“Party?” A car I’d never seen before pulled into the driveway.
“Dell’s Christmas party is the best party all year.” Worley motioned to the street. Folks will be lining up here in about ten minutes.
Worley was right. In a matter of minutes, our quiet Christmas morning turned into the biggest party I’d ever seen. Standing in the yard, I watched people pass by me and go up the steps carrying beer, wine and dishes covered in aluminum foil.
“Merry Christmas!” Dell shouted to the small crowd. I turned to see him standing on the porch, a spatula in one hand and a beer in the other. Everyone shouted back, the guys with free hands giving him the finger. Dell grinned at me and jumped down the steps, headed for his prized steel-barrel grill. I went inside to the kitchen. Women were digging through the cabinets and rummaging through the fridge. I had to bite my tongue and act like it was no big deal they were messing up the kitchen I’d just cleaned the night before.
I went back outside. A girl not much older than me handed me a beer. I sat down in a woven chair and watched everything, trying to figure out where in the hell I fit in.
Dell came over to where I was and sat on the arm of my chair.
“Who are all these people?” I asked.
“My family,” he answered, contentment in his eyes.
“You said you was an orphan. That you didn’t have no family.”
“Ah, Teenie…” He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “Sometimes you ain’t related to your family.”
Click Follow to receive emails when this author adds content on Bublish
Comment on this Bubble
Your comment and a link to this bubble will also appear in your Facebook feed.