Page 182 of Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal
“Dude, it was Ansel.”
I pause, my heart stuttering in my chest. “Wait... what?” I tug on my ear. “Did you just say it was Ansel?”
Cole slowly nods his head. “Yeah. It was him.”
“Are you sure?”
“I saw it with my own eyes, or else I wouldn’t have believed it. Ansel took the ornament.”
I feel all the blood drain from my head as I try to comprehend what Cole is saying. “Ansel, my brother, is the one who took the ornament?”
“Yeah, man.”
“Fuck.” I blow out a deep breath. “Fuck, that’s... that’s... what the fuck was he thinking?” I roar, anger taking over as I try to process this. “Why would he do that? He knows what that tree means to our family. Jesus Christ.” I stand and start pacing. “I mean, it might as well be fucking me, because there is no way Dwight is ever going to be okay with it being anyone in my family. He will use that against us. He... fuck. FUCK! Why would he do that? I mean, I knew it wasn’t me, and I could say that until I was blue in the face, and Dwight might have been able to believe me at some point, but knowing that it was Ansel? Someone in my family? I’m fucked. I’m utterly fucked.”
I lean against the wall, my hopes crashing all around me as I think about the implications of this.
Defeated, I ask, “What am I supposed to do? She wants me to meet her parents when they come into town. I’m supposed to talk to Dwight... Fuck, man.”
Cole leans forward, forearms propped up on his desk. “I don’t know. Let me... let me think about this for a second.” He rubs his fingers over his brow. “You like her, right?”
“Yeah, I think... dude, I think I love her. I was just telling your wife that this morning.”
“You were?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m there, man. She’s all I think about. She just feels so perfect for me. And I enjoy her company. I want to be around her. I want to talk to her. I want her to tell me about her day. I really fucking like her, and now I’m just going to have to let her go because of fucking Dwight? Because of Ansel and his moronic tendencies?”
“No, you’re not going to let her go. We’re going to figure out how to approach this. Let me just think on it, okay?” He blows out a heavy breath and then looks me in the eyes. “Sorry, man. I wish I had better news.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Betty
I stopped by the farm earlier today, but Atlas was really busy given the time of the year—which is crazy, because shouldn’t people already have their Christmas trees? Either way, I texted him that I’d be at Warm Your Spirits working when he was done with work.
Uncle Dwight comes home tomorrow, and my nerves are high because I know Atlas wants to talk to him, to settle things, but what if Uncle Dwight doesn’t want to settle things? What if he wants to hang on to this feud? I could see it happening, because although I love him, he can be very stubborn.
And my parents are coming in soon too. It just all feels very stressful.
Maybe it’s one of those things that we hold off on telling Uncle Dwight until after the holidays. It would be wonderful to see Atlas on Christmas, but if giving that up means that we can get through Christmas peacefully, then I very well might do that.
I think I’ll make the suggestion when I see him.
My phone dings with a text, and I glance down to see that it’s from Atlas. Smiling, I open up the text.
Max:On my way to you. Can you grab us drinks to go? I have somewhere I want to take you.
Betty:Of course. What do you want?
Max:Hot cocoa with peppermint.
Betty:You’re so cute. See you soon.
I pack up my computer and notebook, and place them in my bag before heading up to the counter, where Tanya is chatting with two ladies I haven’t met yet.
“Hello, Betty,” Tanya says with a warm smile. “Are you heading out?”
“Actually, Atlas is coming to pick me up and asked if I can grab drinks for us. Two peppermint hot chocolates please.”
