Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:39 pm
Chapter 11: The One Where They Celebrate Christmas Eve
“I’m pretty sure I’ve never met someone who enjoyed spending as much time in the grocery store as you do, Mike.”
Michael and Liz were standing in the frozen food section of Trader Joe’s, their cart just off to the side.
Michael simply shrugged, his eyes never leaving the list in his left hand. “And I’m pretty sure I’ve never met anyone else who had an irrational fear of Jell-O, Liz.”
“Oooooo…burrrrn.” Michael looked at Liz and smiled.
Kyle walked up carrying a produce bag with lemons and placed them in the cart. “What do we have left to get, Mike?” He pulled Liz to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Not too much. I think we have to go to Raley’s for most of the rest of this stuff.”
“By the way Kyle, I never asked. Did Derek find you at Copia the other day?”
Kyle nodded. “He has a new boyfriend. Thinks he may get picked on draft day, too.” Derek Ibarra had been on the same team with Kyle at Napa High School. Derek was a power hitter who played first with the range of a shortstop. Now he played for Florida State. “Not that I or anyone else ever doubted that would happen.”
“Do you want to get drafted, Kyle?” It was a question Kyle wouldn’t have answered had it come from someone not named Parker, and the three Parkers currently standing in Trader Joe’s knew that.
“I don’t know. I haven’t decided if that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. Baseball got me through mom, but maybe it’s time to let it go.” He paused then, before saying, “Ah hell, I don’t know. You know me. I’ll be an athlete until the day I die, even if I’m a quadriplegic. I’ll never be able to let baseball go.”
Michael and Liz nodded. They did know. It was the same way that Alex would be a musician, Liz would be a photographer and Michael would be a chef until they died. It didn’t matter whether they were active in it or not. Even time would not be capable of curing them of their own distinct itches.
“Okay, I think we need…” Michael scanned his list. “Uh…two loaves of sourdough. Then we can go to Raley’s to get the rest of the list.”
“Liz? Michael? Kyle? Hi!”
Amy DeLuca certainly knew how to make herself known. Or was it Valenti now? Or Deluca-Valenti? Liz shrugged internally.
“Hi Amy.”
“Hi Amy.”
“Hi Amy.”
Amy hugged the three in turn. “Amy, are you, Jim and Maria coming to Christmas Eve at Parkers? I know dad was meaning to tell you about it, but he may not have gotten around to it yet.”
“Yes he did, thank you. From what I hear, it’s the best party of the year. We wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
Kyle spoke then. “You know, we won’t get a lot of time to catch up with you at the party, what with how many people there’ll be, why don’t the three of you come for lunch too? That is, if you aren’t doing anything.”
“We aren’t. Thank you, we’d love to. What time should we be there?”
“Mike?” Liz, Amy and Kyle all turned to look at Michael, who had yet to say much.
“Uh…Twelve-thirty would be fine, I guess.”
Amy smiled brightly at each sibling in turn. “Great! We’ll see you then! Bye kids.”
As they watched Amy walk away, Kyle said, “Well, one thing’s for sure- we know Maria doesn’t get one particular tendency from her dad.”
-:-:-:-
“Hey Mike, need any help?”
Michael looked up from the kitchen island at Max, who was walking into the kitchen barefoot and sipping from a bottle of Corona, the four fingers of his left hand in the left pocket of his jeans.
Michael wiped his hands off on a kitchen towel to his right. “Uh…would you mind starting the salad?”
“Not at all. I did offer.” Max set his beer down and went to the sink to wash his hands before pulling leaves of lettuce off the first head of romaine to wash.
A few minutes later, as Max was chopping up tomatoes and Michael was snapping the bottoms off of spears of asparagus, Liz walked in the kitchen. “Aw, how cute. Two of my boys, being all domestic.”
“Eat your heart out.” Michael smiled as he winked at Liz, who just laughed.
“Do you need anything?”
“You could wrangle Alex up and get him to set the table if you want. Then you can start bringing the food out.”
“You got it.” Liz smiled and bounced out of the room. Max watched her until she was gone, then continued to keep his eyes on the doorway; almost as if he expected her to come right back and he didn’t want to miss one moment of her.
Michael didn’t miss that.
