Chapter One

/Christmas, (Baby Please Come Home)

They're singing "Deck The Halls"

But it's not like Christmas at all

'Cause I remember when you were here

And all the fun we had that year

Mariah Carey

Christmas, (Baby Please Come Home)/ Merry Christmas

Released in 1993

*I slightly edited/tweaked the lyric from last to that to make it work!

…

20 years later

Present-day / December 2023

Joey's House/Casa Jeremiah-Manning-Santos in Riverside,

Toronto Airport, Sean and Ellie's apartment

Cameron's Custom Cars (Formerly Tony's Garage)

Toronto, Canada

Good Bones

The Jeremiah-Manning-Santos House

3 hours before Emma's return &

3 days before the annual Jeremiah Tree Trimming Bash

Manny and Craig had been buzzing with the holidays. Between decorating the house, shopping for their friends and family, and the regular things like work, school, and obligations, all in all, Christmas is the best time for the close-knit Manning-Jeremiah clan. It's not always as easy or perfect as it seems, but it's family and they're grateful for what they had, and that is each other.

United and proud of the work they put in, sacrifices and joys and pitfalls but always communication as a cornerstone, loads of support, when the bad times happen family meetings remedy, patience and, genuine love of family, built a strong foundation turning their house into a home. Not to sound like a 90s sitcom, like Family Matters and Full House. What they have is strength in numbers and 5 big hearts and it's special. Life isn't always easy, but having that unwavering, unconditional love and support keeps them all going and striving to be the best they can be. Everyone roots for each other. No one is afraid of asking for help when they need it with few exceptions. There's not a lot of yelling, room for errors, laughter all around, music to be heard and sung, family night and games to play, nor any disrespect, people listen with their hearts and ears, or there will be a stern talking to, a heart-to-heart to cushion the blow, followed by a friendly hug. Not everything can be remedied with this, but it's certainly a safe space to be free to do whatever it is you wish, and people around to protect you without hostility. It keeps everyone from going crazy. With safeguards in place, they truly made the most of their lives and there are good and bad days, granted but they do have a strong unit of family in place.

In short, inside this, as far as they're concerned at home, anything goes. So if you want to watch some TV or a slide in a DVD? You can but you might expect some company. So you're hungry and want to raid the fridge for a midnight snack? By all means but you'll most likely have to share. If you're having a bad day, which happens from time to time, everyone gives you the space you need and will be there if you want to talk.

By the front door to the left in the foyer in a frame is a lovely little needlepoint Joey's mother gifted as a housewarming present when Joey and Julia first got married and purchased the home back in 1995 it reads:

Ever since Joey and Julia Jeremiah posted meaningful words on the wall, framed with nails and a hammer is the family mission statement. Down the line when Angela was born, Craig entered the home for good to stay, and then after that Manny, and lastly their daughter Katrina it rings true.

After Manny and Katrina joined them and moved in officially Joey, Craig, and Angela all felt complete, it was a trying time but at least they had each other. Financially money was tight, rules had to be drawn up and emotionally picking up the pieces of the fallout with Manny's parents and their final decision to boot out their fourteen-year-old young and pregnant daughter from their lives, Joey taking on the responsibilities, and circumstances motivated and prompted Craig to consider his future, put childish things to rest and grow up a bit faster than initially expected or intended, it had been established once again.

After a long illness followed by Julia's death, Joey had a hard time. He'd look at that mission manifesto adorned on the wall and his troubles slowly melted away and he didn't give up on them or their home. Joey couldn't imagine what would drive Manny's parents to do what they did to Manny, and her innocent daughter, Katrina. If they were to ever try anything less than kind he would defend them tooth and nail and he's not a perfect man but when they abandoned them, Joey took on their role and he would be damned if someone took them away. As far as Joey and Craig see it, albeit not blood, they're family.

Every year the Jeremiah-Manning-Santos clan extends an invite to Emma, and she always has something going on. Winter, spring, summer, fall it never fails, from weather to work obligations she never accepts. Craig and Manny assumed for a time she was just dragging her feet, dreading which hurt their feelings. Manny thought, are we not good enough for her? She's successful and we're just barely making it. Craig has doubts that's the case, but something is keeping her from even a short weekend visit and it's not just work.

If it's not an outright no, she'll back out at the last minute. Something came up. Manny doesn't know what's worse. She acts like it's fine, or makes arrangements for them to come her way, but that's a lot of travel, and a lot of money, and while Emma treats them all the time they feel guilty. Even when she tries to do the most, it's rooted in guilt. In the years between her departure, their visits, and today, it's always been 'I'll make every intention of accommodating for you but I'll never meet you halfway', and far away from Degrassi Street. It was as if her mind was made up.

Kat gave up believing her aunt would ever, she'd been alive almost 18 years and she'd never been over to their house. It's never a compromise, she's used to getting what she wants. She doesn't see or understand how deeply this affects their friendships and feelings, Kat is starting to become resentful after years of broken promises and not seeing her consistently and it seems like it is always them who has to get inconvenienced. Angela is grown now, it doesn't phase her but she and Emma have great rapport because Ang is older, Emma babysat her, and knew her practically her whole life and Kat came after all that, and didn't see as much of Emma pre-fame or at all. For the entirety of her childhood and arguably her life she'd been gone.

