All I Want For Christmas Is You

Five

The airport was enormous, buzzing with life and energy, a stark contrast to the quiet, small-town terminal I was used to. Kelvin clung to my side, his excitement bubbling over as he pointed at every little thing he saw. Lisa, walking a step ahead, turned and grinned at me.

“Welcome to the big city,” she teased, her voice bright.

I gave her a nervous smile. It was my first time leaving our small town, and though I tried to keep my nerves in check, the bustling airport and towering buildings in the distance made me feel like a fish out of water.

As we stepped into the arrivals area, Lisa’s family was already there, waving enthusiastically. Her mom and dad, both wearing warm, welcoming smiles, pulled Lisa into tight hugs before turning their attention to me and Kelvin.

“This must be Vennessa,” Lisa’s mom said, pulling me into a hug. “And look at you, young man,” she said to Kelvin. “You’re going to have so much fun with us.”

Kelvin beamed, already enamored by the attention.

Lisa’s older brother, Aaron, stood off to the side, his arms crossed and a teasing smirk on his face. “Lisa told us all about you, Vennessa,” he said, his voice smooth. “You’re even prettier than she let on.”

I rolled my eyes, feeling my cheeks heat up. “Thanks,” I said, unsure how to respond.

Lisa groaned, elbowing him in the ribs. “Cut it out, Aaron. Don’t scare her off before she even gets to the house.”

Aaron laughed, grabbing a few of our bags and leading the way to the car.

The drive through the city was both overwhelming and fascinating. Skyscrapers loomed overhead, their glass facades gleaming in the sunlight. Cars honked, people bustled along the sidewalks, and the sheer scale of it all left me awestruck.

Kelvin chattered non-stop in the backseat, peppering Lisa’s mom with questions about the city. Her dad chuckled, answering each one with patience.

Kelvin pressed his face to the car window, pointing out everything that caught his eye. “Mom, look! A bus with a football player on it!”

My heart sank as I followed his finger. There, larger than life, was Adrian’s face plastered on the side of a city bus. He was advertising a betting website, his signature smirk and confident posture unmistakable.

Lisa glanced at me, her expression unreadable, and reached over to squeeze my hand. “You okay?” she asked softly.

I nodded, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.”

But I wasn’t fine. Seeing Adrian’s face, so casual and carefree, brought back a flood of memories I wasn’t ready to deal with.

As we continued driving, another digital billboard caught my eye. This time, it was a highlight reel of Adrian’s best plays from the season, accompanied by an announcement for the big game coming up.

“Man, Adrian Barfield,” Aaron said, his voice filled with admiration. “That guy’s a legend. Did you know he’s breaking records left and right this season? The game this Christmas Eve is gonna be insane.”

I stiffened, my grip on Kelvin tightening as Aaron went on about Adrian’s achievements. Lisa must have noticed because she shot Aaron a look and quickly changed the subject.

By the time we arrived at Lisa’s parents’ house, I was emotionally drained.

The house was massive—bigger than anything I’d ever seen in person. A sprawling two-story with a perfectly manicured lawn, large bay windows, and a driveway big enough to fit several cars.

I stopped in my tracks, staring up at the house in awe. “Lisa,” I said, turning to her with wide eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me your family was this rich?”

Lisa laughed, shaking her head. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Not that big of a deal?” I teased. “This house is huge! You could have mentioned it before inviting us.”

Aaron smirked, stepping out of the car with our bags. “Welcome to the castle,” he said, his tone playful. “I’ll give you a tour later—after you’ve had time to recover from the shock.”

Lisa rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath about her brother being annoying.

As Aaron handed me one of the lighter bags, he gave me a flirtatious smile. “You know, Vennessa, if you ever want to upgrade your living situation, I could help you out. I mean, a house like this would suit you.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Thanks, but I think I’m good.”

Lisa groaned dramatically, stepping between us. “Aaron, stop embarrassing yourself. Vennessa’s not interested. And besides,” she added with a sly grin, “she’s still hung up on a certain jerk from high school.”

I gasped, playfully punching her in the arm. “Lisa!”

Aaron raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing. “Oh, really? Now this is interesting.”

“Don’t get any ideas,” I warned, glaring at Lisa as she stifled a laugh.

Kelvin tugged on my hand, looking up at me curiously. “What’s a jerk?”

Lisa burst out laughing, while I covered my face with my hand. “Nothing you need to know about, sweetheart,” I said quickly, steering him toward the house.

Inside, the house was just as impressive as the exterior—spacious, elegantly decorated, and warm. Lisa’s mom gave us a quick tour, showing us to the guest rooms where we’d be staying. Kelvin was thrilled to have his own room, immediately diving onto the bed and declaring it the best thing ever.

As I unpacked our bags, I couldn’t shake the nervous energy that had been building since we left the airport. Seeing Adrian’s face everywhere reminded me of how close we were to confronting the past.

Lisa poked her head into my room, her expression softening when she saw me sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.

“Hey,” she said, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. “You doing okay?”

I nodded, though my voice wavered. “It’s just…a lot. Being here, seeing his face everywhere. It feels so surreal.”

Lisa sat beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “You’re doing this for Kelvin,” she said gently. “And you’re stronger than you think.”

I leaned into her, grateful for her support. “What if he doesn’t want to see us? What if he denies Kelvin?”

Lisa’s expression hardened. “Then he’s an even bigger jerk than I thought. But at least you’ll know you tried. And Kelvin will know you did everything you could.”

Her words gave me a small sense of comfort, but the fear still lingered. I didn’t know what the next few days would bring, but for Kelvin’s sake, I was determined to face whatever came my way.