching old movies like this with my mother."
"So, what's special about this one?" Jack asked, curious, childlike.
"Well, it's a Christmas classic... about Santa Claus being real. But that's not really why it interests me. I'm just a big fan of both the females in it."
"The woman is really pretty."
