Snow in Orange County. Now that was a sight. It's not something that
happened everyday, like the sun rising or setting. Nope, it was a rare
occurrence. Seth would like to call it a Chrismukkah miracle, and maybe it
was.
School was out for the holidays so Abby found herself in a good mood. She was surrounded by people who cared for her. That's what the holidays are about whether it's Christmas or Hanukkah, or even Chrismukkah. Dressed in festive attire, Seth was serving cookies to the ragtag bunch of guests. There was the Cohen family plus: Marissa, Jimmy, Rachel, Anna, Caleb and even Summer.
They were all comfortable. All paired up into their little couples, all except Grandpa Caleb, and well Summer. Kirsten and Sandy, Ryan and Marissa, Anna and Seth, and Rachel and Jimmy, yes Rachel and Jimmy. Somehow that'd happened. She wasn't quite sure how, but it was kinda cute.
"So, how is my favorite Granddaughter?" Caleb asked in an unusually chipper voice.
"I'm fine, Grandpa. I'm just happy to be here, and to be able to relax during the holidays." She smiled.
"You've grown up so much in the last year. It's hard to believe you are the same girl." He stood and gave her a hug.
"Thanks." She replied not sure if it was the appropriate response.
"Abby dear, would you mind getting me another glass of wine?" Caleb asked holding up a plastic goblet.
"Sure." She approached, smiling at him. Taking the glass she walked into the kitchen and filled it. The lively conversation in the living room dissipated as she walked away. As she poured the wine, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Kirsten sang as she got up from Sandy's side. "Ah, look who's here!" She exclaimed as she re-entered the room. Abby looked up from the wine glass.
"David! What are you doing here? I thought you had to go somewhere with your parents." She picked up the glass and walked over to hug him.
"Nope, turns out I didn't have to. My aunt came down with some kind of flu or something so we're having Christmas at home."
"That's great. Come on in." She smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "Here you go Grandpa." She handed him his freshly filled glass. The atmosphere in the room had changed. Abby had lit up, and she was now chipper and excited as before she had been slightly interested at best.
"Is this the boy who played Romeo, Abby?" He gestured with his drink at David.
"Yes." She smiled. "Grandpa, this is David Ascher. David, this is my Grandpa." The two shook hands.
"Ascher---I've heard that name before." He began to ponder.
"Dad, let's not---" Kirsten stepped in.
"Ah, well. It doesn't matter. It's nice to meet you my boy, be good to my Granddaughter."
"I intend to, sir." David fully understood the authority that Caleb felt he had and respected it. He reached for Abby's hand as the conversation ended.
Meanwhile, Summer sat alone in the corner being quiet. She didn't even know why she'd come. It was probably because her family was screwed up, and Marissa was here. Where else did she have to be?
"Well, should we sing some non-denominational holiday carols?" Seth asked leaning forward and looking around the group. They weren't exactly enthusiastic.
"Yes, that could be fun. What do you have?" Anna asked supporting him.
"Well, we have such classics as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Silver Bells, Carol of the Bells and more."
"Doesn't that sound exciting?" Anna proposed to the others. They'd begun to sound like an infomercial couple. Realizing that Seth had done so much for her over the years, Abby spoke up.
"Yeah, that sounds great. Hand out the lyrics, Seth." He smiled at his sister as if to thank her and began handing out pamphlets filled with holiday choruses. They did manage to sing a few, but it was good that nobody else was there to hear them. After the excitement had died down, Seth went to fetch the non-denominational winter season gifts from the closet. Everyone dispersed a bit, filling their glasses and getting a few more cookies. Summer followed him.
"Seth, can I talk to you?" She asked. He popped his head out of the closet, bearing an armload of presents.
"Sure. What's up, homes?" He smiled. She looked down at her shoes a bit.
"I'm not good at talking about feelings and all, but I'm happy for you. It's seems like you really like Anna. I can't pretend like I'm not hurt or disappointed that you didn't "pick" me, but I'm glad you are happy. Gosh, I'm so bad at this." She began to cry a little.
"Summer, don't cry. It's the holidays. It's not time to cry. Okay, so maybe with your life it is, but come on." He struggled with the presents, nearly falling over trying to balance them with one hand and gently console her with the other. He took a sudden jolt forward and he as well as the presents went flying at her. Luckily, they were on the carpet so nothing was broken. He landed smack on top of her and the presents fell around them.