The Jeremiah Tree trimming was planned initially as a surprise the Christmas Joey first was without Julia. She had died sometime in the fall. Their school-age friends even with being busy with their own lives, saw that Joey was hurting, and they wanted to make the holidays special for him and Ang and make him smile. So they put it all together, they all pooled money together, and the decoy was that Snake took Joey out to dinner for an early Christmas where he purchased him a gift and some things to make him feel a little better, while Spike and other friends decorated the house while he was out and then surprised him later. Sometimes Spike would look after little Angela and Emma would help her and give Joey some time to relax and take care of himself. Now it's a long-running tradition since the early 2000s, it's believed the first celebration was when the looming Y2K was upon everyone and people had legitimate fears of the end of days in late 1999.

The house was spotless, Angela and Kat are older so they gave Manny, Craig, and Joey a hand in the cleaning while they were working. Kat was complaining because she wasn't looking forward to Emma's visit at all, she said to Angela who is visiting home for the holidays and helping her along, "I just don't like that we got to do all this top to bottom cleaning for her."

"I like cleaning." Angela lamented as she had a smile on her lips. She was happy to be home and spending time with her younger niece. They had always been close and Kat often confided in her. She doesn't like to pry too much knowing about her troubles at school, but she keeps the conversations light to not ruffle feathers and cause her to shut down.

"You're nuts." Kat humored, "My room, sure but the house? It's overwhelming. It's not like it's dusty or dirty." Kat sighed and then managed to shift the conversation to an overwhelming fear about the way things are, or what could be in the future. "Promise me if you become a ballerina or whatever you still visit little ole me at home?" Kat sighed as she wiped the wooden coffee table with Old English to keep its shine. "I can even come to see you. I just don't want our relationship like my mom's and Auntie Em."

Angela felt bad because she knew she would never do that to Kat, and she needed to make it clear she'd always be there for her no matter what happened. She knew she had to say something at this point, but she wanted to make a promise. So naturally she needed her pinky promise, she dropped her feather duster on the couch, sat down patting the seat, and calmly sighed, "C'mere Kat. Let's sit down and take a little break." Angela is girly and upbeat but since this school year, Kat has traded her happy-go-lucky, girlie, sunny disposition, to the dark cloud, sullen, sad, and sourpuss. She seldom smiles, but smirks and grimaces, sighs, and hides away.

She didn't protest, she put the rag down and sat beside her. Angela put her arm around Kat and encouraged her to speak on it. She knew she'd been giving her parents headaches and worrying Joey. She was hoping to tap into Kat and figure out what's going on, and why she's so down lately. "I just hate that she's always wishy-washy or always flakes out. I just don't want that to happen to us."

"Never, you're like it or not my kind of sister. I might be far but we'll call and we'll message each other, text, I'll send you Hastygrams and I'll be home sometimes for breaks and holidays. Joey might let you drive up, or you and dad can visit me there and, it's not gonna be the way it is with your mom and Auntie Em."

"You're more my family than she is. Why does she do this to us?"

Angela had a feeling buried deep down, but she found it implausible. She didn't mention it. It might be true, might not be, but she didn't want to make a big deal so she didn't say what was on her mind, she simply replied, "Well she's coming now. It should count for something."

"If she doesn't have to work."

"It is a done deal, in about three hours Emma is coming here. I'll admit it will be exciting, I'm sure she brought some gifts and food because I'm starving, and it's the holidays."

She rolled her eyes and muttered glum, "Everyone is gonna oooh ah over her."

"Maybe so, but If I'm being honest, she needs to come home, it's long overdue. Just don't read into it too much, I don't think she wants to hurt you, or anyone. I don't know I was a kid when she left but I was kind of surprised she left but she makes awesome music. She's pretty cool, even though she's coming and she'd been here and there she loves you."

"I'm sure it's hard for her to come around again, think about it in her shoes?"

"She had us, she has us, but she takes it all for granted. I don't like that. Love has nothing to do with it." Kat grumbled, "She's stuck up, she probably has designer shoes and she'll complain over the stupidest things, you'll be happy to see her go like we're beneath her. You shall see. I'm right, you know I am. She'll be snobbish probably. I don't understand why mom ignores all the bad shit she's done. Emma ain't a friend, she probably has a silly reason for being here."

"She's her best friend, they're like sisters. They're practically family like you and me."

"I know. I tell mom how I feel about it, and it's like mom always giving in to Emma, like it's so messed up."

"That's their life and their business. Adult shit."

"You're an adult."

"Barely."

"You're almost legally old enough to drink. I consider you more adult than even the actual adults, Ang."

"Anyway, I don't feel like an adult. I doubt they feel like adults themselves. Nonetheless, they grew up together, just like you and me when you were a cute widdle baby. Everyone was so excited for you." She talked the baby talk and then spoke normally after she paused for a beat with a soft smile, "I want you not to worry so much about that, you do you. I know school isn't so good for you, but open up to Emma if it comes up. She's good at giving advice."

"She doesn't practice what she preaches."

"She isn't the enemy. How could she be? She's never here like you always like to remind us."

"Because it's facts and the truth. I don't get it, like how is it hard to just be present." Kat sighed sadly, "forget it."

"Talk to me. Is it school? Paul?"

She shook her head, it wasn't those things. Kat could feel herself getting emotional. What could Angela do or say anything about what she's going through, as she boils and festers while wrestling with painful emotions? She internally battles herself if she gets the floor to speak about what happened over the past year with her trusted friends and family. She sticks to her guns though, says nothing, and pretends like it's okay, lashes out and the cycle returns thanks to her stubborn nature, strong convictions, and what she believes. When things get too real she shuts down and doesn't speak. "I guess we'll talk about it later."

Later rarely comes because if she spills the beans on herself, she

"Well let's shelf this for now, we got to finish soon before Emma, Manny, your dad, and my dad come home from work and the airport. We don't have a lot of time."

