Life of Luxury

The land line rang and I answered it, Tyler getting everyone to quiet down as I did, but I just smiled and walked over towards the balcony, “Hello?”

“Haley? Are you having a nice Christmas?” I heard and bit my lip and looked down at the city.

“Dad,” I breathed, knowing that it was my father’s voice on the other end.

“Please don’t hang up,” he said and I sighed, “I miss my girls.”

“How are you?” I asked, getting this awkward feeling.

“I’ve been better,” he said and laughed a little, “Nothing like the holidays to make you miss your family.”

“You have your family,” I stated and looked back inside to see that my party had resumed.

“I don’t have my daughters, Haley- That’s what I want most now,” he said and I nodded my head, “You mother is depressed, she misses her kids-“I scoffed and shook my head, “Haley-“

“She just misses someone to control- No, she just misses the checks that I sent her once a month,” I growled.

“No, she misses you and Heather,” he said and I rolled my eyes.

“Too much damage has been done between Mom and I- I meant what I said the last time you were at my place, I don’t want to be in this family if you’re going to treat me like I’m evil,” I growled and dad sighed.

“Haley, I want to see my daughters for Christmas,” he said and I heard a sniffle, which made me sit up and realize that my father was crying, “I want to get to know my grandbaby in the future.”

“Dad, please don’t force a relationship between Mom and I-“

“Your mother and I are getting a divorce,” he said and my eyes widened, “We thought it would be best.”

“I,” I was shocked; “I don’t know what to say, Dad.”

“There’s nothing to say about it, but I would like to see my daughters,” he said and I sighed and felt a few tears in my eyes, “Haley.”

“Yeah,” I sniffled, “Um, ok,” I wiped my eyes, “I have a few people over, if you- if you want to come over- I know you’re a few hours away-“

“I’ve actually been in town for a few days now,” he said and I was surprised, “I didn’t know how to call you.”

I gave a small smile, “Ok, if you want to come over.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure Heather would want to see you, and I do miss you too, Dad,” I said and heard the door open behind me and turned to see Tyler. He gave me a concerned look and walked over, wrapping his arms around my waist and I leaned against him.

“All right, I’ll see you soon, Haley.”

“Ok, see you then.”

“I love you,” he said and I smiled and laid my face on Tyler’s chest.

“I love you too,” I said and he hung the phone up and I sighed and wiped my face.

“What’s going on?” Tyler asked.

“My dad,” I said and Tyler’s eyes widened, “He wants to see Heather and I, he’s coming over.”

“Just your dad- Your Mom’s the one that’s crazy,” he said and I nodded my head, and then gave a laugh and started to cry again, “Hey, hey, hey, it’s all right.”

“He wants to see us, Ty,” I said and Tyler smiled and pulled me into a hug and kissed my head.

“Are you excited to see him?” Tyler asked and I looked at him and nodded my head, “Good.”

Tyler and I wanted back into the party; I ran towards my room to clean my face up and then walked back into the living room. Freddy and Tyler were playing video games, Eric was on the couch watching, Candace, Cassidy, Brittany and Heather were sitting at the table playing some board game that Cassidy had gotten for Christmas, and Jackie and Freddy’s parents were sitting on the one balcony drinking coffee and enjoying the Dallas view.

It was close to noon, I was in charge of lunch, so I figured that I should start it now. I had a ham, big enough for a whole hockey team, so it was definitely enough for eleven, well I guess, twelve people, if my Dad stayed. I was making ham, red garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, asparagus and holiday sauce for dinner; I had some chips, pretzels, cheese, crackers and kielbasa for snacks. Plus I was making pecan pie and apple cobbler for desert.

“Do you need any help?” Heather asked and I looked at her and smiled.

“Not yet, maybe soon though,” I said and she smiled and nodded her head.

It didn’t take long for there to be a knock at my door. I had stood back up after putting the ham in the oven and was going to work on the green bean casserole. I looked up and saw Heather answering the door, I smiled as she opened the door and froze, our Dad was on the other side dressed casual and holding two gifts.

“Daddy,” Heather said and everyone seemed to stop what they were doing.

“Hello pumpkin,” he smiled and hugged his youngest daughter. She was laughing and hugging her father and I looked over towards Tyler to see him standing and smiling towards me.

Jackie and Freddy’s parents walked into the room from the balcony to see what was going on, Candace stood up and looked at me. I walked around the kitchen, Candace placed her hand on my shoulder and I watched as my father walked into my home and smiled towards everyone.

“Hello,” he said and then looked at me and I smiled, “Haley,” I smiled, bit my lip and walked over towards him, my Dad hugged both Heather and I and I could feel his tears as then fell from his eyes, “I missed my girls.”

-Tyler-
Freddy and I were helping Haley in the kitchen as we prepared lunch. Candace, Cassidy and Brittany were sitting at the table, skinning and cutting up apples for the desert later on. Freddy was keeping an eye on the boiling eggs, because he was in charge of the deviled eggs, while Haley was making the green bean casserole and I was making the red garlic mashed potatoes. My mom was pretty much recording this because this was probably the first time Freddy and I were in a kitchen, well, at least cooking this much.

I looked over towards Haley to see her looking outside; I followed her gaze and saw Heather, Eric and William, Haley’s father, sitting out there talking. I looked back towards Haley and placed my hand on her shoulder, “What’s gunna happen now?”

“I don’t know,” she said and then sighed, “You know my dad told me that he and my Mom were getting a divorce.”

“Really?” I asked and Haley nodded her head.

“My Mom and I will never have a relationship that we should, it’s just not going to happen- But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want her in our lives, she’s a controlling bitch, I know this,” Haley said and looked at me, “But she’s still my mother and if she doesn’t want to be in her daughter’s lives for us, then can she at least do it for her granddaughter? I mean, is that too much to ask?”

“No babe,” I said and then wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her head.

By the time lunch was ready, everyone had come around the table, took their seat, both Freddy and Haley’s father took each end of the table and everyone else sat in-between, my sisters however, being kicked to the breakfast bar behind us for lack of room. We said grace and then started to eat; Haley and Heather sat on each side of their father, Eric next to Heather, Freddy and then Brittany, Haley, myself, my Mom, and then Freddy’s Mom.

After a late lunch and everyone was stuffed, Freddy’s parents were going to take a nap before desert later on, but William got everyone’s attention and then made a nice speech in thanking his daughters for allowing him to be here to spend Christmas with them, with all of us and he thanked Eric and I for taking care of his daughters. I smiled and laced my fingers with Haley’s under the table and she leaned into me and smiled towards me.

“I do have gifts for my girls. It’s not much, but I do hope you like them,” he said and then walked over towards his jacket and then came back with two gift boxes.

Haley and Heather both opened their boxes and pulled out picture frames. I leaned over and smiled at the sight of Haley as a baby being held by her father, both asleep in what looked to be a little rocking chair. I placed my hand on her thigh and she sniffled and I saw the smile on her face. Heather showed us her picture, it was when she was a baby, William was holding her, in what looked to be the hospital and Haley was sitting on the bed on her knees, leaning against her father looking down at her little sister.

“The most memorable moments in my life were when the two of you were born,” William said and Haley and Heather stood up and hugged their father and I was happy to see Haley smiling brightly.

‘…I hope her Mom comes around…’