Dyalessia Games: Alex & Christie

by Scott Kujawa

  Alex winced and growled under her breath as she heard, “Alex is in the kitchen, I bet she might need someone to help her since she kicked me out of the kitchen when I tried to help.”

  “I hate you, Melody.” Alex turned and plastered a warm smile on her lips as she heard her mother enter the kitchen. “Hello, mother. You know Melody said that to get you to leave her alone, right?”

  Stopping when she was standing before Alex, her mother looked at her. “Alexandria, of course, I know that, and I also know you don't need help in here. However,” her mother's voice dropped lower like she was telling Alex a secret, “I annoyed your sister a little, and that was all I wanted to do.”

  Giving her mother a pair of wide, shocked eyes, Alex grinned at her mother. Before she could start to laugh and ruin her mother's fun, Alex was clasped into a hug by her mother. “How are you my Alexandria Smithsonian?”

  “I'm good, and I met someone. She'll be here today.”

  “Oh. Oh, my baby girl. Is it serious this time?”

  A wide smile gave her mother the answer as she looked at Alex. “I believe so, but my relationship is still in the early stage. Melody was the one that brought us together.”

  Alex's laughter returned as she was left alone in the kitchen again, her mother was on a quest to find Melody again and get all the scoop about Christie once Alexandria turned their mother's attention back onto Melody, the same way the sisters had played their mother's curiosity onto the other sister when the girls were younger.

  Once Alex had everything pretty much finished and prepared, she took the time to sit with her family before the rest of the guests arrived. For a little while, the four of them sat in the living room, giving their father a chance to turn on the football game he always watched every Thanksgiving even if the three women had no interest in what was on the television. Melody had opened a bottle of wine, which the three women were enjoying while their father had the beer that Alex stocked earlier in the week.

  “I'll get it,” Alex said before anyone else could when the sounds of the doorbell chimed through the house. Before anyone could say or do anything, she was on her feet and answering the door. “Bess!” Alex said with happiness, giving her long time friend a tight hug, which Bess also returned. A moment later Alex smiled at Mira and pulled her into a second the same way that Alex had hugged Bess. Alex's third hug was given to Michael, Bess's father, even though Alexandria and Melody visited him at least once a week since he still lived in Pittsford and taught at RIT.

  “Hey, Chitter. I see the pest and parents are here already.”

  “It's been too long since we've seen you, Chitter. You should come down state for a visit.”

  Smiling, Alex replied, “That sounds like a good idea, Mira, but not until the spring, so it'll be warmer and less of a hassle with the snow. Yea. Mellie's been here for hours, but the parents have only been here for about an hour. I'm sure they'll want to catch up with you. Want wine? Melody opened a bottle of Merlot that you know I enjoy.”

  “I don't doubt that, and yes, that sounds good.”

  “Hi, my other dad,” Alex said to Michael. “Everyone is inside. Make sure that Melody gets you one of your beers. I picked up a six-pack of them for you, knowing you would join us today.”

  Returning her hug, Michael smiled at her. “I'll tell Melody to do that and thank you for thinking of me, Alex.”

  Before Alex could close the door, she saw Christie's car pull into the driveway, and Alex waited at the door for Christie. “Melody, get a glass of wine for Bess and Mira,” Alex called out to her sister, and a few moments later she heard the greetings that started in the other room as Bess stepped into the living room.

  “Hi,” Alex said to Christie once her girlfriend stepped inside. “Are you nervous about meeting everyone? I am,” Alex admitted a second later as she wrapped Christie in a hug that was returned.

  “Hi, yourself, and I am. Only because I'm meeting your parents for the first time and Bess, who is a best friend to Melody and you. Why are you nervous?”

  “Because I haven't brought any to meet my parents in a long time, and I care a lot for you, Christie.”

  Alex watched Christie's features light up as the younger woman smiled as she heard what Alex admitted to her. “I care about you, Alex,” Christie said at last, once the two separated from the kiss they gave each other after admitting their feelings towards each other.

  The sound of a giggle coming from behind Christie registered to the two of them, and Alex looked around Christie to see who had made that noise since Alex thought everyone she invited had already arrived. Alex stared at the woman that was standing there in clothing that was ripped in certain places, who had her hair braided into the many braids, and looked at the two with a knowing expression.