She crossed her arms, "I'm not bending over backward for her. She can do it herself. I am so not getting involved with that." She got up off the couch to resume what she was doing before.

Angela got up from the couch and sternly delegated, "You are gonna be on your best behavior."

Kat placed the throw pillows back on the couch with mild frustration changing the subject and distancing herself from being accommodating. "I don't want to talk to her. I'm almost eighteen."

Angela knows better, sees clearer, and knows there is more to the store. "She loves you."

"She loves leaving people on read and being unreliable. Sometimes when she isn't too busy to care she might flake on plans or send a gift. I will not be bribed no matter how nice the gift is."

"Ugh, Kitty," She sighed chiding her and calming her down the best she could, Kat gave her a look as if to say, 'Don't call me that'. She continued, "She has a job, but you know the adults live different lives than us, I'm about to be 20 years old. I'm not even close to their level. You're lucky that you don't have to worry about that stuff for another few years.

"Whatever. Soon you'll be just like them thinking something is wrong all the time with me. I'm fine."

"That's not true, and besides, you never know, give Em a chance Kitty, she might surprise you." Ang sighed exasperated and a bit overwhelmed with all the cleaning yet to be completed and kind of mending Kat who was unraveling at the thought. "She's got to be the girl I looked up to not long before you were alive. She's trying. I think she is trying given the circumstances. Instead of casting her out, listen to her or talk to her about your feelings. Why do you think she's coming here? She wants to spend time with us, we're her family."

She scoffed jokingly laughing, "What you looked up to her in 1900?"

"Watch it." She pointed signaling Kat to quiet her and stop her from teasing her, while still lightheartedly playing along, "No like maybe a year or two before you were born Auntie Em was, how do I say this without sounding weird, just different."

She bitterly commented, "So I heard. She seems like even before she left everyone loved her. She can do no wrong. She's like Mary from the bible, everyone loves her. She could run someone over by accident and everyone would be sorry for being on the road. All the guys, maybe a few guys want to be disgusting and inappropriate with her. It's gross."

"Maybe not everyone if I remember correctly. She was ordinary and far from popular. She had good grades."

"Like you in high school?"

"Your father's reputation kind of made that happen. They thought I was promiscuous but I wasn't. I had good grades, true. How was I gonna get into college?"

"I don't want to go to college, it's a joke. I could still go, do well, get great grades, and not get a job and end up working a dead-end job like my mom at the stupid diner, or a barista at The Dot and never leave my hometown. How could Degrassi just expect me to like get into a good school anyway, or prepare me in any way and make it so I got to decide as a senior what I'll be doing for the rest of my life and select a school work my ass off and all that. Make that make sense." And then she added, "I love my mom and dad, I just feel guilty they put all their wishes on me. I know they'd die if I didn't go to college. I just think it's too big of an investment for all of us, we struggle as it is. I don't want to be a reason they struggle more, I'm not naive I know it ain't cheap."

"Not to invalidate, but girl it could be worse. Trust me."

"It could be better, Angela too, I know. I'm sick of this. I hate having responsibilities."

"Hate to break it to you, but from here on out, and after graduation, you'll move on to the real world. So enjoy this crap while you still can because from here on out it's a struggle. You'll love college. Likeminded people, different people, some girls can be your friends like the girls in my classes in sororities, sometimes your classes can offer you some things you never considered. I promise you, don't go because you're afraid, and no one has it all figured out but it helps. You can be so stubborn sometimes. There's alot of advantages such as independence, parties, and learning new things."

Kat droned a bit, "Ang please, do me a favor and stop momming me. I mean, I'll still go, probably. I don't know." She can only truly be vulnerable around Angela. She and Ang always talk deep. They comfort each other when life gets tough. "You, for example, like you knew what you wanted to study, were always a better dancer than I was. You won actual trophies, not rinky-dink participating ones that everyone has, but like you won competitions against other girls. I'm not good at anything. I can't cook, my room is a mess, you're neat as a pin, and let's face it you're pretty. I'm awkward-looking. I'm cute and shit, Dad, and Mom won't let me wear the clothes I want to wear, and ugh. At school, I have no idea what I wanted to study later. I don't want to throw away all the money they saved up for me to 'figure it out' and still manage to fail at that too. I can't disappoint them. I won't. I'm so beating myself up over it because they struggled so much."

"There's still time, there's still a lot of things you don't know and it's going to be fine, and it's fine if you don't have it all figured out. I don't have everything figured out. I'll be honest though, you haven't been the easiest to talk to these past few months. You've been pulling an Emma with me too, like flaking on Skype, and not answering texts sometimes. Is everything okay, kiddo?"

She sighed, "I promise you I'm fine. It's nothing I can't deal with. It's just complicated."

"You are sure?"

"One hundred percent." She sounded less than enthusiastic but slapped on a fake smile.

"Just let me know when you're ready if you're ready. I know where you live."

Angela smiled back unaware she'd been holding back, but she still kept her on watch, Kat is so guarded and she wasn't always this way, she's got this mouth on her that could get her into trouble. No one can seem to get through her. She comforted her the best she could in the chaos of preparing for the holidays and upcoming festivities. "Look you don't have to figure that out today. Just focus on one thing at a time." She knew more than she let on but tried to make light and not dwell on the past. She was hurt when Emma left town too, but perhaps because Kat is younger and is more connected to her because Emma is Kat's godmother and in childhood was her hero. If you consider that, Angela knows alot more about the way she was and how things used to be, because she was alive and at least eight when a lot of this happened, including when she left town. She decided to get back to work after glancing at the digital clock on the entertainment center by the television which was on Spotify. Whatever song was playing Ang turned up and skipped to the next which so happened to be a song by Emma's alter-ego Lucky.

