The Aislin Chronicles

Part XLVI

A/n: Ehh, at first I didn't really like this chapter, but after proofreading it I think it's kind of cute. It's just kind of short and a little boring yet necessary. It's also kind of rushed, but (yes, there's a but) the next chapter is number 47 so you know what that means… Please review.

12-17-03

3:43 PM

Two more days until winter break! I'm so excited I can hardly sit still. I swear time has gone slower and slower this week. It's only Wednesday and this has been the longest week ever. Christmas is soooo soon and yet it feels so far away. Urgh.

Anyway, guess what I got on Monday? Another note from Zach. I opened my locker and just groaned when I saw it. Jess came over to walk with me to choir and I grabbed it and showed her that I got another one.

"This is just getting ridiculous…" she muttered, diving into her backpack and whipping out a Sharpie. When she didn't grab any paper, I realized what she wanted to do.

"Whoa, you can't write on my locker with a Sharpie!"

"Fine." So on the locker next to mine, she wrote 'leave her alone!' and drew an arrow pointing to my locker. I'm glad no teachers were around because she so would have gotten into trouble.

We read the note on the way to class. It said:

Dear Aislin

I deeply apologize if my peers frightened you off. They are not as mature as you and me. They wouldn't understand us.

(Jess interrupted me here. First, she mocked that last sentence, and then laughed hysterically, then said, "Who does this kid think he is!")

Perhaps one day your graceful gait will stumble my way, and we could engage in delightful conversation. Is it too much to ask?

Your Secret Admirer

"So are you gonna go talk to him?" she asked me.

"No, I'm not gonna go talk to him! Are you crazy? How would that help this situation at all?"

"Don't worry, I'll think of something." Whenever she says something like that, of course I'm going to worry. Then again, some of Jess's plans aren't all that awful. Okay, most of them work out all right in the end. But still. Her ideas make me… nervous.

Needless to say, her little note on the locker has earned a little gossip itself. The janitor has had a tough time with it, and we even earned a little lecture on not vandalizing things. Whatever it takes to keep the notes away. I've managed to dodge seeing Zach in the halls at all costs as well. Thank God we don't really have the same lunch hour. They overlap a little bit, but I work it out so I'm usually away from the cafeteria by the time he goes in.

Okay, I really need to go read my book for English. Later.

12-20-03

3:30 PM

Wahoo, winter break! Yesterday was our last day of school and it totally rocked, we hardly had to do any work, except in math class. Which I wasn't exactly doing, seeing as Ian looked really, really cute today. Ugh, could his eyes get any bluer? When was the last time I kissed him? I can't remember. I guess I could read back a couple of entries and find out, but I'm too lazy. We probably will be able to hang out during break though, because he's just going to his grandparents for Christmas and they live around here. Which is good. We didn't want me going into Ian withdrawal.

I really can't express how excited I am for Christmas. I mean, it's just the greatest holiday ever. Ever. It's just always a happy holiday for me. Do I even need to remind you of last Christmas? When I thought I was getting shipped off to a foster family only to find out that Vaughn was adopting me? I don't think I've ever felt such happiness in my entire life. It feels good just thinking about it.

All those memories are still so clear. I remember thinking I wanted the morning to last forever, I wasn't ready to let go of the only people I knew in America. I really had, well, nothing. I was still reeling from Father's death, and my only other emotional attachments were about to leave me. To go from such a low point to such a high one… It's so amazing. And I know I will never, ever forget that feeling for as long as I live.

Christmas. Happy sigh. How I love thee.

12-25-03

6:12 AM

Okay, so it's Christmas. It's Christmas! Why am I the only one awake? Is no one else in this house completely excited besides myself? Hello, people, it's Christmas! Wake up! I wonder how long I'll have to sit here in anticipation. I want to open presents and eat a big breakfast and have happy moments with Mom and Dad and the doggies. Urrrgh this is going to be such a long morning. I'm far too excited now to go back to sleep.

6:55 AM

Okay, well, I tried playing games on the computer but my brain is just all over the place thinking about stuff.

Wait a sec.

6:57 AM

Ah! Ah! Mom is awake! She says she'll wake Dad up in a few minutes after she's let the dogs out! She says she can't sleep anymore either, but unfortunately it's not because she's too excited. My little baby sister seems to want to kick her at very unreasonable hours of the morning. Well, I guess not so unreasonable today, seeing as it is Christmas! Yaaaay! I'm gonna go get presents!

11:27 AM

So I was waiting very impatiently in the living room, practically salivating at the gifts under the tree while Mom went to wake Dad up. I swear it was like twenty minutes before they came down. Dad looked pretty groggy. "Jesus, what time is it?" he grumbled at the bottom of the stairs, stretching.

"Christmas time!" I answered, probably way too enthusiastically for seven in the morning.

He just kind of smiled at me in response, and after he helped plant Mom on the couch he came over and gave me a hug. "Merry Christmas," he said quietly, probably still a little tired. I could have stayed in that hug all day, I felt so warm and happy in his arms. Just a reminder of what he's given me, I guess.

