The Girlfriend

HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Christmas

This special was put together for the holidays but wasn't put up in time because I took some time off for myself. I hope everyone had a lovely holiday, and if you don't celebrate anything then I hope the end to your 2020 has been as joyous as mine! I love you all and I should have the New Year's special up tomorrow.

Patrick

"What if she doesn't like me?" Panic crept into Lydia's voice but she looked remarkably calm.

"Mum will love you because I love you. Stop overthinking this."

She scoffed and stopped a server as he went by, stealing a glass of champagne off the tray. "Have you even met me?"

I smirked and pulled her closer. "Unfortunately, I have."

She glanced up at me for long enough for me to see her roll her eyes before shoving the glass into my hand. "Drink this, I need to live vicariously through you for the next six months."

I happily obliged. Dia's attention to me and Jon drinking had been averted by my family and hers deciding to shake our lives up and to be honest, I don't think she really noticed how much we both still drank, but I was more than willing to let her live through us while she was restricted. Especially at a party where I was trying to tune out the whispering of our relationship.

My mothers threw a charity gala every year at their Hampton's estate the weekend after Thanksgiving. This year it was for a cancer patient fund that helped those going through treatment pay their hospital bills, housing costs, and cover transportation.

Lydia had already met Lucy, my birth mother, but she hadn't met her partner Nora yet, and I wasn't quite sure that this was the best environment to meet considering all the people watching us.

Lydia nudged my arm and nodded towards the small group by the fountains. "There's your mom..."

All the attention was directed towards her as she laughed loudly, tossing her head back to make herself heard. The invitation said no gold or silver dresses, the reason being that she and Nora couldn't wear the same colour as their guests, and she certainly stood out in the room with her floor-length gold ballgown. The centre of attention as always.

"Pat!" a low feminine voice called.

I turned and searched the crowd, there was a murmur that passed through as Nora shoved her way off the back porch and made her way toward us. Her silver gown billowed out around her and I heard Lydia's soft gasp as the woman rushed to our side. She was on me in a flash, pulling me in for a determined hug in a cloud of Chanel perfume.

Nora Garnier had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember, always living with us, always mum's partner, and consistently there to keep us grounded. If I believed mum then she met Nora while in Toulouse, France when I was about six months old, how she managed to convince a black libertine French woman in university to forsake her life and come with mum to the States, I would never understand but whatever she did, it worked.

Nora was everything mum needed and they balanced each other perfectly; mum's scatterbrained eccentricism was countered by Nora's ever-present calm and organized demeanour, mum was loud and rambunctious while Nora was quiet and cool, easily sliding into conversations and commanding the room with her natural ability to captivate an audience.

"Mum," I greeted as we pulled apart. I gestured to very pale looking Lydia. "Lydia, this is my other mother, Nora."

"It's great to meet you," Lydia gushed, shaking Nora's hand excitedly.

Mum smirked and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Don't be so formal, love. Lord knows Luce and I aren't."

I snickered and shoved my hands in my pockets. "Don't listen to her, Dia. They set the table with formal place settings even when no one else is coming over."