A/N: So this chapter is unedited. Yep I am so tired right now I don't even feel like reading this whole thing again to catch my mistakes. I actually have a reason why this took me so long to type but I don't feel like typing up the reason. Lol
-Updated Dec. 31 2:01 am EST
Disclaimer: I have no ownage
Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light. From now on, our troubles will be out of sight. Have yourself a merry little Christmas, make the Yule-tide gay.
From now on, our troubles will be miles away.
It's Christmas TIIIIIIIIMMMMMMEEEE! IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME AGAIN! CHRISTMAS! Hello Christmas, how are you? How about we not have any car accidents this year? Thanks.
Life has changed a bit since April, when Henry the Eighth premiered. Palex are still going strong and so is their fan base. Seriously people love Paige and Alex, they're like the younger versions of Ellen and Portia, except that Alex isn't white but that's just a minor detail. They're considered one of the cutest lesbian couples in America and Canada and Paige is seen as a true role model for girls who are struggling with their sexuality. Alex is also an inspiration to me. Alex told her story about her past and her childhood and how because of her friends she was able to break away from the path that everyone thought she was on and become a successful college student. I will admit that the story brought a tear to my eye, especially since I was there for some of it.
Henry the Eight did GREAT in the box office not only in Canada but worldwide. The movie is actually nominated for four Golden Globes: Best Motion Picture- Drama, Best Actor- Motion Picture Drama, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Screenplay. There's even buzz about it being nominated for an Oscar. Oscar nominations won't be announced till the end of January though so I guess we'll see then.
So I have some AMAZING news. Marco and Dylan are together. Yep, it didn't take four years, thank God. Dylan and Marco got back together about two weeks after Dylan signed his five year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After the first two games of the preseason Dylan held a press conference and told everyone that he's gay. Let me just say that when the Michalchuks have some news to share they do it big. Dylan is the first NHL player to come out of the closet while still in the league. I thought there might have been some backlash but his teammates accept him and it seems the fans don't really seem to care because thanks to Dylan the Maple Leafs are actually pretty decent again. Dylan, like his sister, has become a role model and inspiration to many.
Now you're probably wondering what Beth and I have been up to. Well we went to Vancouver to celebrate our first wedding anniversary and it was amazing. I'm still working the afternoon shift at Hot 101.5. There's a rumor that the morning show we currently have might soon end because the rating have been in the toilet for some time now and the guy in charge of the morning show is moving across the country. This is good news for me because my dream is to have my own morning show. I'm crossing my fingers. Beth is doing amazing in school. She's one of the top students and apparently her professors think that once she graduates and gets her license she'll have no trouble finding a job. Although both Beth and I work a lot we always find time for each other. Every Saturday morning, no matter what, we have breakfast in bed. It's a nice little ritual that I enjoy very much.
It's almost Christmas and I am VERY excited. We're actually going to be home this Christmas instead of a hospital room in New York. Beth and I have a plan for this Christmas because w have to be at so many places in one day. Beth, Palex, and I will spend Christmas morning at my parents' house. Then in the afternoon Beth and I will be at her parents' house to celebrate Christmas with them and Palex will be at Paige's house with her parents and Marco and Dylan. Then that night everyone will be at Beth and mine's place. When I mean everyone I mean, Beth, Palex, Marco, Dylan, Craig, Ellie, Jimmy, Trina (Jimmy's wife), and me. I know you're probably surprised by the Jimmy and Trina part because I haven't talked to Jimmy in such a long time. He's been at Law School in Boston and him and Trina actually got married years ago, something I feel bad about to knowing. But when I found out they were g be going to be in T.O. on Christmas I had to invite them over.
Today is Christmas Eve, probably the busiest Christmas shopping day in Canada because everyone is buying last minute gifts. Everyone accept for Alex and me that is. See Alex and I did our Christmas shopping on Black Friday. That's right, we went to the states to do our shopping. And people say Alex and I are crazy. Well who are the crazy ones now? Alex and I are just chilling at my place while Beth and Paige are out, probably shopping.
"How much money do you think Paige is probably spending?" I ask Alex.
