Patrick
As the season progresses the team gets closer together and we get better on the ice too. Even with the success of the team and how much I love hockey, I really do love the holidays. And since I don't get to celebrate thanksgiving with my family due to the away trip Christmas meant just that much more to me. And this year we were holding a huge get together at the farm. The boys and their family, my family, Lizzie's real and adopted family, and the band was all coming out to celebrate with us. We got a seven foot tree so everyone's gift can fit under it. The team did secret Santa so that should be interesting, always is with them.
Christmas morning my mom, Elizabeth, her adopted mom, and Lindsey have been in the kitchen cooking all morning preparing for the meal. I was out back with my dad and Elizabeth's dad as we feed the animals. I feed the baby calf as she takes the whole bottles so quickly, she she grows so much so she'll need it. She she be moving to grass soon so that's exciting.
"How has Sweetie been" her adopted dad Jesse asks.
"She lives up to her name. Sure doesn't act like a senior citizen" I admit.
"She's a good one. Her and Elizabeth sure did have some good times" he admits.
"You wouldn't happen to have any pictures would you" Tyler asks and Jesse smiles big.
"I have a bunch inside if you would like to see them" Jesse offers.
"I would love to" Tyler admits. They go inside and I go welcome some more people in. Soon enough the house was filled and loud. I see Elizabeth's sister siting in the corner by herself looking around and decide to go talk to her. I know Elizabeth isn't her favorite but she has no one here to talk to and was just chilling in the corner by herself. I felt bad.
"Hey, how are you" I ask sitting next to her. She looks at me weird and I get confused. I'm met with silence as she studied me closely. "Umm are you excited for Christmas" I try.
"You don't have to act like you like me" she snaps and I was taken aback a little.
"I have barley talked to you in the two and a half years I've known you. I'm not "acting like I like you", I'm trying to get to know you" I defend.
"Yeah whatever" she grumbles before getting up and walking away. Well that went well. I get up and find Elizabeth and pull her aside.
"Hey Pat, what's up" she asks.
"Your sister... is she always like that" I ask pointing to the almost 30 year old pouting in the corner.
"Yeah... she's.... she's different. I wish I knew what I did to her so I could make it better" she sighs.
"I'm not sure she's someone you want to be friends with" I admit.
"She's family. We choose friends but we don't choose family. I sure do wish I had another option though" she mumbles causing me to laugh.
Eventually the food finishes cooking and everyone settles in around the house. I sit at a table with everyone in the living room and dining room. It was hard to fit everyone but they all made it in 2 tables. I look across at Lizzie's sister as she just picks at her food. She sat there quietly the whole time.
"So, what is it that you do" Brandon Saad asks her and I watch carefully.
"I work at a animal shelter down town" she says.
"That's cool, do you like it there" he asks.
"I like animals so I enjoy it" she shrugs.
"It must be cool having Elizabeth as a sister huh" he asks and I freeze.
"She's not this perfect little girl you thinks she is" she replies and that kind of upset me. Why does she want to hurt her?
"Nobody is, but you knew her before all of this so that's nice I guess" he tries.
"Yeah, and she's still just a bitch" she claims and I drop the fork I was holding.
"Shantell" her dad warns.
"No dad, I'm tired of everyone acting like she's little miss perfect. Worshiping her like she was some gift sent from heaven. Even before she was a singer and before her celebrity boyfriend everyone treated her like a princess and threw me to the side. I'm tired of acting like I'm okay with that" she yells. It falls silent and everyone kind of looks around.
"I never meant to hurt you Shantell. In fact I wanted to be friends with you but I don't know what I did wrong so I could fix it" Elizabeth insists.
"You're not a part of my family but you're more of a daughter to my parents than I ever was. You came into my family and messed everything up. You knew exactly what you were doing, sucking up to my parents and kicking me to the side on the way. Every holiday it's Lizzie this and Lizzie that, not even a second glance my way when you're around. And even when you're not around I'm still stuck in your shadows like the sun never sets around me. I'm sick of it" she claims.
"You still haven't told me what I've done wrong..." Lizzie trials off.
