"fa la la la La la la la. Tis' the season to be jolly. fa la la la La la la la."
"DO WE REALLY HAVE TO WEAR THESE UGLY SWEATERS?" HALEY ASKED FIXING HER GREEN CHRISTMAS SWEATER. All the Dunphys, wearing Christmas sweaters Phil's parents had sent them, were in the living room where the Christmas tree was. No one liked the sweaters, especially the kids.
"Yea mom. It's really hot!" Amelia whined. The heat had been killing her and the Persian blue sweater did not help. "My neck hole's too small," Luke followed his older sister. "Mine's itchy," Alex said, irritated. "You know what, I'd rather be itchy than choky.
"Come on Phil. Hurry up," Claire said tired of her children's constant complaining. Phil had been setting up the laptop so that they could facetime his parents and wish them. "Okay. here we go."
Phil pressed a few keys on the laptop nervously. "Connecting...," He placed his hand over his mouth anxiously. "Come on Florida over! Mom? Dad?"
"Hello Phillip," Frank Dunphy, Phil's father, greeted him once they connected. They could only see above his eyes due to the camera positioning.
Phil removed his hand from his mouth and let out a small and short laugh. Amelia formed a smile, the best she could conjure.
"Merry Christmas Eve!" All the Dunphys said in sync with (fake) enthusiasm. "Merry Christmas Eve!" Frank wished back with equal enthusiasm.
"A little... A little lower Dad," Phil said referring to the camera positioning. "Merry Christmas Eve!" Frank said again but this time with a lower pitch, as a joke. Amelia forced out a laugh, along with the other Dunphys, and wiped the sweat that cover her face.
"Thank You... thanks for the sweaters!" Claire said to Frank. "Oh, You're welcome. You look beautiful in them darling." Frank adjusted his camera so that they could see him properly.
"Where's mom?" Phil asked noticing the absence of his mother. "Mom is sinking fast," Frank joked. "She's in the bathtub."
Forced laughs once again covered the living room. Amelia's laugh sounded more fake than ever, her attention completely being on how hot she was feeling.
"They have their claw foot," Phil told Claire as frank called his wife. "Hey pops, here's the tree," Phil said moving the laptop so his father could see the Christmas tree. "And, uh, there's... there the uh, the ornament you sent us," Phil said as Claire walked over to the tree and held up the crystal start so that frank could see it. "Right here. Right here."
He turned the laptop towards the fireplace where there were six stockings. "There are the stockings. Hung by the chimney by Claire. "Still funny son," Frank's voice said from the computer as Phil turned the laptop to face him.
"What was the joke?" Haley asked Amelia softly so that no one else could. "Ah You wouldn't get it," Amelia said, even though she herself hadn't understood what the joke was. She wiped the sweat on her face, this time with her sleeve which was something she immediately regrated. The wool started to stick to her face, irritating her more.
"What the hell is that?" Claire question no one in particular looking the the couch's arm. "Still funny," Frank said from the screen. "What is what?"
Claire walked closer to the couch so she could get a clear look. Amelia too peered at the somewhat small circular burn.
"It looks like a cigarette burn. Was one of you smoking a cigarette?" Claire asked her family. 'I think we all know who it was," Amelia, who was fanning herself with her hand, said looking at her older sister.