Alex shrugs her shoulder. "I don't know. Paige had a very good year this year with her summer line being so successful and then she still has the line she does exclusively for Forever 21."
"True," I agree. "I hope Beth isn't spending too much."
"Why? Are you two having money troubles?" Alex asks me, concern in her voice.
I shake my head. "We couldn't have money problems even if we wanted to. Our parents would never allow it. Beth's dad is our personal accountant so he makes sure we're always good. I have my radio job, although my salary is only like $28,000, but I still have money from the internships I did over the summer during college and you know Mom and Dad. They would never let anything happen to me although I'm 23 years old and married."
"I think they feel guilty for pushing back the age for you to get your trust fund," Alex says.
"Well if they feel guilty then they should just let me have my trust fund," I tell her.
Alex shrugs her shoulders. "Can I ask you something?" Alex asks.
"Sure, go ahead."
"Have you been rich your whole life?"
"Well…not exactly. I mean I've always been well off but I didn't become "rich" till Mom married Dad. To make a long story short, I come from a family full of hard workers. Grandpa is an architect and has his own architecture firm, or whatever it's called. Grandma invented some African American hair care product. So that's where the money on Mom's side of the family comes from. Not to mention our great great grandfather on that side of the family was a stock broker in New York and sold all his stock before the mark crashed.
"When Mom divorced Jason, my biological dad, she got half of everything which was actually a lot because Jason's dad is a brain surgeon and his mom was a dentist and actually was a partner in a private dental care practice. When she died she left me $25,000 which went into my trust fund and Jason's dad sends me $100 every year on my birthday although I stopped talking to him the day Jason went to jail because Mom and I later found out that they knew Jason had always had anger issues but thought they would go away as he got older.
"Now Dad's side of the family is rich. Dad comes from a long line of lawyers which is funny since he's an insurance agent. And Grandma Johnson use to be head nurse of some hospital in Orlando. So have I always been rich? No not exactly. Have I always had money in my life? Yeah."
"So if you come from all this money yet you don't act like it. Why?"
I raise my eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that I've known some rich kids throughout my life and most of them are snotty, spoiled brats. But you're not. You're still driving the used car Mom and Dad got you five years ago. You had a job junior year and senior year of high school and you shop at thrift stores."
I shrug my shoulders. "I don't take money lightly," I tell her. "I come from a long line of hard workers and people who made sacrifices so I could have the life that I have now. Why buy a 2006 Ford Focus when it was exactly the same as the 2005, just more expensive? Why go to expensive stores and buy expensive clothing when I can go to the thrift store down the street and get cooler clothes for a cheaper price? You know what my dream is?"
"What?"
"My dream is to buy a red Ford Mustang convertible," I tell Alex. "I've been saving up for it for almost ten years now and I'm almost there. Now most people would ask, 'Why not ask your parents to buy it for you? Or why not use the money they give to you to buy it?' Because I want to earn this car on my own. I want to buy this car with my own money that I earned from working. I can't wait to finally have something that I can call mine. I mean don't get me wrong, I love Mom and Dad and I am so thankful for them financially supporting me for so many years but eventually I will have to support myself without their help."
"Wow," Alex says, sounding amazed. "You are amazing."
"No, I'm not. I'm just thankful and practical when it comes to money."
"I've learned so much from this conversation."
"Oh here's something else you probably don't know because neither I nor Mom have ever mentioned it. I'm actually part white. Well so is she but I guess a might be a tad bit whiter than her."
"Really? You are?"
I'm nodding my head. "Yep. Jason's mom was actually mixed because my great great grandfather on that side of the family was white. And on Mom's side our great great grandfather, the stock broker, was white. So I'm like… I don't really know how much white but I'm part white. That's why my skin is so light. If I was just black I'd be as dark as an African."
"I have learned so much from you today."
"Yep, you're welcome."
I turn on the television. Oo, Wizards of Waverly Place is on.
Christmas:
"Oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree! …. Something something something Christmas tree."
"Wow, epic fail."
"Shut up Alex, you're in my home and I can sing however I want."
