Cookies make everything better.
1243 Words
We made it to the caregivers house. It was dark and cold.
Eivan made us each carry a load of firewood inside.
I knelt by the hearth and started to break off pieces of kindling.
Surprisingly they let me take over the fire making, both watching me with interest.
" I need an axe and a box of matches. Can you both go look for those things?" I asked, without turning to look at them.
Eivan brought me the matches and Thomas handed me the axe, sharp end first.
I flipped it around with a quick toss of my wrist, grasping the handle.
Fire starting was my superpower.
I found some old news paper and chopped a bit of the firewood until I had pieces of all sizes.
" Dust pan and garbage please." I called out, like a surgeon needing instruments.
I cleaned out the ashes from years of old fires and put them in the trash can. Then I set my palate.
" Flashlight!" I held out my hand.
Eivan slid the long handle of the heavy duty flashlight into my hand, his fingers brushed against mine as he held onto the handle and gave it to me nice and slow.
I blushed.
Holding the light up into the chimney, I opened the flue.
Now it was time to build my fire.
Daddy always let me do this stuff when we went to the old cabin.
I used to love my time there with my folks. Usually April didn't go. She hated roughing it. So I had mom and dad all to myself. It was so cozy.
I set out the kindling and the crumpled up paper, then lit a match watching the flames take hold.
We were all mesmerized by the orange flames as they began to lick the wood.
I blew on the fire and slowly added one small piece at a time.
" What are you thinking about...you're so quiet January?" Eivan said.
I noticed neither of them called me Jan anymore.
Settling next to me on the floor, Thomas handed me a piece of wood.
I turned and smiled at him."Thanks Tom."
" Well?" Eivan asked.
" My folks, I guess. We used to camp in an old cabin. I was tasked to start the fires. It was my job."
"Oh, April didn't want to get her ugly hands dirty?" Eivan asked me.
I threw my head back and laughed.
Thomas ran his fingers through my long hair.
" It's like spun gold and brown sugar." He said softly.
I leaned into his hand a moment.
Eivan sat next to me then and made sure that his crossed legs touched mine, knee to knee.
I can't lie, I was melting into their charm pretty fast.
But...I had already decided on my way here, to win that bet.
Neither of them would have me in their beds before Christmas morning.
That's for damn sure.
I felt Eivan put his hands on my thick coat and pull it down, removing it from me.
He stood and hung it on the coat rack behind the front door.
Thomas reached over and pulled off my wet boots, placing them by the fire to dry.
Then, as weird as it sounds they both sat back down and began to massage my feet, staring at eachother over my head. I guess the competition was on.
I leaned back on my hands, my chest unintentionally jutting forward.
My multi colored winter sweater clung to my breasts.
The small house was quickly warming up, in so many wonderful ways.
After a long moment of silence I asked Thomas if he ever did anything special on Christmas eve at midnight?
His mouth popped open.
" No...uh...I don't think so why?" he sounded very flustered.
" Oh well we have traditions in our family. Like staying up to open one present on Christmas eve, ya know?" I said all innocent like.
Eivan nodded. "Yeah my mom used to let me and my brother do that.
My dad, Spencer spends the holidays with his new family.
When he turned 40 he divorced us and moved on with Michelle. They have three todlers now, joke was on him I guess." He chuckled.
I could sense the pain in his words, though he tried to laugh it off.
" Well me and my sister never got many gifts, just grandma's knitted hats and gloves. Dad never celebrated holidays. He was a big green grinch." Thomas remarked.
I noticed he never mentioned his mother.
He looked at me. "Mom died of cancer when I was 7. Dad never wanted to replace her. She died on their anniversary of all days."
I moved my legs to stand up.
Eivan grabbed my hand as Thomas took my elbow and we all three stood up together.
" Well, I guess we need to make Christmas special then. It's just us three." I said cheerfully.
Eivan with no dad, Thomas with no mom, me with a frigid v****a. What a trio.
I began to laugh then. They both joined in, though they didn't know I was a bit crazy.
An hour later the men were arguing over football plays of last season.
I was making cookies. The pantry was actually well stocked and there were frozen foods to eat for dinner.
" No, I never said to go left after you lobbed the ball, I said throw it to Cliff!" Eivan was getting heated now.
" f**k you Eivan, you can't fake s**t plays after you call them." Thomas yelled, standing up now.
" You call me coach you little s**t!"
Thomas laughed sarcastically.
" I'll call you what I want, dude your like 4 years older than me."
I placed the cookie dough into a pan and set it on a metal rack above the fire.
I stayed out of their fight. I knew enough to keep my opinion to myself.
" Wait, let January decide." Thomas said suddenly.
I looked at them with surprise.
" Ok. Tell the young i***t that he has to show respect and call me coach." Eivan said, hands on his hips.
" No f*****g way, she gets to call you Eivan and she's like 18 or something." Thomas replied.
" Well, I'm actually..." I started to speak, but they just kept at eachother and just interrupted me.
Pretty soon my cookies were baking and the aroma of melted chocolate filled the small house.
Both men watched me as I pulled them off the fire and they followed me into the kitchen as I used the spatula to place them on a decorative Christmas plate.
Both men reached out to grab a cookie. I slapped at their greedy hands.
" Boys, these are special, these are for Christmas."
Eivan snatched a cookie, followed by Thomas. They were suddenly getting along once again.
Eivan spoke between bites.
" You can call me Eivan while we are all alone."
Thomas nodded, licking his fingers. "You are not a s**t play caller. Coach, dude- you are one of the best coaches I've ever had. Well Casy McManus was the best dude! He was a f*****g rock star at calling plays."
" Casy- f*****g - McManus. That's right! He was a legend, before he retired that is." Coach agreed.
" Boys, language." I said.
Of course they didn't know me. I was a horrible cusser. But..mostly it was just in my f*****g head.
- Writer