I kissed his cheek then went to work delivering the presents to the proper people, until we each had a respectable pile in front of each of us. Then we tore through the paper and ripped open the bags! Okay, well, maybe I was the only one who went crazy, but Chester sure loved to pick up all the ripped bunches of paper and shake them in his mouth. It was really cute.

Speaking of cute, Mom would make Dad get up to give her a hug and kiss every time she opened something from him. Each time he would try to resist, but she'd just give him a pouty face and he'd get up and go kiss her. And it's rather difficult to give Mom hugs, let me tell you, because her stomach is sooo huge.

That's another thing, Mom's gigantic. She's always calling herself a cow, or a blimp or something, and we're quick to remind her that she's just pregnant. She's getting kind of grumpy about it, though, but I think she's pretty uncomfortable. Her back has been hurting her. I try to make her feel better by giving her hugs, but it always has to be from the side because otherwise her stomach gets in the way.

After the excitement of opening presents wore off (well, at least settled down a bit, which still took a long time because I totally got an iPod), Dad went to start making breakfast and I sat on the couch with Mom because, well, let's just say she wasn't moving anywhere anytime soon. That was a long run on sentence. Mrs. Fitzgerald would not be pleased. Anyway, I commented on her hugeness. "You look ready to pop."

"I feel ready to pop," she replied with a smile. "You know, it could be any day now. I'm far enough along that we might not have to wait until the due date."

"Really?" That news totally excited me. I mean, think about it. I could get my sister tomorrow! I doubt it, but you never know. "Let's just hope you're not overdue."

She looked horrified. "I can't even think about that." I doubt she'll be overdue, I mean, she really looks ready to pop.

Then Dad came back from the kitchen. "What are you ladies talking about?"

"How Mom's gonna have the baby tomorrow."

"What?"

Oh, the look on his face was priceless. Sometimes I just can't help myself. "No I'm not," Mom corrected despite my amusement. "I hope." You so should have seen his face then too. Aw, you have to love him for being so concerned. The way his forehead just wrinkles up… Aw.

And then I opened my big mouth. "Is Daddy ready for the baby?" I teased.

He responded with a sheepish grin and proceeded to squish himself between me and Mom, where he wrapped his arms around her the best he could and muttered what sounded like, "Yessssss."

Then they had a cute moment—ahh I love those. Dad had his cheek against Mom's stomach and she was smiling down at him and ran her fingers through his hair. Unfortunately, Dad was also kind of half sitting on me, which was really rather uncomfortable. I had to make a choice: interrupt their moment or suffer through the pain. How is it that I always interrupt their moments? I have got to stop doing that.

Anyway, I'm a big wuss because I chose to interrupt the moment. "Do you have to sit on me?" I asked. "Is it so hard to say 'Aislin, move over, I want to snuggle with my wifeykins?'"

"Aislin, move over. I want to snuggle with my wifeykins."

"Fine, I see how it is." I pretended I was angry but really I was giggling inside. I moved off the couch onto the chair and crossed my arms and stuck my nose in the air.

Dad kissed Mom's belly and snuggled up next to it again. Then suddenly he pulled back. "Hey! You're not supposed to kick your Daddy!"

"Well, serves you right," I told him.

Then he looked at me like he was mad, and he started to stand up, and he looked all big and angry and scary and I curled myself into a ball to hide. Then he started tickling me. I begged him to stop, and when he finally did he asked me to help him in the kitchen. We got up to walk away when Mom was like, "Hey, guys, can I get some help?"

We turned around, and there was Mom struggling to get herself out of the corner of the couch. Dad went back and pulled her up, she winced at her back, then she waddled behind us into the kitchen.

And by the way, French toast is amazing. It is definitely my new favorite food. I think I've pretty much had my fill of it to last me until dinner. Or at least until Jack gets here. Can't forget about the hors d'oeuvres, can we? I wouldn't want them feeling left out. Well, I have a flat iron and I'm dying to mess around with it and have pretty straight hair, so I'm a-gonna go. Happy Christmas!

12-27-03

2:39 PM

I went to Jess's yesterday because Dad had to work (apparently terrorists don't stop for Christmas) and because Mom was being a sleepy head. Since being at home was rather boring, I jumped at the opportunity to leave when Jess called. When I first got over there she flipped out over my hair (i.e. "Oh my God it's so cute!" etc.), and then we decided to watch Mulan. Krissy joined us, and once Mulan was over we watched The Little Mermaid, and when that was over I stayed for dinner, and then we started Beauty and the Beast when I just decided to spend the night. I made sure that Dad was home to take care of Mom in case of anything, and then I told him he had to call me no matter what time it was if anything happened. With that settled, Dad brought me over my toothbrush and some pajamas and we continued out Disney Movie Marathon. I think we also watched Aladdin and maybe Peter Pan but I remember falling asleep somewhere in there and I very well could have dreamed up one of those.

Donovan is barking at me. I think he wants some lovin.' I feel bad for him, he hardly gets a second alone anymore because Chester likes to run at his heels, although lately Chester has taken a sudden liking to Mom. He follows her everywhere. I think I need to give Donny some good one-on-one time. Later.

A/n: Sorry this is short. And sorry it took so long. Cross country makes me sleepy, and I choose to take naps over writing this. Please review anyway, despite this chapter's abruptness; I promise the next one will be so worth it!