I stayed in my room with Olivia until she decided it was late, and she needed to get home. I wanted to go with her. My parents had already gone to bed when I walked her out, and saying goodnight at the door to her was uninterrupted.
She begged me to make peace with my father, and asked me to call her in the morning. I knew that the next day would be Christmas eve, and Olivia would be coming to the house for dinner. And Christmas morning the day after that.
Olivia was my source of sanity when it came to my family. I knew without her being there, the urge to drink would drive me absolutely mad. But knowing she would be there, it made me feel like I could withstand anything.
I heard my parents get up early in the morning. I knew my mom was in the kitchen starting on dinner already, and my dad was corralling the kids and getting everyone bathed, showered and getting them to clean the entire house from top to bottom.
I stayed in my room, not wanting to face anyone or to even get out of my bed. I did some reading, but when I heard my mom’s soft footsteps on the basement stairs, I tucked my book under my pillow and pretended to be asleep when she came in to check on me.
She moved into the room and I stayed perfectly still, keeping my eyes shut tightly. I could feel her watching me for a few moments before she left the room, deciding to leave me alone.
Once she was gone, I sighed and reached for my book again.
I knew eventually, I would have to get up. I would need to figure out how I was going to shower and shave with only one hand and a busted face. I knew eventually I would have to go upstairs and face my parents, but I figured that if I waited until some of the other guests arrived, I wouldn’t have to be alone with either of my parents to talk to.
Eventually I trudged into across the basement to the shower. I awkwardly shaved and showered, having to remove the bandage the nurses at the hospital had bound to my hand.
My face looked even worse than it had the day before. I looked like I’d been hit by a Mack truck, instead of been roughed up by a lousy cop.
Shaving hurt more than anything else. The second the shaving cream touched my cheek bone, I just about screamed in pain.
I put on a pair of dress pants, that my mom had thankfully ironed for me. I found the white dress shirt she’d bought for me. They were both hanging in the closet where I’d left them.
I hated the idea of letting my mom pick out my clothes, but I knew that if I picked out my own clothes for tonight, my mom would hate anyway. Sometimes it was easier to give in than put up a fight.
Especially where my mom was concerned. She had an uncanny ability to make a person feel unbearably guilty without even saying a word.
I found a pair of black socks balled up in the back of my drawer. I pulled them on my feet, and for lack of anything better to do, I straightened up my bed and threw my discarded clothes into the hamper. I figured that if everyone else in the house was cleaning like madmen, I might as well make my room look somewhat presentable.
I pulled down my tie and draped it around my shoulders. There was absolutely no way I could knot my own tie with only one hand.
I sighed and sat down on the edge of my bed.
I stared down at my swollen and pulverized hand.
Admittedly, picking a fight with a brick wall was not the smartest idea I’d ever had. But at the time I was mad and I needed to hit something.
Yesterday it had hurt, but today it absolutely killed. All the ice that I put on it the day before had done nothing. My fingers looked like tenderized sausages.
I was interrupted by a soft knock at my door.
I looked up, prepared to throw whoever it was out of my room. Instead, I came face to face with Olivia.
“Hey!” I said eagerly, standing. I crossed the room and wrapped my good arm tightly around her. My wounded hand I laid gently on her back.
She looked and smelled amazing. She had a faint flowery perfume on and her hair smelled like lilacs. She was wearing the dress she’d bought the day before, looking even more beautiful than she did the day before. Her perfect, silky curls were framing her face beautifully. Her perfect, pale skin even looked as soft as it actually was.
Olivia laughed softly, a sweet musical sound. “Hi,” She breathed. “I’m early, I know.” She mused. “But I gave your parents my phone number last night in case they needed to call me about… whatever.” She shrugged lightly. “Your mom called me today in a panic and said you haven’t come out of your room all day.” She mused.
I sighed, resting my chin on her shoulder gently. “Oh, great.” I mumbled. “Because that’s not embarrassing at all.”
Olivia laughed softly. “Actually, I believe what she said to me was ‘can you please come over and fix my baby?’.”
I slowly released her. “Shit, you’re kidding.” I groaned. “Oh that’s insanely embarrassing.”
Olivia laughed sweetly, “I think it’s sweet.” She mused. “Besides, I was so excited to get here for the festivities, I was already ready and everything. I was almost glad she asked me to come over early. I even brought food, even though your mom told me I didn’t need to.” She shrugged. “And you look like you could use some help… how’s your hand? And your face?” She reached up and turned my chin to the side to see my face.
“It’s fine.” I insisted, even though most of the left side of my face hurt, right down to my teeth.
