A memorable Christmas- Part I
Ever since Tobias told me about his past we have grown closer. I understand him more now and he does not walk around like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore, he is more carefree now, somehow happier.
Its nearing the end of my stay at his house and also the end of this year and my favorite festival, Christmas is just around the corner so I am very excited to head back home to meet my parents and, Caleb and Susan so when I get a call one day I am disappointed to know that my flight is cancelled due to bad weather.
Tobias must have caught on to my bad mood because he asks me if something was wrong and I tell him about the fact that I can't celebrate Christmas with my family. "You can come to the Pedrad house to celebrate Christmas. I am sure Hana would not mind, in fact knowing her, she would want you there" is his reply.
I am reluctant to agree at first not wanting to intrude but he assures me that it will be fine and that Shauna, Lynn and Hector( their younger brother) celebrate Christmas with them most of the time too. I finally concede.
Tobias and I go to Hana's house on the 22nd (because Hana said she wants all her children in the house a few days before). Hana does not seem surprised to see the both of us arriving together despite what happened the last time we were at her house. She welcomes me with open arms and delicious cookies fresh from the oven.
Hector, Shauna and Lynn's eleven-year-old brother, tells Tobias that I am pretty and that he has choosen well but Tobias makes no move to correct him and just blushes. I am pretty sure my face is red too.
In the living room I am met with the sight of Zeke stringing lights to the tree but there are so many lights hung on it that I can't see the tree anymore. Tobias laughs and tells him to make sure we can see the tree after it all but Zeke pays him no heed and continues with him work. I turn to talk to Shauna and suddenly light fills the whole room, I have to squint to see even with my back turned. Shauna just screams and shuts her eyes and I hear Tobias curse Zeke too.
"Okay I may have gone a little overboard with the lights but how does the tree look?" Zeke asks looking a bit sheepish.
"I do not think that anyone is going to be able to look at the tree this way Zeke, I told you not to put up so many lights but you forget every year" answers Tobias, still with his eyes closed.
"I do not believe you!" says Zeke, "you always just say that. Tris tell me how the tree looks to you?"
"It looks nice" I tell him, though I am pretty sure he can tell that I am lying because I still have my back turned towards the tree and am squinting to see properly.
The next day is spent making more cookies and watching Christmas movies, getting into full-Christmas-mode. Thankfully Tobias and Uriah took down most of the lights down yesterday from the Christmas tree and it is no longer blinding anyone now.
I go to the kitchen to help Hana make some cookies and am working on making the dough, meanwhile Hana goes to the living room to stop Zeke and Uriah from fighting over which movie to watch.
I hold the open container of flour in my hands putting some of it in the bowl in which the dough is to be made. Suddenly a hand touches my shoulder and I am so startled that I fling the container of flour and some of it ends up on the person to whom the hand belongs to.
I look up to see who that unlucky person is and am met with the face of a flour-covered-Tobias.
He looks shocked but then his face suddenly transforms to that of mischief and I know what he is planning. I attempt to run away but with his long strides he tackles me in no time and hugs me making my clothes full of flour too now. He laughs and I attack him with some more flour determined to make him unrecognizable by the end of this. He seems to accept the challenge and does the same to me. Pretty soon the flour is all over the kitchen and us, the cookie batch forgotten.
This christmas, even if I am away from home is surely going to be a memorable one.