I followed Olivia up the stairs, holding her hand in my good one. A massive part of me was absolutely dreading seeing all of the friends and family members in the house. I knew there would be awkward stares and even more awkwardly asked questions about what had happened.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t possibly think of a decent excuse for what had happened to my hand and face.<\/p>\n
The only redeeming part of the evening and this entire charade was that Olivia was by my side. It made the holidays so much easier knowing she was there with me.<\/p>\n
As lame and cheesy as it was, I was plotting to get her under the mistletoe for a proper kiss. And to blatantly rub it into my brothers that I had the hottest girlfriend in the world.<\/p>\n
Olivia stopped at the top of the stairs, and if I hadn\u2019t been paying attention, I would have walked right into her.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you okay?\u201d She asked. \u201cBecause I\u2019m willing to hang out down here all night if you are.\u201d She offered.<\/p>\n
I grinned. \u201cI think I\u2019m okay. I can handle it.\u201d I shrugged. \u201cI\u2019ve had worse, I\u2019m sure.\u201d I had been about to say that Christmas dinner with my family couldn\u2019t possibly be worse than jail or rehab.<\/p>\n
Olivia smiled and leaned down toward me, lightly kissing me. I wrapped my good arm around her waist.<\/p>\n
Before either of us could pull away, the basement door was yanked open.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoa!\u201d Taylor cried. \u201cOops sorry. I didn\u2019t mean to interrupt.\u201d He smirked.<\/p>\n
I narrowed my eyes at him in a stony glare that I hoped he understood. He needed to tread carefully or I was going to kick his ass. Even with a bad hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, it\u2019s okay. You weren\u2019t interrupting anything.\u201d Olivia insisted politely. She smiled sweetly. She moved past Taylor, who was still grinning at me like an idiot.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I kind of suspected you guys were doing\u2026 something.\u201d He emphasized the last word to make a point. The tone made it clear that there was some kind of hidden meaning in his comment.<\/p>\n
I moved up the stairs, following Olivia. I stood on the top step where Taylor was.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou, uh\u2026 have some lipstick\u2026\u201d He smirked, motioning to his mouth.<\/p>\n
I pulled back my arm and socked him as hard as I could in his upper arm. My right hand was killing me, and I couldn\u2019t make a fist. I used my left hand to hit him, and I hoped I could manage enough power behind the punch to make him think twice about being a smart ass.<\/p>\n
Taylor frowned and winced grabbing his arm and taking a few steps back out of my way.<\/p>\n
Olivia turned around to face me, smiling lightly. It appeared as though she had missed the entire fight. Or at least it seemed she was pretending to not have noticed.<\/p>\n
She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, her smile never fading.<\/p>\n
I picked up her right hand with my left one, and interlaced our fingers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to stay long.\u201d I mused. \u201cWe just have to show up, mingle a bit and we can go and hide somewhere.\u201d I offered.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed softly. \u201cI don\u2019t want to hide. Your family is so sweet, and wholesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
We were interrupted by a two pairs of feet running down the hall. I knew the sound well living in this house; it was my two sisters. I didn\u2019t have to see them to know it.<\/p>\n
Avery stopped in a whoosh of taffeta skirts. She stopped and stood up on her toes for a split second before rocking back onto her heels. \u201cLivia,\u201d She said sweetly, filled with missing teeth and cute dimples. \u201cWill you come and play dollies with us?\u201d She asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cAww\u2026\u201d Olivia gushed. \u201cMaybe later, okay?\u201d Olivia carefully crouched down to the girls\u2019 height and smiled at them both. \u201cBut you both look absolutely adorable. You have such pretty dresses on.\u201d She smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cSanta comes tonight!\u201d Avery beamed.<\/p>\n
I watched Jessica carefully. She kept her distance from me, and couldn\u2019t look at me at all. She silently watched Avery and Olivia.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t take my eyes off of her bright pink cast on her arm. It had been broken in the accident I\u2019d caused. I knew it would probably be coming off in a couple of weeks, and I couldn\u2019t be happier. It was a constant reminder of how stupid what I did was and the pain I had caused her.<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t sure if she would ever forgive me for causing the accident. I wasn\u2019t sure if I could ever forgive myself.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed softly. \u201cHe sure does. And I bet you girls have been good all year, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n
Avery grinned and nodded.<\/p>\n
Jessica took Avery\u2019s hand and said to her \u201cCome on, Jessi. Lets go get some juice and go play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Avery nodded and the two girls ran off together.<\/p>\n
I sighed, helping Olivia to her feet with my one good hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are just the sweetest little girls in the entire world.\u201d Olivia smiled hugely. She stopped suddenly and frowned. \u201cWhy? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d She asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing.\u201d I shook my head.<\/p>\n
Olivia frowned. \u201cYou can tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n
I sighed. \u201cDid you see the way Jessi reacted around me? She\u2019s afraid to go near me. She can\u2019t even look at me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019ll pass. She can\u2019t stay mad at you forever. She\u2019s just a kid.\u201d Olivia smiled, laying her hand on my cheek gently. \u201cOne day she\u2019ll understand that you made a mistake, and she\u2019ll forgive you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