About ten minutes later the table was set and everyone was gathered, Michael and Max the last to reach their seats. Jeff was at the head of one end, Jim at the head of the other. Daniel, of course, had insisted on sitting next to Liz, and Kyle had had to kick Alex to prevent him from groaning loudly. They did not need to start something with the pompous ass today, especially when in about five minutes, Pompous Ass was going to start something all on his lonesome.
The conversation began innocently enough. Liz simply wanted to know what Maria had been up to.
Maria spoke between bites of roast chicken. “Well, my music is my main focus right now. I had planned to stay with mom only until I turned eighteen, but the commune really helped with my musicianship. There’s a man there, Perry, who plays an amazing guitar. He was really instrumental in my development. Uh…no pun intended. Sorry.”
All except Daniel laughed. He simply rolled his eyes and looked down at the food he was pushing around his plate. Jim spoke after swallowing his bite of salad. “So Tess, I heard your family moved to Atlanta. Is that accurate?”
Tess nodded as she took a sip of water. “It is.” She set her glass down. “Just before the third grade.”
“And how did you and Kyle meet again?”
Tess turned to Kyle, an affectionate smile on her face. “We had a class together.”
“I thought I recognized her, so I went up and introduced myself.”
Daniel mumbled something to himself.
“Sorry Daniel, what was that?”
“Oh nothing. I just said that all men think they recognize girls with that hair color.”
And just like that, all the noise exited the room.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Daniel. Some were outraged, some were just shocked but none could rival the look on Liz’s face.
She was flat-out pissed.
Liz got up abruptly from her chair and threw her napkin down on her plate, resting her hands on the table to either side of the plate. She was breathing heavily as she stared down at the table, unwilling to look anyone in the eye until she turned her eyes to Daniel and said, “You. Outside. Now.” before stalking away through the French doors behind her.
Daniel followed and as he shut the door behind him, the occupants of the table had still not moved.
-:-:-:-
“Shut the door.” Daniel did and moved to Liz. Her hand, palm out, stopped him in his path.
She was pacing, and she was angry. No, more than angry, livid. But Daniel didn’t care. He knew what was best for her, after all. And this family of hers was not what was best for her. He was confident she would see that in time. Of course, had he thought to mention that to Liz, the outcome would most likely have been entirely different than he expected.
“What is the matter with you? You sat there, at my family’s table, and essentially called my older brother’s girlfriend a whore. Are you mentally challenged or something?”
Daniel laughed lightly and Liz wanted to slap him across the face. “If the shoe fits, Elizabeth.”
Liz stood there, arms hanging down at her sides, and stared at him in disbelief.
“Who are you?”
“Pardon me?”
“Who is this person in front of me? Because there’s no way you can convince me that you are the same Daniel I met two years ago. That Daniel would never even think about disrespecting my family.”
“It’s not disrespect if it’s the truth, Elizabeth.”
Liz snorted. “That’s another thing- when did you start calling me Elizabeth? It’s always Elizabeth this or Elizabeth that. Whatever happened to Liz?”
Daniel frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. “What’s wrong with my calling you Elizabeth?”
“Nothing’s wrong with it. It is my name. But I prefer Liz. You know that.”
“Elizabeth is more becoming a lady. And I expect my wife to be a lady.”
Come again?
“Come again?”
Daniel let out a long, annoyed sigh and rolled his eyes. “That’s why I wanted you to spend Christmas with my family.” He drew closer and wrapped his hands on her upper arms, rubbing them. “I was going to propose tomorrow. But since you spoiled that surprise, well…” Daniel simply looked away.
Liz shook his hands off her arms and said, “What on earth makes you think I want to marry you?”
“Well, we’ve been dating for two years now. That is the next step, Elizabeth.” Daniel spoke slowly, as if he were addressing a small child and Liz would have none of it.
“Well that answers that question. Not only are you a condescending asshole, but apparently you’re also delusional.” She paused, closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and middle finger.
“Language, Elizabeth.” She looked up at him, the anger clear in her eyes.
“Fuck off, Daniel. You don’t get to scold me as if I’m some petulant three year old. I will swear as much as I like. Asshole, asshole, asshole.” Liz walked away from him, pacing the length of the deck. A minute later she stopped, lightly shaking her head. “This isn’t working. I can’t do this anymore. We can’t do this anymore.”
