I harshly close my flip phone shut after hearing Dad's voicemail. Figures, I shouldn't even be surprised by this. I grab my brown leather purse from the car floor in front of my feet and throw my phone into it before putting it in the middle seat.

"Mom, dad is stuck in traffic again." I say from the back seat of the car. Mom shakes her head in response and looks sympathetically to her left at her husband Neal in the driver's seat. This certainly was not the first time Dad has done this to my brother, Charlie, and me. It was always the same excuse, either he's backed up at work or there just happened to be a three-car pileup on the same highway every weekend and holiday we stayed with him.

My parents have been divorced for some time now. I was only nine years old when they divorced while Charlie had just been three years old. I suppose it was for the best, the constant bickering and fights I had to sit through was not something I wanted to happen to Charlie. Now at fifteen years old, I'm still trying to figure out things and the thought of my future brings me a headache.

I bring myself out of my thoughts and slouch down into my seat trying to tune out Neil's rambling about psychology. It's not that I don't like Neal, he just has the reputation to be a control freak. He also lacks the ability to have an imagination, everything must be fact, it's exhausting. Due to this, I have developed the habit of staying in my room when he's home, which is most of the time. He makes Mom happy though, so I smile and bare my teeth.

A set of highlights blind the rearview mirror of our car parked on the curb outside Dad's small white house. Finally, I let out a sigh of relief, Dad is home. He pulls into his driveway nealry driving on the lawn and quickly jumps out with his briefcase in hand already going on about the traffic.

I glance at Charlie grabbing our overnight bags off the car floor and hand him his backpack "You ready kiddo?" I give him a small smile of encouragement. "I don't wanna go Aria" He gives me a sorrow-filled look pouting out his lower lip looking up at me.

I softly grab both sides of his face "Come on, we will make the best of it. It's Christmas Eve, no sad faces on Christmas." I tap his nose and see the small smile appear on his face and I grin back at him. Letting go of his face I turn away swinging our bags over my shoulder and open the car door.

Hopping out of Neal's car along with Mom and Charlie I say a quick "See ya." to Neal not giving him much time to reply before closing the door and greeting the bitter winter air. The wind whips my long brunette hair in all directions making it difficult to see. Walking around the front of the beige car I take my time walking up the driveway to the concrete steps attempting not to slip on the ice to greet Dad along with Mom and Charlie.

A smile spreads across my face once I reach Dad "Hi, dad I missed you!" I say and give him a bear hug. "Aria!" He says with the same enthusiasm. "I missed you." I pull away and continue to smile up at him with him returning it.

He turns his attention to Charlie "Hiya sport Merry Christmas. " he says patting his head, Charlie just stares up at him bored. I clear my throat to try to break the awkward silence. Charlie has never been close to Dad like me. I've always been closer to Dad than Mom and Charlie the opposite.

Dad looks up at Mom giving her a fake smile "Did you want to come in for a minute Laura?" he asks, Mom hesitates slightly, shaking her head tucking her short black hair behind her ear "Neal's waiting in the car, so." She gestures to Neal impatiently waiting inside the car taping his watch with an annoyed look.

Dad rolls his eyes at Neal "Why doesn't he come in?" He pushes shifting his weight between each foot. "Cause, Daddy, he says you'll just end up saying something snotty. " Charlie cuts in looking up at him and I stifle a giggle bringing my white-gloved hand up to cover my mouth.

Dad looks between Mom and Charlie reading their expressions "Not necessarily. Could be rude or sarcastic. Whatever it takes." He says. I roll my eyes at his remark and begin pushing Charlie inside the house by his shoulders. I open the teal door and step inside, the warmth inside engulfing me. "See? I've got to go." I hear Mom say. Dad groans "Come on it's Christmas Eve." He continues to convince her to come in. She gives him a defeated sigh and walks into the house with him following her close behind.

I drop the bags in the hallway next to the wooden stairs and walk down the white hall to look into the plain living room. Dad's sad attempt at decorating never changed. "Well, at least he put a tree up this year." I whisper under my breath. Walking back down the hallway towards Mom and Dad. I kick off my light brown ankle boots and take my grey coat off hanging it up on the rack by the stairs.

"There aren't that many presents over there." Charlie says walking over to dad, his teal jacket still on. I walk up to Charlie "That's because Santa hasn't come yet of course Charlie, you know that kiddo. " I say ruffling his hair. He turns his attention to me, "Neal doesn't believe in Santa." He replies looking up at me knowingly.

"Well, Neal's head comes to a point." Dad says stifly as I say "Well, Neal's wrong." With the same attitude in each of our voices. Mom huffs at our comments looking at us with a pointed look.

I move to stand in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room with Charlie close behind getting prepared for another argument. Mom and Dad walk to the front door as Charlie and I eavesdrop.

"Did that jerk tell Charlie there was no Santa Claus?" Dad says angerly pointing his finger at her face. I sigh and grab Charlie gently by the shoulders guiding him to the living room so he doesn't hear them. He's lucky he can't remember the arguments they had while filing their divorce.

I pull him to sit down on the black leather couch with Charlie, I speak up breaking the silence "Look I know this isn't an idle Christmas but we will make the best of it. Hopefully, dad will make us a good dinner and Santa will get us loads of presents I promise." Hoping to cheer him up.

He looks up at me with his big brown eyes "Aria do you believe in Santa?" He asks with curiosity on his face.

I let out a nervous laugh "Well, of course, I do we don't write letters to him for nothing do we?" I reply like it was obvious and he just nods in response looking down at his lap. I was upset that Neal and Mom were trying to ruin Santa so early for Charlie he's just a child after all. I mean I was nine when I found out the truth. I remember those years being filled with joy, he deserves at least two more years with that feeling.

After sitting in silence for a few minutes I decide it's safe to go back into the hallway. I pat his back. "Come on let's say goodbye to mom." Standing up from the couch I grab his hand guiding him from the living room back to the front door.

I see Dad throw his hands up in frustration "Maybe it's time you left." Dad says to her and storms into the kitchen. I let out a sigh of relief that I escaped their conversation.

Charlie pulls his hand out of mine and runs to give Mom a hug goodbye. "Do I gotta stay?" He asks, his voice dripping in sadness. Mom sighs glancing up at me "Listen, you, Aria and your daddy are gonna have a great Christmas, okay?" She rubs his back in comfort. Giving me a look that screams quilt.

I look away and into the kitchen seeing the hurt look on Dad's face as he pretends to read a cooking magazine leaning against the white marble counters. He tries, he really does, at least sometimes. I feel like he and Charlie never truly understood each other. Not to mention the fact they don't have anything to bond over.

I see Charlie and Mom part ways from my peripheral vision and I go in to embrace Mom "Bye mom I love you. Merry Christmas." I squeeze her tighter burying my face into her tan trench coat.

"Love you too Aria, make sure Charlie has a good time, please, and call me if you need anything." She says coming out of the hug and turning away from me and opening the front door. She gives me one last look and I give her a salute in agreement, making her giggle. She gives me a wave of goodbye before closing the door.

I take a deep breath letting my once tense shoulders relax for once and walk into the kitchen. Charlie is sitting on the barstool at the island with Dad and I stand across from them. We all face each other silently around the kitchen island.

Dad fixes his posture standing up straight and clears his throat "Well let's cook this turkey," he says, clapping his hands together breaking the silence. I turn my head to look at Charlie's sorrow filled face. I sigh and realize I'm in for an interesting night.