Chapter 72: Winter Break

Finally Jeffrey could sleep late, there was no homework or school for 2 more weeks. Now what was he going to do? There were video games to play and tv to watch. So for the first few days of break, Jeffrey lazed around the house in pajamas.

Cereal for breakfast, various refrigerator and last night leftover for lunch, and afternoons of going outside and playing with Raine and Saoirse. Although it was still freezing cold outside, when the sun did come out they'd all play a basketball game or two and then head inside to play a few video games.

Like last year, it seems that the time was slowly slipping away from him. The Christmas atmosphere and movies were all over the place. At night, the lights on all the neighborhood houses would light up.

On Sunday night, it started to rain so after visiting blockbusters with his mom. Saoirse, Raine and him fought over which movie to watch. Jeffrey was inclined toward watching Veggietales or the pirate who don't do anything again for the third time. Raine and Saoirse wanted to watch Ponyo or Song of the Sea. They all agreed they weren't going to watch what their Dad recommended which were all scary horror and action movies. Last time, the Race to Witch Mountain and a Wrinkle in Time gave Saoirse nightmares for months.

Settling home, they ate a quite dinner at the dinner table before heading into their parents bedroom to watch tv. Jeffrey's Dad set up the electronics and started to play the movie they agreed on, A Christmas Carol.

In the middle of the movie, their Dad went down to microwave something. The smell of butter and popcorn was in the air, and then suddenly a rough burning smell soon followed.

"Dad burned the popcorn again", Mom told them.

"haah", Jeffrey sighed at the fresh popcorn he'd lost. Soon after their dad brought up a strainer with slightly burnt and smoky popcorn.

"hey guys I made some popcorn", his dad said sheepishly.

"Dad you burned it!", Raine complained.

"Shhh, watch the movie", their mom covered for Dad.

"But...", Raine was about to speak.

Saoirse was deeply engrossed in Ebenezer Scrooge's journey. When the third ghost arrived she hid under the warm sheets hugging her mom. The ghost of the future was leading Scrooge to the graveyard.

"Is it over?", Saoirse asked.

"Not yet", Jeffrey's Dad replied.

The popcorn bowl was still half-full of burnt popcorn. It wasn't being eaten as much, partly due to eating dinner earlier and mostly because it tasted like ashes.

Then some lively violin music started playing as Scrooge returned to the present.

Saoirse peeked her head out of the blankets.

"We should have watched Ponyo", Saoirse pouted.

"Watch the movie", Raine whispered to her sister.

Jeffrey's parents had both fallen asleep already. As the movie finished, Jeffrey turned off the tv. All five on them were lying on one bed. The rain could still be heard falling on the window.

"Jeffrey?", Raine asked him.

"What's up?", Jeffrey responded to his sister.

"Do you think Santa is real?", Raine turned on the bed towards him.

"Why do you think that?", Jeffrey asked.

"Because my friends don't think he's real", Raine said to him.

This was a difficult question for Jeffrey to answer, but one he answered a long time ago.

"Do you think he's real?", Jeffrey asked.

"I don't know", Raine admitted honestly.

"What do you think about elves?", Jeffrey continued the conversation.

Saoirse ignored their conversation and fell asleep. After talking for a little bit Raine yawned a little as well. Jeffrey was the last one awake, the gentle tapping of rain hitting the window.

*fssshhhh* *whoosh*

The wind and rain outside broke up the silence in the dark bedroom. There were various lights flashing from the internet routers and monitors, but Jeffrey's eyes stared up at the ceiling.

In the bed with him was his entire family, all snuggled up and warm inside the blankets. Jeffrey started to feel a little hot, but was too lazy to get out of bed. He lay there awake, thinking deeply about what to do for the rest of the week.

A part of him pondered what the future would be like, how his friends were doing, and the....

Zzzzz...

In the mess of thoughts Jeffrey had fallen asleep.