Christmas & Truth
December 25, 2020 (18 days after Mother departed for duty, Maya briefly stays at her girlfriend's place)
Thomas's residence, to be exact.
A wall over Thomas's bed occupied his attention while he lay on his back. He became aware that his fortune had suffered a setback in recent days. Left-handedly, he adjusted his sleeping posture and glanced at the calendar. He had just understood that it was a misunderstanding...
Christmas. Huh... The notion of eating Christmas dinner alone never occurred to me before. Last night, both Mother and Maya went for their separate 'jobs'. In the meantime, I was in a little room that was eerily silent. - Thomas
Things I've been doing over the past several days are also commonplace, especially since school has been closed since yesterday. Why did I have to spend the day leaping like a spaceship's hyperjump? - Thomas
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Boredom, oh my. - Thomas
Thomas got out of bed and walked into the kitchen to grab something to drink. When he wanted to sit on the sofa after that...
Knock.
Knock.
Who is it? - Thomas
Thomas was curious about who might be visiting this Christmas.
Katrina turned proven to be the guest. She wore a black jacket, which she matched with a gray shirt, pants, and shoes. He appeared to have brought a medium-sized cake.
"Hello, Kat. How are you doing? In any case, Merry Christmas."
Katrina agreed with a nod "Tom, I'm OK. Are you alone this Christmas?"
"Yes. Mother and Maya had both departed, leaving me at home alone."
They both seemed uneasy.
"Just walk in, Kat. You've got something to say, don't you?"
"Yes…"
Katrina was invited into Thomas' home by Thomas. It was Katrina's first visit to Thomas's place, so she waited on the sofa and glanced at some of his house decorations.
Thomas began the conversation by apologizing for Katrina's break-up with Piper.
Katrina looked up at Thomas and then down, understanding that he had recognized her breakup with Piper.
"Wasn't it Piper that first told you about the break-up?"
"Yes. My initial reaction was the same: I was shocked that you had broken up with her. Despite the fact that you and your partner are a perfect match."
"Tom, I'm sure you're aware of this. I discovered I liked her even more when we split up a few days later, and my naïve conduct occasionally showed. Tom, I didn't mean it. What should I do to make things right?"
"Have you attempted to contact her?" Thomas asked.
"No. As a result, I'm scared that she'll be angry at me."
"Kat, you can trust me on this one. You are capable of completing the task."
"All good, thanks. I'll give it a go."
Trying to text Piper, Katrina pulled up her cell phone.
Katrina: Piper, I want to talk.
"I'm afraid, Tom," Katrina feels awkward by her decision.
"What gives you the right to be afraid?"
Ting.
"Well, she responded to the message!! Please, Tom, help me!!"
This girl is really difficult to please, so be prepared.- Thomas.
"Take a look at the message she sent."
Thomas took a quick glance at Katrina's letter to Piper.
Piper: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa....
Piper: What would you want to discuss???
"Calm down, don't be so tense," Thomas advised Katrina.
"Okay…"
Katrina: Pip, I'd want to apologize for a previous blunder.
Piper: …
Piper: You want…
"Go on, Kat! Tell her you want to return with her! ", Thomas yelled directly into Katrina's ear.
"Ouch! You should know how much my ears hurt! Just be calm, please."
"Sorry."
Katrina: to restore our relationship?
Piper: to restore our relationship?
Without realizing it, they sent each other messages that had the identical phrases.
Piper: Hahaha, our message can be the same.
Katrina: Hahaha, yeah…
Katrina hopes Piper wants to reconcile with her since she understands that even the tiniest error involving their own buddy is a waste of time.
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Katrina: Your answer?
Piper: Yes, I want to make amends with you.
After reading the message, Thomas was ecstatic.
"Kat, congrats! You two have reunited once again."
"Thank you," she said, bowing her head in.
Piper: You're at Thomas's, right?
Katrina was not aware of the message.
Katrina: Yeah, how do you know?
Piper: Because I was on his doorway and seen your motorcycle parked just in front of his house.
Piper stood up and opened the door, only to find Piper standing directly in front of her. Piper couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the person she cared about standing right in front of her. Katrina hugged Piper right away, and the two kissed with Thomas in the background.
How could they possibly kiss here? - Thomas.
They laughed after kissing because it had been several days since they had seen each other.
The two of them then went into Thomas's house to share a cake. Not to mention the invitation Piper extended to Forrest to see Thomas at his home.
"Hey, Forrest promised to bring his new girlfriend!"
"Is that correct? What is the name of his girlfriend?", Katrina was curious to learn more.
"I'm not sure, Kat. He claims that his new partner is certainly attractive."
Wow, he also rushed Alex to the house for the holidays. - Thomas
Knock.
Knock.
"Wow, they're coming!" Piper stood up and pushed open the door.
Piper opened the door and…
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"As a result, you're all back. Are you ready to go on now, Kat?"
"Tom, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Anyway, I should present her to my mum first."
Wow, that's really cool.
Forrest and his new girlfriend, Piper, are also in attendance.
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And his new girlfriend is…
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Ella.
~~~~
Ella greets Thomas with, "Hi, Tom... Merry Christmas."
"Hey, Ella," I say.
What the hell happened to Forrest to make him like Ella? - Piper and Katrina.
"Ella, my new girlfriend, is here to introduce herself to you. Do you know who she is?"
"Not yet," they said with a shake of their heads.