Daniel rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest impatiently. “Someone’s being a little overdramatic.”
Liz chose to ignore him. If she let herself be baited right now it would throw her completely off target. There was no way she was giving up the opportunity to say the things she needed to say. “It hasn’t been working for a long time, Daniel. You want this girl who’s going to bow down when you enter a room, who’ll fawn over you night and day and who doesn’t get upset when you spend more time with your golf buddies than her. I refuse to stoop that low. I’m worth more than that.”
“The greatest thing a woman can be, the only thing she should worry about being, is a good wife and mother. Filling the needs of those around her, that’s what she’s great at.”
And suddenly, Liz saw Daniel as he really was. She saw the sneers at her brothers, the inconsiderate actions and the insensitive comments. She was tired of making apologies for a Daniel she had once known. It was clear by now that that Daniel had left on a Greyhound to Oklahoma City or wherever, and he was never coming back.
“When you call, I immediately send you to voicemail. I don’t consider you in any decision I make. I don’t talk about you. Ever. These things, Daniel? They aren’t normal. I should want to tell everyone I meet about you, but I don’t. Most days I can’t even stand to be around you because you grate on my nerves. You’re-”
“You’ll grow out of-”
“I’m speaking. You always do all the talking. It’s your turn to listen now. Do not interrupt me again.” Liz paused before continuing. “You’re inconsiderate and condescending and rude. You never take what matters to me in account, but you always expect me to accommodate you. But you want the big kicker, Daniel? I don’t love you. I never have. I couldn’t possibly love someone like you. I always knew that, it just became obvious recently.”
Daniel sneered. “Wake up little girl. Marriage isn’t about love.”
“See Daniel, I don’t doubt that you believe that. But that’s not what I want. I want what my parents had. I want that kind of ‘no doubt about it, head over heels, bursting at the seams’ kind of love. I deserve that Daniel. And there’s no way you can ever give that to me.
Liz gestured in the space between them. “This…whatever this is…is over. Goodbye Daniel.”
Liz walked inside and shut the French doors soundly behind her, effectively severing Daniel from the rest of her life.
-:-:-:-
Christmas Eve at Parker’s was an event in its seventh year.
It was an event exclusively for the town, a nod from Parker Vineyards to the people of Napa. Every year was a little different than the last, with every year holding to a theme. This year’s theme was A Midwinter Night’s Dream, and the decorations were just breathtaking.
Liz and Isabel walked through the doorway of one of the east buildings on the vineyard and into another world. There were glass snowflakes of every shape and size hanging from the ceiling, momentarily paused on their way to earth. Fake snow was everywhere, and it seemed some of the local kids had already realized that. The kids were giggling and making fake snow angels in the fake snow bank off to the right of the girls.
Jeff walked in just behind the girls and laughed when he saw the kids. “Parents are going to have a rough time keeping their kids out of those all night.”
There was a band playing on a stage to their right and Jeff started toward it, but not after looking at his watch. “Well girls, it looks like it’s that time again. Excuse me, would you?” Liz and Isabel nodded and turned to look at the rest of the room.
A large dance floor had been set up in the center of the room, tables flanking it on two sides. There were no set places, being that at this party people usually just came and went as they pleased, but each table had a centerpiece in the middle, photos in silver frames sitting on beds of snow. As Liz and Isabel reached a table, Liz gasped.
“Liz? You okay?!?”
Liz simply nodded, not saying a word. Alex walked up moments later and said, “Those are her photos, Isabel. Every table has one of her photos.”
In fact, when Liz walked around later, taking in as much of the party as she could, she would find that her photos were not only on the tables, but on the walls and outside on the patio.
There was a photo Liz had taken five years ago of downtown at Christmas.
There were many photos of her family from Christmases and ski vacations past.
And there was one of the first photos Liz had ever taken: Nancy with Alex on her lap, smiles on their faces as they opened one of Alex’s Christmas gifts together. Liz had received a camera that year. It was the first photo on that roll of film.
There was an amplified sound as Jeff tapped his fingers on the microphone in front of him.