"Summer, you're really special. I'm sure you'll find someone who can appreciate you." He lay there face to face on top of her a moment. He placed a small kiss on her lips and smiled. Getting up, he offered her a hand up and she took it. They began to pick up the presents. He picked up a small, neatly wrapped package. "Oh look. Here is yours." He handed it to her. "Merry Christmas, Summer."
"Oh, you didn't need to do that." She smiled.
"Yes, I did. Friends give each other presents don't they?" He asked returning to picking them up.
"Yeah, they do." She replied.
"Seth? What's going on? You're Mom is like freaking out." Anna rounded the corner to see them there together.
"Hey Anna, we just had a bit of a present related accident. Nobody got killed though. No worries. Tell her I'll be right there."
"Okay." She smiled and left.
-----
"Well, it was nice to see you all." Kirsten waved as most of the crowd made their way out the door. The Cohen's, David and Anna stood at the door wishing the rest a safe trip. They each had one of their gifts. Kirsten had her necklace from Sandy; Sandy was wearing the new watch that Kirsten had bought him, Anna had the pink mittens that Seth had given her, Seth had his new shirt on (which read 'dorks rule'), and Abby was wearing her new hoop earrings.
"I still can't believe we have snow." Anna mused.
"Believe it sister, and you have me to thank for it." Seth wrapped his arm around her waist.
"I know. It's just not something you see very often around here." Abby commented bending down to touch some of the white powder. It's refreshing." For Abby, the snow was a chance to start over. A symbol of how she needed to live her life. She'd found herself, and someone else. Snow, she thought she could handle it, for one season at least. She smiled, picked up a giant amount of snow and chucked it at Seth and then one at David. They ran off the steps, picked up their own snow, and pelted it back at her. She just giggled shivering as the cold stuff melted on her back.
Anna was at her side in a moment. "Let's get 'em!" She proposed. Abby smiled wider than she ever had. She liked Anna. The girls attacked the boys, and the boys retaliated and they fought dirty. Pretty soon it was a full blown snow ball fight. Kirsten and Sandy just stood watching them.
After all that had happened this year with Abby, it seemed fitting the end this way. Kirsten was convinced that her daughter would be okay now. Maybe they weren't such bad parents after all. She smiled and glanced over at Sandy. He put his arm around her shoulder and smiled in agreement. 2004 would be a good year for the Cohen's.
School was out for the holidays so Abby found herself in a good mood. She was surrounded by people who cared for her. That's what the holidays are about whether it's Christmas or Hanukkah, or even Chrismukkah. Dressed in festive attire, Seth was serving cookies to the ragtag bunch of guests. There was the Cohen family plus: Marissa, Jimmy, Rachel, Anna, Caleb and even Summer.
They were all comfortable. All paired up into their little couples, all except Grandpa Caleb, and well Summer. Kirsten and Sandy, Ryan and Marissa, Anna and Seth, and Rachel and Jimmy, yes Rachel and Jimmy. Somehow that'd happened. She wasn't quite sure how, but it was kinda cute.
"So, how is my favorite Granddaughter?" Caleb asked in an unusually chipper voice.
"I'm fine, Grandpa. I'm just happy to be here, and to be able to relax during the holidays." She smiled.
"You've grown up so much in the last year. It's hard to believe you are the same girl." He stood and gave her a hug.
"Thanks." She replied not sure if it was the appropriate response.
"Abby dear, would you mind getting me another glass of wine?" Caleb asked holding up a plastic goblet.
"Sure." She approached, smiling at him. Taking the glass she walked into the kitchen and filled it. The lively conversation in the living room dissipated as she walked away. As she poured the wine, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Kirsten sang as she got up from Sandy's side. "Ah, look who's here!" She exclaimed as she re-entered the room. Abby looked up from the wine glass.
"David! What are you doing here? I thought you had to go somewhere with your parents." She picked up the glass and walked over to hug him.
"Nope, turns out I didn't have to. My aunt came down with some kind of flu or something so we're having Christmas at home."
"That's great. Come on in." She smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "Here you go Grandpa." She handed him his freshly filled glass. The atmosphere in the room had changed. Abby had lit up, and she was now chipper and excited as before she had been slightly interested at best.
"Is this the boy who played Romeo, Abby?" He gestured with his drink at David.
"Yes." She smiled. "Grandpa, this is David Ascher. David, this is my Grandpa." The two shook hands.
"Ascher---I've heard that name before." He began to ponder.
