Love Aint Always Pretty

Chapter 62: 62 Christmas

Christmas

- a holiday that is celebrated on December 25 in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ or the period of time that comes before and after this holiday

The entire breakfast was quiet and awkward. Nick was sitting down right next to me as we sit down right across mom and Cameron while dad was on Nick's left and Ingrid was on my right. We were all eating very silently. Dad didn't say anything about what he saw last night and what Nick told him. As for Cameron, he didn't say anything about what he saw a while ago too. Everything was so weird on the table but then I liked how they didn't bother to talk about it. I liked it that neither of them wanted to start so I ignored the way that they're trying to act now.

Dad didn't even talk to me about last night so I guess he is insanely mad at Nick and also at me. I mean, he caught his eighteen year old daughter frolicking a twenty-four year old man inside his own kitchen in the middle of the night. But then dad told me he would talk to me today but he's not even opening the topic about it so I just played along with acting as if nothing happened.

When we were done eating, all of us started grabbing our stuff that we need for today. I grabbed the new set of bikini that Tracy gave to me before she left for her Christmas break with Clyde. When all of us were ready, I told dad that I was riding with Nick and then Ingrid volunteered to join with us. Nick was kind enough to let her join us. She sits at the backseat alone while Nick and I were in front. Nick gazed at her over the rear view mirror as he drives close by Cameron's car right before us.

"Nick?" Ingrid calls out.

"Yes Ingrid?" Nick answers.

"My dad doesn't like you." Ingrid blurted.

I turned around to face her and gave her an eye as my brows were creasing. "Ingrid."

"What? Let me finish Annie." She says.

Nick holds my hand. "Let her speak."

I sigh.

"As I was saying Nick, my dad doesn't like you. Cameron doesn't like you for Savannah too. And mom doesn't trust you but she didn't really say she doesn't like you for Annie but I think you're good for my sister so you have my vote. One out of..." she trails as she counts on her finger.

"One out of four." She says.

"Two out of five. I'm included Ingrid." I snapped.

"Oh right. At least you have two Nick."

I smiled and Nick did too.

"I think you're a great person Nick. My parents are really really really hard to please." Ingrid adds.

I faced her. "Thanks Ingrid."

She smiles at me. "I like you more than Channing. I don't like him for Annie. He's--"

"Okay that's enough Ingrid." I joked as I cut her off.

Nick was just laughing om his seat while he kissed my knuckles.

After thirty minutes or so, we finally entered the tall gates of our rest house while Mr. Cal opens it for us. Our car parks on the gravel lot covered by white thick and fluffy snow, right beside Cameron's. Ingrid was the first one to get off the car since she's always so excited when we come here. Nick opened the door for me as he tries to grab the bag from my hand while my parents were looking at us.

"Welcome back home Mr. & Mrs. Canterbury." Mr. Cal, our butler in this house, greeted us.

"Cal, get our bags at the trunk and place it inside the rooms." Mom says.

"Yes Mrs. Canterbury." Mr. Cal answered.

"I'll put my own bag inside my room Mr. Cal, don't worry about it." I say with a smile while he stares at Nick.

"Separate rooms." Dad warns me.

"I know dad. Don't worry." I say.

I grabbed Nick's hand as we walk towards the front door and I lead him inside the house. "Annie! Nickie! Wait for me!" Ingrid calls out.

"Nickie?" Nick asked.

I laughed. "Minaj." I mouthed to Nick and he smiles.

"It rhymes with Annie. Now don't say you don't like it when I call you Nickie cos I'll take back my vote." Ingrid says.

Nick laughs. "Okay boss." He salutes.

She runs towards us with her backpack hanging behind her. The three of us headed up to the stairs as we walk Ingrid first to her room. Everything was all pink and she told us we can already leave so we left

her and headed to Nick's room. I chose the one across mine. Both of us headed inside as I watch him place his bag down on top of his bed. He sits down on the foot of his bed while his eyes roams around the entire room.

"You've got a rad house baby." He says.

I smile as I walk to him. "My room is just right across this room so... easy access."

He laughs. "Easy access."

Suddenly, Nick licks his lips then pulls me close to him as I stand in between his legs. His hand placed at the bottom of my spine while my head looks down at him.

"I'm so sorry about how my folks and Cameron is treating you." I tell him.

He shakes his head. "Don't worry. They have the right to be like that. They're just making sure you're safe."

"I am safe. I'm safe with you."

He nods. "Of course you are babe."

The door slams open. I hurriedly turned around, only to find Ingrid.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" Ingrid sings like Anna in frozen.

Me and Nick smiled in unison. I put my bag down then the three of us headed out of the room. We stumbled our way downstairs and headed to the backyard where there was a pack of beautiful thick snows on the grass. Everything was covered with wonderful snow. It always feels like this place was a winter wonderland and now I'm even happier cos Nick is here to spend it with me.

"Nick do you know how to build a snowman?" Ingrid asked.

"Sure. Let's have a little competition. Wait, where's your mittens?" Nick asked.

"I left it inside. It's okay." Ingrid says.

Nick starts taking off his gloves and placed it over Ingrid's hands. I was just looking at them and I didn't know Nick was good with kids. If only his baby lived, I could've met him.

