The Love We Choose

Chapter 39

During dinner things went smoothly until Yolanda tried to fill Lynne's glass with red wine. "Sorry cousin, no can do," she told her as she placed a hand over the top of the wine glass.

"Did you jump on the wagon or something? That's so unlike you."

"Naw. I've got stress-induced acute gastritis. Can't have any alcohol with the meds I'm taking."

"Bummer.

"Further proof that you need a new job."

"We're not having this discussion two holidays in a row, Vinny," she told her brother through clenched teeth. "Drop it."

He mimed a zipper and continued to pile food onto his plate.

After dinner it was time for the adults' presents. As yet another Prentice tradition goes, the gifts were distributed by age so the elders go first starting with Mr. Prentice, Uncle Phillip, Mrs. Prentice, Aunt Shelly, Vinny, Travis, Javier, Julissa, Ife, Elisa, Nat, Kris, Lynne, Yolanda, and finally David.

Lynne was shocked to see that Javier, Elisa's husband, got her for the grab bag. She took the time to point out to Elisa that it was a sign that destiny was on her side. He gave her a leather-bound journal, funky-looking parchment, and a fountain-pen set with ink in five different colors and a set of three nibs.

Lynne got her dad a silk black and red striped tie to honor his time in the USMC, a multi-tool that fits inside his wallet, tickets to an upcoming Giants game for him and his 3 closest friends, and a bound collection of baby photos that featured him of all his children and grandchildren with an attached card that said "For the best man ever."

"Way to show us all up Lynne!" Julissa piped up, tossing a ball of crumpled red and green wrapping paper at her from her spot on Travis's lap, prompting her other siblings to follow suit.

Throwing her hands up to defend the onslaught of paper balls from several different directions, Lynne attempted to dodge their attack. "Hey! There's no limit on my love for daddy and my gift shows that. Not my fault you suck at giving gifts," she said and signed before sticking her tongue out at her sister.

"How are we supposed to follow Giants' tickets? Yah jerk?" David griped at her from his spot next to the tree.

"You're not," she stated flatly. "I won this year. You just have to plan better for next year."

"Kids. The spirit of Christmas is not in the gifts but the gift-giving. It's not a competition," Aunt Shelley remarked as she wrapped her new purple and cream striped shawl that Julissa crocheted for her around her shoulders.

"Shelley-girl, have you met your nieces and nephews? Everything with them is a competition," Mrs. Prentice said and signed with a laugh. "Sometimes even a war."

XXX

That night, the entire family except Aunt Shelley & Uncle Phillip, who lived ten minutes away, slept over at Lynne's parents' place since they were going to take the new pajama photo in the morning before everyone returned to their own homes. All of the kids slept together in the living room in the family room where the floor had been transformed to accommodate them with blow-up mattresses, blankets, and pillows. The adults left them alone with the supplies to make smores, decorate sugar cookies, and watch a queued up Christmas movie marathon.

Each of the older cousins: Vinny's twins Dominique and Arabella, Julissa's daughter Harley, and Elisa's son Javi, Jr. were given instructions to watch over their younger siblings and cousins, with extra eyes on Hannah. Luckily, Micha & Paulo had already been put to sleep in the pack 'n' play setup in Mr. & Mrs. Prentice's room. Mrs. Prentice, with her excellent hearing, walked around with the audio-visual baby monitor clipped to her hip.