“Hi everybody.” Jeff got a chorus of ‘Hi’s’ back. “As you know, the Parker family has lived in Napa for years. Since even before we started this little vineyard, in fact. This family has owed so much of its success to this town and its people. We just want to thank all of you for the support and kindness you’ve shown us over the years. It has not been overlooked, we assure you. That said- have fun, enjoy, live and love.”
Jeff back away from the microphone and hopped off the stage as the band started to play. Alex stood in front of Liz and held out his right hand, a grin on his face. “May I have this dance, milady?”
Liz grinned and put on a southern accent. “Why Alexander Charles Parker, I do declare. You are a gentleman of the highest order. I would be pleased to accept this gracious invitation.” She put her hand in Alex’s and they walked to the dance floor before he spun her, making her giggle instantly.
“So…you and Izzy.”
“So…you and Daniel.”
“When’s your date?”
“How did it feel to break up with him?”
Liz gasped with her mouth open and a smile on her face. Alex definitely had the juicier question.
“Great.”
Alex grinned. “The Twenty-Sixth.”
Liz grinned. “How did you know?”
Alex shrugged, smile firmly in place. “Twin thing. What else? And before you ask, no, they don’t know.” Liz nodded.
Alex dipped her and she laughed loudly as the song came to an end.
-:-:-:-
Max was walking down the stairs on the way to the kitchen when he noticed one of the French doors leading outside was slightly ajar. He walked through them hesitantly, suddenly understanding the phrase ‘All is calm, All is bright’.
The night sky was completely clear, leaving the stars to shine down on the earth below. Max looked to his left and saw Liz sitting in a porch swing, wrapped up in a quilt with her legs tucked underneath her. She was looking out across the yard toward the grape vines that stretched over the hills and the light from the stars was dancing across her hair. Max’s breath caught.
“He wasn’t always like that, you know. And before you say it, no, I am not one of those girls who will excuse a man anything. But he wasn’t like that in the beginning.”
Max simply walked over and sat down next to her, and she pulled the quilt over his lap. He didn’t answer because he knew she didn’t really want him to. She wanted to explain; needed to be heard. So Max sat. And Max listened.
“He was considerate and sweet. He always had time for me. He listened. He even told a joke every now and again. Not a funny joke, mind you, but at least he tried.
“Then he started to change. It happened so gradually that I didn’t even notice at first. He stopped telling me where he was going to be, he started canceling dates. That sort of thing. And I started sending his calls to voicemail. Did you know I hate the sound of his voice?”
Max laughed, a sound that made Liz’s toes tingle. “I do. I hate the sound of his voice. It annoys the crap out of me. Or that when he talks, I do the multiplication tables in my head to keep from being bored to tears?” At Max’s bright laugh, she said, “It’s true! I do. That conversation the other day when were outside for fifty minutes? I got up to the fifteens. And I don’t exactly race through them. If he had kept going on much longer I would have moved on to my prepositions.”
Max and Liz laughed then, the sound rolling over the hills. “So Liz, why do you stay with him then? Because you have to know, you deserve so much better than what Daniel gives you.”
Liz turned to look at him. The stars were resting in his hair and he was looking at her with what looked like, and Liz thought she could possibly be mistaken, tenderness and affection. “Well, that question is moot now. I broke up with him.”
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! All-lay-ay-lew-yuh!
“Really? What prompted you to end it now?”
“Truthfully, you.” Liz sighed. “You reminded me of something. I was holding on to Daniel in part because it was so easy. All the hard work had already been done. But mainly I was holding on to him because…”
Max gently nudged her right shoulder with his left. “Because why, Liz?”
Liz took a deep breath and jumped off the deep end. “I said goodbye to my mother, Max. Say what you will about Daniel, but two years is a long time. I just didn’t want to say goodbye.”
She paused before saying one last thing. “I never said thank you, Max. Last night meant the world to me.”
“You’re welcome, Liz.”
The conversation was over, so Max wrapped his arms around her and held her to him. Liz looked down at the leather cuff watch on Max’s right wrist and said, “Hey look.” Max looked down at his wrist as Liz smiled.
“Merry Christmas, Max.”
“Merry Christmas, Liz.”
