Airplanes | Spruceworth 6.1 | Wattys2019

Chapter 41: Christmas Eve Eve

Chapter 41: Christmas Eve Eve

       I walked into the kitchen and to the counter where the shoe box was, dropping the paper airplane I just folded into the box. Dad noticed and he smiled softly. "It's good that you're still using that coping method," he said.

       "Well, it has been working so far," I said. "I'm just worried about that stupid burning ceremony or whatever that thing is."

       Dad furrowed his eyebrows. "Why? That's the best part of writing down your thoughts and folding the paper into airplanes. At least, I'd like to think it is."

       "Yes, but you got me paranoid by it," I said. "You said that any of the airplanes that miss the fire are a sign that I still have to work on whatever it is I wrote down. And that will just make me worry about it even more."

       "I told you, that was just the superstitious side of me," Dad said. "You don't even need to look at the airplanes that you miss. You could simply just drop the airplane in the fire."

       "I could but you still got me paranoid," I said.

       "I don't get how you could be paranoid if you don't open the airplanes to see what you wrote," Dad said. "So do you still want to burn them once you fill the shoe box?"

       "Yeah, I guess," I said. "It did help me a bit the first time. I'll just make sure to not actually look at the paper so I don't worry more about it. Especially because I already have enough to worry about."

       "Is everything okay?" Dad asked.

       I sighed. "Sort of, yeah. I'm just... Really worried about Grant. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and he doesn't know what he's going to do."

       "What about Tara?" Dad asked. "Why isn't he spending Christmas with that side of the family?"

       "To be honest, I have no idea," I said. "I thought he would have but he has said nothing about it, and he has seen a lot more miserable recently. He even already warned me that he always wakes up early on Christmas so he's probably going to wake me up then."

       "Have you asked him about it?" Dad asked.

       "I want to," I said. "But I also don't want to bring it up if he doesn't want to talk about it. I am going to go see how he's doing though. Maybe get him to tell me without me being the one to bring it up."

       I headed into my bedroom where Grant was just lying down on the bed, watching something on his phone. He hasn't left the room all day unless he had to go to the washroom or get something to eat.

       I sat down beside him, gently resting my hand on his arm. "Hey," I said. "Are you okay?"

       "Of course I am," Grant said, keeping his eyes on his phone. "I've just felt a bit tired all day. Better not do much so I don't lose all my energy."

       "Do you want to go on a walk with me?" I asked.

       "Ollie, I just said I've felt tired all day," Grant said. "I'd rather not go on a walk."

       "Please?" I asked.

       Grant sighed and sat up, turning to face me. "You're lucky it's hard for me to say no to you."

       I smiled softly and kissed Grant's cheek before we both got off of the bed and left the bedroom, heading to the front door and putting all our winter clothing on. Spruceworth got very cold during December, especially when it was snowing.