𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐛.𝐛)

Christmas

Alfredo slept with me in the bed last night. I was blessed with his butt right in my face the second I woke up. 

What a way to start Christmas. 

Then I remember I can't fly out to my family. 

I loved Christmas, more than anything. It was always a excuse to be with my family for an extended period of time. As the snow fell from the New York sky, I stretched with my mannerless cat and watched the landscape of the snow draping and covering the buildings rooftops. Kids on the ground floor running around and throwing snow balls at each other. I chuckle before almost passing out. 

My phone rang from the nightstand and I answer the facetime to the contact Emmie. 

"Merry Christmas!" She proclaims. I laugh before repeating her.  

"Merry Christmas Em. How is Luke?" I ask. She tilts her phone up to the man she's snuggled up against. He gives me a friendly smile and I return one back. 

"I'm good. How's the fam?" Luke asks. His dark, charming hair was neatly combed. Probably Emma's doing. He had green eyes, but looked hazel to any bystander. I chuckled at his attempt to use 'slang.' He still tried to be 'hip' and 'cool. His words not mine.

"I think they're alright. I'm not seeing them until New Years." I admit, becoming a bit more defeated as we speak. 

He gives me a frowny face before giving me is sorrow. "I'm sorry you can't be with your family. You're always welcome over here. You know that." 

Of course I do. I once kicked Luke out of  his own bed after a breakup I had. Emma and I didn't leave their bed till 6 pm the next day. 

"I know. I think I have dinner plans with some previous clients. They always send me an invite to the party his company holds. May actually go." I remember. Alfredo paws at the closed bedroom door and I follow him out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. 

Emma's face returns to the screen and I give her a goofy face. She returns one back. 

"If you wanna drop by after your party tonight, I have some gifts for you." She says. I roll my eyes, remembering that not two weeks ago I told her to not buy gifts. "Don't roll your eyes, when have I ever listened to your rules?" She blabs. 

We have our share of good byes before she ends the call. I drag to the bathroom and Alfredo follows from his designated spot on the corner of the bench that rests at the end of my bed. I brush my teeth and the usual morning routine before making my way to the kitchen. 

Mom isn't in the kitchen, making her cinnamon rolls. 

"C'mon Al, lets get you some food." I cheer, pouring him is small bowl of cat food. I make my coffee before looking around my decorated penthouse. That's empty. No family. No friends. Just a tree filled with ornaments with no sentimental value. 

God I would kill to be at home. 

I pulled my mug from the coffee maker and grab a blanket and slippers. I follow Alfredo to the terrace. We sit down, on the cold concrete against the penthouse walls. Thankfully my pajamas were warm enough to not make my butt freeze off. I cross my legs and the white fur ball plops himself into my lap. I take that as my sign to wrap us as we watch the buzz of the streets. Familes running to Chinese restaurants that I happen to live right down the road from. Kids still having snowball fights and making snow men. 

That's what's so amazing about New York. You never have to worry about a white Christmas. It's a neutral. If you want to achieve your dreams, you come to New York. If you want to hide in the shadows, you come to New York. I wouldn't move unless my family were to move. They live in Massachusetts. I don't love that they live in Boston. But it's better than LA, which they were actually considering.