"Speak of the devil." Quips Kat grumbled rolling her eyes condescendingly as she complained, unenthused, moaning and groaning adding, "Ugh She's inescapable, I don't get it."

Angela shook her head and remained optimistic and on task as Emma's voice shined through Lucky's music as it played on in the background. Kat complained through the song but Ang didn't want to hear it. This wasn't uncommon. To the untrained ear, Kat's complaints come from a place of hurt. For Emma, it's an unintentional casualty, not the first or last to be burned by the light of awe-inspiring stardom, the fiery ambition she possessed as she climbed the later she has even today, and the hold it has on all who know her.

Ancient History

Los Angeles, Calfiornia

The night before Emma's flight to Toronto

Elsewhere, Emma boarded the plane headed to Toronto. She sat down with her large carry-on tote on her arm, with her obnoxiously large bug-eyed, designer, rhinestone bedazzled sunglasses. She was dressed in a black, blingy, but casual velour sweat suit, and on her feet, she wore black Adidas sneakers. Underneath the sweatsuit, she had a plain white ribbed tank top. Inside the tote, she had some magazines and such. She was apprehensive and a little excited to spend time with her favorite people, but mostly scared if she were being honest. She didn't want to be a disappointment or a letdown. She didn't want to hear about the negatives. She heard from Manny that Kat isn't doing well in school and going down a bad path, it hits close to home, and she hopes to strengthen her bond with her. It wasn't that long ago that Kitty who changed a lot since their last visit, considered Emma her hero. She feels guilty for her role in that role model status diminishing. It does weigh on her that she refused to come home, or back to her hometown because she's even beginning to question her reasons for the distance. It's been a long time. She had been home under the radar maybe three times since permanently moving out of town, roughly 20 years ago this week. She was anxious and somewhat afraid to run into Sean but was more comforted by the idea of spending time with old friends and family.

Admittedly a bit hung over from the night before, she confided in Belize about the apprehension and they had more than a few drinks, and glasses of wine and sparked up a joint to blaze as they talked it out. While Manny is always going to be her number one friend, Belize is bestie number two and lives close by. As they sat at the outdoor firepit at Emma's house in the yard by the infinity pool.

"It'll be nice, just visiting for the holidays that is." Emma beamed somewhat optimistically, "Also to be away from here and work stuff. I never do this, take vacation time, or out for myself. Just not tropical, maybe it'll be a white Christmas? Snow." She sipped the red wine from the glass.

"So snowy, I know you're not the best at confrontation but, there's that possibility might run into the ex, right?" Belize beamed, "He must've been a looker." She shrugged uncomfortably not wanting to answer, confirm or deny, she bit her tongue and her lip. It was her weakness talking about that time of her life. It seemed like running only hurt that much more, she compartmentalized, shelved, threw it on the back burner, ignored, lied about how intense, or her possible reasons for running, and now she has to deal with it, the fallout and what it did to her other relationships platonic and family. Running with no goodbyes to the person she'd given her heart to, that he shattered, and she picked up the pieces, packed them up, taped it together with the best of intentions, patched up her heart just enough but all the imperfections, the regrets crippled it, the half-hearted promises eat away and chip away at the perfect life facade. She thought fame fortune and fans would replace the basic needs in her life. While it was nice, nice was an understatement how she helped her family, and her friends in a pinch, made life-long friends after departing and even a lucrative career in Los Angeles being this triple threat. She feels like she's leading double and triple lives, a walking contradiction, a mash of different people and she's only 34. Of course, her age is kind of this ambiguous lie where she is 29 on IMDB and Wikipedia, it fluctuates. Initially, the recording contacts and studios marketed her as almost a newly minted 18 when she was barely 16.

She's no stranger to pretending and playing dress up in the most adult type of ways. She experimented at parties, was thrown to the wolves of the press, drugs, and sexual relationships way too young, and suffered heartbreaks, fallouts, and just general pitfalls. Sometimes it was fun, other times not so much. All the while she was being hunted and hounded by paparazzi, fans, haters, and more. That was her early days, In the here and now though, she has a semi-private life. There will always be those people and problems, but she has it managed and the paparazzi tends to target the newbie it-girl types, while she's not completely second-hand news, washed up, or demoted from A-list, she's still relevant and laws have changed since her early career and the vultures are limited on how close they get to her, or to catch a glimpse of her. The last thing she wants is scrutiny, being criticized under the microscope, or cautionary tales like Lohan, Hilton, and Spears variety, tabloid fodder, the general public still mocks these once-party girls who have since cleaned up their act.

She'd be lying if she'd gladly toss the baton to someone else as if to say, 'better her than me'. She's not that harsh, but she's over that aspect of fame. It's time she decided to use her time away from work.

As for why music? She mostly did it to prove herself. She mostly did it to just run away and do something bold. Chris and Jacob believed in her, she was convinced, but she didn't know what it meant to be an international star, she just assumed it was looking pretty, having room to sing your songs and wanting to dress and look like you, the other stuff became the downfall of that. It was less about the fun, and the performing and more about how much money Lucky's act was going to rake in to pay everyone on her payroll from publicists, assistants, beauty, music-related jobs, modeling and media, promotional, design, and more. She was more lucrative around that time and marketed and that person had to be paid to represent her and give her the most competitive edge.

