In the End

30 ~ Planet

Christmas has never been an amazing time in my house.

We've never really had enough money for presents. We rarely traveled to visit family and they were never invited here. It was just us, a lonely Christmas tree and ignored tension.

And the Jones family. We've never spent a Christmas without them. Part of me feels guilty for wishing they wouldn't come over today.

Studying myself in the mirror, I tug at the oversized red sweater. The sound of laughter and Christmas carols echo upstairs.

Ignoring how horrible I still look, I head downstairs just as our front door opens.

"We got the booze!" Emmy Sanchez cheers, holding two bottles of liquor in his hands.

Gabe closes the door behind him, "Let's get drunk in the name of holiday joy."

"It's 10 a.m." I remind him.

"But it's 5 o'clock somewhere." Emmy winks.

"Yup, that's my kid." Uncle Ricardo sighs from the couch.

"Care to join us, Jo?" Gabe asks and the thought of alcohol makes my stomach queasy.

"No thanks." Drunk Jovie is never allowed to join the party again. She makes bad choices that sober Jovie follows.

It's an addiction within itself and I'm cutting myself off.

"You disappoint me more and more every day." Gabe shakes his head. "Go knit a sweater with Drew."

Snorting, I jab him with my elbow on the way to the kitchen.

"Hello, Darling." Mom kisses my head. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine." I lie. I almost snuck into Gentry's room just to listen to him snore. That's how miserable I am.

She stops chopping celery and my aunts share a look from their spots at the countertop.

Making myself a cup of coffee, I groan. "Please, for the love of Christmas, don't silently talk about me while I'm in the room."

"We're not." All three of them smile.

Gosh, if people think it's weird when twins do it then they've never met triplets. It feels like a scene from a horror movie.

"Yes, you are." I pour sugar into my cup. "I'm a twin. I do the same thing."

"I don't know why you had twins, Al." Aunt Hallie pouts. "It's no fun when they know our secrets."

Aunt Callie snorts, dicing potatoes. "Gentry is still oblivious. We can let the only girl in on our secrets."

"Gentry is always oblivious." I remind her.

"Oh, leave my boy alone." Mom shushes us.

Footsteps rattle the house and my brothers run through the kitchen.

"Don't tell Gabe you saw us." Garner says.

"Why?" I raise a brow.

"Because I want Avery Adam's number and he has it." My twin tries to guess the password. "Oh, cookie."

He shoves a burnt cookie in his mouth and Garner takes the phone back.

"Why do you have Gabe's phone?" Drew asks, carrying a few empty cups to the sink.

"No reason." They try to hide it.

"He told you about the bunny video?" Drew's eyes widen in panic.

"The what?" Gentry asks, getting crumbs on the floor.

"Nothing." Drew tries to play it off.

"Fuck that." Garner smiles. "We're getting into the phone for that. Forget the model."