AN: Trader Joe's and Raley's as well as Napa High School, are not mine.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve never met someone who enjoyed spending as much time in the grocery store as you do, Mike.”
Michael and Liz were standing in the frozen food section of Trader Joe’s, their cart just off to the side.
Michael simply shrugged, his eyes never leaving the list in his left hand. “And I’m pretty sure I’ve never met anyone else who had an irrational fear of Jell-O, Liz.”
“Oooooo…burrrrn.” Michael looked at Liz and smiled.
Kyle walked up carrying a produce bag with lemons and placed them in the cart. “What do we have left to get, Mike?” He pulled Liz to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Not too much. I think we have to go to Raley’s for most of the rest of this stuff.”
“By the way Kyle, I never asked. Did Derek find you at Copia the other day?”
Kyle nodded. “He has a new boyfriend. Thinks he may get picked on draft day, too.” Derek Ibarra had been on the same team with Kyle at Napa High School. Derek was a power hitter who played first with the range of a shortstop. Now he played for Florida State. “Not that I or anyone else ever doubted that would happen.”
“Do you want to get drafted, Kyle?” It was a question Kyle wouldn’t have answered had it come from someone not named Parker, and the three Parkers currently standing in Trader Joe’s knew that.
“I don’t know. I haven’t decided if that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. Baseball got me through mom, but maybe it’s time to let it go.” He paused then, before saying, “Ah hell, I don’t know. You know me. I’ll be an athlete until the day I die, even if I’m a quadriplegic. I’ll never be able to let baseball go.”
Michael and Liz nodded. They did know. It was the same way that Alex would be a musician, Liz would be a photographer and Michael would be a chef until they died. It didn’t matter whether they were active in it or not. Even time would not be capable of curing them of their own distinct itches.
“Okay, I think we need…” Michael scanned his list. “Uh…two loaves of sourdough. Then we can go to Raley’s to get the rest of the list.”
“Liz? Michael? Kyle? Hi!”
Amy DeLuca certainly knew how to make herself known. Or was it Valenti now? Or Deluca-Valenti? Liz shrugged internally.
“Hi Amy.”
“Hi Amy.”
“Hi Amy.”
Amy hugged the three in turn. “Amy, are you, Jim and Maria coming to Christmas Eve at Parkers? I know dad was meaning to tell you about it, but he may not have gotten around to it yet.”
“Yes he did, thank you. From what I hear, it’s the best party of the year. We wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
Kyle spoke then. “You know, we won’t get a lot of time to catch up with you at the party, what with how many people there’ll be, why don’t the three of you come for lunch too? That is, if you aren’t doing anything.”
“We aren’t. Thank you, we’d love to. What time should we be there?”
“Mike?” Liz, Amy and Kyle all turned to look at Michael, who had yet to say much.
“Uh…Twelve-thirty would be fine, I guess.”
Amy smiled brightly at each sibling in turn. “Great! We’ll see you then! Bye kids.”
As they watched Amy walk away, Kyle said, “Well, one thing’s for sure- we know Maria doesn’t get one particular tendency from her dad.”
-:-:-:-
“Hey Mike, need any help?”
Michael looked up from the kitchen island at Max, who was walking into the kitchen barefoot and sipping from a bottle of Corona, the four fingers of his left hand in the left pocket of his jeans.
Michael wiped his hands off on a kitchen towel to his right. “Uh…would you mind starting the salad?”
“Not at all. I did offer.” Max set his beer down and went to the sink to wash his hands before pulling leaves of lettuce off the first head of romaine to wash.
A few minutes later, as Max was chopping up tomatoes and Michael was snapping the bottoms off of spears of asparagus, Liz walked in the kitchen. “Aw, how cute. Two of my boys, being all domestic.”
“Eat your heart out.” Michael smiled as he winked at Liz, who just laughed.
“Do you need anything?”
“You could wrangle Alex up and get him to set the table if you want. Then you can start bringing the food out.”
“You got it.” Liz smiled and bounced out of the room. Max watched her until she was gone, then continued to keep his eyes on the doorway; almost as if he expected her to come right back and he didn’t want to miss one moment of her.
Michael didn’t miss that.