"There. You're good." Nick says.

"What about you?" Ingrid asked.

"Don't worry. How about you and I make a snowman together since you have my mittens, versus Annie?" Nick moves his head to me.

My eyes widened. "What? I can't make a snowman alone."

"Chicken." Ingrid teases and Nick laughs as they gave each other a high five.

"Oh bring it on!" I said to them.

We made a lot of snow people, as what Ingrid would call them and she said they lived in a snow village, as what she also called it. We made bunch of little snowmen too and then the snowman ice sculpting suddenly turned into a snowball fight. You can never stop the urge to throw a snowball once you have one in your hand. Nick started it and they were throwing lots at me. I was alone at first, it was like fighting for my survival but then later on we battled with Ingrid. It was fun. I loved how we were just being playful and I even forgot how my parents and Cameron doesn't like Nick for me.

Later that afternoon, mom was at the kitchen while Ingrid was with Cameron, watching tv at the living room.

"Let's go skiing then?" I say to Nick while both of us entered the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

"Sure. Anything you want baby."

I stopped when I saw my mom looking pissed at what she made. Nick stood right behind me while mom looks our way.

"What's wrong mom?" I asked.

"Ugh! It won't rise. I tried my hardest and I followed the instructions well but it's no use." Mom says with devastation.

I gazed at Nick. "Nick can help."

"What?" Nick blurted.

I pulled his arm and pushed him towards my mom. "He's amazing at the kitchen."

Mom looks at me with doubt. "Trust me mom. He's a great cook."

Mom looks at Nick while he looks at me saying get me out of here. "Can you help Nick?" Mom asked.

Nick turned his head to mom. "Yes Mrs. Canterbury. Have you added yeast on it?"

Mom nods. "Yes. There must be something wrong with that yeast."

"I think it's not the yeast that's the problem Mrs. Canterbury. What temperature did you use?" Nick asks.

"60 degrees."

Nick nods as he takes the plate. "I think we found our problem then. Yeast grows best around the temperature of seventy-eight degrees."

Mom looks at me with amazement in her eyes and I just smiled at her cos even I myself didn't know about it too. We watch Nick do his own thing as he placed it back inside the oven.

"Wow. I didn't know that." Mom admits.

Nick smiled.

"Can you help me here Nick? I think I need you around." Mom says.

"I would love to help." Nick answered.

I smiled. "I can help in chopping. Nick taught me how to chop."

Mom laughs. "Oh honey. Well at least you're now helping unlike before. We need to make dinner fast, you know how your father hates it when dinner starts late. Do we have enough time before seven Nick?"

Nick nods. "Yes Mrs. Canterbury. We do. The three of us can definitely do it. What are we gonna make?"

•••••

7:00PM

The table was set with the foods that mostly Nick and mom made a while ago. All of us were already sitting down on our chair until we started eating. There was two kinds of pasta, creme brûlée, chicken with white sauce, the pie that mom almost ruined but Nick saved it and a buttered potato with sour cream dip.

"Wow honey, this chicken with white sauce is amazing." Dad compliments.

I smiled.

"I didn't make that hon." Mom admits.

Dad pulled his head up to mom.

"Nick made that dish and so did those two other pastas." Mom added.

I smiled. I feel so proud of my boyfriend cos I know how amazing he can make a meal. I moved my head to Nick and he just bent his head down cos he knows dad won't appreciate it. I placed my hand over his lap and he stares at me on the corner of his eyes and smiled at me ruefully.

"It's good Nick." Dad spills.

Nick pulled his head up and both of us moved out heads to my dad.

"Thank you Mr. Canterbury." Nick says and I can see his smile on his face.

After having dinner, Ingrid was forcing me to make more snow people with her and I can't find Nick anywhere. He said he'll catch up with us out in the backyard. I wonder where he is. Ingrid throws a snowball on my back.

"Come on Annie!" She whines.

"Okay. Okay." I walk towards her while both of us started making a snowman.

"Ingrid?" I called out.

She was too focused on circling the snowball perfectly. "Yeah?"

"Do you really like Nick for me?"

She nods vigorously. "Yes. He's nice. He makes perfect snow people and snowballs. He makes delicious foods. He's fun. He's playful. And he's handsome."

I laughed. "He is handsome huh?"

She nods.

"Do you love Nick, Annie?" She looks at me eagerly as if she knows what love is.

"Yes Ingrid. I love Nick."

She smiles. "I can tell that he loves you so much too Annie. The way he looks at you and the way he holds your hand. I can feel it. Nick loves you."

I smiled.

"I do love your sister."

I turned around and found Nick as he starts walking towards me. He squats down right beside me and smiled. Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

"I am utterly in love with Savannah." He added.

"Very good Mr. Wilde." Ingrid starts sounding like a teacher. It's her dream.

"Thank you mam." Nick plays along.

I smiled at how they get along pretty well.

"Where were you? What took you so long to come out?" I asked.

"Nothing. I just... had to go pee."

I arched my eyebrow. "That long?"

He laughs as he throws a snowball at my face.

"Nick!!"

He smiles and wipes my face.

__________

SFTC:

I Choose You - Sara Bareilles