Belle 10: Merry Memories

A sudden blizzard, colored lights on houses, trees and on the old buildings in town, a big guy in red with a white beard walks around town jolly as a grandfather. It’s Christmas time.

School got out early because of the heavy snow. I expected to walk up to a text from Brody wanting to go out in the snow, but didn’t. I wasn’t sure what to do today or at all. Today just the day I question life I guess. I sat in my window watching the snow fall.

I could remember every first snow fall around Christmas every year. Either I or Brody and Brock were outside already playing in the fresh snow. We never tried to throw snow balls; we always tried to make snowmen which never worked. Then their mom would call us in when the white snow turned a light blue color. We’d sit in the front room of his house with the lights off so the Christmas tree would glow. We’d watch every Christmas cartoon movie he owned while drinking peppermint hot cocoa.

Then the next day we’d go out again and attempt the snowman again and get it up, and went through the same process except we ended up at my house. We’d end up doing this until the snow started to show spots of dead grass.

When I turned nine my parents didn’t allow us to do that anymore, which I later found out why. I got The Talk for Christmas that year, which was probably the worst present I’ve ever received or will receive in my whole life.

I missed those winter days where it was just me and Brody. Back then there wasn’t a crush to worry about, we didn’t know about sex, etc. Just care-free days.

But even with those restrictions in mind we still liked to go sledding and build our failures of snowmen. I guess this year was going to be different since he had Miranda. The start to holidays without his laugh and warm hugs.

Our families always spent Christmas together ever since the first Christmas Brody and I were inseparable friends and neither of our family came down because there was too much snow for them to get here. It’s just been normal for them to come over, and they’d be over tomorrow morning before the dust storm snow-fall in the afternoon.

But my grandparents (mom’s parents and dad’s mom) came early to our house this year so they’d see the sudden snow storm. Sonny lived here so he was already over the second the snow hit the ground every year. It was like he brought the snow with him.

My Nana was a really cute little old lady. She’s very independent. My Pappy, her husband, was your typical grandfather with the glasses and the big jolly belly. My Granpoppy was the exact same way except he had a long Santa Clause beard. My Granny past away when I was five so he’s been very quiet.

Our house is kind of small so all this family and then the Hammond crew was going to be interesting. We didn’t even have enough table space for everyone. So Mama set up a kids table in the old play room (that is used as sitting room now), which Brody, Brock, and Breanne and I were at with the littler kids in the Hammond family.

I’m about to attempt to name off the people at each table:

Adult table: Nana, Pappy, Granpoppy, Papa, Mama, Goldie, Kitty, Sonny, Bruce and Barbra Hammond, Brenda and husband Billy, and newborn baby Bobby. My family rarely uses anyone’s real names anymore. It’s just a legal name, but nicknames were a sign of respect and love in my family.

Kids table: Brock, Brody, Breanne, me, Brett, Brian, Brookie, and Brynn (Brenda and Billy’s daughter, Brody’s niece).I think I got all the Hammonds. So many ‘B’ names I couldn’t remember Brody’s name for a while when we were younger. And the B’s kept coming after we met.

Christmas morning came with the same old routine of opening presents in our PJs around the tree. The only difference now was the ages. Then proceeding to get dressed in something nice, which meant Mama shoved my sisters and I into dresses, tights, and heeled shoes. Goldie and Kitty might be used to the shoes, but I preferred bare-foot. But at least my dress was tolerable this year; no ruffles or obnoxious bows. It was a black, long sleeve, flow-ish dress that went up to mid-thigh which Mama paired with white tights and thankfully red ballet flats.

My sisters however dressed themselves up like it was homecoming. Mama and Nana put them to work in the kitchen right away. Papa, Pappy, and Granpoppy sat in the front room, the tree lights on, Christmas music playing and the TV on TBS with A Christmas Story marathon. The Hammonds showed up around noon. Mrs. Hammond (a Judy Garland look-alike) carried a plate of whatever to the kitchen with Brenda the tired new mom with Bobby in hand and Breanne (the quiet, selfish girl). Brookie and Brynn ran around in their little dresses wanting to open the presents from my family. Brett, Brian, Brock, and father Bruce sat with the men in their church clothes.

Brody and I went up to my room to hang out away from the craziness.

“I got ya something,” he yanked out a Claire’s jewelry box from his pocket.

“Oh jeez. More presents.”

It turned out to be a small gold heart shaped locket that you could put a picture into one side. I was so pretty and the fact that he took the time to get it even with Miranda made it better than the present itself.

But it made me feel back because all I did was get him tickets to The Killers (the rock band we liked) in Nashville this summer. He loved them anyway. He wanted to go with me because Miranda hated The Killers. That made us start playing their music in my room until dinner where we all said a prayer and opened presents while eating Jesus’ birthday cake.

I could see my life like this all the time. A big family dinner for every holiday with Brody at my side. It felt like it was always supposed to be that way and always will be . . . hopefully it will be.

The day ended with little kids being carried out on the men’s shoulders, bags of presents, full bellies and merry good-byes. Everyone went to bed right away. I stayed up with the Christmas music playing, watching the snow fall. I did this every year since Brody and I kissed, because I’d take this time to dream about the future I could only dream of with him. It made me love the craziness of the holiday because I knew every year he’d be there.

I was very lucky to have crazy, family-filled Christmases every year with the person who meant the most to me.

I opened the locket where I put a tiny picture of Brody inside. I had hope that times like this were going to continue on throughout my life. It would. I had a God feeling . . .