Christmas Excerpts

I tentatively walked behind Sarah as she opened the door.
"Hello?" she called.
"Ah!" a small woman ran out of the next room and threw her arms around Sarah.
"It's my funny face!" She squeeled.
Sarah smiled, "Hello shorty." she responded, but she didn't hug back.
"Ow!" Sarah suddenly screamed "you pinched me!"
The woman fake frowned "you didn't hug me."
Sarah turned slightly towards me, "Grandma, this is my boyfriend Marcus"
She smiled and nodded "Very nice to meet you." she turned back toward Sarah "at least someone's making good decisions"
Sarah looked surprised "Grandma, what do you mean?"
Grandma scowled slightly "Your sister and your cousin have made some less good choices, my dear"
Sarah looked over to the next room, two girls were holding their cell phones and chatting like teenagers. But they looked hungover or stoned or something. The innocent happiness that Sarah had they clearly didn't. It made sense how that could disappoint a grandmother. More so than having a slightly bisexual boyfriend.
I helped Sarah set up the quiche in the kitchen and then we sat on a couch as she informed me of the rest of the day. I also had the delight of helping her unwrap her presents. It was interesting watching the way her sister and cousin unwrapped theirs in comparison. When either of them got something they liked that said "Yes!" and then went into a long story about where they saw it, with what friends, and what they thought it would go with. When Sarah got something she liked she squeeled, hugged the present and thanked the giver. When Sarah got something she didn't like she smiled and still thanked the person, but then quietly put it away. If either of the others got something they didn't like they pretty much bitched about it. I couldn't believe how spoiled they acted. You could tell what they got cost far more than what Sarah's did and they would complain about how it's the wrong size or wrong color or it's a knock off and they wanted the real thing. I'm an extrovert and I can see why Sarah can't stand them.