Merry Christmas

Rossie guessed she was doing too much. Well, she had too. She had to make sure Derrick was at work. She picked him up too. Usually, around nine at night. It was a schedule. It was best if he wasn't left alone to his own devices. If he kept busy, there was really no time to talk.

This meant he put together a new dining set that Zane found for almost a steal from Amazon. Derrick put together some shelves in the kitchen, the little dine in area and the bedroom. They didn't really talk about the future much.

If she had something for him to do, he would do it, But last night she'd put the artificial tree up on her own. She'd even flung on Christmas lights and the few decorations she had.

"Well, I would have helped." He fussed a little about the matter, but he took to the hot chocolate with the whipped cream, and soon enjoyed the lit tree in the dark of the livingroom.

Naturally, there were no presents under the tree. Still the lights were festive, and he talked some about going to midnight mass when he was little. He wanted to know what Christmas was like when she was young.

She found herself fighting back tears for a moment, but she remembered her grandmother's house and all the food she would make. How the stockings would be stuffed with fruit and candy. Her grandmother would crochet her a poncho and a hat to match.

It was fond memories that got them through the night, sitting on the couch watching the Christmas lights. They really didn't have much other than the kindness of friends. Perhaps they did have a lot.

When someone knocked on the apartment door at seven on Christmas morning, instantly, Rossie worried. Home invasion. Gangs. Even mysterious men in dark masks flooded her mind.

Derrick went to answer it, and there was his family with presents.

Rossie was startled. She didn't think any of them knew where Derrick lived.