Lustrous

Epilogue: First Christmas

Oh my god, this was torture!

I sat on my knees and leaned forward, my tongue slipping out of my mouth as I strained my eyes.

Is that my name?!

Oh my god that's my name!

My hand slipped on the carpet and I fell forward – my head hitting the coffee table and banging off the hard surface.

"Mother fucker!" I screamed and clutched my head, curling in on myself as a sharp throbbing began in my temple.

"Wow, two dollars for the swear jar." Anthony's mocking voice floated through the hallway as he came into the lounge room.

I stared up at him from the fetal position on the floor, my hands still clutching my head. Anthony leaned against the door frame and stared at me rather unimpressed. "You hit your head on the coffee table?"

I nodded.

He glanced quickly around the room, his eyes lingering on the tree. "You were checking out the presents under the Christmas tree weren't you?"

I nodded my shame.

"You're such a child." He shook his head at me and turned back towards the kitchen. "Dinner's up by the way."

I groaned and pulled myself up onto my knees.

So what if I was worse than a child! Christmas was the best time of year and I'd be damned if I let Anthony ruin it. He was such a Grinch.

We had our first real fight barley two months after marriage when Christmas began to come around. I wanted to put a big Christmas tree and decorate the apartment with tinsel and little Santa's. Anthony did not.

A quick glance around the room showed our compromise.

We had a nice big Christmas tree – fake because Anthony wouldn't let me put a 'fire hazard' in the house – and two little statues that I placed on the coffee table. And, Hercules had a Christmas themed collar around her neck that made the little bells jingle every time she hopped – Anthony had on multiple occasions threatened to throw her out the window if she kept jingling.

I jumped up and wondered over to the table where dinner was waiting. A simple pasta. Nothing too much since tomorrow was going to be full of food and I needed to make room for it all.

Christmas carols played in the background.

"So Grinchy, am I going to wake up to no presents tomorrow? Or are you going to grow a heart and start singing?" I lifted a forkful of food up to my lips.

Anthony pouted.

My inner self began to play with the image in front of me, turning Anthony green and hairy like the Grinch in the Disney movie.

Oh dear god that is a creepy ass sight.

And to think you lie next to that man at night.

"Are you cold or you having a moment?" Anthony asked me, ignoring my Grinch comment.

"Having a moment." It's what we had started calling the times my inner self took over.

He nodded. "When you're done with your moment. Maybe you can explain the new clothes I found on the bed."

Oh you screwed.

"Whatever do you mean my love?"

You are the worst liar ever.

I know. I could barely even look at Anthony as I tried to play stupid.

Oh sky honey, you don't need to 'play' stupid. You are...