The Better Half(54)
“You would love it if I was always nice, yes ma’amin’ everyone, pretending I’m looking forward to having a snowflake for a stepdad.” What is it with Graham and Xandra and the winter weather references when it comes to Leo? And who said anything about a stepdad?
“I don’t want to hurt your feelings on Christmas, but I expect you to be nice today,” I snap back. This teen tantrum is not going to kill my Christmas spirit. Leo mouths “Good one” to me. I internally cringe that he caught that snippy mother-daughter exchange, but I’m happy he’s picking up that he shouldn’t take everything that comes out of an angsty adolescent’s mouth to heart. I blow him a kiss.
“Youngest goes first. Here, Xandra, I got this one for you.” Dad’s been out of sorts these last few days, unnerved by the cold shoulder Xandra’s giving him. His attempts to get back in her good graces have been met with a lukewarm reception. I, however, am better practiced at surviving long stretches of teen banishment. One of the perks of being a highly trained high school teacher.
Dad hands Xandra a package that looks like a hefty book. Nice, Dad. I haven’t seen Xandra do much with her brain since she’s been home, so I’m on board with a good book to soak up some of that sulking.
“NO WAY, Grandpa!!” Xandra rips off the last of the wrapping paper and launches off the couch and into Dad’s outstretched arms before I can see what she got. I know it’s not War and Peace.
“Whaddya get, Xandra?” I ask, excited to see what has turned my sour child sweet.
“A new iPhone!” Xandra shrieks. Is this the man who ignored countless slurs slung his way while driving a New York Metro bus for four decades but folds at the first sign of Xandra being upset with him? I look over at Leo, wondering if he sees the same old man who’s gone soft for his granddaughter that I do.
“I took your grandpa shopping for the phone,” Leo proclaims, hoping to earn some points with Xandra too. I look at him with a face that reads, SERIOUSLY?! “And I thought you might want these to go with your new phone.” Leo rummages around under the tree and hands Xandra a box that looks suspiciously the same size as one that would contain earrings. Xandra could use an upgrade from safety pins for her ears.
“No way, AirPods! Thank you, Leo, that’s so nice of you!” Xandra beams a huge smile at Leo. He looks like he might explode with happiness. Or relief. I have to give it to Leo, nailing a present for a fifteen-year-old girl who isn’t fond of you is no easy feat. I cannot wait to see what Leo picked out for me!
“Nina, how about you open my gift next?” Dad suggests, content with Xandra curled on his lap.
“Absolutely,” I say, picking up the beautifully wrapped package in silver cellophane that Dad’s pointing to.
“Remember Mrs. Richards, the piano teacher back home? She made it for me to give to you,” Dad says, watching as I open my gift. I nod with a forced grin, acknowledging his hometown hint. Marisol would be on the floor dying if she were here. We have a mutual distaste for homemade gifts and for pickled old Mrs. Richards.
As the bow comes off and the cellophane falls open, Leo whoops, “NO WAY!” I can’t believe it’s a yes way. I’m staring down at a crocheted yellow baby blanket on MY Christmas. Xandra got an iPhone, and I got a blanket with holes and a faint whiff of cat litter. Oh, let me correct myself, I didn’t even get a blanket, my unborn child did. I’m just the servant unwrapping it for them since they aren’t out in the world yet to do their own dirty work. Does Fitzroy not know me at all?
“Do you like it?” my sweet father asks, his voice dripping with hope. Luckily, I’m saved from having to answer by Leo being bitten by the gift-giving bug.
“Okay, okay, Nina, now you have to open one of mine.” Leo hands me a box that looks like the perfect size for the crossbody purse. From the look of expectation on Leo’s face I can tell he’s pleased with himself for getting me exactly what I want. I’m not actually sure how this crossbody bag will work with my growing belly, but I’ll take it after the debacle of the baby blanket.
I tear open the box knowing it’s going to be something good. I’m speechless. Leo’s on his feet, bouncing on his toes like a ten-year-old boy who just opened an Xbox. Turns out my boyfriend doesn’t know me at all either.
“Look, look! This is my silver rattle from when I was a baby. My mom still had it, so she sent it out from Omaha. She wanted to give it to you when we got there, but I really wanted to have it for Christmas morning. She did a great job polishing it for you, though.” I’m silently faking enthusiasm following Leo’s holiday tale. “See here, mine’s engraved with my initials. And then here’s a matching one, which took me forever to find, but after our baby’s born we can put his or her initials on it. Best part is, look, they’re like baby barbells!” Leo picks up the two rattles and starts pumping silver in the living room. “Our kid’s going to be ripped!” My father puts his hand out for a brotherly fist bump, approving Leo’s fine gifting work.
“That’s pretty cute,” Xandra says, putting her hand out to Leo for one of the rattles. He gladly hands it over, an olive branch in the midst of our mixed-up holiday dynamic. Does no one in this family understand that I have yet to receive a proper Christmas present?!
“Do you want to see what else I got you for the baby?” Leo asks on a roll, his new cheer squad of Xandra and Fitzroy egging him on. I wish Marisol were here so I could shoot her an expression that says, I’m not ready for this baby to take over my Christmas let alone my life just yet, and if the attention’s on me one second longer I’m gonna cry. I look back under the tree and spy a box, wrapped in the same paper as the rattles, that looks suspiciously the size of a breast pump.