It's more than just money or being noticed it takes over her whole existence. She hasn't been ordinary in years, sometimes it's great and has advantages to have connections and extra cash to burn, but in other ways, it's lonely and sad. It's more than running away from problems, like it or not despite every effort and at every turn something is always missing. Sean and Emma before everything went down, had a healthy dynamic for the remainder of their time together before he changed after their split. It replays sometimes, how she'd do a lot to change the way it was without so much living in the past but she has all these ways of remedying it in the here and now, but feels like it's been a lost cause.

She was silent at first and drank another sip before setting it down on the table and sighed exasperatedly, pretending not to care but her friend knew better, "Bella, must you? You're killing my buzz."

"C'mon, like it's been years. Perhaps you can be friends and bury the hatchet just in time for the holidays"

"Friends?" She questioned, "I want to be nowhere near that guy."

"Your lyrics beg to differ. I've heard the stories."

"Whatever," Emma pursed her lips together trying hard not to think about it. She didn't want to delve into it so candidly. She pretended a lot but she couldn't lie to Bella. She avoided her eye contact because Bella was quick to detect bullshit. She takes none not even her boss whom she may be friendly with, but knows when she lies.

Continuing the trend of no eye contact, "He probably moved on from that, or he's in prison. He was a thief."

"People change. Perhaps paroled."

Humored Emma recalled candidly, more than she had ever revealed to her, "He turned into that guy, some Eminem wannabe, and traded me in for his dumb, delinquent friends." Bella realized which is why she even got involved with that toolbag MC Dice. He too had that 'persona'. She kept quiet about commenting on that.

"Hm, so you're a bit salty and resentful? Morton Salty bitch," she cushioned the sentiment with, "he'd be stupid to do anything with you he'd regret it."

"It's kind of my fault for our fall out, I wasn't paying much attention. I thought it was fine or whatever but that was a long time ago. It's ancient history. Nothing I can do about it, my therapist says it's not something in my power. Why do you think I, on second thought how much proof is in this?"

"Oh I don't know," She picked the bottle from the ice bucket putting her glass down, "Looks to be a 17 proof, and we're on bottle number two."

"I'm feeling it."

"What exactly happened, so you guys had a falling out, you're blaming yourself, he stole from you and that's why you don't go home because you're afraid to run into him and confrontation shit?"

Emma sighed, "When you put it like that it makes me feel worse."

"I'm not the one hiding from my ex-boyfriend who you think moved on. Is that what you think or does your friend from their area in touch with him like confirmed he's moved on? Do you have all the details and important facts before you can even make that decision? You know, it sounds to me like you don't have the facts so you've just been making all these decisions and ignoring what you want to do, or hiding from confrontation. I've seen you deal with stuff you can do it. I think he means more to you than you want him, to the way I see it." Emma didn't answer and let her continue speaking her mind and simultaneously deeply connecting with the thoughts.

"What's his name anyway?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Sure he does. You paid a hefty price to avoid him all these years."

"Sean Cameron." She answered softly, the first time she'd uttered that name in full.

After that sobering conversation, she and Belle stayed up late and she told her everything there was to know about it, and their relationship. She found a lot of it to be romantic. She kept a lot of comments to herself instead Bella just listened to Emma. She is sincere, she'd never blab to the media, that's the truth.

So she's got that conversation on her mind she had the night before, the flight attendant in first class was a bit too cheery when she greeted her but asked if she'd like something to drink. Admittedly hung over she said as sweet as she could be, "Hi, I'll take not one, but two little bottles of rose please."

"Sure thing." The flight attendant replied with a smile and disappeared to retrieve them for her. When she returned she paid, tipped her and she went to town. She opened one and poured it into the little cup with ice, hare of the dog.

Taking Care of Business

Ellie and Sean's apartment/The Garage where Sean works

Sean's morning routine and work life the day Emma's set to arrive

Sean woke up early for work from the buzz of his alarm clock, the digital display read 6:30, he hit snooze and it went off again at 6:45 a.m. He decided it was now or never, and begrudgingly got up. Half asleep, he stumbled in on his tiptoes to the shower as quietly as he could, careful to not wake Ellie who is far from a morning person. She was passed out from last night on the couch surrounded by a variety of junk on the coffee table such as a bunch of empty glasses, half-empty bottles of vodka and whiskey, a somewhat full ashtray of butts next to her smokes, take-out cardboard container, and the bag it came in from McDonald's from a late night Doordash order. The TV was on, with some infomercial selling beauty cream to make people look younger or like supermodels, he's seen it a thousand times at least, always seemed to be on in the morning. Occasionally they'd swap that infomercial for a compilation music collection that's not sold in stores on CD or vinyl, or it's a different channel altogether and it's the news or something. He doesn't watch much TV. It's not like Ellie ever relinquished the remote.

He got out put on a plain white basic fruit of the loom t-shirt, his leather jacket with the sheep skin lining, timberland boots, and a pair of comfortable, dark wash Levi jeans, and rushed out of the house without breakfast. As he rode toward work, he stopped at The Dot and got himself bacon and egg and cheese on a toasted everything bagel, a sweet chocolate Danish from the bakery case, and a hot black coffee to go before work. At his desk, he removed the jacket, and helmet and placed the helmet on a spare chair and the jacket on the hook. He tossed the brown paper bag filled with his breakfast and put the coffee beside the computer. He was early but it was usual for him. From the large window beside his office, he saw his coworkers who worked in the garage coming in. Jay had his lunch and he saw him put that in the mini-fridge in the garage. He waved to Sean from the window with a smile, he was wearing black wayfarers because, from the looks of it, he was nursing a hangover.

