The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

Shouldn't Christmas be one of the best days of the year? Spending time with family, eating food, opening presents. I spent Christmas morning alone. I woke up, took a shower, drank some coffee, and stared at the tree towering over the few presents underneath it. I turned to the TV to watch whatever football game was on, but first I noticed a note taped to the screen:

Dimitri,

I'm going back to California.....actually I'm moving back to California. Don't ask why and don't check up on me I'll be fine. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner. Love, Elena
P.S. Merry Christmas!

Yeah, Merry Fucking Christmas. What a great present.... waking up alone on Christmas day. Well, I guess I can mail her present to her. I immediately called Elena's phone... no answer, of course.

I made a deal with Jelly's dad that if she spent Christmas Eve night with him, she could spend Christmas Night with me. Little did I know I would wake up to the worst Christmas ever. I had originally planned on cooking, but what was the point if the only one eating it was me.... and Cloud. I got to watch him enjoy his Christmas presents. He even left me one at the front door, apparently I forgot to take him out last night. After a little while, Jelly called and said she wanted to meet up for lunch. Her dad hadn't planned anything and well I didn't cook anything cause I had no one to cook for, so I took everything to her dad's house and we cooked it there and all had lunch together. We watched the football game till it was time to leave for Dally's. Christmas was slowly turning out for the better. I had fun with the gang. We opened presents, did a chinese gift exchange, ate more food, and drunk...a lot.
We left Dal's late and headed back to my house, where we exchanged presents. Jelly had the most presents under my tree LOL, I decided to go all Chanel with her gift...



After "oooh'ing" and "awww'ing" over presents, we went upstairs to my room. We laid in bed a while, watching whatever Christmas movie was on TV.
"Hey, I have one more present for you.." I said to Jelly.
"What? Where?" she said.
I pulled a big box out of my closet and set it in front of her...her face lit up at the size of it.
"I'm very anxious to see what this is.." she said while undoing the wrapping paper. She cut through the tape of the box and pulled back the flaps to reveal............................. bubble wrap.
Her mouth dropped, and a moment later she burst in to laughter. "No Way!" She found it very humorous. Her laugh faded into a smile, then she kissed me and.... *pop* *pop* *pop* ha ha. Yeah, it was a great Christmas =)

Wake Up Call

I awoke to my phone loudly vibrating on the nightstand. Vibrate mode is for when you DON'T want to be woken up -.- FML. I answered it sleepily..
"hel..hello?"
"Yes is this Dimitri Ryder?" said the voice on the other end.
"Yeah, may I ask who is calling?"
"Yes, Mr.Ryder this is the Tulsa County police department, we believe we have a member of your family here, if it's no trouble we would like you to come down to the station."
I glance at the clock... 2:00 AM.
"Yeah I'll be right there."
I slid in to a pair of jeans and a t shirt. I grabbed my shoes and walked down the hall to Elena's room.... just as I thought, she wasn't there. What the hell did she do this time? I thought while grabbing my jacket and heading out the door.
I pulled up to the police station. I walked up to the desk and asked the policeman behind it where Elena was. Yeah, were on first name basis with police officers -_- that shows just how often I have to go there.
"Elena hasn't been in recently Mr. Ryder." he said.
"But, I got a phone call saying that she..."
"Dimitri!" I heard a voice behind me.
I turned and glanced at the bench planted against the wall to find my father. I rolled my eyes and sighed.
"What's the charge?"
"Sexual harassment..... he was drunk at a coffee shop down the street. They said he was making vulgar comments to the waitress."
"How much?"
"$346.00 or six months in jail."
I turned back. "Dad what the hell are you doing here?"
"You mom told me where you were....I came to pay you a visit."
"Why?"
"What? I have to have an excuse to visit my own son?"
"No, but you have to have care...and I know damn well you don't have that."
"Will you ever forgive me Dimitri?"
"It's not about if or when I will forgive you, it's the fact that you've still yet to change."
"Well...I'm here aren't I?"
"Yeah..in a jail, charged for sexual harassment...."
"Okay so It's not the best family reunion, but I attempted."
"Well, Dad... attempting just isn't good enough." I started to leave,
"After everything I've done for you, you're just going to walk away?" he shouted at me from across the police station.
"What the hell have you done for me? Huh? You think sending me a generous check every month is just going to make up for everything you didn't do? Let me know how that works out for ya."
"Dimitri...son, please..."
Damn me and my will to be kind. I handed the policeman at the counter my debit card.
My dad followed me out the door...
"I need a place to stay tonight."
"I already bailed you out of jail old man, you expect me to feed and clothe you too?"
"That's exactly what I did for you when you were little..."
"What about when I hit middle school? Or became Senior captain of the Swim team? When we became the high school state champ hockey players. What about when your grand daughter was born dad?"
"I'm sorry.... how is Elena?"
"Don't try and change the subject..... get in the damn car."
We walked in the house...
"You got yourself a nice place here Dimtri."
"Lucky for you Elena's out for the night."
"Who's this?" he pointed to a picture on the mantle,
"My girlfriend...Jelly." I said while throwing some sheets on the couch.
"Damn.... you tap that?"
'Goodnight dad." I said before disappearing upstairs.

Here We Go Again

6 Months. 6 months ago I met the greatest girl in the world. 6 months ago I first saw her beautiful face. 6 months ago I would have done anything to get her attention. 6 months ago.... she became mine.

Considering the stressful circumstances we just went through, we agreed to have a slow, quiet night together. We started out at Jelly's new apartment, where she now lives with Kit and TwoBit. The apartment complex had a pool and hot tub so we spent a few minutes there. Luckily we were the only ones ;)
After that we went to my house, took a shower, and had a fireplace picnic in the living room. I even broke out the marshmallows :) We had hot chocolate and cuddled up close under the blankets. And we just talked for a while and goofed around.... i'm pretty sure there was some tickling going on too.
I felt like spending money, so I got Jels a ring..... don't get too excited, it's not THAT kind of ring, it's just a ring. Actually it was my great grandmother's, but i had some changes made to it, it now has both of our birthstones in it...that way she'll always have some part of me with her.