You Give Love a Bad Name

I watched as the cold snowflakes fell outside in big clumps, landing as far as the eye could see and making everything look like it was covered in some kind of white frosting. My hand pushed the curtain further away so I could observe how the gleam from the brightly-lit neighborhood houses fell on the white hills outside, illuminating the snow with the cerise colors that reminded me of a sunset.

I sighed and let the curtain fall into place, turning to look at my festive livingroom instead. The big Christmas tree that my family picked out earlier that week was winking with a million lights, adorned with ornament and baubles that were collected over the years, and underneath was a vast assortment of gifts that were cloaked in vibrantly-colored wrapping paper. Not too far off, a fireplace was raging with smoldering flame, coating the room in a warm glow.

"Yo."

I looked towards the doorway to see Mikey and Gerard standing there, both holding two small gifts in one hand. "What took you so long?"

"I couldn't find my presents," Gerard admitted somewhat sheepishly, walking towards me in even stride. "And it's only fifteen past, we're not that late."

"I'm with Lena, Gee," Mikey rubbed his eyes sleepily, coming to sand by me as well, so that the tree of us were forming a small circle. "The sooner we do this, the sooner I can go back to sleep. I'm not big on zombieing around the house at midnight on Christmas Eve."

"It's Christmas now," I reminded him, nodding towards the clock. "It has been for the past fifteen minutes."

Every Christmas Eve my brother and I had a tradition. We would sneak down to the living room and give each other a small gift to open before we went back to bed. Usually it was something small and insignificant, but something about it being our traditions drew us back every year, even after we grew up.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" Gerard asked, excitement shining on his face.

"I want to give mine last," I said, squeezing the two small packages in my hand.

"I'll go," Mikey offered, giving a parcel to Gerard. "I hope you like it."

Gerard tore the wrapping off with eager fingers. "Colored pencils? Thanks, Mikester! I lost half of mine in school."

"You're welcome," Mikey grinned, giving me one as well. "Your turn, Lena."

I smiled and took the package from him, carefully taking the wrapping off. A pair of rhinestone hair clips in the shape of bows gleamed up at me from the box, their color matching my eyes perfectly.

"Aw, Mikey, thank you!" I leaned in to give him a big hug. "I'll wear them all day tomorrow."

Looking extremely proud of himself, Mikey returned my hug, his glasses slipping on the bridge of his nose a bit.

"Okay, okay, break it up," Gerard pushed us apart good naturally, giving his present to Mikey. "My turn."

Mikey was never good with savoring the present-opening, so his gift was in the palm of his hand within seconds. "Condoms? Condoms, Gerard?"

"Well, yeah," Gerard snickered, giving me a colorful envelope-looking parcel as well. "I gave them to Lena, too. Now that both of you are in serious relationships, I thought that I would save you from the embarrassment of buying them at the store."

I rolled my eyes and put my gift inside the pocket of my jeans, not feeling the additional weight at all. "Does abstinence till marriage not mean anything to you at all, GerBear?"

"Ah, you'll get over it," my oldest brother winked at me. "Just in case."

I made a face and thrust my present in his chest, not feeling sorry at all for what I got him.

Gerard dropped the white box with blue and purple stripes on the floor as soon as he saw what it was.

"Viagra?" he squeaked, staring at me with wide eyes.

Mikey started laughing so hard that I had to remind him that Mom was sleeping upstairs.

"Gerard has erectile difficulties," he hooted, nudging shocked Gerard with his shoulder. "Since when, Gee?"

"You are getting older, GerBear," I handed Mikey his box and crossed my arms against my chest, simpering at Gerard. "You know, just incase."

Before he could reply, Mikey threw his arms around me. "Dude, this is amazing! Does it really work?"

"The guy at the store said it did," I replied, hugging him back. "It's supposed to cover up cuts on the glass so your glasses will be as good as new."

Mikey pulled back and studied the small bottle. "I've died and went to heaven."

I started to smile, but ended up in giving a big yawn, suddenly feeling drowsy. "I'm gonna go to bed now, I'll see you guys in the morning."

Kissing Mikey and Gerard on the cheek, I went up the staircase, my eyes already closing.

"Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen."

"Amen," I mumbled, dropping Mikey's and Mom's hands, and picking up a fork instead.

"Do you want some mashed potatoes, Mom?" Mom asked my Grandmother who was sitting next to Gerard, across from me and Mikey.

"Yes, please," Grandma nodded, handing Mom her plate.

After my mom gave Grandma her plate back, she looked at Dad. "Donald?"

My dad, who was talking to Gerard softly, looked at Mom and nodded. "Please."

"It's so nice that you could join us today, Donald," Grandma said, cutting up the roast ham. "I realize that this is a busy time for you? I believe Donna said something about the relocation of your job?"

Dad was a salesman, so a lot of the time his company had him traveling out of the area to make a sale.

I looked up from my plate, and I didn't need to look at my brothers to know that they had done the same thing.

Dad nodded, avoiding the eye contact with his three kids. "They want me to relocate to Arizona, but they know my wishes. It's probably not going to happen."

Gerard had this pissed-off shine in his eyes and was about to open his mouth when I kicked him under the table, shaking my head gently.

"Ah!"

"Gerard?" Mom looked at him in question.

"Ahm, I want some ham, please," he said, glaring at me.

"Here you go, honey," Grandma placed a piece on his plate. "Mikey?"

Mikey nodded, and gave her his plate. After putting a piece on Mikey's plate, Grandma looked at me but didn't say anything. She had a problem with me being a vegetarian. In her opinion, it was unspeakable for Italian girls such as myself not to eat meat.

"It's too bad Roger, Todd and their families couldn't be with us today,"Grandma said sadly, sighing.

"I talked to Todd last night," Mom said quickly. "Valerie's coming here on Tuesday. Todd and Susan are going to London for New Year's, and since Valerie's report card wasn't exactly, uh, to their taste, she is staying with us till they get back."

I almost flopped my head into my mashed potatoes.

"Oh, really?" Gerard got all excited, caching Mikey's eye. "That's awesome!"

It was no secret that Valerie was Gerard's and Mikey's favorite cousin. Myself, she didn't particularly rub me that way. In fact, I found her rather mildly annoying.

"She has to go to Bob's party with us," Mikey said happily, looking at Mom. "She can, right?"

Mom nodded, smiling at him. "Of course."

I groaned inwardly, shoving a forkfull of mashed potatoes in my mouth so I wouldn't have to say my input on the whole situation.