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Ah, last minute Christmas shopping. The short, freezing week where everyone is running around, hunting for sales and Christmas deals, airlines working overtime, stressed parents screaming and arguing with each other. There is nothing more that I love than days when I am ripped from my sleep at five in the fucking morning, by a hectic, possibly phsycitsophrenic mother, wolfing down a soggy-wtf?-waffle, being thrown into the below-freezing Honda Pilot, and driven up to some Godforsaken mall, for some annual Christmas Spree; to spend more quality time with my abnormal parental units.
Our definition of 'family time' may somewhat differ from others. Family time, is when you're dragged out of a blissful dream where you're on a romantic stroll with Robert Downey Jr. to go to a shopping center and have you're mother abuse your father, both verbally and physically, forcing him to carry tons of shopping bags, and dress you up in poofy outfits that look like somebody threw up on them.
I would not blame them if they did.
I hid behind the tall fake Christmas trees on display in the semi-crowded Macy's whenever my mother started arguing with my father again. God forbid anyone saw me with my parents. I found it amusing how easily my mother snapped at people under pressure, which is why she made such a good lawyer, and how quickly she set off on my dad. It was hilarious because they kiss and makeup every two minutes.
They are so disgustingly in love.
I sighed, glancing up at one of the pretty lit Christmas trees, seeing myself reflect in the bright red spheres. There was a sign that said 'fragile' on one. Ha, that's like reverse phsycology, I'm too much of a kid to resist. I touched it. Nothing happened. I touched it again, harder. It cracked. I widened my eyes and yanked its remains off of the tree, glancing around for a place to hide the broken ornament.
I spotted a basket full of plastic candycanes, and shoved the glass blisters into one of the woven basket by a different tree, kicking it deeper under the branches. I brushed off my hands, feeling guilty, and looked around for my parents. My mother should not be too far. Excuse me, have you seen Hitler? I scanned the area, but instead of finding my parents, my eyes landed on a different couple.
It was the same man I saw last week, the man that told me to beat it, it was Jack. He was shopping with his wife, whats-her-face...Anna? Aubrey? Audrey? Whatever. Dumb name. Ha, I knew what my mother would say to that,"She probably thinks Cali is a dumb name." Well so do I. Jack was leaning against the wall, looking none to happy to be here either.
Audrey was digging through racks and racks at the young woman's section. Audrey grinned when she found what she was looking for. She pulled out a hideous red sweater with Rudolph on it. Ew. I hoped she wasn't planning on wearing that. Jack's eyes widened for a moment, she must have asked him if he liked it, the poor guy tried to smile but could only manage a grimace.
Then it struck me. What if she wasn't buying it for herself. This was the youth section. What were they doing there? Did Jack have another granddaughter, someone he actually talked to and gave presents to and...I swallowed...actually loved? Gee, that stabbed to the core. I clutched at the table cluttered with baskets of shiny, fragile ornaments, hoping to support myself. I felt like crying.
Fine! Go ahead! Make my day, I don't need you. See if I care about your perfect other granddaughter. Apparently I'm not good enough. I leaned forward on the table, adrenaline from my anger racing through my veins. It hurt like hell. I turned away, I could not look at him. What the fuck? The table started to move. It slid and everything came tumbling down...right on top of me.
Jack could not get his mind off of Cali and her files. He admitted he was too paranoid. Ever since he read the file and saw her last week for the first time in sixteen years, Jack could not leave it alone. He had her cell phone number, like he was ever going to use it, to trace her if she, God forbid, ever got into trouble. He had school numbers, doctor's name, dentists, optometrist, dance studio schedule, every little detail in a manila folder on the top drawer of his desk.
He had only one picture of her, when she was a cute grinning third grader missing her front baby tooth. He took it out of the folder and had a double made, so he could carry it around in his wallet next to Kim's baby picture, and Audrey in her wedding dress. It was one of the hardest things Jack ever did, telling that kid to leave, like he didn't care. Oh God of course he cared. It pained him that he would never be able to show it. He hoped that his words made her hate him, so she would keep him out of her life, for Kim was right, he was too dangerous.
Jack leaned against the wall, Audrey's purse and plastic Calvin Klein bags under his arm. He liked doing normal things with her, even if it was shopping, (not his favorite thing to do.) It made him feel...normal. As if he and Audrey were just another American couple shopping for family Christmas presents.
The ugly truth hit him with cold waves of reality. They were not normal. She was the daughter of the Secretary of Defense, he was a government agent, wanted in several countries, possibly his own. He killed people for a living. He had blood on his hands. His wife was murdered by his ex-girlfriend, a terrorist he trusted with his life. His daughter was ripped from his arms by her hate and grudge towards him and his work. His friends were shot before his eyes. He was beaten, cut, and fired at, amazing him with what a man could live through. It made him sick.
His only sanity was Audrey.
He would die without her.
He smiled a little, watching his own source of oxygen as she pulled out a hanger from the clothes rack. His smile vanished when he saw the hideous red...thing that she was holding. Audrey frowned at his expression, glancing down at the too-Christmasy reindeer sweater. She cocked her auburn head to the side."You think Chloe would like it?"
