SHMONEY
Shababy🔥🖤
merry bhristmas, honeybee
🎅🏽🎄
shiiiiiiit
Merry Christmas, bbaby g
how are you?
I'm fine thank you, Zayn
are you going to your
parents house
yeahhhhh
does that mean I won't
get to see you today?
I don't think so😭
😤😤😤
sorry
lemme FaceTime you
then
Sari grinned when her phone started to ring, answering it immediately despite her still being bundled up in the bed.
"So...you didn't just take that picture?"
"No, that's from yesterday when I tried on wigs," she hid her smile behind the covers, "you're still in bed, too?"
"I mean, it's nine in the morning, honeybee."
"Don't take my pet names," she pouted, "you're stealing my shit, Columbus."
"Columbus. That's so hot."
"Please, stop," she giggled softly and kept staring at the top of his head, "you cut your hair again."
"Mhm."
"Stop that."
"Nope," he grinned, "when should we exchange gifts?"
"I don't know, babe. You wanna try tomorrow?"
"Sure," she pouted. Zayn pouted also, his hand on his bearded chin. "You're really bummed, aren't you?"
"I haven't seen you in person in so long."
"Bear--"
"I'm a loser aren't I? I didn't want a break but I did it all because I know you'd be proud of me in the end."
"I am proud of you, Sari," he sat up and frowned at the camera, "what made you think I wasn't?"
"I--"
"You know me better than that."
"I know."
"Sari," she looked towards the camera at the sound of her name. Zayn was grinning from ear to ear, his beautiful brown eyes shining. "I love you, baby."
"I love you, too, Zaynie."
"Smile for me, babe."
"No," she ducked her head in the covers and Zayn was laughing his ass off.
"I see it!"
"Stop it."
"I love you, sweat pea."
"Bye," she heard him laugh again before hanging up.
SHMONEY
"Sorry, I'm late!" Sari and Tasha walked through Patricia's house, weaving through friends and relatives. Some were already eating but others were waiting for Sari's family favorite greens. She was the bomb.
"Honey, thank goodness!" Rodney took the a pot from her hands and guided them both to the kitchen, "what happened? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's just colder than we thought so I had to change accordingly."
"Only you," Rodney shook his head and sat the pot on the stove.
"Everyone, please gather around for the prayer, thank you," Patricia announced in the living room.
"Sari finally showed up?" someone yelled out.
"Who said that? Was it you, Eric?"
"Shush!" Patricia laughed and everyone tried to fit in the living room. Almost thirty people showed up, those cousins she barely knew, the aunties from the north with the bomb potato salad, and those uncles that bring their own homemade liquor -- her family was country AF -- and the snot nose cousins who always wanted to play some damn games.
There was only one person missing.
Her grandma.
And Rodney junior saw it in her eyes, so he simply wrapped his arm around her and smiled.
"Lil' sis."
"Shut up, RJ," she scoffed, "I'm fine, please don't ask."
"I'm not," obviously, because Sari was really close with her grandma before she passed in June, weeks after that family reunion and weeks after she met Zayn. She was heartbroken and didn't exactly come to terms with it yet. It was still fresh.
And today was her birthday.
"Rodney," Patricia hinted for him to start praying. Everyone grabbed hands and Sari just leaned into her brother and closed her eyes, really feeling like she was at home.
"Father, God, we come here to day to celebrate your only begotten Son's birthday, the true meaning of Christmas for us all. We ask that you open our hearts and ears on this blessed day. We don't ask for much besides for us to have a fantastic Christmas. Even though some didn't make it to this point in the year," he held his wife's hand tighter, "we ask that you send them our love. Bless the food that was prepared by these wonderful men and women, whether it was homemade or store bought--"
"Alright now, Rodney," one of Sari's aunties cut in with a smile, other family members let out low chuckles and snorts. She was always known to buy the food she said she was making.
"And use this food for the nourishment of our bodies. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen."
"Amen," the family stayed sort of in unison. Sari headed into the kitchen with Tasha, beginning to make plates for the older people first.
"Sari," her cousin Frank junior stood at the counter with a knowing smile on her face, "what time is it?"
She rolled her eyes. "Frank, it's Christmas, so we can't go on any 'store runs' because they're closed."
"RJ and Jerald are coming with me to get my 'snowball fighting shoes' later," he replied with a. Lazy grin.
"I'm gonna have to pass on that," she replied, "first of all, it's not even close to snowing, Frank. Second of all, you got me messed up on Thanksgiving, I'm not going through that until next year."
"Suit yourself," he shrugged and stared Tasha up and down, "T? Wanna come, shawty?"
"Uh, no thanks, Frank," she stuttered a little, smiling and looking away, "I'm good."
"Lemme know when you change your mind," he winked and left the kitchen.
"Frank still likes you," Saris stated the obvious, "and you still have a crush."
"Shut up, I do not. He's so fine, though."
"You've got a fiancé, Tasha."
"Not for long, Sari," she sang back and set out a plate Patricia grabbed in a second, "were sort of done. After one session. Even the therapist was like, 'nah, y'all gotta go'."
"And there's no way--"
"No," she smiled, "and I think I'm glad at that part. I didn't need that negativity. So, I'm moving out of the house and into an apartment and he's leaving too."
"Aww, T," Sari pouted, "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Yeah, thanks," she sighed, "I gotta tell my mom, though. I'm supposed to go over there later."
"She's gonna flip," Sari laughed, "she thought he was like...a heaven sent angel or something."
"Crazy."
"Sari, give your aunt Ethel her plate please," Rodney came in and huffed, "everyone else is about to file in so I suggest y'all get out while you still can."
"Okay, okay," she put the last of what she needed on the plate and scrambled out behind Tasha, "Auntie!"
"Hey, honey!" her great aunt -- her grandmother's sister -- exclaimed in delight, "how are you?"
"I'm fine, how are you?" she set the plate down on the tray and kissed her forehead.
"Good, good. Thank you, dear."
"No proble--"
"Sari, door!" RJ yelled from the couch with a mouth full of food. How he managed to get a plate so quick baffled her.
"You're closest, Rodney."
"I know but I'm not getting up."
"Ugh," Cesaria walked over and opened the door, only to almost have a heart attack.
"Hey, Bear."
"Omg!" she squealed and hugged Zayn tightly, letting the door close so they were both outside, "what are you doing here?"
"I couldn't go on with Christmas without seeing my baby," he laughed and snuggled his face in her neck ,"how are you?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she pulled away and still held onto him, "what are you doing--"
"I just came to stop by," and he looked so good and beautiful. She missed it. "My lil' thickums. I love this sweater."
"Thank you, it lights up!" she shook it a little and the small lights started blinking on Rudolph's nose.
"So ugly," he chuckled, "may I come in?"
"Of course, of course. My mom's gonna go crazy."
And Sari was definitely going crazy on the inside.
SHMONEY
hi guys merry late christmas
this chapter is really close to my heart okay so okay
and there will only be one update today because I'm just super tired. not really, I just don't want to
OH AND make sure you read the author's not in the next chapter. it's importante