About ten minutes later the table was set and everyone was gathered, Michael and Max the last to reach their seats. Jeff was at the head of one end, Jim at the head of the other. Daniel, of course, had insisted on sitting next to Liz, and Kyle had had to kick Alex to prevent him from groaning loudly. They did not need to start something with the pompous ass today, especially when in about five minutes, Pompous Ass was going to start something all on his lonesome.
The conversation began innocently enough. Liz simply wanted to know what Maria had been up to.
Maria spoke between bites of roast chicken. “Well, my music is my main focus right now. I had planned to stay with mom only until I turned eighteen, but the commune really helped with my musicianship. There’s a man there, Perry, who plays an amazing guitar. He was really instrumental in my development. Uh…no pun intended. Sorry.”
All except Daniel laughed. He simply rolled his eyes and looked down at the food he was pushing around his plate. Jim spoke after swallowing his bite of salad. “So Tess, I heard your family moved to Atlanta. Is that accurate?”
Tess nodded as she took a sip of water. “It is.” She set her glass down. “Just before the third grade.”
“And how did you and Kyle meet again?”
Tess turned to Kyle, an affectionate smile on her face. “We had a class together.”
“I thought I recognized her, so I went up and introduced myself.”
Daniel mumbled something to himself.
“Sorry Daniel, what was that?”
“Oh nothing. I just said that all men think they recognize girls with that hair color.”
And just like that, all the noise exited the room.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Daniel. Some were outraged, some were just shocked but none could rival the look on Liz’s face.
She was flat-out pissed.
Liz got up abruptly from her chair and threw her napkin down on her plate, resting her hands on the table to either side of the plate. She was breathing heavily as she stared down at the table, unwilling to look anyone in the eye until she turned her eyes to Daniel and said, “You. Outside. Now.” before stalking away through the French doors behind her.
Daniel followed and as he shut the door behind him, the occupants of the table had still not moved.
-:-:-:-
“Shut the door.” Daniel did and moved to Liz. Her hand, palm out, stopped him in his path.
She was pacing, and she was angry. No, more than angry, livid. But Daniel didn’t care. He knew what was best for her, after all. And this family of hers was not what was best for her. He was confident she would see that in time. Of course, had he thought to mention that to Liz, the outcome would most likely have been entirely different than he expected.
“What is the matter with you? You sat there, at my family’s table, and essentially called my older brother’s girlfriend a whore. Are you mentally challenged or something?”
Daniel laughed lightly and Liz wanted to slap him across the face. “If the shoe fits, Elizabeth.”
Liz stood there, arms hanging down at her sides, and stared at him in disbelief.
“Who are you?”
“Pardon me?”
“Who is this person in front of me? Because there’s no way you can convince me that you are the same Daniel I met two years ago. That Daniel would never even think about disrespecting my family.”
“It’s not disrespect if it’s the truth, Elizabeth.”
Liz snorted. “That’s another thing- when did you start calling me Elizabeth? It’s always Elizabeth this or Elizabeth that. Whatever happened to Liz?”
Daniel frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. “What’s wrong with my calling you Elizabeth?”
“Nothing’s wrong with it. It is my name. But I prefer Liz. You know that.”
“Elizabeth is more becoming a lady. And I expect my wife to be a lady.”
Come again?
“Come again?”
Daniel let out a long, annoyed sigh and rolled his eyes. “That’s why I wanted you to spend Christmas with my family.” He drew closer and wrapped his hands on her upper arms, rubbing them. “I was going to propose tomorrow. But since you spoiled that surprise, well…” Daniel simply looked away.
Liz shook his hands off her arms and said, “What on earth makes you think I want to marry you?”
“Well, we’ve been dating for two years now. That is the next step, Elizabeth.” Daniel spoke slowly, as if he were addressing a small child and Liz would have none of it.
“Well that answers that question. Not only are you a condescending asshole, but apparently you’re also delusional.” She paused, closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and middle finger.
“Language, Elizabeth.” She looked up at him, the anger clear in her eyes.
“Fuck off, Daniel. You don’t get to scold me as if I’m some petulant three year old. I will swear as much as I like. Asshole, asshole, asshole.” Liz walked away from him, pacing the length of the deck. A minute later she stopped, lightly shaking her head. “This isn’t working. I can’t do this anymore. We can’t do this anymore.”
