Fighting For Life (published)

Aiden's girlfriend

I tried to take calming breaths as I got closer to the house. I always felt nervous when I was going to see his family. I felt inadequate when I went to his house, like they could see right through me and realize that I didn't belong and how awful of a person I was.

I couldn't stop myself from overthinking as I approached the house. They were all too nice to me, and I certainly didn't deserve it. I also think that it was my subconscious reacting in that way because it knew that I didn't belong there. I didn't belong in a family, especially that family. In their nice home where I don't have to worry about bills or grown men who were too aggressive. No, I didn't belong in a home, somewhere nice and safe. I and everyone else knew it.

I almost turned around. Almost, but my want and need for warmth and food outweighed my anxieties and guilt. I pulled out an unsteady hand from my winter coat's pocket and rapped on the door lightly, trying not to hurt my basically frozen hand. The door opened and I was met by the blue eyes I had been wanting to see all day long.

Aiden smiled at me and stepped aside. "Aubry! It's nice to see you. I'm so glad that you came," he said as I walked inside. He helped me slide off my coat and smiled at me fondly. He was so different from when we first had met, and that made me smile with glee.

"Aubry, Aubry, Aubry!" a jumping up and down little Cece said as she grabbed my hand. "I'm so glad you're here! Just in time to help with the Christmas tree!"

My anxiety level raised slightly, I had never decorated a Christmas tree before...

Cece sensed my uneasiness and stopped abruptly. "You do want to decorate with us right?" She asked frowning slightly.

"Yeah... I know that it's a little weird. I mean, most families do it right after thanksgiving, but we have always done it on Christmas eve because my mom used to always be so busy with work. Soon enough, it just became our family tradition." Aiden added shakily. He had misunderstood my hesitance as me thinking that I thought that they were weird.

I started to bend over to get to eye level with the little girl, but stopped immediately as my back protested. I took a sharp breath in and grimaced at the pain. I knew that the pain hadn't been getting better even in the slightest. I guess no rest and the hard playground equipment was catching up to me. Aiden put his hand on my shoulder and helped me stand up right again as he looked at me with a guarded expression.

"Of course I want to decorate the tree with you!" I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster. I paused and smiled at her and then looked to Aiden too. "Don't think that my hesitance has anything to do with your lovely traditions," I said mostly to him. I then turned my full attention to Cece, "it's just... I've never decorated a Christmas tree before. You'll have to show me how to, okay?"

Her eyes lit up. "YOU'VE NEVER DECORATED A CHRISTMAS TREE BEFORE?!?" She exclaimed and practically ran into the living room beckoning me to follow her. I did so and Aiden followed behind, laughing at his little sister's antics.

There was a tall artificial green tree there. It had several ornaments already hanging from the limbs. It was really pretty, even with hardly any décor yet...

Briana came towards me and gave me a small hug "I'm glad you're spending Christmas here with us!" She said and went to decorate more with a smile.

Cece handed me boxes and started bossing both me and Aiden around with vigor. The girl was so small, but I could see that she was going to be something else when she grew up. It made me smile thinking about how much of a whirlwind she'd be.

Dana came in with Christmas cookies and greeted me kindly. She then helped us finish the decorations. As Pawpaw sat and watched while munching on the cookies that Dana had made. It was a very beautiful moment in my opinion. It felt normal.