The Night Before Christmas: A collection of four short Christmas Eve stories by Angelique Jurd

Author:Angelique Jurd [Jurd, Angelique]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Small Black Cat Media
Published: 2018-12-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHRISTMAS SHELLS

(Alex & Ben)

“Really? That’s the one you’re going with?”

“Yeah. It’s perfect.”

Alex sighs and counts back from ten, rocking the stroller to distract a less than impressed Lucy who has been trying to wriggle out of her straps for ten minutes. He suspects she finds Christmas Trees boring and he’s inclined to agree with her. “It’s too big.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Ben–”

“It’s not like there’s a great selection, baby.” Ben waves his hand around the near empty lot. “It’s this or one of the half dead ones.”

“And whose fault is that?” Alex throws his arms up in frustration. They’d had a perfectly good Christmas tree with perfectly good decorations. Right up until yesterday when Ben had decided that since it was raining, he would roll the tennis ball around the living room for Bart. Alex tried to stop him. Their sixteen-year-old, Jamie tried to stop him. Hell, Ally tried to stop him. And when the inevitable after the ball as it rolled behind the tree, and tree and decorations crashe to a loud and messy end, Lucy had broken the silence with a loud and clearly enunciated “shit”.

“Dork Dog’s,” Ben replies with a grin. Alex shakes his head. God knows he loves Ben but some days …

“How exactly are you going to get that thing home?”

“Roof. Volvo. Not rocket science baby.”

“Daddy.” Alex looks down when Ally tugs on his shirt. The same wide, green eyes as Ben’s blink at him.

“Yeah honey?”

“I’m hungry.”

Alex sighs and tries one last time, even though he knows it’s pointless. “You’ll never get it on the car.”

“The guys here will help me.” Ben gestures to a couple of guys leaning against the fence and Alex throws his hands up in defeat. “Why don’t you take the girls over to Melinda’s and order lunch while we get it on the roof and then I’ll be right over.”

Ally whoops in agreement and starts bouncing around Alex’s legs listing off things she wants for lunch. In her stroller, Lucy kicks her feet and parrots her sister’s requests.

“Fine, just remember we said we’d pick Jamie up from Leo’s on the way home, so that means we have to drive around with that thing on top.” Ally pulls on his shirt again, this time trying to get him to come on Daddy, I’m hungry. “Okay, okay I’m coming.”

Leaving Ben to organize the tree, Alex takes the girls over the road to Melinda’s bakery and cafe. A small hand-written card on the corner table says RESERVED BEN & ALEX so he steers the stroller in that direction. Lucy’s eyes widen to comic proportions as she looks around. Tinsel and lights hang from every possible hook and handle. The top of the cake cabinet is now home to a plushie Santa, his sleigh, and three reindeer, one who which has a bright red nose. In the opposite corner is a small, artificial tree surrounded by brightly wrapped boxes.

“Daddy. Out. Out!” Lucy squirms, trying to wriggle free. He unbuckles the harness and swings her up onto his hip.

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