Daniel rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest impatiently. “Someone’s being a little overdramatic.”
Liz chose to ignore him. If she let herself be baited right now it would throw her completely off target. There was no way she was giving up the opportunity to say the things she needed to say. “It hasn’t been working for a long time, Daniel. You want this girl who’s going to bow down when you enter a room, who’ll fawn over you night and day and who doesn’t get upset when you spend more time with your golf buddies than her. I refuse to stoop that low. I’m worth more than that.”
“The greatest thing a woman can be, the only thing she should worry about being, is a good wife and mother. Filling the needs of those around her, that’s what she’s great at.”
And suddenly, Liz saw Daniel as he really was. She saw the sneers at her brothers, the inconsiderate actions and the insensitive comments. She was tired of making apologies for a Daniel she had once known. It was clear by now that that Daniel had left on a Greyhound to Oklahoma City or wherever, and he was never coming back.
“When you call, I immediately send you to voicemail. I don’t consider you in any decision I make. I don’t talk about you. Ever. These things, Daniel? They aren’t normal. I should want to tell everyone I meet about you, but I don’t. Most days I can’t even stand to be around you because you grate on my nerves. You’re-”
“You’ll grow out of-”
“I’m speaking. You always do all the talking. It’s your turn to listen now. Do not interrupt me again.” Liz paused before continuing. “You’re inconsiderate and condescending and rude. You never take what matters to me in account, but you always expect me to accommodate you. But you want the big kicker, Daniel? I don’t love you. I never have. I couldn’t possibly love someone like you. I always knew that, it just became obvious recently.”
Daniel sneered. “Wake up little girl. Marriage isn’t about love.”
“See Daniel, I don’t doubt that you believe that. But that’s not what I want. I want what my parents had. I want that kind of ‘no doubt about it, head over heels, bursting at the seams’ kind of love. I deserve that Daniel. And there’s no way you can ever give that to me.
Liz gestured in the space between them. “This…whatever this is…is over. Goodbye Daniel.”
Liz walked inside and shut the French doors soundly behind her, effectively severing Daniel from the rest of her life.
-:-:-:-
Christmas Eve at Parker’s was an event in its seventh year.
It was an event exclusively for the town, a nod from Parker Vineyards to the people of Napa. Every year was a little different than the last, with every year holding to a theme. This year’s theme was A Midwinter Night’s Dream, and the decorations were just breathtaking.
Liz and Isabel walked through the doorway of one of the east buildings on the vineyard and into another world. There were glass snowflakes of every shape and size hanging from the ceiling, momentarily paused on their way to earth. Fake snow was everywhere, and it seemed some of the local kids had already realized that. The kids were giggling and making fake snow angels in the fake snow bank off to the right of the girls.
Jeff walked in just behind the girls and laughed when he saw the kids. “Parents are going to have a rough time keeping their kids out of those all night.”
There was a band playing on a stage to their right and Jeff started toward it, but not after looking at his watch. “Well girls, it looks like it’s that time again. Excuse me, would you?” Liz and Isabel nodded and turned to look at the rest of the room.
A large dance floor had been set up in the center of the room, tables flanking it on two sides. There were no set places, being that at this party people usually just came and went as they pleased, but each table had a centerpiece in the middle, photos in silver frames sitting on beds of snow. As Liz and Isabel reached a table, Liz gasped.
“Liz? You okay?!?”
Liz simply nodded, not saying a word. Alex walked up moments later and said, “Those are her photos, Isabel. Every table has one of her photos.”
In fact, when Liz walked around later, taking in as much of the party as she could, she would find that her photos were not only on the tables, but on the walls and outside on the patio.
There was a photo Liz had taken five years ago of downtown at Christmas.
There were many photos of her family from Christmases and ski vacations past.
And there was one of the first photos Liz had ever taken: Nancy with Alex on her lap, smiles on their faces as they opened one of Alex’s Christmas gifts together. Liz had received a camera that year. It was the first photo on that roll of film.
There was an amplified sound as Jeff tapped his fingers on the microphone in front of him.
