Saved Or Broken?

Chapter 91

Today is Christmas Eve and I can't be more excited about it.

Dad and I have cooked roasted turkey, tuna and some salad, apart from the typical Christmas desserts that we bought.

Now Lola and I are setting the table singing Christmas carols, as we do every year.

"There are two plates left" my mom says watching us from the couch.

"There are four, who else is coming?" I ask surprised because they haven't said anyone else was coming.

When I was a kid my grandparents used to come, my dad's parents, but they died in a car accident when I was five, and ever since then it has always been the four of us on Christmas Eve.

"My parents are coming" she says emotionless.

"What?" I have only seen my mom's parents about a dozen times in my life. They live in the other side of the country, and my mom has never had a good relation with them.

"They moved to this town recently and your dad thought we should invite them"

This is just too weird, since when does my mom even care about what my dad thinks they should do?
I feel completely lost.
I don't know if the time I spent living out of this house has made me change the perspective of my home, or if things are actually getting weird here, but this is all new for me.

We add two extra plates to the table and I finishing wrapping some Christmas gifts.

I got my mom a necklace with a small heart on it, my dad a wristwatch and a pair of socks, he is that kind of person that likes to receive typical Christmas gifts like sueter and socks, and I got Lola a book and a pink handbag.

I also goy Mason a new camera. He loves photography, and that is his job, and he has been talking about a new camera that he really wants to have, so I used some of the money I've saved from my job at the café to buy it for him.

I can't wait to give it to him; he is going to love it and he doesn't expect it at all!

At dinner time, my grandparents knock on the door.

My grandma, Sara, is exactly like my mom, despite her hair is whiter; she is small and skinny, her makeup is always perfect and she always seems to be ready to go to a formal event.

I don't know much about her personality, but for what I know, she is similar to my mom, which is the reason why they don't get alone.

Tonight, she is wearing a nude skirt and a white blouse, and heels, of course.

My granddad, Roberto, is taller. He is bold and has a white moustache.
He is wearing a black suit and his shoes shine.

I don't have a lot of memories with my grandparents, but I do remember Roberto being really funny.

My mom opens the door for them, cold and emotionless.
My dad looks a bit more enthusiastic about having them around.

"Happy Christmas Eve!" Roberto says handing my dad a box with the name of a bakery shop on it; I guess it is a cake or other sort of dessert.

"Lola, you are really pretty, sweetie" My grandma tells my sister, acting like she sees her every day.

"Thanks, grandma" she smiles.

"Call me Sara, honey" She fakes a laugh. She doesn't want to be called 'grandma' because it makes her sound old.

After the politically correct greetings, we move to the table to have dinner.

Conversation is flowing and I thought this would be more uncomfortable.

"So, Jess, tell us; are you enjoying your time in the US?" My grandma asks me.

"Yeah, I am having a great time. It's also a lot of work, but it is worth it"

"We are really proud of you" Robert smiles.

It is weird that he feels 'proud of me' because even though I am his granddaughter, he barely knows me and I barely know him.

After dinner they give us some chocolates as Christmas gifts, which I really enjoy and appreciate, and my parents look at each other as if they wanted to tell them something, but they don't say anything and after a while Sara and Roberto leave our house.

Lola repeats a million times that we should exchange gifts now instead of waiting until the morning, but after countless efforts, we finally get to convince her that if she has been waiting an entire year, she can wait one more night.

Then I call Mason; he was going to spend Christmas Eve with his sister, but she will leave right after dinner to be home for Christmas day, when he will be alone.

I am really sorry he can't spend such a special day with his family, but I also know he is happier being alone than with them.

I tell him about the awkward dinner with my grandparents, and he tells me he is cooking for tonight, which is still weird even though I am used to time zones.

'I miss you, beautiful, I can't wait to go see you'

'Me too. Happy Christmas Eve, have fun with your sister, I love you'

I get in bed feeling like a five year old girl who can't wait to wake up to the most special morning of the year: Christmas morning.