"Dad, let's not---" Kirsten stepped in.
"Ah, well. It doesn't matter. It's nice to meet you my boy, be good to my Granddaughter."
"I intend to, sir." David fully understood the authority that Caleb felt he had and respected it. He reached for Abby's hand as the conversation ended.
Meanwhile, Summer sat alone in the corner being quiet. She didn't even know why she'd come. It was probably because her family was screwed up, and Marissa was here. Where else did she have to be?
"Well, should we sing some non-denominational holiday carols?" Seth asked leaning forward and looking around the group. They weren't exactly enthusiastic.
"Yes, that could be fun. What do you have?" Anna asked supporting him.
"Well, we have such classics as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Silver Bells, Carol of the Bells and more."
"Doesn't that sound exciting?" Anna proposed to the others. They'd begun to sound like an infomercial couple. Realizing that Seth had done so much for her over the years, Abby spoke up.
"Yeah, that sounds great. Hand out the lyrics, Seth." He smiled at his sister as if to thank her and began handing out pamphlets filled with holiday choruses. They did manage to sing a few, but it was good that nobody else was there to hear them. After the excitement had died down, Seth went to fetch the non-denominational winter season gifts from the closet. Everyone dispersed a bit, filling their glasses and getting a few more cookies. Summer followed him.
"Seth, can I talk to you?" She asked. He popped his head out of the closet, bearing an armload of presents.
"Sure. What's up, homes?" He smiled. She looked down at her shoes a bit.
"I'm not good at talking about feelings and all, but I'm happy for you. It's seems like you really like Anna. I can't pretend like I'm not hurt or disappointed that you didn't "pick" me, but I'm glad you are happy. Gosh, I'm so bad at this." She began to cry a little.
"Summer, don't cry. It's the holidays. It's not time to cry. Okay, so maybe with your life it is, but come on." He struggled with the presents, nearly falling over trying to balance them with one hand and gently console her with the other. He took a sudden jolt forward and he as well as the presents went flying at her. Luckily, they were on the carpet so nothing was broken. He landed smack on top of her and the presents fell around them.
"Summer, you're really special. I'm sure you'll find someone who can appreciate you." He lay there face to face on top of her a moment. He placed a small kiss on her lips and smiled. Getting up, he offered her a hand up and she took it. They began to pick up the presents. He picked up a small, neatly wrapped package. "Oh look. Here is yours." He handed it to her. "Merry Christmas, Summer."
"Oh, you didn't need to do that." She smiled.
"Yes, I did. Friends give each other presents don't they?" He asked returning to picking them up.
"Yeah, they do." She replied.
"Seth? What's going on? You're Mom is like freaking out." Anna rounded the corner to see them there together.
"Hey Anna, we just had a bit of a present related accident. Nobody got killed though. No worries. Tell her I'll be right there."
"Okay." She smiled and left.
-----
"Well, it was nice to see you all." Kirsten waved as most of the crowd made their way out the door. The Cohen's, David and Anna stood at the door wishing the rest a safe trip. They each had one of their gifts. Kirsten had her necklace from Sandy; Sandy was wearing the new watch that Kirsten had bought him, Anna had the pink mittens that Seth had given her, Seth had his new shirt on (which read 'dorks rule'), and Abby was wearing her new hoop earrings.
"I still can't believe we have snow." Anna mused.
"Believe it sister, and you have me to thank for it." Seth wrapped his arm around her waist.
"I know. It's just not something you see very often around here." Abby commented bending down to touch some of the white powder. It's refreshing." For Abby, the snow was a chance to start over. A symbol of how she needed to live her life. She'd found herself, and someone else. Snow, she thought she could handle it, for one season at least. She smiled, picked up a giant amount of snow and chucked it at Seth and then one at David. They ran off the steps, picked up their own snow, and pelted it back at her. She just giggled shivering as the cold stuff melted on her back.
Anna was at her side in a moment. "Let's get 'em!" She proposed. Abby smiled wider than she ever had. She liked Anna. The girls attacked the boys, and the boys retaliated and they fought dirty. Pretty soon it was a full blown snow ball fight. Kirsten and Sandy just stood watching them.
After all that had happened this year with Abby, it seemed fitting the end this way. Kirsten was convinced that her daughter would be okay now. Maybe they weren't such bad parents after all. She smiled and glanced over at Sandy. He put his arm around her shoulder and smiled in agreement. 2004 would be a good year for the Cohen's.