"Okay, that's OK. Let's eat, shall we? ", Forrest headed to the kitchen to look for something to eat.
"Hello there, Tom. You don't have anything to eat?" Thomas was questioned by Forrest.
"Hmm..." Thomas said as he took part in the examination.
Ouch, there is no other food besides corned beef. - Thomas.
Thomas went through the refrigerator's contents.
Ugh, this is likewise a very limited quantity. - Thomas dissapointed with his food supply.
"Well, I want to the grocery for a bit," Thomas explained as he donned a mask and jacket.
Ella offered to follow Thomas and said, "I want to come with you."
Thomas made a shaky motion with his head "You should not. I can do it on my own. Anyway, I'd want to get away for a bit. While I'm gone, you guys may wait by watching television to keep the place from becoming too frightening."
Ella nodded her head in approval.
Tom, I'm sorry. I made the decision to go out with Forrest. - Ella.
His car started up and he drove straight to the grocery.
~~~~
At the grocery store.
What should I buy in addition to these items? - Thomas.
Thomas pushed the shopping cart loaded with the items he needed. He burst into tears as soon as he passed the Christmas ornament with the family caricature adorned with gingerbread.
Yes, it's true. After all, it's Christmas, and everything in this store is decked up with family decorations. - Thomas says.
He now had a tissue in his hand.
"When you cry, your face does not look nice." Alex, it appears, was the one who handed out the tissue.
"Are you alone?" Alex inquired.
"Yeah. There is a Christmas party at my place, and there is very little food supply at home, so I purchased some basics. So, how about you?"
"I'm at a loss for what to do this Christmas because my family has opted to go on vacation without me. I was lonely and went to the store to pass the time. Of course, when shopping for food."
"Pity."
"Now let's move on to Ella..."
"She is planning to take him out on a date."
Ella, you're stupid. She also came over to introduce her new lover. - Alex
"However, I made an effort to remain cool and collected. As a result, I am not irritated by such occurrences."
They paid for their items at the checkout and went out of the supermarket.
"Okay, I'll go home first. Please accept my sincere apologies.", Thomas was left alone when Alex left the grocery.
And as soon as Thomas saw her go, he yelled out, "Alex!"
"Yeah?" She called out.
"Please join me at my Christmas celebration. You don't want to celebrate alone, right?"
Alex said, "Are you sure?"
Thomas nodded in approval "Yeah. The more guest come, more the merrier."
"Yeah, that's right," she said.
Thomas recalls Alex as Alex gets into his car.
"Lex, do you mind if I go to the funeral for a little while before we head to my house?"
"Sure."
In his car, Thomas pressed the accelerator pedal and sped to the burial.
~~
At the burial a few minutes later...
Thomas and Alex exited the vehicle in search of a cemetery. Alex attempts to inquire, but she says she'll do it when they get to the grave Thomas is looking for.
They both find their way to Thomas' father's grave, which he was seeking for.
"This is..." says Alex as she looks at the name.
"Indeed, my father's grave. During the new year, my father died away."
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience; my sympathies are with you."
"It's all right. I like to come here for Christmas rather than New Year's. Because… This is something I can give him", Thomas placed his father's favorite beer.
"Did your father die as a result of an alcoholic overdose?"
"He died of a common cancer, not a rare disease. He's already a senior citizen. People had no idea when they died."
A little breeze blew across the cemetery, and a small white splash appeared on Thomas' father's tombstone. Snow was falling with the ringing of bells from the church beside the tomb as Thomas and Alex looked up.
Ting... Ting... Ting...
Dad, have a Merry Christmas.
Thomas prayed for his father's protection in heaven as well as for his own fate in the coming days. Then Alex participated in the prayer for his father's safety.
~~~
After the funeral, they both make their way to Thomas's house. Ella and her pals welcomed them anyway. Thomas's residence is quickly transformed into a festive haven with the addition of colorful lights, bonfire socks, and a Christmas tree.
"Greetings, fellow guests. We're sorry for the delay", the goods were delivered by Thomas.
"Alex? How did you meet Thomas?", Ella asks Alex when she notice about her.
"I'm met him at the grocery and he offers me to come to his party. I don't feel like burden, am I?", Alex smiled.
"No, not at all. You are free to come.", Ella hugs her.
"Yes, go easy on yourself," Forrest replied.
Thomas encouraged his pals to dine by saying, "Let's eat!"
There were seven of them, and they all ate quite well.
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Ella called Thomas, who was talking to Forrest. Ella and Thomas began talking outside the home as soon as Thomas approached her.
"Tom, please accept my apology for my past actions."
"For what purpose? After we argued, you came back to my place a second time?"
"No. I'm sorry you dated your own closest friend, despite the fact that it was... You're a kind person to me."
Thomas has no idea what to ask.
"Thomas, you're a kind guy. My first lover was chosen because I couldn't wait to start dating."
"It's all right. I see your point. It's fine if you want to love someone you like and you try it out by dating Forrest. As long as we're friends, I'll back you up."
Ella smiled and nodded. Even if she loved someone else, she didn't think Thomas would still support her. Christmas is Thomas' favorite season, with his friends visiting him, snow falling on his father's grave, and, moreover... He and Ella accept each other's forgiveness.
Mother, on the other hand, celebrates Christmas at her official residence, while Maya celebrates at her girlfriend's home.
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To be Continued.