Our Crazy Little Thing Called Family

“Babe which dress should I wear?” Irina asked holding a blue and black dress in each hand. Cristiano stared at the blank TV screen as his phone turned in his hand. It was two days until Christmas and he had been in Dubai for four days. Four very long days. While he was enjoying some of it. There were times when he wanted to stay in his hotel room. “Cristiano” Irina snapped and his head flicked to her. “Sorry” he said and she groaned.

“What the hell is with you? You’ve done nothing but mope all day” she said. “No I haven’t” he replied. “Can you just focus on you and I for once?” she asked. “I here. Am’t I?” he said. “I’m your girlfriend” she told him. “And my son is spending his first Christmas with his entire family but me” he snapped. “You see him all the time. I’ve organised this lovely trip and you’ve barely acknowledged it” she said. “Irina” he said. “We spend all your time with your family. Couples split time with their families. You’ve done nothing but lie and hurt me all this year and now you’re breaking your promise to make it up to me” she wined.

“Look I’m sorry. Molly hasn’t replied to me text. I’m just thinking about Junior” he said standing from the bed. “Even when she’s not here she’s still always around” she snapped. “She’s Junior’s mother Irina” he said. “Oh I know. Everyone likes to remind me. I’m the one who has the paps asking about her everyday” she said.

“Look you go get ready for dinner. Your mother will be waiting for us” he said. “Are you actually going to participate during dinner or are you just going to look at your phone the entire time. That thing has barely been out of your hand since we arrived” she said. “I need it with me in case something happens in Madeira” he said. “You spoke to your mother when it was morning there. You’ve spoken to everyone loads of times during the day. If there was a problem, then you would know. He’s fine” she said. “I know he is” he replied. “Then relax” she said before groaning when his phoned beeped.

“Finally” he said as he looked at the text. “Junior is currently swimming with Hugo. He’s giggling away. And Junior is having fun too lol” the text read. “I thought super Molly was able to cope” Irina said. “Of course she is” Cristiano said. “Then let her have her holiday. Maybe she wants a break from you” She said.

He frowned. Most of his communication with her had been by text since she had gone to Madeira. They had spoken once over skype and once on the phone but any other time he had skyped with Junior it was usually his mother or one of his sisters who was on the chat. “After all you did hide who she was from everyone. Well until your dirty secret got out” Irina said. “Irina I’ve apologised hundreds of times for not telling you the truth about Molly” he sighed. “And you said you would make it up to me. Which is why we are having this special holiday. Now when are you planning on actually start to make it up to me for lying and making me look like a fool?” she asked.

“Wear the blue dress. I’ll be ready by the time you come out” he said throwing his phone on the bed and walking towards the wardrobe. “Junior is having so much fun Cristiano. You’ve said it yourself” she said. “I know. Now go get dressed. We don’t want to keep your mother waiting” he smiled and she smiled and went to the adjoining bathroom. He sighed and moved to pick the phone from the bed. “That’s great” he replied to Molly wishing it was him and not Hugo who was swimming with Junior.

“Dolores is expecting your call at 7. Try not to be late. You’re not the one who had to listen to her give out about your time keeping last night” she replied. He had missed the skype call by an hour cos he couldn’t find his laptop. One of the housekeeping must have put it in the wardrobe. “Tell her 7. You at 7.10?” he wrote. “Only a ten minute chat for her. She won’t be happy. You’ll be in the bad books” she texted back and he sighed at her glossing over the second part of his text. “Already in her bad books” he replied. “Not for long though. Go have a nice evening. I’m trying to top up my tan” she texted. “Speak later” he replied and threw the phone onto the bed.

“Cris again?” Elma asked as she took a seat next to Molly by the pool. “I’m surprised Irina hasn’t thrown his phone in the sea the amount of times he has texts he sends” Molly joked as she smiled at Rodrigo in the pool. “He misses Junior” Elma said. “I know. And I’ve sent him photos. You all have. There’s nothing more I can do” Molly said. “He only has himself to blame” Elma shrugged.

“I know” Molly muttered. “Mols” Elma said and she looked at Elma. “You wish he was here. Don’t you?” Elma asked. “It’s Junior’s first Christmas” Molly said. “That wasn’t an answer” Elma said. “Do I wish he was here so he wouldn’t be annoying us all with his texts then yes. Do I wish he was here to spend time with his son then yes I do. Do I wish he was here cos I know he’s going to regret it and then end up beating himself up. Which he should but he’s a good father. He just…” she paused.

“Needs to get his priorities straight” Elma said. “Junior is his top priority” Molly said. “Ya he’s really showing that from Dubai” Elma said. “I bet he’s miserable” Molly said. “Then he should be here” Elma said. “But he isn’t. So lets just focus on our own trip” Molly said. “He’s going to regret missing this. Isn’t he?” Elma asked. “He asked me if he was making a mistake” Molly told Elma.

“Really. And what did you tell me?” Elma asked. “We got interrupted before I could answer” Molly said. “And if you hadn’t been interrupted?” Elma asked. Molly shrugged. “He needs to make his own choices” Molly said. “Well maybe if you had told him come, he wouldn’t be annoying you from Dubai” Elma said. “He’d just be annoying me from here instead” Molly half smiled. “Maé thought he was going to change his mind” Elma told her.

