Tolerance || Daddy's Home

Christmas Miracle

Everyone was going their separate way now. Dad, Sara, pop-pop, and I got into one car as the Mayron's got into Dusty's car, and even Roger had taken his daughter to go their own way. It was all so gloomy and depressing for it being Christmas.

   "So this is it, huh?" Tommy sadly smiled stuffing his hands into his pockets.

    "Seems like it." I pursed my lips holding onto my bag tightly.

   "I wish we had more time."

I shrugged trying to hold onto the last piece of my optimism. "We could always see each other back in California."

Tommy nodded slowly taking his hand out of his pocket and reaching for mine. He placed a chaste kiss on my knuckles.

   "Bye, Emilia."

   "Bye, Tommy."

We separated, him going back to the house with his sister, and I, to the car. Before I got inside I managed to catch sight of Dusty looking at me. He had that same state he always does when upset.

I ignored it stepping inside to let the heat of the car warm this cold day.

———

The drive was long and with the hours passing by the snow thickened. We were already deep into the road basically being told to turn back in the middle of nowhere.

We did see some stores back in town. The thing is, it is Christmas. While we thought nothing would be open we got lucky. There was only one thing was open and it was the movie theater.

I was last to step inside the cozy building, shaking the snow off my jacket, and watched as people packed into the theater.

   "Oh, look at that!" Sara exclaimed. "Looks like everyone had the same idea."

Dad and I led our family to the front. There was barely any movie that weren't sold out except for a couple rated-r one. I, of course, wouldn't mind seeing one but dad would not alway that. Especially on Christmas Day.

Then Sara suggested a movie that I very much approved of. It was a movies called 'Missletow' with Liam Neeson. Pop-pop disapproved but what can he do? We're all cranky being stuck here and there is nothing to do anyway.

So we did end up watching it.

We walked down the aisle of rows finding our seats— they were the first row, I know awful, but they were the only seats left— we encounter Dusty and the rest of the family that went with him.

This definitely grew the tension that's been accumulating since the harboring between the co-dad's unleashed.

The good thing is the movie was enough of a distraction, bad news is halfway into the movie the power went off. So back to the lobby we went.

"I need to use the gent's." Pop-pop announced. "Brad, do you need to go tee-tee?"

I snickered stuffing my hands into my pockets. Dad ushered pop-pop away turning to Sara.

"Is he still looking at me?" Dad asked referring to Dusty that'd been staring in our direction. Sara answered honestly to which I took a peek and immediately regretting it. I don't exactly have anything against him— it's just weird to speak to him after everything.

"Is he doing that one look that he does? You know, like..." Dad tried to impersonate seeming more like he'd had a bad itch he can't scratch than a scowl. "Is it that look? Where he doesn't blink?"

Dad risked to turn around and his head shot back to us. Dusty was in fact still looking this way.

I quickly told dad I'll be back, simply going over to the counter to buy some candy. My phone is on low battery and there is nothing else to do than to munch these hours away. The blonde lady resting on the countered straightened, forcing a smile. I placed my order for the skittle bag happily paying for the sweets.