“Hi everybody.” Jeff got a chorus of ‘Hi’s’ back. “As you know, the Parker family has lived in Napa for years. Since even before we started this little vineyard, in fact. This family has owed so much of its success to this town and its people. We just want to thank all of you for the support and kindness you’ve shown us over the years. It has not been overlooked, we assure you. That said- have fun, enjoy, live and love.”
Jeff back away from the microphone and hopped off the stage as the band started to play. Alex stood in front of Liz and held out his right hand, a grin on his face. “May I have this dance, milady?”
Liz grinned and put on a southern accent. “Why Alexander Charles Parker, I do declare. You are a gentleman of the highest order. I would be pleased to accept this gracious invitation.” She put her hand in Alex’s and they walked to the dance floor before he spun her, making her giggle instantly.
“So…you and Izzy.”
“So…you and Daniel.”
“When’s your date?”
“How did it feel to break up with him?”
Liz gasped with her mouth open and a smile on her face. Alex definitely had the juicier question.
“Great.”
Alex grinned. “The Twenty-Sixth.”
Liz grinned. “How did you know?”
Alex shrugged, smile firmly in place. “Twin thing. What else? And before you ask, no, they don’t know.” Liz nodded.
Alex dipped her and she laughed loudly as the song came to an end.
-:-:-:-
Max was walking down the stairs on the way to the kitchen when he noticed one of the French doors leading outside was slightly ajar. He walked through them hesitantly, suddenly understanding the phrase ‘All is calm, All is bright’.
The night sky was completely clear, leaving the stars to shine down on the earth below. Max looked to his left and saw Liz sitting in a porch swing, wrapped up in a quilt with her legs tucked underneath her. She was looking out across the yard toward the grape vines that stretched over the hills and the light from the stars was dancing across her hair. Max’s breath caught.
“He wasn’t always like that, you know. And before you say it, no, I am not one of those girls who will excuse a man anything. But he wasn’t like that in the beginning.”
Max simply walked over and sat down next to her, and she pulled the quilt over his lap. He didn’t answer because he knew she didn’t really want him to. She wanted to explain; needed to be heard. So Max sat. And Max listened.
“He was considerate and sweet. He always had time for me. He listened. He even told a joke every now and again. Not a funny joke, mind you, but at least he tried.
“Then he started to change. It happened so gradually that I didn’t even notice at first. He stopped telling me where he was going to be, he started canceling dates. That sort of thing. And I started sending his calls to voicemail. Did you know I hate the sound of his voice?”
Max laughed, a sound that made Liz’s toes tingle. “I do. I hate the sound of his voice. It annoys the crap out of me. Or that when he talks, I do the multiplication tables in my head to keep from being bored to tears?” At Max’s bright laugh, she said, “It’s true! I do. That conversation the other day when were outside for fifty minutes? I got up to the fifteens. And I don’t exactly race through them. If he had kept going on much longer I would have moved on to my prepositions.”
Max and Liz laughed then, the sound rolling over the hills. “So Liz, why do you stay with him then? Because you have to know, you deserve so much better than what Daniel gives you.”
Liz turned to look at him. The stars were resting in his hair and he was looking at her with what looked like, and Liz thought she could possibly be mistaken, tenderness and affection. “Well, that question is moot now. I broke up with him.”
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! All-lay-ay-lew-yuh!
“Really? What prompted you to end it now?”
“Truthfully, you.” Liz sighed. “You reminded me of something. I was holding on to Daniel in part because it was so easy. All the hard work had already been done. But mainly I was holding on to him because…”
Max gently nudged her right shoulder with his left. “Because why, Liz?”
Liz took a deep breath and jumped off the deep end. “I said goodbye to my mother, Max. Say what you will about Daniel, but two years is a long time. I just didn’t want to say goodbye.”
She paused before saying one last thing. “I never said thank you, Max. Last night meant the world to me.”
“You’re welcome, Liz.”
The conversation was over, so Max wrapped his arms around her and held her to him. Liz looked down at the leather cuff watch on Max’s right wrist and said, “Hey look.” Max looked down at his wrist as Liz smiled.
“Merry Christmas, Max.”
“Merry Christmas, Liz.”
AN: Trader Joe's and Raley's as well as Napa High School, are not mine.
)
Thanks.