Free A Christmas Arrangement by Annie Adams

there?”
    “Alex?”  His mother’s voice came from the same direction.  “Honey, did you say Quincy brought the stuffing?”  He closed his eyes and cringed.
    “ Three weeks, ” he whispered, the strain evident in his voice.  “Only two weeks, five days, and four hours until their plane lifts off.”
    We gave each other a quick kiss and he took my sweater into the adjoining bathroom to rinse it out.  I made a quick swipe at my raccoon eyes and unfastened the rest of my hair, letting it hang down past my shoulders, then went out to face our superior officers. 
    ***
    I met my mom and Mrs. Cooper in the hall.  Apologies were issued from both parties and accepted with reciprocal half-heartedness.  My mother pulled me aside to the kitchen to help serve the meal. 
    “Ned Bunchkin and his friend are here.”
    “You invited Nasty Ned?” I shuddered.  “How’s his booger collection?”
    “Quinella McKay,” mom snapped at me with her power whisper.  “How could you say such mean things about our neighbor?  His parents are snowbirds.  They’re living in Arizona until March and poor Ned is all alone for Christmas.  I couldn’t let him sit over there while we whooped it up over here.  It wouldn’t be charitable.”  One of my mother’s new catch-phrases.
    “Did you say he brought a friend?” I asked.  “Did his friend bring along his twelve-sided dice?”
    “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mom said as she shoved two giant bowls of rolls at me, “but I’m sure it’s not charitable at all, so I’ll pretend I didn’t hear.  Alex will sit next to her and you next to Alex.  Jack and Eleanor are across from you.” 
    Oh good, Alex’s mother would have a clear path for plunging the carving knife into my chest.  And Ned’s friend was a her?  I’m surprised my mother didn’t protest to a life-size doll dressed as Wonder Woman sitting at our dinner table.
    Allie came in through the side door of the kitchen from the garage.  “Sorry I’m late.”  She looked at me pointedly.  “I had to meet with my school advisor…about a class.”  I clamped my lips shut, signaling to her that I hadn’t shared her news with anyone.
    “You’re just in time, honey,” Mom said.  “Here, wash your hands and then take this bowl of stuffing into the living room.”  I took in a sharp breath.  It was time to share my masterpiece.
    I leaned over to Allie at the sink, my arms full of rolls.  “Gird your loins.  Nasty Ned is here and he’s got a friend with him.”
    She grimaced.  “What was Mom thinking?”
    I shrugged and rolled my eyes.  I turned sideways to fit through the doorway with my giant roll bowls, then turned to face the table.  What fresh hell…
    Elma the waitress sat next to Nasty Ned at my family’s dinner table. 
    “Elma,” I said.  “I didn’t know…so Ned is…you’re here…at our house.”
    “Hello, Quincy.  You’re mom’s done it up nice for Christmas.”
    “Thanks,” I said. 
    Alex came from the hallway with his mother and I pointed him to his seat.  I had to hand it to him, he took his place next to Elma like a champ.  Ever the gallant one, he didn’t even flinch when he saw the seating arrangement, despite knowing the possibilities of her reaching out and touching someone—actually just him—were high and likely.
    The shock of Elma’s violation of the safe haven of my parent’s home had just begun to wear off when I noticed the table decorations.  Instead of the tissue paper accordion finials and evergreen trees Mom had used every year that I could remember, there were two large fresh floral centerpieces.
    Eleanor sat across from me, and replaced her grumpy expression with a plastered smile once she saw that I’d noticed the flowers. 
    “Are these pretty flowers from your shop, Quincy?” Aunt Jeanette asked from the other end of the table.
    “Uh…no,” my sister Sandy interjected.  “Mr. and Mrs. Cooper brought them.”