FLOWER ARE BETTER WHEN THEY'RE FAKE (COMPLETED)

Chapter 11

I woke up around 8 o'clock. I got up from the couch and rubbed my sore eyes. My chest was in, like, physical pain but I guess it was because I was sleeping on my stomach. I saw Dad's bag on the table. It was open with his papers spilled all over the table. There was a cup of I guess either hot chocolate or coffee sitting there, all cold, and a plate with some snacks. I guess he tried to finish some work there. I wanted to read them and see what was going on but I felt guilty and let them be. Then there was Dad. He was sitting on the couch next to the unlit fireplace. His mouth was open and a blanket hugged him tightly. His pen was still in his hand, poised to continue writing. He looked very tired.

I decided to wake him up and try to get some holiday cheer in the air. But before all that I need to make food. The safest thing you can do to protect yourself from another person you are trying to wake up, who also likes to accidentally chuck alarm clocks at you, is to present them with food before waking. I stumbled like a drunk person to the kitchen to try to make food. My legs felt like jelly, which did not help. I was still feeling very sleepy but I forced myself to stay awake by drinking water that had temperatures like the Antarctic. I took out everything I needed to make food with a side of yawn each time.

"Dad," I said 10 minutes later, nudging his shoulder to wake him up.

He opened his eyes very slowly and I could barely make out an audible "What?" as he tries to go back to sleep. 

"Here," I said as I held out a bowl of mac and cheese. I made plans to make beef tacos but I could not keep my eyes open. He opened his eyes again and saw the bowl. He looked at it for a second then looked at me. I continued to hold out the bowl, and give him that look to take it, until he took it with a shrug of his shoulder. He started to dig in while I sat by his legs, leaning on them. I kept quiet until he said something, but if I continued this we would not talk till next year. "Let's open some presents, yeah?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he said after he miraculously managed to swallow a huge bite. He took a couple more bites and took his sweet time eating each noodle.

I inched myself closer to the tree. Underneath there were about 20 gifts altogether, 4 for each of us from each of us. Saint Nick was supposed to come this year but there was almost no point.  I grabbed all the presents with Dad's name on it and bunched them together. His empire soon fell and he got down from his throne, joining me on the floor in defeat. He pulled the closest box towards himself and began the Olympics event of gift opening.

"From Joshua, To Me," he said as he read it off the name tag.

Yawning, he ripped off the wrapping paper and tore the box open. Inside was a Great White shark showpiece. It looked like the ones you can get at a souvenir shop at the aquarium. But this was the most dripped out shark I have seen. Bling covered the shark from nose to tail, and the eyes were as glorious as diamonds. It had a big smile like a cheesy 80's cartoon rapper which made the whole thing perfect. To go along with the shark Joshua got him a matching pen, also dripped out. This present has been an on-going joke between them. Kevin O'Leary had something to do with it.

He pulled Dani's present next. He opened the intricate wrapping design on the box, verbally telling me he felt bad for ruining a piece of artwork. Inside was a gift set of a throw pillow that looked like Winnie's honey pot and blanket that was bright yellow and red, a card, and a jar of something called "Calm Sleep Drink Mix". I grabbed the jar and read the ingredients while he read the card.

"Dear Clay, if you are going to sleep on the job you may as well be comfortable. Yours Sincerely, Daniella."

I stopped reading the package and looked at him. "When did you-" a yawn interrupted "-sleep at work?"