All things considered, nothing about that morning was unusual, it was almost like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Sean flipped on the lights in the office, and the little Christmas tree in the office lit up with the rainbow lights, he doesn't have any decor besides that in regards to Christmas. He keeps it there for the customers when they pay for services so he doesn't look like a Grinch or a Scrooge, it's not for him. Not much of anything he does he loves or enjoys he just does it because no one else would. His office is neat, unlike his home and he stopped making an effort with his roommate and ex she's been slacking on cleaning and he is tired of having to pick up the slack since she's home and doesn't do much at all. He just walks around her, the world revolves around her and he just lives in it. He glanced at his pictures on the desk and wiggled his mouse on his computer to log into the work system. He puts in the password which was shtbc01 which was the mnemonic device Emma taught him to remember how to tag HTML from grade 7 and 2001 is when he first moved to town. Once in his work computer, the background was one of those generic ones, but it's an image of a beach, realistically speaking he hadn't been to a beach in a long time, and it was the closest for now he'd come to one. It's nice to dream, he thought to himself. As he clicked on the icon to his work stuff and his e-mails, he tabbed in his Facerange impulsively and he saw that Manny posted an update to her status a few minutes earlier.

My bestie is coming to town!

She posted a throwback of the two of them, more than one. First was a picture of the two of them with Emma's enormous perm from her mom's wedding, the girls dressed like Spice Girls Emma was dressed as Baby Spice and Manny was Posh, some miscellaneous pictures through the years of the two best friends, and Sean normally doesn't frequently use Facerange but he clicked on Emma's.

They weren't friends on there but because he was a mutual friend through Manny and Craig and a bunch of other friends or acquaintances from high school, he was able to see some of her posts. As he scrolled through and read her posts and her pictures and snooped around he held his coffee to his lips and took a few sips as he went along. He felt all sorts of wrong, especially at work but his curiosity got the better of him. He was sort of hoping there were pictures of her.

He was interrupted by Thomas one of his newer guys calling him on the work phone, "Hope you're not peepin' porn we got a problem at the garage."

"No." He x'ed out Facerange in a panic because he had a guilty conscience. He feigned ignorance and was mildly embarrassed.

"Dude! Boss, I was joking I just saw you were on the computer through the glass. I figure you're just busy, no worries, Mr. C."

"It's Sean, Thomas. We're cool. So what's up?"

He was looking straight ahead at the picture of himself and Emma among the photographs, the very one that seemed to be staring him in the face, as he listened to Thomas describe what was going on in the garage. He was preoccupied but tried not to show it, he ended the rambling with, "So what should we do, boss?"

Sidetracked he sighed he wasn't paying any attention to the rant, "Just let me call up the customer, or you call up the customer. You can do it. I got a lot of fires to put out before lunch."

"Hogart thinks he knows everything out there. He's got seniority over me, and he thinks I'm a peon. He'll hijack and he doesn't know what I know about the job and - "

"Tommy! Can I just-" Sean finally was able to get the word in sometimes Tommy can be a worry wart. "Don't worry, I'll handle Hogart." Sean has a good heart and is pretty good at being the boss. His calm demeanor smoothed things over and managed to calm his newer co-worker down. "Is that all for now? We got a lot to do today."

"Should be."

"Well okay, glad to hear it. Oh before I forget, lunch we're ordering in by the way, you delegate what we're ordering from LilMisssteaks for lunch this afternoon, the only stipulation is it's gotta stay under $20 each and throw in for tip. Let the guys know. And I know you're looking forward to the garage holiday party coming up later in the week, so mark your calendars and remember to bring something in to share, before we're off for the Holiday and the weekend."

"OK boss, thanks. I'll send you an e-mail with the orders. I'll see you later for lunch."

"One more thing, Tommy?"

"Yeah?"

"You're doing great. If Hogart gives you a hard time, let me know, and I'll talk to him."

"Thanks, Mr. C, I mean Sean. See you at lunch." He hung up the garage phone and Sean resumed at his computer desk. He wasn't looking forward to going home that night and dealing with the usual situation. He figured he could hit the little bar Shoney's on the corner between The Dot, his apartment, and the Riverside where Manny and Craig live. If worse comes to worse he'll stay to the last call or close, and then stumble in after Ellie's asleep. He'll clean a bit before falling asleep, fully aware Ellie will be passed out in front of the TV. He'll cover her with a blanket because she'd either kick them off or forget to get comfortable rinse-and-repeat cycle habits, like Groundhog Day.

Today something felt different, he wanted to break tradition. He was aware of the Jeremiah Tree trim later on in the week and seeing his friends. Ellie never goes to those things anymore and if he's being honest she doesn't want to and knows where she's not wanted because of her behavior and tendencies to do the most while drunk. She usually doesn't remember. Sean is always cleaning up her messes, literally at home and in every sense everywhere else.

Jay walked in sort of pissed off and interrupting Sean with the mountain of paperwork he's working through on and off the computer crunching the numbers, math being a strength. "Sean, like what the fuck did you tell dimwit Tommy?"

"What?" Sean lifted his head over the computer and motioned Jay to come over. Sean and Jay are still friends, and still talk and work together. Jay is a great mechanic but he cuts corners and doesn't play well with others because some things don't change, and Jay is a tiger that never changes his stripes. He doesn't take much seriously but doesn't like when Sean befriended the new guy.

