Champagne Drops
Nuts crack under the soles our feet a Christmas sound
I’m closing up the bar for the night when there is a knock on the already locked door. Ignoring it, I continue to put the bar stools up onto the bar and tables. My phone isn’t too far away and neither is Candy, my Louisville Slugger Lucas made me get when I opened this place. Lucas, my ex-husband, never approved of me buying this place. He thought the money I inherited from my grandmother could have been spent better; especially since I found out I was pregnant not too long before buying the place. This place is one of the many reasons why we divorced; another reason’s name is flashing across my phone’s caller id.
“Yes, Ruth?” I answer the phone.
“I’m outside,” she replies. “Let me in, it’s cold out here.” Rolling my eyes I head over to the front door and unlock it, revealing my ex-mother-in-law. “Hello, Kristen. You well?”
“What brings you out here?” I ask as I move aside and let her in. “I haven’t seen you in 5 years.”
“And I haven’t seen my grandson in 4.” She counters. “Lucas may be okay with not spending Christmas with his son but I’m not.”
“It’s not my fault your son rather spend Christmas on a beach with his girlfriend than with his son.” I state. “But you didn’t answer me. What brings you here? You always hated me, always hated this bar. So why are you here?”
“I wanted to give this to you in person.” She hands over a red envelope with a white wax seal with the impression of the Winter Haven Inn’s logo. “James and I are selling the Inn and moving out of country to Bora Bora. Both of us are growing tired of the cold and we’re seeking change. We’re having one last Holiday there and would like for you and Maverick to spend his Christmas vacation up there with us. Both of us really want to see Mav before we leave.”
“And is Lucas going to be there?”
“He’s my son, of course he’ll be there.” She replies. “Kaci too. He seems to be really serious about this one. Their relationship has lasted longer than your whole marriage.” I just roll my eyes at her comment. “But Nicki will also be there, and I know the two of you are still in contact with each other.”
“He’s the only one in that family that truly cared about me.” I remind her. “You and James hated me and Lucas only saw me as a big ‘fuck you’ to his parents.”
“For whatever reason, Lucas did care about you; more than you cared about him.” She spits.
“He had a funny way of showing it.” I mutter. “But you can count me and Maverick to be there. He deserves to spend one last Christmas at the Inn with his grandparents, father and uncle. I’m not the type to keep him from family.”
“Thank you Kristen.” A force smile appears on Ruth’s lips. “I guess I should go. I’ll see you…”
“We’ll be up there after Mav gets out of school on the 23rd.” I inform her. “And he doesn’t start back up until January 9th.”
“I can’t wait.” Another smile appears; this time it’s genuine. “I’ll see you then.” She lets herself out and I start back up on my closing routine. I can’t believe I agreed to this…
“Yes, Ruth?” I answer the phone.
“I’m outside,” she replies. “Let me in, it’s cold out here.” Rolling my eyes I head over to the front door and unlock it, revealing my ex-mother-in-law. “Hello, Kristen. You well?”
“What brings you out here?” I ask as I move aside and let her in. “I haven’t seen you in 5 years.”
“And I haven’t seen my grandson in 4.” She counters. “Lucas may be okay with not spending Christmas with his son but I’m not.”
“It’s not my fault your son rather spend Christmas on a beach with his girlfriend than with his son.” I state. “But you didn’t answer me. What brings you here? You always hated me, always hated this bar. So why are you here?”
“I wanted to give this to you in person.” She hands over a red envelope with a white wax seal with the impression of the Winter Haven Inn’s logo. “James and I are selling the Inn and moving out of country to Bora Bora. Both of us are growing tired of the cold and we’re seeking change. We’re having one last Holiday there and would like for you and Maverick to spend his Christmas vacation up there with us. Both of us really want to see Mav before we leave.”
“And is Lucas going to be there?”
“He’s my son, of course he’ll be there.” She replies. “Kaci too. He seems to be really serious about this one. Their relationship has lasted longer than your whole marriage.” I just roll my eyes at her comment. “But Nicki will also be there, and I know the two of you are still in contact with each other.”
“He’s the only one in that family that truly cared about me.” I remind her. “You and James hated me and Lucas only saw me as a big ‘fuck you’ to his parents.”
“For whatever reason, Lucas did care about you; more than you cared about him.” She spits.
“He had a funny way of showing it.” I mutter. “But you can count me and Maverick to be there. He deserves to spend one last Christmas at the Inn with his grandparents, father and uncle. I’m not the type to keep him from family.”
“Thank you Kristen.” A force smile appears on Ruth’s lips. “I guess I should go. I’ll see you…”
“We’ll be up there after Mav gets out of school on the 23rd.” I inform her. “And he doesn’t start back up until January 9th.”
“I can’t wait.” Another smile appears; this time it’s genuine. “I’ll see you then.” She lets herself out and I start back up on my closing routine. I can’t believe I agreed to this…
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