Katlyn Duncan - Wrapped Up for Christmas

As they drove by, Angie smiled, fondly thinking about her dad grumbling to himself for the entire month and a half about the outrageous display. The image of his face burned into her eyes, imprinting on her memory as Jeremy pulled into the driveway of her childhood home.

Colored lights climbed the highest peaks of the house and sloped toward the ground. A swooping sensation filled her, stealing her breath. Coming home was what she needed. She knew that now more than ever.

A familiar station wagon sat in her old spot on the driveway. The rusted edges of the wheel wells had extended to the back bumper. She was surprised it still ran. Angie’s mom must have invited her nonni over for dinner, knowing Angie was coming home. She braced herself for tight embraces and sloppy cheek kisses, but couldn’t help smiling. Her home had been a place to run away from for years. Now she wanted nothing more than the familiar.

Reese yawned and turned in her seat as much as she could. ‘We would love to visit, but I’m exhausted. This little angel sucks up all my energy. Let’s meet up tomorrow?’

Angie leaned over and kissed her friend on the cheek. ‘Definitely.’ She opened the door and hopped out of the car. ‘Thanks for picking me up.’

Jeremy grabbed two of her bags before they walked together to the porch with Angie rolling the last, and her carry on. She wasn’t sure where she was going to put everything.

‘How is she doing?’ Angie asked as they approached the house, out of Reese’s earshot.

‘She’s having trouble sleeping,’ Jeremy said, massaging the back of his neck. ‘I’ve been on the sofa.’

Angie spotted movement from behind the living room curtains. ‘Let me know if you need help with anything.’ Not like I have much to do anymore. I’m jobless, homeless, hopeless … She shook the negative thoughts from her mind.

‘Sure thing,’ he said. ‘It’s nice to have you back. Reese will never say it, but she misses you. Even more now with the baby on the way.’

‘Hormones?’ Angie tried to make light of the conversation. She hadn’t been the best best-friend since moving to California.

‘She’s become more emotional. It’s an adjustment for everyone.’

Angie sighed. So much had gone on the last few days, she wasn’t sure if she could handle more emotion from herself or her friends. ‘Thanks again for the ride. I’ll come by the house soon.’

‘No problem.’

Jeremy leaned forward, and they awkwardly hugged. Even though Jeremy and Reese had been together for years, he and Angie had never quite mastered the closeness either of them had with Reese. She was their glue.

The front door opened just as she reached for the knob. Donato grabbed his chest as if she’d knocked the wind out of him. His wheezing breath billowed above them. ‘Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, you scared me. I thought you were a damned ghost.’

Angie smirked. ‘I’m not a ghost, Nonno.’ She took the cigarette and lighter from his hand and put them in the pocket of his thick knitted sweater. ‘Those things are going to kill you, you know?’

‘That’s what your nonna says, but my ticker is as strong as it was when I was fifteen!’

Angie steered him inside and closed the door behind her, taking in the blazing heat of her home. It was worse in the summer as her mom insisted on cooking the same amount of food all year round. At least since Dad died. He had always been the grill-master, and after he had passed away, her mother saw no reason to change her cooking habits away from the kitchen. She hugged Nonno, sturdy as ever.

A loud cackle caught her attention.

Angie’s nonna, Emilia, held her hands in front of her, gesturing for Angie to come closer. As if she hadn’t been the one creeping behind the curtain. ‘Angela! Angela!’ The thick Brooklyn accent filled Angie with a warmth she hadn’t expected. The round woman pressed herself against Angie’s middle and squeezed. Even now, in the later end of her seventies, she still made Angie breathless with her hugs.

Angie leaned her cheek against the top of Emilia’s head. Her gray-streaked hair was shorter than she remembered.

‘I think you’ve shrunk.’

Emilia pressed her hands against Angie’s waist. ‘You too.’

‘It was so nice of you two to come and visit me,’ Angie said. ‘I missed you.’

Emilia stiffened and took a step back, keeping her hands on Angie’s waist. A version of the terrible stink-eye that could send any man in a ten-foot radius skittering away had befallen Angie.

‘What’s with the face?’ Angie looked at Donato who suddenly found his hands fascinating.

‘Maria!’ Emilia barked, making both Angie and Donato jump.

‘You’ve done it now.’ Donato rubbed a hand over his stubbled cheek.

‘What did I do?’ Angie asked.

Emilia darted from the room, and Angie followed her toward the kitchen. She barely had a moment to take in the boxes of Christmas decorations on the floor before approaching the raised voices of her mother and her nonna going at it.

Angie peered into the kitchen, not wanting to get in the middle of whatever was happening. ‘Ma?’

Emilia placed her hands firmly on her hips, and her bottom lip jutted out. ‘Tell her.’

Angie’s heart warmed when she saw her mom, pear-shaped as ever, holding a wooden spoon tipped with gravy. Her mouth watered thinking of a home-cooked meal for once instead of take-out or airplane food.

‘Tell me what?’ Angie thought of all the possibilities of horrible situations. Was one of them sick? Dying? Did it have something to do with her coming home?

Maria rolled her eyes. ‘Mom, can you give me a minute to say hello to my daughter?’ She darted across the room and kissed Angie on the cheek. Her skin was softer than Angie remembered. ‘Welcome home, Angela.’

No one could stop Emilia when she was about to scold someone. ‘You had plenty of time to tell her, now you’re going to disappoint your only daughter.’

Angie huffed. ‘Can someone fill me in?’

Emilia crossed her arms and avoided eye contact by staring at the ceiling.

Maria took Angie’s hands in hers. They were warm. ‘I told Nonna it wouldn’t be a big deal to you.’

Angie’s gaze darted between her mom and Emilia. ‘What wouldn’t be a big deal?’

‘Nonno and Nonna had to leave their apartment.’

‘Rodents!’ Donato said from the doorway.

‘Disgusting,’ Emilia spat.

‘So, they’re staying with us for a little while.’

Angie waited yet no one else spoke. ‘Is that all?’

‘Well,’ Maria said, dragging the word out longer than necessary. ‘They’re staying in your room. It’s bigger and more comfortable for them.’

‘I told Maria we could stay in the guest room,’ Emilia offered.

Maria glared at her mother.

Angie mustered a smile to appease her family. ‘I’ll stay in the guest room while I’m home.’ She had no intention of staying longer than necessary and moving her nonni out of the room for a week or so didn’t make any sense.

‘See!’ Maria shrieked and pointed the spoon at Emilia. ‘I told you it was fine.’

Emilia grunted and sat at the table set for four.

Maria led Angie to the chair she had sat on since she was a kid, gesturing her to sit. ‘Tell us all about your trip. I’m almost finished with dinner. I made your favorite.’

Angie sat at the table, allowing the warmth of the house to envelop her into a tight hug. She was used to the wide-open space of her and Brett’s apartments. The house where she grew up felt smaller than it had the last time. But the laughter and happiness shining in her family’s eyes lulled her into a sense of security she hadn’t realized she had missed.