Thomas who often goes by Tommy is a fresh out of vocational tech newbie. Sean's garage has a reputation of being one of the best for cars with fair prices and takes on newbies like when Sean and Jay were newly graduating from vocational tech school. Tony has since retired and Sean was his lead mechanic. Jay has seniority and helps train the new guys. Sean is working on the overhaul renaming the garage from Tony's Garage to Cameron's Custom Cars leaning into jacking up the cars and doing details like artwork, painting, tinting, and other cosmetic things as well. He recently bought a smaller building with more garage room for those projects in addition to the standard shop work. He did a small remodel and expansion too, painted and made it more livable. He forged a stronger relationship with the nearby dealerships that would bring them more clientele and used car lots such as Jeremiah Motors, for tune-ups oil changes, and other things like that. He removed the paneling and shag carpets in the office to something more neutral or modern and less tacky and dated. This coming year, he put in a lot of effort and it shows, they made a nice profit and he'd be able to give a bonus for the first time in a long time just in time for the holidays. "What's going on?"

"Tommy is the errand boy now?"

"He was talking about the disagreement with you and the client this morning for the tire rotation and oil change you did for Willard. He's a frequent customer and you or Thomas didn't give him quality work. Sit down."

"You're not firing me."

"No, no one is in trouble. It's some good news, and there are some things you got to do better at. Customer service, dude you need to work on it consider it a warning. All of you guys got to talk better with the customers. I can't hold your hand but I see how you guys are with them."

Jay sighed sitting down on the chair across from Sean, "We've both been here a long time. It's just frustrating."

"You're still my friend and the eyes and ears here out there showing me who is pulling their weight and who's not cut out for cars at all." Sean smiled softly. "I don't want to have a conversation like this dude. Anyway, you guys can get holiday bonus payday, so let the guys know."

"Sean, why did you put dumbass Mcgee in charge of the lunch shit? Two words Sean: Hire a secretary."

"That's three and it's, administrative assistant, Jay." Sean firmly corrected him flatly, "That's fair, maybe in the new year down the line, if we get more customers and steer the course and make more money. This attitude of yours is getting us fewer services, and next year we might be boned and no bonus. I mean, you can work with the customers and sell ice to Eskimos."

"You might get violent."

"Bingo, that's why you're out there and I'm back here away from people."Jay rolled his eyes, and Sean reinforced it, "Teamwork, okay? Work with Tommy. Work with the other guys. You are not being punished or demoted. I don't like nepotism, just because we're friends doesn't mean I'm not going to be honest with you or avoid putting you in your place when you're wrong. I love the way you work. You have a real gift not get mushy, for talking to customers and being able to. Why do you think you won the gold stars for years? How we both were constantly back and forth the Employee of the Month."

"Okay, true. I could work on how I speak to people I don't agree with. Some of these customers are stuck up and think I'm scum because I got some grease on my hands."

"I feel you, man. We worked here since 2007, this isn't new information. I'm trying to bring in more of everything to edge our competition. In the best-case scenario, you could be in the office right alongside me if all things work out by the end of the year. I want you to get there. I'm rooting for you, but you got to play the game for now."

"I guess. So what are your holiday plans?"

"I got some shopping to do. I'm probably not going to do much after Jeremiah Tree trim."

"I think my invite got lost in the mail."

"After the fiasco of 2015?" Sean shook his head, confirming, "Yeah you're not allowed back."

Jay lamented still finding the whole thing hilarious, he and Craig were far from friends, "The fireworks were fun, I didn't think the one would blow up the evergreen in the backyard! His girlfriend, or his wife I can't keep up these days is smokin' hot though. She was in that what they call the cheerleaders at our dumbfuck high school?"

"Spirit Squad, yeah she was captain after Michalchuk graduated," Sean muttered not seeing what that had to do with anything. "Don't even try it, she's out of your league."

"When Lexxi used to stay after for student council with Del Rossi and the rest of the nerds, I'd peek through the gym windows during their practices and she was something. Craig locked that shit down though."

"It's none of your business."

"Probably not, she's got these legs for miles."

"Shut up." Sean sighed, "That's Emma's friend, my best friend's girl she's off limits."

"Fuck Manning, he can be such a toolbag. I say hi to him and he acts like I don't exist. He was always hanging out with popular people Alex wanted to be friends with. Ugh, like what the hell? I know he's your best friend and I got demoted from best friend to, friend but dude. Why is he mad? It's not like I ever got with Manny. I sure as hell would've wrapped my shit up because they went all 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom you know, before that was a thing."

"You're my best friend too dude! It's not a competition. I just don't think of her like that. She knows from around you're a love 'em and leave 'em type. She and Craig have been together for years now."

"She's beautiful though, and a milf." Jay sighed and Sean darted him a look to show he was one hundred percent serious about shutting up about Manny, Craig, or even Emma. Jay put his hands up as if to pretend not to be shot by the messenger, "Okay okay, chill."

"Exactly."

"Why were they so broken up about a tree? Just plant another one. I don't know why you're friends with them. What does it matter about Emma? She's gone. She had the right idea, she didn't want to be another hometown statistic. She flashed her goodies to some producer and now she's loaded."

"How is it that Emma's what a million miles away and you continue to treat her like she's a pariah? Move on, she makes more money than you and I do blinking."

"What about you? I mean you're not over that? It's been 200 years, you got a girlfriend, Ellie. What do I get? I'm single. I can fantasize about Manny Manning whatever the fuck her name is, Craig's a lucky bastard." Sean knew that deep down that stung, "Bet you feel like shit knowing you lost her and she has and is worth like billions now. Manny Manning has a nice ring to it, in a rhyming dictionary kind of way."

