Aly

Christmas Eve

"It's been a great pleasure to meet your new girlfriend, Josh," Mom says, passing the souvlaki to Ashley. Ashley pulls a souvlaki skewer off the plate and takes a bite.

"It's the same with you, Mrs. Black," Ashley says, taking a bite. "You make excellent souvlaki."

Better not tell her it was store bought.

"You don't need to call me Mrs. Black," Mom insists. "Call me Annie. If Josh loves you, you're part of our family as far as I'm concerned."

"Thanks, Annie," Ashley says, with a large smile. I feel extremely weird hearing Josh's girlfriend call Mom by her first name.

"Shall I go get some wine?" Dad asks after he clears his throat.

"Yes," Josh answers. "Get some for Aly too. It's time she joins in with the adults."

Mom purses her lips while Dad goes to get red wine from Yugoslavia. All I know about Yugoslavia is that it's in Europe. Eastern, I think. It borders a few countries as well. Hungary, I think. And Albania.

"You wanna know what wine tastes like?" Josh asks. I shrug.

"You'll like it," Ashley says, with a smile.

"She's took young to drink it," Mom says. "I don't want her becoming addicted to drugs."

Dad sets the wine bottle on the table first, then he sets the tray down next. He takes the glasses off the tray and sets each one near our plates, one at a time. He picks the tray up.

"Annie can start pouring the wine," Dad says, then he leaves.

Annie? Annie? Since when was I out of the picture?

Mom opens the wine bottle and holds it by the neck. She tilts her glass slightly and pours so it fills about a third of the glass. She then takes an entire gulp full of wine, finishing most of her glass. Then she pours herself another glass, this time filling it to the brim. She drinks the whole thing while spilling it on her shirt. I can even see a little bit of it spill onto her chest and flow slowly, very slowly, under her shirt. I look away in disgust and horror.

And she said she didn't want me being addicted to drugs.

Dad comes back, this time with another bottle of wine. "Don't worry, this is the same wine I brought Annie." Mom proceeds to fall with her face hitting the table and falling onto the ground.

Annie again. Am I not part of this conversation?

Dad's the one who pours the wine this time. I get the smallest amount while Ashley and Josh get equal amounts. Dad lifts Mom up and puts one arm over his shoulder and drags her to the living room. He sets her on the couch and picks up a glass of water and holds it to her mouth. I look away and just take a sip of wine. I cringe a little at the taste, but I drink the rest of it anyway, although very slowly compared to Josh and Ashley, who seem to be enjoying themselves quite a bit.

I sigh. I wish Jack was here. Then it'd be a triple date, with Mom and Dad, Josh and Ashley, then him and me. Instead I'm the third wheel.

Or is it fifth?

January 1st, 1985

"It was a pleasure to meet you all," a sudden voice pops out.

I open my eyes and blink at the bright lights. I rub my eyes and groan for a minute, then put my hand on my forehead. I tilt my head towards the door, which is open. I can see Ashley there, but her back's to me, so I can't see who's standing there. I look up at the ceiling and try to remember what happened last night.

I think I've already forgotten.

I let my hand fall to my side and close my eyes. I slowly fall back to sleep.