Xmas 2022 - 1 of 12

It’s Christmas Eve and things are mostly well. The house smells like freshly-baked cookies, your mother has made a beautiful dinner, and yet there’s a certain undercurrent at the table. It’s not just because Dad isn’t here. You, Kayla, and your mom can handle having Christmas just the three of you.

No, the problem is something else.

“It’s just a shame, that’s all,” your mom says lightly as she eats. “I was hoping to meet her.”

You groan. “I know, Mom.”

“Too bad.”

“We could’ve gone to Mexico,” you suggest. “You want to meet her so bad, we could crash her Christmas.”

“Not on such short notice,” your mother replies, waving her fork at you. “And not without an invitation.”

“I could’ve gotten us an invitation,” you assure her.

“It seems like you’re moving pretty fast with this girl,” she says. “I don’t know anything about her.”

“You don’t?” Kayla pipes up, making a face.

You kick her under the table and she glares at you.

“What?” your mom asks, looking puzzled.

“Uh,” Kayla begins, and you try to kick her again, but she’s moved her legs out of reach. “Mom, I haven’t met Riley’s girlfriend, but I know all about her.”

“How? Did you stalk her Facebook?” your mom asks.

“No, I follow her in Insta. In fact, she was just in this Buzzfeed article…” Kayla says. You hiss at her, but there’s no stopping her.

“Really?” Your mom perks up. “Well, I guess you’re all celebrities now. Riley, were you ever in a Buzzfeed article.”

“No, Mom,” you say with a sigh.

“What’s it about?” your mom asks Kayla. The notion of learning about your girlfriend has lit her up brighter than the Christmas tree in the living room.

“Oh, just, uh…” Kayla smiles, taps her phone, and hands it to your mom.

You bury your face in your hands.

“Oh,” your mom says. “The, um… the best butts on Instagram.”

Your face burns.

“Oh,” your mom goes on. “There are pictures. Oh.” She’s scrolling.

“Mom!”

“Oh, sorry,” your mom says, coming to her senses. “Um,” she begins.

“Number nine, Mom,” Kayla tells her.

“OK,” Mom says, looking at the phone again. You grab it, but it’s too late. She’s seen.

“Well,” she says as you throw Kayla’s phone out of the dining room. “She looks nice.”

“How do you know?” Kayla asks. “Her face is not in that photo.”

It’s that kind of dinner.

Finally, after presents and dessert, you retreat to your room and flop on the bed. To be honest, you’re a bit annoyed. It hurt that Olivia wouldn’t come home with you for Christmas. You get that she has a big family, but… you suspect it’s not about family. You’re guessing she just wants to get some influencer work done, and a quick glance at her Instagram shows you how true that is. She’s made three posts today.

Well… sometimes it’s like that. You can’t complain. You love your family and it’s hard not to feel good about the world when you are this full of your mom’s pound cake. You sigh and look at the ceiling. You’ll see Olivia again soon enough.

Your phone beeps. It’s a text. You open it up to find a picture of Olivia posing in red and white Christmas cosplay lingerie. THIS ONE IS NOT FOR INSTA is the text that comes with it. You break into a stupid smile. MERRY CHRISTMAS you text back. There’s that song… that’s like Spanish for Christmas or Merry Christmas or whatever. You can sing it, but you don’t know how to spell it. You don’t risk it.

But you do like what you see. You glance at your closed bedroom door, then shimmy your jammies down to get your cock out. Why else would Olivia send you this?

As you’re pulling it out of your underwear, the phone jingles. Olivia is facetiming you.

Suddenly feeling much better about everything, you have one hand for your phone, one for business, and everything is OK. You accept the video call.