"Uh, this used to be my home too."
"Really? I know you two aren't bickering on Christmas," Beth says.
"Alex started it," I tell her.
"What are you five?" Alex asks. "Grow up."
Alex walks away to the kitchen. I'm sticking my tongue out at her.
It's Christmas night and at the moment Beth and Paige are cooking Christmas dinner. I have to say that this is probably my favorite Christmas of my whole life. Beth, Palex, and I spent Christmas morning at my parents' house where we exchanged gifts. Alex and I got Brian a Laker's jersey that Kobe Bryant signed himself. Brian nearly shit his pants when he saw it. All of us chipped in and got Mom concert ticket and backstage pass to see New Edition, her favorite music group of all time. That led to her screaming for five full minutes and then squeezing the life out of all of us. Major racked up this year. I'm pretty sure there's a rule somewhere saying how much a four year old can get for Christmas. He pretty much got everything that he asked Santa and then some. Alex and I got him about twenty baseball movies on DVD that he can watch on his portable DVD player that Paige bought him. Beth got Major some board game that will help teach him Spanish and Dora the Explorer on DVD. Mom got Major 100 hot wheel cars. He's obsessed with toy cars. Brian got him a mini basketball hoop, in hope that Major will forget about baseball and play basketball instead. Then together Mom and Brian got him his own television set with a DVD player in his room. Yeah, Major is definitely spoiled since he's the youngest.
After spending Christmas morning with my parents Beth and I went to her parents' house for the afternoon. We had lunch and exchanged gifts. Mr. Perez gave me Irish dance shoes. I hope this doesn't mean he wants me to learn the Irish jig. Mrs. Perez gave me her secret recipe to cook arepa, which is sort of like a filled tortilla but the way Mrs. Perez makes it makes me want to cry for joy each time I eat some. Simón gave me some cds and I gave him some new games for his Playstation 3. Beth and I got her mom something from Venazuela and Beth got her dad a plane ticket to go visit his parents in Calgary. Mr. and Mrs. Perez's gift to Beth is of course paying her tuition for Veterinary School. This is great present because that school is not cheap.
Now it's time for Christmas dinner at Beth and my place. Everyone is here. Most of them are in the living room watching television. Jimmy looks great. He's walking with the help of crutches and he looks good.
"Hey I need to talk to you," Alex whispers.
I don't know why she's whispering but ok.
"Ok," I tell her.
Alex and I go upstairs. She looks around, I guess to make sure no one followed us. I don't know she's acting weird. Alex pulls something out of her pocket. Oh it's a little black box. Wait, it's a little black box!
"Is there a ring in there?" I ask.
"Sh! God, don't be so loud. Yes there's a ring in here," she whispers.
"Would that ring be an engagement ring?"
Alex is smiling and nodding her head. "Yeah."
"Dude!" I whisper. "You're going to propose to Paige? Wait, it's not the same ring you were going to give to Sage is it?"
Alex narrows her eyes at me. "No," she says, offended. "I wouldn't do that ass. It's a different ring."
"Do you think it's a little too soon to propose?"
"I don't think so," she says. "I mean I know we've only officially been together for a year but I know how I feel aboot Paige and if last Christmas taught me anything it's that life is too short. We have to live it to the fullest."
"So are you going to propose to her tonight?"
"I don't know. Should I?"
I do the "I don't know" gesture. "I don't know. Do you want to propose to her tonight?"
"I wanted to propose to her last month when I got this ring. But I want it to be perfect. Like super romantic and all that crap."
"Ok, you calling it crap doesn't make it romantic. And you've had that thing with you for a month?"
Alex nods her head. "Yeah. Maybe I should wait."
"Hey it's up to you. I say do it when it feels right."
"Yeah, ok. Thanks Jordan."
"No problem. And Alex, I know she's going to say yes."
Alex sighs, sounding relieved. "Thanks I really needed to hear that."
Alex goes back downstairs and I'm right behind her. Alex goes into the kitchen and kisses Paige. Ladies and gentlemen we might be planning a Palex wedding soon.