“A part of me thought he did before we left. It was stupid of me. He stopped the car as we were leaving. I thought maybe he realised he needed to be with us. With Junior and all of you guys” Molly corrected herself. “Molly he’s a fool. You know this better than any of us. I’m sure he’ll annoy you so much trying to make up for missing all of this” Elma said. “It’s Junior I’m thinking about. I know he won’t remember this Christmas but I know Cristiano will. He’s missing out on the memories. Trust me memories can be the only thing that can get your through the day sometimes” Molly mumbled.
“Molly” Elma said. “I better go check on Katia. She was avoiding Zé” Molly smiled standing from the chair.

“Hello cutie. How are you?” Cristiano smiled as Junior’s face appeared on his laptop screen. “Oh careful” Molly said lifting Junior’s hand away from the buttons. “Molly” Cristiano said surprised as Molly moved the screen back so he could see both of them. “Hi” she smiled as Junior sat on her lap. “Hi” he smiled. “So how was your day?” she asked. “It was nice. How was yours? Did you have fun? Did Junior have fun?” he asked. “Ya it was great. Apart from a certain someone sending everyone loads of texts all day” Molly smiled. “Sorry. I just wanted to…..I don’t want Junior to forget about me” he said.

“He won’t Cristiano. You’re his dad. And you’ve been gone longer from him before” Molly reminded him. “That was when he was only a few weeks old. And it was the World Cup. And he had you. He only needs you” Cristiano sighed.

“Well if you weren’t around then how would Junior be the smarter Cristiano Ronaldo?” Molly joked and Cristiano laughed. “Would you look at that Junior. Your papa is laughing” Molly said to Junior. “Thanks Mols” Cristiano said. “For what?” she asked confused. “For being you” he told her.

“Who else would I be? Have a good Christmas Eve tomorrow. I’m going to leave Dolores speak to you” she told him. "Wait" he called out and she paused. "What?" she asked. "I like the curls" he smiled and her finger automatically went to a loose strand of her her. "I forgot my hair straightener" she mumbled. "You should ask Santa for one" he smirked. "I'll just wait until I get back to Madrid. Noite" she smiled. “Noite Mols” he smiled. “Night Cristiano” she said handing the laptop to Dolores.

"I thought you were coming back" Irina said as she slammed the door to their suite. "I've only just finished" Cristiano said sitting up in the bed. "Well my family would like to spend time with us" Irina said. "I was saying good night to my son" Cristiano said standing from the bed. "Mum suggested we go to Paris for New Year's. I think it's a wonderful idea" Irina smiled. "We are going to Madeira" Cristiano said. "But you can go there anytime. Plus you'll be back in Madrid in a few days" Irina said.

"It's my mother's birthday" Cristiano said. "And she'll still get her present. You'll see her a couple of days later" Irina said. "We agreed that we would go to Madeira" Cristiano said. "But we need some time together" Irina wined. "We are spending time together here" he snapped. "Babe, Paris will be so romantic" she pouted as she walked towards him. "I don't care" he said. "We can go for a walk by Sienne. I'll even go see that stupid Mona Lisa with you if you want" she said and he lifted her hands off his shirt. "I want to go to Madeira" he said. "And I want you not to have lied to me. But you did" Irina said. "I'm not having this argument again" Cristiano said walking around her. "Where are you going?" she yelled after him. "For a walk" he yelled before he slammed the door behind him.

"So how was my little brother?" Katia asked as Molly stepped out onto the patio. "He's fine" Molly sighed as she walked over to lean against the stone wall Katia was leaning against. "Thanks" Katia said. "For what?" Molly asked confused. "For not avoiding Cris tonight" Katia said. "I haven't being avoiding him. I've just....." Molly paused. "Made sure that someone else could video chat with Junior so you didn't have to" Katia smirked.

"Honestly I knew that if I spoke to him, then I'd end up trying to make him feel better about not being here with us. With you and Junior and the entire family" Molly corrected herself. "And I guess I just want a break from that for once" Molly shrugged as she looked out into the dark sky. "So why did you speak to him tonight?" Katia asked.

"Is it bad if I say that I wanted to see if he really was miserable?" Molly asked still looking at the sky. "Not at all" Katia laughed. "So was he?" Katia asked. "He looked happy" Molly said. "Maybe because he was talking to you" Katia smiled. "I think it was more to do with seeing his son" Molly said. "At least Christmas is coming. You love Christmas" Katia said. "Ya I do" Molly sighed. "What do you want for Christmas?" Katia asked. "All I want for Christmas" Molly sang and smiled. "My son happy" she smiled. "And you happy too" Katia smiled.

Cristiano sighed as he closed the door behind him. He let out a yawn as he looked at his watch. 5 am. All he want was more sleep but he knew he wouldn't sleep for hours yet. Although maybe he could sneak a nap later he smiled as he looked at the bed in front of him. He also wanted no fighting and he hoped that would come true. The room was dark but he could just about make her out in the bed. He pushed off from the door and pulled off his shoes. He rested his right knee on the bed and slowly crawled up to the top.

He smiled as she slept. He lifted his hand and stroked the side of her face. His movements made her head move and she turned it slight towards him and her eyes slowly started to open. She looked at him and let out a groan as she shut her eyes again. He laughed and her eyes flew open and she sat up in the bed. "Shit" they both cursed when their heads collided. She reached over to switch on the bedside lamp and found him rubbing the side of his head. "What??????" she gazed in confusion at him.

"Merry Christmas Mols" he whispered.