"Because you haven't don't anything to me directly. It's just the fact that these people think everything you do is holy and perfect. They wouldn't have thought that when you were in high school..." she trials off.
"Shantell don't" her mom warns.
"Why don't you tell them what happened Lizzie" Shantell says giving some mean side eye.
"Shut up" Elizabeth mumbles.
"No. Tell them" Shantell says a bit louder.
"Shantell I think you should leave" her mom says.
"No. I think it should be known that Elizabeth isn't perfect. She's not some angel sent from heaven. In fact... she got so drunk one night she passed out in the house completely naked after crawling home from whatever boys house she was at that night. And we can sit here and act like she had always been this innocent and pure girl but she wasn't. She used to get so wasted and slept around with everyone just so they would like her. But she won't tell you that, no one will. Because you all like to believe this front she's putting on.
But then one day when she comes home late at night drunk as hell crying because she fucked up she gets treated like she never did anything wrong. Not so much as a pointer finger pointed her way or a slap on the wrist. She got to fuck around for a whole year because she was "discovering herself" meanwhile if I even wanted to hang out with my friends I was being irresponsible. But I guess it doesn't matter because she's sooooo fucking perfect" she spits. I stand up and Lizzie pulls me back down.
"Want to know the real difference between me and you? Because it's not that your parents aren't mine or that we went separate ways, no. It's because I owned up to mistakes and i don't just get mad at the world when things don't go my way. I can assure you that I'm not proud of myself for what I've done, and mom and dad aren't either. But instead of me blaming other people because I fucked up I changed. I'm not acting like those things never happened because I know they did. Every time I smell alcohol I am reminded of my problems. But I learned from my mistakes and I can assure you they won't happen again. I'm not this perfect little girl you think people see me as. I own up to my flaws. That's why they like me. Nothing you say can phase me because I already know. But you trying to use my mistakes against me, that I have a problem with. I've worked so hard to become the person I am today, the real me. And I'm sorry you felt like I'm your problem but I'm not. You are. These people around this table are here because they don't care about my mistakes, because mistakes don't defy us. That's why they're called mistakes. And I've tried to be nice to you and invite you to things but you won't let me love you. It's obvious to me now that you don't deserve it" Lizzie claims.
"I don't want anything to do with you" Shantell admits.
"Then I'm going to have to ask you to leave" Lizzie spits back. Shantell gathers her things and leaves but the room was still kind of weird after she leaves.
"Baby I'm so sorry" Jesse says.
"It's okay dad. Nothing she says will phase me. But I do think you should go be with her" Elizabeth claims. She goes to get her gifts for her parents before packing them some food up.
"I knew it" Corey whispers and I nail him in the head with a dinner roll. The mood eventually lightens and soon enough it was like nothing ever happened.
We all sit around the tree and pass out presents. After telling everyone who the secret Santa was we were able to yell at each other face to face. Elizabeth sits in my lap and sets something in my hand.
"What's this" I ask.
"Christmas gift, open" she encourages. I take the stuffing out of the back and see a note that says go outside.
"Wow! A piece of paper! Thank you" I tease and she smacks my chest.
"Stop being a smart ass" she jokes. We get up and I pull on a coat. She takes me to the stables and I see a horse that wasn't there before. It was a beautiful black mustang and he was probably the most attractive horse ever.
"You said you wanted a black mustang" she giggles and I turn to her.
"You got me a horse" I ask.
"Yeah. You said you wanted one of your own and Sweetie won't be able to carry both of us forever. Now you can have your own horse" she says. She calls it over and it stops in front of us. She puts my hand on his nose and he rubs against me.
"Aww he loves you" she smiles.
"He's beautiful. What's his name" I wonder.
"Harley" she says and I smile big. I like it. It continues the lightly snow and I look at my fiancé. Today wasn't ideal but it was still pretty great.
"Listen... I'm sorry about earlier. I should have told you about that but I was scared-" she starts but I cut her off with a kiss.
"I don't care Liz. That's not you, I know it's not. It's not like I went out and told you of all my mistakes because that stuff is hard to talk about. I get it. I really do" I whisper.
"Why are you so good to me" she whispers.
"Because baby... I love you. So much" I insist.