Spirit of the Season
The line wound all the
way out the post office door. Bundled
against the winter chill and laden with last-minute packages to be sent to her
family, Dawn tried to ignore the chatter all around her.
“We’re going to my
daughter’s house for Christmas…”
She would be alone this
year. She couldn’t face the pitying
looks from her sisters; the whispers. She never has finished anything she started.
“…Molly and all the
kids will be with us…”
Just her and Bruno, the
Rottie they’d adopted as a puppy. She’d
agreed to allow Sam visitation in order to get custody. For once she was grateful he’d be with his
new girlfriend in the coming week.
“… My parents are
flying in on Tuesday…”
Her mother cried when
she said she wasn’t coming. More
guilt. The postal line edged
forward.
“… We’re having an open
house on Christmas Eve. I hope you’ll
come…”
Dawn had turned down
all her friends’ invitations. She was
going to take her days off from work to stay in her pajamas, eat junk food and
binge-watch sad movies: “Love Story,” “Terms of Endearment,” and “The Notebook”
were already in her queue. All she’d felt since the divorce was anger. Her
therapist had told her she needed to cry, mourn, get it all out.
“Merry Christmas...
Happy Holidays!”
Damn. This really sucked. Oh, hell…
She took out her
phone. Maybe she could still book a
flight.
May this holiday season find you all surrounded by those you love most.
