Christmas Spirit
MADDOX
When I was younger, I could never fall asleep at a decent time on Christmas Eve. Maybe it was the prospect of gifts or the promise of good food, but I would spend most of the night staring up at the ceiling, waiting for the sun to come up. For some reason, my mother always knew I was struggling because she’d poke her head in my room to check on me. As I got older, I purposefully waited for her late-night visit. Sometimes we ate cookies. Other times we’d watch a movie. She’d even play a video game or two some years. The gesture meant everything to me.
Before she died, she called me to her room because she was too weak to visit my room. While it wasn’t Christmas Eve, it felt like it because it was our last perfect night together. We’d talked, shared a plate of sugar cookies, and watched her favorite movie, “Miracle on 34thStreet.” And then we’d fallen asleep. Two days later, she was gone.
Between my family and Sloane, I’d done a pretty good job of staying busy leading up to tonight. Taylar had packed my schedule with family time. Earlier, Sloane and I had ventured out to the Detroit Zoo and walked theWild Lightstrail. Then, we’d had dinner at a new restaurant in Royal Oak, Michigan. Even with all the activity, today had been a struggle.
Although I’d tried to get out of it, Olivia had insisted I spend the night with them. It had been years since I’d slept in the same house with my family. The tension between Broderick and I made it slightly uncomfortable, but I’d decided to make the most of my time there.
My phone buzzed. I reached over and grabbed it from the nightstand.
Sloane:Go to sleep.
About an hour ago, I’d texted her that I couldn’t sleep, but she hadn’t responded so I’d assumed she was knocked out. I typed my reply:How did you know I was still up?
Sloane:I didn’t know, but you replied to my text, so my original message still applies.
I asked her what she was still doing up, and then my phone rang. This time, it was a FaceTime request. Smiling, I accepted. Damn, she was a sight for sore eyes, even in her head scarf. “Hey,” I said.
“It was easier to call.” She held up Scotch Tape and a pair of scissors. “I’m wrapping gifts.”
“See, you should’ve bought gift cards,” I told her. Unlike Taylar, Sloane agreed with my view on gift cards, but she’d decided to step her game up this year. “You could’ve saved so much time.”
“I told you… I wanted to switch it up.” She frowned in concentration as she cut the paper. “Besides, my niece and nephews are too little to appreciate a gift card. They want toys and video games.”
“I wanted that new PlayStation myself.”
She groaned. “Don’t tell me you’re a gamer.”
I chuckled. “I play from time to time.”
She ripped a piece of tape off the dispenser and shook her head. “Figures.”
“What did you ask for?”
Sloane glanced at me. “Money.”
“Seriously?”
She winked. “No. I didn’t ask for anything. My mother will probably buy me some bras and socks, and my father will give me cash like he does every year. You know… one year she gave us a huge thing of toilet paper for Christmas. Best. Gift. Ever.”
Cracking up, I said, “Now that’s a good gift. TP is expensive as hell.”
“Right? What was your favorite Christmas gift?”
I didn’t have to think about it. The year I’d declared I wanted to be a photographer, Mom surprised me with a 35mm camera. “A compact camera,” I replied. “And film.”
Sloane smiled. “I bet you thought you were the shit.”
“Nobody could tell me anything.”
“Do you still have it?”
My vision blurred as memories of my mother flashed through my mind. The first picture I’d taken with that camera was of her, opening the gift I’d bought her from Santa’s Secret Shop at my school. I still carried that photo with me, tucked away in my wallet to remind me of how far I’d come. “I do,” I answered finally.
“Does it still work?”
