“
Okay.
”
My dad and boyfriend shake hands before Dad angles the computer toward himself and starts showing Jon some of the things it can do. After a half hour or so, my aunts and uncles start arriving, and before we know it, the house is swimming in Christmas chaos. Jon puts the computer safely in its box and we take it upstairs to my room, setting it with his bag.
“
I can
’
t believe they did that,
”
he says as we linger in my room.
“
I think they really like you as a person, Jon,
”
I tell him.
“
Dad may hate you as my boyfriend, but they know you
’
re a good person.
”
“
Well, I hope they start to see the good boyfriend side of me, too.
”
I walk over to him and put my arms around him.
“
This is not me being a good boyfriend, stealing away with you, alone in your bedroom, by the way.
”
“
One kiss,
”
I urge him.
“
I can
’
t deny you that,
”
he says with his lips merely inches from mine. We kiss softly until we hear a pack of footsteps running noisily up the stairs.
The afternoon passes too quickly. I can
’
t believe the day
’
s already gone by when the driver knocks on the door shortly after six. After Jon once again thanks my parents and tells the rest of my family goodbye, I walk him out to the patio. The driver waits, holding the door for him.
“
Do you have to go?
”
I ask him. I know the answer, but it doesn
’
t make it easier to let him go.
“
Yeah, you know I do. Ho ho ho, and all that. Plus, Mom
’
s working tonight at ten.
”
“
Tonight?
”
“
Yeah. Good tips, she says.
”
“
So you really
are
Santa. Oh, wait here.
”
I run back into the house, into the kitchen and find the tin of cookies tucked above the refrigerator, away from greedy hands. When I return, Jon has placed his gifts into the backseat.
“
I guess these are all yours, then, Mr. Claus.
”
“
Thank you.
”
“
Thank you for helping with them. Sorry we
’
ve deprived you of them for days.
”
“
I
’
ll share them with Max and Will.
”
“
You better. I made one special for each of them.
”
Jon frowns a little, but his eyes are playful.
“
There might be one for you, too. No, don
’
t look! Look later. But before you give them to your brothers. Just not now,
”
I ramble.
“
Alright, alright,
”
he says as he pulls me into his arms one last time.
“
Oh, I forgot to ask you. What are you doing for New Year
’
s Eve?
”
He bites his lip in anticipation, and I can tell he has something great planned.
I shake my head slightly.
“
Um, nothing–
”
“
Great, do you think your parents would let you come to–
”
“
No,
”
I answer, cutting him off.
“
No, they wouldn
’
t.
”
“
But I didn
’
t even say what I wanted to do yet.
”
He laughs at my quick response, misunderstanding me.
“
I don
’
t go out on New Year
’
s Eve,
”
I tell him.
“
Well, of course not, you could never date–
”
“
No, Jon, it
’
s by choice.
”
“
Oh.
”
He looks at me curiously.
“
Well, you could just come over to my apartment. My brothers will be there. Mom won
’
t have to pay for a sitter if we
’
re there.
”
“
I can
’
t,
”
I explain.
“
You mean you
’
re not leaving your house at all,
”
he finally says, understanding. I nod.
“
Why not?
”
“
That was the night of the accident,
”
I tell him.
“
I
’
m not following. What accident?
”
“
The one that killed Nate.
”
“
Oh,
”
he says softly, still confused.
“
For your mom?
”
he asks.
“
Kind of, yeah. They never go out, either. They have people over. I mean, you could probably come to my place. It
’
s never, like, a big party. It
’
s normally really low key. Chris and Anna come over. Sometimes Granna and James come. But, yeah, we don
’
t leave the house.
”
“
Okay,
”
he says as he shakes his head. The driver finally gets into the car and closes his door.
“
I guess that
’
s my cue.
”
He raises his eyebrows and sighs.
“
I mean it, you
’
re welcome to come over. I
’
m sure my parents won
’
t mind.
”
“
I
’
ll think about it,
”
he says.
“
I don
’
t want to intrude.
”
“
You wouldn
’
t be–
”
“
It sounds really personal, Liv. Really, I
’
m not sure.
”
“
It
’
s okay,
”
I urge him.
“
I
’
d love to have you there.
”
“
I
’
ll call you tonight after my brothers go to bed. You
’
ll be up?
”
“
No one sleeps on Christmas Eve at my house. I
’
ll be up.
”
I smile at him.
“
I
’
ll miss you.
”
“
I
’
ll see you soon,
”
he says.
“
Merry Christmas.
”
“
Merry Christmas.
”
He kisses my cheek before getting in the car and closing the door. I watch as the car heads down the drive, waving at him just in case he
’
s watching through the darkly tinted windows. Five minutes later, as I
’
m grabbing a soda and getting ready for our Christmas Eve feast, I get a text message.
“
This is utterly morbid, Liv.
”
“
I know, it
’
s great, right?
”
“
Zomb-ivia?
”
“
Did you see my arm? It probably fell in between some other cookies, but it
’
s there.
”
“
No, I see it. There
’
s a bone jutting out of it.
”
“
Nice touch, huh?
”
“
You
’
re crazy, Zomb-ivia. I just ate your arm.
”
“
Tasty?
”
“
Of course. Thanks, Liv. I
’
ll cherish the rest of it until the Zombpocolypse.
”
“
Awesome.
”
“
You
’
re awesome.
”
“
I know,
”
I respond to him, letting my cousins go ahead of me in the buffet line. Andrew threatens to take my phone away.
“
Please come on NYE.
”
He waits a few minutes before he responds, giving me time to serve myself and find a seat in the living room.
“
I
’
d love nothing more than to start the new year with you.
”
“
So you
’
ll come?
”
“
I
’
ll be there. Just make sure your mom says it
’
s okay. I don
’
t want to make her uncomfortable.
”
“
Mom?
”
I say to my mother, who
’
s just taken her seat on the couch next to me. She sets down a plate of food for my brother on the coffee table.
“
Trey, come get your food,
”
she says to him. He
’
s playing with his wooden cars with Stevie and Daniel.
“
Yeah?
”
she asks me, putting her napkin in her lap.
“
Can Jon come spend New Year
’
s Eve with us?
”
She looks unsure, starting to speak but then closing her mouth again. She smiles at me.
“
What
’
s up?
”
Dad says, settling in next to Mom.
“
Livvy just asked if Jon could come over on New Year
’
s Eve.
”
He looks at her curiously but doesn
’
t hesitate with his answer.
“
You can
’
t be his driver, Liv, but he
’
s more than welcome to come.
”
“
Is that okay with you?
”
I ask my mother.
“
Of course.
”
“
You don
’
t have to act differently around him, Mom. He
’
d want you to be real.
”
“
Of course I
’
ll be real, Liv,
”
she says, looking at me slightly uncomfortably.
“
This is just a big year. Fifteen years. Donna will be coming.
”
“
That
’
s fine. She loves Jon,
”
I tell her with a smile. My mom laughs a little, taking a bite.
“
Done,
”
I respond back to Jon.
“
Alright. I
’
m going to nap for a bit on the ride back. I have to help my neighbor put together a dollhouse after her kids go to bed, so I
’
m sure this will be a late night.
”
“
Call me tonight.
”
“
Of course.
”
Two hours later, I get a phone call from Jon.
“
You
’
re home?
”
I ask him.
“
I am. Listen, I have a proposition.
”