  When Alex looked back at Christie when Alex heard the stuttered, “Oh, I forgot,” come from Christie, Alex only waited for Christie to explain what that meant and who this woman was. “Alex, I hope you aren't mad at me, but I invited Sunny to come celebrate with us. She has no family that's living any longer, and I didn't want her to be alone on this holiday.”

  “Oh,” Alex said, turning to look at the woman again and giving her a welcome smile. “Hello again, welcome to my home and you're welcome here anytime.”

  “Hello again, Alexandria.”

  Alex twined her fingers with Christie's while smiling at her girlfriend, seeing that Christie was blushing from the conversation she had found herself in. “Well, you're still welcome even if I'm still not sure if I believe you can talk to dead people. However, everyone is here, and it's almost time to eat so any further conversation will have to wait until later.”

  Alex guided Christie and Sunny into the room where the others were and sat down with Christie for a few minutes, staying at Christie's side for some time as Alex's mother and father took their time to ask the pointed questions they wanted to be answered even if their daughter was old enough to make her own choices about who she wanted in her life. Alex's and Melody's parents were set in their ways, so no one put up much of a complaint about the way Alex's parents interrogated Christie.

  Alex excused herself because she had to finish one or two more preparations but those dishes didn't take long. Knowing how much Melody wanted to help out earlier, Alex grabbed her sister to help bring out everything and place it on the table.

  When there was a break in the sounds of utensils moving over plates or the silence that came from enjoying the Thanksgiving meal, a steady amount of talk continued around the table during the meal. When everyone had eaten their fill, they sat back and let their stomachs rest until the last person still eating had finished what was on their plate. After that, the group around the table broke away from the table and settled in to watch more of the football game on T.V., or start up a game of poker that involved the woman since Henry, Alex's and Melody's father, and Michael, Bess's father, declined the invitation to the card game because they were more interested in the football game on T.V.

  It was Rebecca and Henry that were the first to leave. The two of them gave their girls some strong hugs which were returned to by Alex and Melody. Then Bess and Mira decided that they wanted to head out, giving the two of them some private time together at the house they were renting during the time they were staying at while in Rochester. Christie and Sunny decided they were ready to leave about a half-hour later and once Melody helped Alex finish cleaning up some, Melody was the last one to leave.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The last few weeks after Thanksgiving seemed to blend. Everyone seemed to buckle down at work, trying to finish up some of their projects before Christmas and the New Year celebrations started. Shopping for Christmas gifts for friends and family also was something that everyone at Dyalessia Games seemed to throw themselves into, and that meant there was even more of a push to get work done due to needing time away from work to find and purchase those gifts. Alex and Melody always gave their employees the hours they asked for, giving their fa
mily of employees the time they needed to find the gifts they were seeking for whoever they needed to find gifts for.

  Alex also spent the weeks leading up to Christmas with Christie, or with Bess and Mira, or with Melody, or a combination of all the people she considered part of her family. This time it wasn't Alexandria that was hosting Christmas though, so she wasn't as tense and controlling like she had been during Thanksgiving and it had been decided by everyone that Bess and Mira should be the hosts for Christmas since the two of them were heading back to New York City a day or two after the friends spent New Years together.

  Letting out an “ooof” sound, Alex smiled as she returned Bess's hug, which had come as soon as Bess answered the door to the rental once Alex and Christie arrived. Alex's smile turned into a grin as she looked at Bess even as Mira pulled Alex into a hug. Alexandria saw that Christie was now being smoothed into a hug by Bess and that Alex's oldest friend had dressed up for the holiday. A red and white Santa hat covered part of Bess's head, and Bess was wearing more red and white clothing.

  “Bess talked you into wearing a matching outfit, didn't she?” Alex said to Mira while Alex started to laugh, seeing that Mira was dressed the same way as her wife.

  “Yea. She promised me some favors once it was clear that her begging would not get me to commit to her idea.”

  Alex laughed a little more. “Favors. I bet I guess what they might be.”

  “I'm sure you can, Alex.”

  At that point, Alex only smiled and stepped to the side, allowing Mira to wrap Christie in the hug she wanted to give to the younger woman.

