“Make every single little thing difficult.”
I move past Alex and walk down the aisle. At the end, I slightly turn my head. “For the record I’m not back. I’ll be headed to Dublin after the holiday.”
“Well, while you’re in town, maybe you could stay over? You know it was good when we were together.”
I smirk. “Alex, I would rather jerk off with sandpaper than let you touch my dick ever again.” The woman entering the aisle looks from me to Alex, then decides to turn around.
I head toward the food aisles, feeling his eyes burning into the back of my head. “Goodbye Alex!” I yell, turning the corner, hopefully the last time I ever have to see his face.
***
I’m just finishing wrapping my last gift when Mom comes in, clutching a handful of bags. “Let me take those,” I say, reaching out to her overfilled hands.
“I got these. You grab the rest from the car.”
I look at the open trunk, noting that Mom appears to be making a feast for an army.
“Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Daniel I see?” Denise is standing on the sidewalk, a small corgi pulling at the leash in her hand.
“Hey Denise. Just back for the holiday. Did you get a new puppy?” I walk over and bend down at dog level, my face immediately getting covered in dog slobber.
“This is Russell. He’s a rescue I’m fostering but, between you and me, I plan on keeping.”
I scratch behind Russell’s ears. I’m about to ask how she came up with the name, but I figure it out. I’ve read some of the many, many pamphlets Denise has dropped at the condo over the years. Russell was the last name of the founder of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Of course she would name the dog something related to the church.
“Well, he’s adorable. I always wanted a dog when I was younger but Dad was super allergic. I think Mom always wanted one though.”
“I’m so glad to see her here with you. I think about you two every time I walk by your condo. The man staying here keeps to himself. Well, mostly. Outside the many women I’ve seen leave in the morning.”
“Denise! Ugh I didn’t need to know that.” My brain links Aidan to Grayson fromCougar Town. And, if I wasn’t already, I’m washing all the bedding on the hottest setting as soon as I go inside.
“What, like you haven’t been having a time over in Dublin?”
She legit winks at me.
“Something like that, or more so just one person. Not sure what I’ll be returning to.”
Denise pulls at the leash, stopping Russell from eating something hidden in the grass. “Well, I better let you get to it. I just wanted to stop by and see how you’re doing. It was good seeing you, Daniel.”
Denise is halfway down the sidewalk before I look over at her condo, the lack of decoration. The one car in the driveway. “Hey Denise?” She turns. “Would you want to join us for Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow?”
She smiles. “Thank you, that’s very thoughtful of you. But I’ll have to pass as we don’t celebrate Christmas.” Ahh, that’s right. I forgot that was a thing.
I wave, turning back to the open trunk. I shuffle the bags inside, just as a light snow begins to fall outside.
Mom is already in the kitchen, filling ingredients into the mixer. “Want to help me make cookies for tomorrow?”
“Sure,” I say, grabbing us both aprons from the drawer. I hesitate, holding Michael’s old apron in my hand, before handing mine to Mom and putting Michael’s on me. “I invited Denise to Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow.”
Mom pauses mid-pour of flour. “Isn’t that your crazy religious neighbor?”
I laugh. “Yes. I bumped into her outside and it dawned on me that she would likely be alone tomorrow. And she’s always been nice to us, outside the constant barrage of church invites.”
“She does mean well,” Mom agrees, continuing with what I presume is a batch of her Twix snickerdoodles. “Why don’t you get going on the Rice Krispie treats and then we can start our first movie.”
***
I look over at the clock, now just after ten. Mom is passed out on the couch, glass of wine in hand hanging over the side of the couch. I get up and grab the glass, placing it securely on the coffee table.