No. He thought Chloe would burn it as soon as she opened it. He gave her a feeble nod, and what he hoped looked like a smile."It's nice."
Audrey sighed and put it back."Jack, I was only joking. What's wrong?"
He gave her a half-hearted smile, marveling at her ability to read him like a book."Nothing."
Audrey hated seeing Jack like this. The heart-wrenching look in his eyes, like there is a war inside him, like his soul was slowly crumbling to pieces and she was too powerless to stop it. She touched his arm, but he hardly noticed, staring straight ahead, his eyes glued to nothing in particular. Audrey sighed, not knowing what to do.
She wanted him happy.
She paused at a rack of clothes, oblivious that she had stopped at the teen's section. Neither of them noticed, Jack resumed usual position of leaning against a wall, the dead look still in his eyes, watching her shovel through clothes and appliances, hunting for suitable Christmas presents. She turned away from them, digging through a display of ugly, yet soft, cashmere sweaters so that he wouldn't see her face.
She struggled not to look sad, or she would start crying again, and she knew that that was the last thing Jack needed. It was Christmas. People all over the world were laughing and being happy. But not Jack. And not her. Happiness was a luxury they could not often afford. She hated this. She pulled out a red sweater with a chubby reindeer on it, his bright red nose glowing against his chocolate fur.
It was so ridiculous looking, she could not help but smile. She spun around, noticing that Jack was watching her curiously."You think Chloe would like it?"
Jack grimaced at the sweater, but gave her a lopsided smile."It's nice."
He was such a liar, even her pathetic attempt of cheering him up did not work. She knew he just didn't want to hurt her feelings. Why did this man care the world for people around him, and not an ounce for himself? She hung the revolting thing back on it's rack."Jack, I was joking, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." He answered, too quickly for her taste.
Audrey crossed her arms, her hot amber eyes burning into his own, melting his core."Don't give me that, Jack."
Jack looked away.
Audrey reached out and grabbed his chin gently with his fingers."Jack." She asked softly, forcing him to look in his eyes."What's wrong?"
"I'm just tired, sweetheart." He flashed her a rare, crooked grin that she adored.
Disarmed, Audrey had to surrender to him. It was obvious that she was no Jack Bauer when it came to asking people questions. She sighed and gave him a big hug."I love you."
Jack seemed to relax."What was that for?" He asked, not unpleasantly.
"You looked like you needed it." Her voice came muffled by his chest.
He wrapped his arms around her."I do."
A loud crash made Audrey jump, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jack's hand jerk to his waist out of habit, where his holster usually was. They stared in the direction of the fakeChristmas trees, where a table had apparently fallen on someone, followed by a Christmas tree, since there was a loud 'ow' followed by a long string of profanities. Jack immediately rushed to help, Audrey hot on his heels.
Ouch. It hurt like hell."Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" I screamed, something was crushing at my leg, and the huge table was sprawled over my torso, and judging by the prickly green stuff in my face, I think a Christmas tree was on top of me too. Sensational. I'm a freak. So much for a normal outing, I seriously hope that no one from my Chemistry class was here to see me do it.
It was being pulled off of me. Glory Hallelujah!"You're okay, you're fine." A male voice said. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I'm not the densest thing that ever walked the planet either. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was Jack.
Jack, apparently, pulled the tree off of my face, and froze immediatly. I stared up at him. It was Jack. Wow, Einstein would turn in his grave."Hi." I murmured feebly.
He blinked, his sharp-nosed wife staring at me over his shoulder, like I was some sort of science experiment. Jack looked like he was tempted to pull the Christmas tree back over my face. He looked a little angry as he yanked me forcefully off of the ground. I winced. "Ouch."
He didn't let go."Where are your parents!" He growled."You can't be alone, it's too dangerous."
Who the hell was he to tell what to do? I jerked my arm back, suddenly angry."Lemme go."
He didn't. The jerk.
I yanked again, harder. But it was useless, his hand wrapped around my wrist was like trying to break through handcuffs."Ima scream, I swear I will." I threatened. Where was he taking me?
Audrey put a hand on his shoulder."Jack." She said calmly, in a tone that can sooth the ocean."Stop."
He looked back at me and I swear his eyes softened a little. He released me."I'm so sorry." He whispered as I rubbed at my wrist."I overreacted. Are you alright?"
I could only nod like a dummy.
"Cali! Cali! Chase where is she?" The three of us turned our heads in the direction where the desperate voice came from."Dammit Chase, you were supposed to be watching her."
I couldn't hear my father's muffled response.
"I'm here, Mom!" I cried out hoarsely.
"Cali!" Her voice evolved from scared to angry. The relieved but severely pissed-off tone parents use when they find out their Problem-Child is okay. I was shaking in my Ugg-wannabes. Her voice sounded just like it did when she murdered me after sneaking out to Jack's house up to the Hollywood foothills with Megan. She grounded my 'till I was eighty.
My parents burst through the racks of clothes, and when my mom and Jack locked eyes...
I swear they all but fainted.
Almost.
I know, I know, another ******* cliffy.
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