I wanted to add that the mistake I had made could have killed us both, but at the risk of ruining our entire evening, I kept my mouth shut.<\/p>\n
Olivia and I moved from the hallway into the living room where most of the family had convened. There were kids running around and the odd toddler playing on the floor near their parents. My dad was standing talking to a handful of my uncles with a beer in his hand.<\/p>\n
My father wasn\u2019t much of a drinker. He claimed he never saw the need to waist the brain cells by drinking on a regular basis. The occasional holiday, he would drink a beer or two, but never more than that. He kept alcohol in the house for when they were entertaining and guests wanted a drink. At some dinners, it was socially acceptable to serve wine with dinner, a drink my parents never indulged in.<\/p>\n
Dad used to keep the good stuff in the cabinet in the dining room. It was way too easy to take what I wanted.<\/p>\n
When he noticed bottles missing, he put the alcohol in a locked cabinet, which I could pick easily with practice. When I was desperate, I would refill the bottles with water so he wouldn\u2019t notice the alcohol missing.<\/p>\n
My mother never drank. She was always too busy running around like a chicken with her head cut off to even sit down.<\/p>\n
I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Olivia sensed my apprehension and moved closer to me. I released her hand and moved my arm around her back, placing my hand gently on the small of her back.<\/p>\n
\u201cShould we see if we can find the snacks? I\u2019m sure there\u2019s chips and veggies here somewhere.\u201d I offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d Olivia smiled.<\/p>\n
I led her through the living room and into the kitchen. There were more people in the kitchen. Zac was sneaking in between the chatting women and stealing pieces of cheese and crackers, and various other finger foods.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh!\u201d My mom cried immediately, upon seeing us. \u201cOlivia, honey, I have some people for you to meet!\u201d Olivia\u2019s eyes widened briefly, but her smile never wavered. \u201cOkay,\u201d She offered, entirely willingly.<\/p>\n
I dropped my hand from Olivia\u2019s back and sighed. I watched Olivia disappear with my mom, listening intently to what my mom was saying.<\/p>\n
I moved around the kitchen island. The group of women seemed to break up with my mom having left the room. I was alone in the kitchen with Zac, who now felt the need to grab a smaller Styrofoam plate and fill it with cookies, veggies, chips and crackers.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey,\u201d I scolded, grabbing a stalk of celery off his plate, deliberately. \u201cYou\u2019re going to ruin your dinner.\u201d I accused, chomping at the celery.<\/p>\n
Zac grinned. \u201cWhen do I ever ruin my dinner?\u201d He asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess you have a point.\u201d I shrugged.<\/p>\n
I grabbed a handful of chips from one of the bowls, popping a few into my mouth.<\/p>\n
Neither of us said anything for a few minutes. I crossed the kitchen and opened the fridge, removing two cans of Dr. Pepper. I handed one to Zac and the other I held in my aching bandaged hand. The cold can felt good.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what happened to your face and hand?\u201d Zac asked, jerking his chin in my direction.<\/p>\n
I sighed, glancing down at my sore hand. \u201cI got in a fight with a cop.\u201d I answered.<\/p>\n
Zac nodded. \u201cTaylor told me that, he heard mom and dad discussing it this morning. Then he heard dad on the phone telling someone. I just didn\u2019t believe him; I thought he was making it up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d I said. \u201cIt\u2019s what happened. The cop has had it in for me for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you weren\u2019t doing anything? He just started a fight with you for no reason?\u201d Zac asked curiously.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d I answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes it hurt?\u201d Zac asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike hell.\u201d I mused, smiling crookedly.<\/p>\n
Zac nodded. \u201cYou might want to rescue your girlfriend.\u201d Zac pointed over my shoulder. \u201cShe\u2019s talking to Uncle Larry. He was drunk when he got here.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned to see Olivia awkwardly backing away from a very much inebriated Uncle Larry. She was still smiling politely, but looked a little scared.\u00a0 I was definitely jealous of him at that moment, but I knew I had to rescue her.<\/p>\n
I quickly crossed the room, wrapping my arm around her carefully. \u201cOlivia, there you are! Come on, I have some more family that you need to meet.\u201d I insisted.<\/p>\n
Without acknowledging Uncle Larry too much, I carefully escorted Olivia away. I pulled her through the living room into the dining room. The dining room was empty.<\/p>\n
Olivia frowned. \u201cWho are we meeting?\u201d She asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one.\u201d I answered. \u201cSorry about that. I just wanted to get you away from Uncle Larry. He can get a bit touchy-feely with people. I thought I would rescue you before he tried to hug you.\u201d I shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d Olivia laughed softly. \u201cThanks a lot for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo problem. Besides, I couldn\u2019t take even drunk Uncle Larry in a fight. Not with this handicap.\u201d I held up my wounded hand.<\/p>\n
Olivia shook her head with a smile, standing on her toes and lightly kissing me. I grinned, moving my arm around her carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, are you hungry or anything? Do you want to grab some snacks?\u201d I offered. \u201cWe should get in the kitchen before Zac eats everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed sweetly. \u201cI think I\u2019m okay.\u201d<\/p>\n