"Shut up." Sean said as calmly as he could, "I think we're done for now. See you at lunch. No wonder you were demoted from best friend to friend. Sometimes you talk to hear yourself talk you never think."

Jay got quiet real quick, he was a big coward when people called his bluff everyone was too scared back in high school and Hogart peaked way back then. He's the same guy he'd always been, maybe even worse than that. He knew Sean meant business, they'd have a few tiffs that ended this way, nothing permanent rift territories but not the same as it was. Sean forgot to let him in on another detail, "You even bother to know why they were so broken up about the tree?"

Jay shrugged as he took it as a cue to get out, he gathered his tools and stuff to prepare to go back out to the garage, and replied less than enthusiastically not prepared for what he'd hear next looking downcast, "Whatever, sure."

"Julia, Joey's dead wife, and Craig's mom planted that one together, and she was gone not that long afterward because she was sick and died. It was one of the last things they had left of her and she and Joey did together, Jay."

He processed it but felt horrible but tried not to show it, "Now I feel like a jackass."

"Joey was so mad. Craig was mad because that was his mom's thing. Yeah, don't even go there there isn't enough I'm sorry to remedy that one, dude. As far as I know, you're persona non-grata at Casa Jeremiah-Manning-Santos and probably will be forever."

"It's par for the course I guess, it compliments my reputation." He raised his brow laden with false bravado. He got his jollies off knowing that he's a jerk, ball buster, and troublemaker who loved teasing and testing his limits. Sean fails to see his initial allure way back when. "You can be such a mushy gushy guy sometimes."

"Grow up. No wonder you don't have a girlfriend."

Jay humored, as Sean went on, "Both of us, we're so invested and we've had a great year, let us just keep it up and we'll all be golden." He tried to circle back to work. He left the conversation with, "Like I can't have you being this liability messing up relationships left and right because you just don't think before you speak, or don't think before you act. We lost a lot of long-term customers because of your mouth."

"Like who? What about Dempsey's cop-outs or McGee's fuck ups?"

"No longstanding clients like Jimmy Brooks' father and his wife were like customers for years, and you gave Mr. Brooks an attitude because he didn't like something and called you on it and you cursed him out. That's why I'm pissed, you think I do this shit for my health?"

"Dude, I don't know. I'm sorry." Jay was at a loss for words and felt guilty. He may be evil but he has standards. He sometimes is led by his dick, his filterless mouth, and his quick hairpin trigger temper. While Jay and Sean cut from the same or similar fabric, they couldn't be more different. Sean tries to be better and bites his tongue or chooses his words a little more carefully despite the odds stacked against him, feeling spread thin and overworking himself to get away from his home situation, but he never confides about that part to anyone, not even Ellie or Jay. The Holidays make it worse. He rarely calls people out but he finds it helps him feel better, and not be walked all over like some doormat.

"I don't know, don't let it happen again." Sean peeked at the little corner clock on the computer there was still a lot to be done and not much time to do it all. "I mean it. The last thing I want to do is run this place without you, dude."

"Thanks, bro." Jay softly grimaced somewhat sadly but full of fury before pretending to feel better, "I got a lot to do, see you at lunch, good talk though." He excused himself from the conversation and Sean knew no better how upset this conversation left him.

He kicked the crap out of the stall as soon as he got inside the empty bathroom down the hall, and the door fell off the hinge in anger. He hit it so hard that his hand is puffed and bruised. He hadn't let his anger get the best of him, but instead of confiding in someone, he simply buried it and Sean triggered the hairpin trigger to upset Jay enough to act recklessly. He left the bathroom after he calmed down caught his breath and felt ready to get to work. Fuck this Tommy McGee as far as he was concerned he was the enemy.

Tommy was diligently working and then saw Jay return to the garage with the paper towel drenched and wrapped around his ailing hand as he walked by. "When did you hurt that?"Jay ignored him trying not to let him in, and to be mindful of his words and actions. He got straight to work. He had at least a window of 20 minutes to cool off before lunch and just work through it. Tommy stopped what he was doing to attend to Jay softly asking him, "Are you okay?" His intentions were genuine but his timing wasn't great.

The other guys looked on somewhat fearful. Sean was oblivious and busy, despite the fact he knew there was some animosity between Jay and Tommy, and the others. Most of the other mechanics disliked Hogart and couldn't wait to see him get his comeuppance or at least some retaliation or someone to clap back at him. He dropped it and resumed working himself.

"Leave me be." Low voice, gritted teeth, tension.

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay." He put his hand on his shoulder, "Can I see your hand?"

"Leave it." He jerked his shoulder away, "Don't touch me, browser lunatic. If you're gunning for my job don't bother."

"I wasn't-"

"Nonsense I ain't stupid. Jay turned around, "I ain't gonna fight you, I'm not that stupid but let's make one thing clear, I don't like you, McGee. You're shitty, you cut corners, and you think kissing up to Sean is gonna get you anywhere. I run the garage, Sean too but I'm here. I see and know everything."

The other guys were truthfully afraid of Jay, he was bigger than most guys, stronger and taller, and had a mouth on him. They knew he could fight. He knew he'd been around the longest. Sean had been too. He didn't think it was worth losing this job over so he simply said, "Stay out of my way and we'll be cool."

"Whatever," Tommy muttered and resumed his activity with the other car on the lift, and the other guys shuffled away on their task. The day went on without any incidents, lunch, and then dismissal at the regular time and Sean stuck to the plan after he locked up, not knowing about what Jay had done in the bathroom. That would be tomorrow's problem.