The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

Chapter 5 -Theo

Okay, my planning may have been badly done. Returning home just in time for the holidays was never the best thing to do. Now I had my parents more than excited to finally have me home, and over the moon to be able to drag me along to the holiday celebrations occurring at the next door neighbors… Oh, the f*****g joys…

But, it had been a number of years since I had come home, and don’t get me started on the last Christmas I has spent with my parents, so I guess it was the least I could do. Especially seeing as Aurora was married and spending this holiday season with the family of her husband. But, it meant having to act like the perfect son, and put on a false smile for all of my parents’ friends too, while making polite conversation about things that truly do not interest me.

I can remember The Andersons too. Loud. Snobby. Gobby. Though the girls were sweet enough, from what I recall… Elodie and Autumn, I think it was. Spent many an hour running around the grounds of our homes with them over the years as young children, or sitting coloring in the drawing room while our parents socialized. But, I had not seen much of either of them in years. Though, in all fairness, I did not do much to follow my former life…

I had been trying hard to relax since arriving home, deciding what to do next. My plans were to head into the city and set-up my photography business there. That is what I had been doing while traveling, and had made quite a large amount selling my pictures too. I just needed to find a base there. But, both of my parents were eager for me to stay here… however, I am likely to disappoint them, because I think that could kill me!

“Theo!!” my Mum bellowed from the bottom of the staircase. Home less than a few days already I was sick of the sound of her bloody voice! “We are heading next door. Grab your bags, remember.”

Why we needed to stay there when we lived about a ten-minute drive from their home made little sense to me, but apparently, this was just what they did, and it was apparently what I would be doing too. That, and spending time with a lot of people that I had nothing in common with. Seemed to be the ingredients for sheer hell in my view.

But, I did as I was told, trying to act like the ever gracious son. Once new yer was out of the way, I was headed to the city to find myself a new house. I moved toward the stairs, and both my parents were waiting for me, all dressed up in their christmassy-themed clothes. My Mum in a pair of red capri-trousers, with a wintery-themed cardigan. My Dad was in his usual smart trousers and shirt set, but his tie today was a red one, no doubt, to match my Mum’s outfit. All very cliché, and I could gaurentee it had all been planned by my Mum...

Oh well, I was not exactly christmassy. Nor were any of my outfits. I was wearing a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt and a jacket. If they wanted christmassy they should have invited Santa and his elves, not a man that would rather be jetting off on a plane to anywhere but here.

Mum smiled up at me. Her eyes filled with nothing but happiness. “Aww, I have missed seeing you,Theo.” She reminded me for about the hundredth time since I had arrived home. It did make me feel guilty about traveling for as long as I did, but, I had hated being home with little purpose, and the travel gave me so much life experience. Chances at things I may never have been able to do otherwise. Seeing so many places, meeting new people; and it meant I built my business too. Not that my parents considered my photography a business…

“Let us go, the driver is waiting.” Dad said calmly, and already I was thinking of ways I could avoid this. None came to mind, as we drove down the driveway to the Anderson’s home. Once again, it was decorated over the top, as it had been in all the years I had visited over the holidays as a child. It seemed little had changed. Only this time, I didn’t have the girls to keep me distracted… I would imagine both were married off and settled somewhere with kids by now. Exactly like my Mum would have liked for me. Oh well, just another way I could disappoint her as a son...

“Everyone will be so surprised to see you, son.” Dad said happily, as we stood in front of the large main doors to the house. Had they not told them I was coming? That could be awkward…

“Do they not know I am here?” I asked, causing my Mum to giggle.

“Of course. Well, Annabel and Finley do, because we had to ask if they minded you coming with us, but nobody else.” She smiled, her face filled with anticipation, I think she was genuinely looking forward to showing me off like a prized possession.

The door opened, and Finley Anderson stood there, stoic as ever. A brief nod to my Dad, before he gave me a discerning glance. “This your boy, is it?” he asked, causing my Dad to nod in agreement. Did he not recognize me? I have been a family friend since the day I was born... “Hmm, changed a little, hasn’t he.” Was the only response they received. Making both my parents look to one another with a puzzled expression upon their faces. Okay, maybe I had changed too much then, or he was just too wrapped up in other things to notice what I looked like.

But soon enough, we were following him inside the familiar house. I don’t think it had changed all that much in all the time I have not been here over the years. Still as overwhelming… luxurious. “Everyone is in the kitchen.” Finley said nonchalantly. Everyone? Who else was here?

The moment we walked into the kitchen, my eyes were drawn to the large dining table sitting in the dominating conservatory at the rear of the kitchen. Sitting there I could see was Annabel, Finley’s wife, instantly recognizable with her large hair and over-the-top make-up... But, there was a couple I was unsure of and a woman with a head of the wildest of curls, and as her eyes settled upon me, she tilted her head slightly as if curiosity… seeming to spark something inside of me… who was that?