“You’re not.” She sighed. “Do you need some help with your tie?” She offered.
“Actually, that would be awesome. Thanks.” I sighed. “I can’t do it with one hand.”
“Of course.” She smiled. She stood on her toes and adjusted my collar, and lined up the tie. “I have plenty of practice with this. My dad used to let me do this before his court proceedings back when he was a regular old lawyer. It was a good luck thing…” The memory seemed to distract her, but it brought a contented smile to her face. So I didn’t say anything, and let the memory linger in the air between us.
I watched Olivia as she carefully folded my tie into a perfect knot. Without even being finished, it looked better than anything I could have done myself, and I had plenty of practice tying ties with my fancy prep school uniform.
She carefully adjusted the knot, and the collar of my shirt. “There.” She smiled up at me. “Perfect.” She stood on her toes and lightly kissed me.
“Thanks.”
Olivia grinned. “And if I may say so, you look very, very handsome.”
“Thank you.” I chuckled. “I kind of need the ego boost, after… you know, loosing a fight with a brick wall.” I held up my hand.
Olivia frowned. “You should probably keep that bandaged. The last thing you want is to get it infected.” She mused, placing her hand gently over mine. Her hand was cool against my sore hand, and for once it didn’t hurt. It actually felt alright.
“I know.” I replied. “I took the bandages off to take a shower, and haven’t put it back on yet. I figure I can use it to scare some of my little cousins, you know?”
Olivia laughed softly. “That’s just cruel. Do you have the dressings the nurses gave you? I can help you wrap your hand again.” She offered.
“Umm….” I glanced down at my hand. “Yeah, maybe. It might be a little easier. At least that way if I accidentally bang it, it will have some padding to it.” I shrugged.
“Okay. Have a seat.” She instructed, motioning to the edge of the bed.
I immediately plopped down on the edge of my bed. “Awesome, are we going to play doctor? I’m amazingly good at this game.” I smirked.
Olivia laughed. “Oh, Isaac.” She shook her head. She sat next to me with the gauze and various other wrappings that the nurse had sent home with me.
I held out my hand to her, and she carefully adjusted my fingers.
I winced.
“Sorry, are you okay?” She demanded worriedly.
“I’m fine.” I insisted. “Don’t worry about me, I’ve had worse.” I shrugged.
“You don’t have to be so macho. I wouldn’t judge you if you complained a little.” She replied.
“I’m really fine.” I insisted. “It hardly hurts at all.” I shrugged lightly.
Olivia sighed softly and carefully began wrapping my hand. She wound the gauze around my hand like a tensor bandage. I wouldn’t be able to move my fingers with the bandage keeping them secure, but it hurt to move my fingers and knuckles any way. Not being able to move them would probably be a lot easier. Finally, she tucked the gauze in on itself like she’d done it a million times, and carefully taped the loose end. “There.” She smiled. “Good as new.”
“Thanks.” I mused. “You’re good at that.”
Olivia shrugged lightly. “I took a first aid course for extra credit last year at PCA. I’m actually surprised that I remembered.” She mused.
I sighed, dropping my wounded hand onto her lap gently. “Has anyone else arrived upstairs yet?”
Olivia nodded. “A few people, there are kids running around everywhere. It’s very sweet, actually. It definitely feels like Christmas in this home.” She mused.
I nodded. “You know, I used to like Christmas. It used to be my favorite time of year.” I mused.
“Used to be?” She asked curiously.
“It used to be. Then I realized how superficial it is. My dad gets the biggest tree and puts it in the window to compete with the neighbors. My mom has to have the best meals, which by the way includes not just one turkey. There are two turkeys. You should definitely write to PETA about that one.” I added. “It’s just so… fake. Its supposed to be about giving and peace on earth and all that bull shit, and in this house it’s all about topping the year before.” I sighed.
Olivia laid her head on my shoulder. “The holidays are stressful for everyone, Isaac.”
I sighed. “I know. But it’s just one more way that I don’t fit in here in this house hold.”
Olivia pursed her lips. “Your mother loves you. She looks at you with utter adoration, I can see it. Your father is very protective of you, you’re his first born son. I’m sure they don’t show it as much as they should, but I’m sure it’s there.” She insisted.
Olivia always knew the right thing to say to make any situation better.
“You know, maybe we should make an appearance upstairs.” I suggested.
“That’s a good idea.” Olivia limberly leapt to her feet, smiling.
“Besides,” I mused. “If we stay down here much longer, people are going to start thinking we’re having sex.” I teased.
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