I Really Can't Stay

Date: 12/26/2016

It's the holidays and I can feel the stress of having to entertain guests at the family party pushing at my sanity. I'm between little ones and humoring grandparents and serving food. I'm nearly through a bottle of coconut rum when I hear a knock at the door. My youngest cousin comes screaming to my drunk mom that there's someone at the door. The door swings open and my fluttering drunken heart crashes down. There he is. His round glasses windowing his rainy-sky-colored eyes. He smiles with his chipped tooth glistening in the setting winter sun. He's clearly charming my mother as I come walking over. He smiles politely to my mom and asks for a moment outside with me. His hair is perfect. Snowflakes pepper his quaffed hair and eyelashes. His long fingers wrap around the cool metal of his glasses as he slides them off and untucks his black scarf from his long, gray woolen coat. It looks warm. I wouldn't mind a climb inside. "So," he starts to wipe his glasses, "Merry Christmas." He slides them back on. "Merry Christmas ---." I reply with a hint of playfulness in my voice. Maybe it was the rum's voice. "You look like you've been having fun." "You want some?" He chuckles and I'm proud of that remark, "Why not?" He steps inside and I avoid the jeers of my family members as I go to discretely pour him a drink into an empty coke can. Before I know it he's the life of the family party and too drunk to drive himself home. Luckily, my parents had fallen asleep by the time most of the guests had left. He had fallen asleep on the couch and was the last of the company. I poked his rib playfully, causing him to jolt. He groaned and rolled over. "It's cold up here, come on." I took him by the hand as he stumbled into the basement, which had a warm but worn couch, four blankets, and an artificial fireplace I had all ready for him. I had folded his jacket and placed him boots just at the foot of the couch. He was all settled and I turned to leave. Before I had the chance he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me close. It was a merry Christmas indeed.