  “Chitter, you don't have to ask. I know you're about to ask about your sister, and she arrived, and she's already into the egg nog,” Alex heard Bess say when it looked like Alex would ask about her sister.

  “That figures. We all know Melody can resist her addiction to egg nog. Christmas is her favorite holiday, and she's as bad about it as I am about Halloween.”

  “Both are true,” Bess answered with a nod even as Alex took Christie's hand in hers and found her sister.

  “Hey, Mellie!” Alex said to her sister when the couple found Melody sitting in a chair with her feet resting on a foot stool and a glass of egg nog clasped in Melody's hand.

  “Alexandria! Hello! And it's about time you got here. Bess and Mira wouldn't let me shake any of the gifts or even get near them until the two of you arrived!”

  Alex burst into laughter as she sank into a chair and pulled Christie onto her lap. “Mellie, they know you act like a child every Christmas, so I'm not surprised that they issued that rule to keep you away from the presents.”

  Melody grinned at her sister and shrugged, Alex wasn't wrong, and Melody knew she acted like a giddy child every Christmas. Melody couldn't help it, she loved this time of the year, being able to decorate a tree, seeing all the beautifully wrapped presents, and opening those presents to find out what someone had gotten for her.

  The opening of the presents started a few moments later once Bess took her place on the floor, so she could play Santa and hand out the presents. Mira settled into her seat, taking the other end of the couch where Melody was sitting. Sounds of surprise, joy, and other merriment came from everyone as they were handed their presents and ripped off the paper to find the treasures hidden inside each of the wrapped presents.

  When every last gift or Christmas card had been opened, Bess issued orders to get everyone's help set up the table and soon more merriment and conversation began as the five friends sat down and enjoyed the Christmas dinner that Bess had prepared. A large spiral ham covered with a honey glaze, mashed potatoes, salads, rolls, and more were passed around until everyone had eaten their fill. Once the table was cleared off, Bess pulled out a pack of cards and the five women spent the rest of the night playing a few games of poker just like they did when everyone had gotten together for Thanksgiving, and like they did every celebration they've had together over the years because playing poker every major holiday had become a tradition with the friends, something the three of them started back when they were teenagers.

  Epilogue

  It was decided by the friends they would only have a gathering of themselves for New Year's Eve. Alexandria, Melody, Bess, Mira, Christie, and Sunny got together at Alex's place to spend the night together while watching the ball fall in NYC. Bess and Mira would head back to that city the next day, so the friends wanted to spend more with their friends.

  “I will say this,” Bess said at one point, relaxing on the couch and staring at the mob that was in Times Square. “I'm so glad I'm not part of that crowd this year. It's nice to be away from New York City this year.”

  Mira leaned over the back of the couch and kissed the back of Bess's neck. “You're just saying that, but I know you wouldn't mind if we were in the city as long as we were in Times Square together.”

  “I suppose that is the truth.” Bess smiled up at her wife, giving Mira an admiring gaze. Even though they had been together for five years, Mira still took Bess's breath away every time Bess looked at Mira.

  Alex reached out from where she was sitting on the part of her couch and pulled Christie onto her lap. “Hi!”

  “Hey,” Christie answered, laughing and tickling Alex's side.

  “Can you believe it, Ristie? We've been together for about three months.”

  “You're right, and it sure doesn't seem like that much time has passed already.”

  Six voices counted down when it was ten seconds to midnight.

  “Ten.”

  “Five.”

  “Happy New Year!”

  The voices of the six that were sharing the holiday together blended in a yell that welcomed the new year, filling Alex's home with their happiness and joy they celebrated together.

  Giving Christie a long loving look, Alex pulled the younger woman to her for the second time to give Christie a deep New Year kiss. When she saw that Christie needed a break, Alex smiled at Christie and leaned close to Christie's ear to whisper to her. “I love you, do you know that, Ristie?”

  “I know,” Christie said as she felt her cheeks redden as they always seemed to when Alex said something that embarrassed her. “I love you too, Lexie.”

  It was those words from Christie that caused Alex to blush, making her cheeks match the red cheeks of her girlfriend.

  Thank you for taking time to read Dyalessia Games: Alex & Christie. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated. Thank you again, Scott Kujawa.