the bet | ongoing

3 | christmas day

chapter three

Christmas day is here. 10 am and after a long morning with a fresh lavender bath and choosing a pretty black velvet dress with puffed sleeves, matching with a pearl necklace and black stockings with tiny hearts on them, I am finally ready to take our usual christmas stroll around central park.

"Where is my purse?!" I shout from up the stairs through our house. My heels click with each step as I walk down the stairs, finding Mary-Jane running towards me with my gorgeous custom purse from the family business. "Oh, thank you Mary" I smile, taking the purse in my hands while smiling sweetly at her.

"You look lovely, miss Blanchet,'' the eldary woman smiles. Mary-Jane has been my maid since I was just five years old, she feels like family especially when mom and dad are working twenty four, seven.

"Thank you very much Mary" I spotted my parents walking towards us. Giving Mary-Jane a small kiss on her cheek I told her "Now go home, enjoy Christmas with your family" her smile went from ear to ear and with blushed cheeks and thanking me over and over, she hurried away to the kitchen to get her things.

"Princess" my dad grins widely, pulling me in his arms "Merry Christmas"

"Merry Christmas, dad" I plant a kiss on his cheek before giving my mother a sweet hug and kiss on her cheek.

Our small family stroll through the park in cold, snowy weather. Me and my mother's arms locked with each of dad's arms. There are multiple families surrounding us, walking around in their Christmas spirit. Kids are smiling and running around. Parents are cuddling up next to each other while walking, holding hands and watching their children run around.

Every Christmas is the same. It has to be. We have traditions and traditions are not made to be broken.

We start every morning with a walk, end up having lunch at the cafe near the Carter's hotel, sometimes we would run into Miles and his family but it only happens once every second year or so. When we get home, there's only us three, which happens once a year. Our workers get time off and we get to cook dinner together as a family. Then it's time for presents which usually take quite some time, because underneath the tree there's nearly one hundred gifts. My dad enjoys Christmas shopping. At seven pm it is my favorite time of the day. Xavier and Ophelia come by to pick me up so we can take the car to Miles's and then we exchange gifts and end up getting our asses drunk at Miles's apartment...

"What do you want this year, beautiful?" my father asks me while we're staring at the menu, the waitress waiting to get our orders.

"The usual, as always, every year" I grin at my dad and he knows exactly what I want.

"Alright, one plate of souffle pancakes with a raspberry smoothie" dad orders my usual along with his and mom's dishes. The waitress leaves after getting our orders and we continue with our conversations.

"We're planning to go to Milano a few weeks after new years" my mother tells me and I nod my head with a smile "do you want to join us?" she questions but I already know my answer and shake my head.

"No, I have too much school and cheer to travel to Italy but thank you" my parents smile in response to my answer.

After a few more minutes of our conversations, the waitress comes back with our food. My stomach grumbles and my mouth waters when I see the delicious souffle pancakes on the plate in front of me, topped with berries and syrup. A small and quiet groan escapes my lips when I taste the pancakes.

"I love this place" I mumble, taking another bite.

"So, Diana" my mother places her fork down, looking at me with a confused and questioning face. I hum, looking at her with just as much confusion.