Chapter 2
Ithink we could use a Christmas miracle.
“You’re delayed again?” Rosie squeaks.
I double-check the screen announcing the departing flights again, but it’s a chaos of delays and cancellations; pretty much everyone’s grounded for now.
There’s no Christmas spirit around the airport right now; only hundreds of frustrated passengers and the poor staff doing their best to contain the chaos…
“One more hour,” I sigh back at my phone, “but the agent assured us that the snowstorm is moving east and we’re likely to depart… well, later.”
We should be glad our flight isn’t among those canceled, I guess… Surely they wouldn’t have offered to check in my luggage for free if they didn’t think the plane would eventually take off, right?
“Aw, Ophie, I’m sorry. I’m crossing fingers for you… but you guys can always drive up if it ends up canceled! How are you guys handling it?”
I glance back at my boyfriend, who is in line for the food buffet, considering our options with a frown and a plate in his hand.
I’m doing pretty alright, thanks to him.
Things could be way worse, and they were for most people; the terminal was absolute mayhem when we got there, and that was a couple of hours ago, before more flights were delayed or canceled.
But my Nicolas is some kind of super-premium diamond elite flyer and an expert at airports.
He whisked us through check-in, the TSA priority line, and to the lounge in record time.
I’m not even upset we had to pass strolling around the duty-free shops for last-minute gifts; we’ve managed to secure ourselves some cozy seats in a corner of the very fancy lounge, and it’s nicely decorated for Christmas too!
…But if I’m honest, we’ve been here for hours now, and not even the holiday music playing on loop can cheer up spirits around here.
I’m ready to admit that even I’m getting a bit bored with our sixth (seventh?) listen of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”…
“We’re doing fine,” I reassure Rosie. “I just sent Nicolas to get us some food. He’s been working on his laptop and has his headphones. I was a bit worried about the crowds, but it’s been alright up here!”
My sister chuckles on the line, and I turn back to the screen. Rosalind looks a lot like me, except she wears her hair in an adorable short style with raspberry tips, and she dresses like the artist she is, all in electric colors and cute punkish accessories.
“Your boyfriend is the only one who would relax by working!” she scoffs. “What about you?”
“I’m fine!” I say with a smile. “I’ve been texting his sister-in-law to keep her posted and working on my recipes. I also have my Kindle; it’s not bad in here at all. We have food, seats, and we can charge our phones. I had no idea airport lounges were so luxurious!”
“Privileges of dating a CEO,” Rosie winks at me.
“Right,” I blush a bit. “I think I’m more worried about how late we’re going to be. Nicolas’s mother hates people being late to anything…”
“Your plane is delayed! It’s not like there’s much you can do.”
“I know,” I sigh.
I wish Solange Hansel saw it that way too…
“No use worrying for nothing,” Rosie shrugs. “Like Dad says, ‘Worrying is suffering twice.’ …But if you do get there, can you please get me some of that maple syrup and those biscuits from last time? I don’t know why the ones I bought here were just not as good!”
“Yeah, Emi promised she stocked some,” I say.
My heart sinks a little. I wished I had gotten to buy those cookies myself; I was really, really looking forward to the Christmas Market…
But that’s entirely off the table now. By the time we land—if the flight departs at the announced time—the market will be long closed.
I’m honestly starting to think it might even take a Christmas miracle for us to make it to our Christmas Eve dinner!
“How about you?” I ask, eager to change the subject. “How are things at home?”
“Oh, the usual, but we miss you!” She sighs.
“Mom complained there’s ‘no one’ to help her in the kitchen this year…
Never mind that Jordan peeled pounds of potatoes and sweet potatoes, and even cut up onions yesterday!
And I helped her cook everything I could when I was done with my classes last night, too.
She kept criticizing how I cut the vegetables! ”
“Yeah,” I grimace. “Mom is a smidge nitpicky in the kitchen… Don’t worry about it, I’m sure you did great. Is everyone there already?”
“Yep. The kids all asked where you were right away!”
“Aw, I miss them too!” I beam. “You have to send me pictures! What are they all doing? The family group chat’s been quiet…”
“I will! The girls are watching Frozen, and the boys are all outside playing in the snow. …Courtney is in a foul mood. I’m not sure why, but Jordan thinks they fought on the way here.
She did look a little cranky when they arrived.
But you know, not my business. And well, Parveen’s the usual.
She offered to help, but as always, Mom refused, so she’s watching the movie with the girls. ”
She rolls her eyes, and I can just about picture it. But Rosie isolated herself to talk to me, so the only background I get is our childhood bedroom tapestry… Gosh, I miss them all so much!
“I’m sure you guys will have fun!” I try to sound upbeat. “Just don’t let Mom argue with Courtney and make sure Dad doesn’t drink too much. Oh, and do not let the boys out of the grown-ups’ sight. They love looking for the presents. And ignore Aunt Ruth’s remarks if she comes…”
“Ugh, you had to mention the Grinch,” my sister groans. “But don’t worry, we got this. If push comes to shove, J and I have already agreed we’d escape. Anyhow, I should go check on the little monsters soon. Safe travels, keep us posted! Love you!”
“Love you too,” I nod, and hang up.
I let out a heavy sigh. I admit, I miss my family a lot…
It feels so strange to be stuck in an airport while they’re all having fun.
Most years, on Christmas Eve, I’d be the first one to help Mom cook or play with our nieces and nephews…
Last year, we played that game with the hippos until we were all in stitches!
…And I admit, when Rosalind mentioned being forced to drive straight up to Portland, it really sounded appealing.
I know snowstorms are ridiculously common in the area this time of the year, but really?
The first one of the year had to happen on Christmas Eve?
I keep telling myself that, at least, our flight is delayed, not canceled like many others…
And if it is, we do have a solid plan B…
I feel a bit sorry for everyone who will have to rethink their Christmas plans completely!
I’m still a bit lost in thought when Jordan sends a GIF of the Grinch in our group chat, and I chuckle.
I shoot back a funny little Christmas GIF, to which my sister replies with one of her own.
Being the three youngest, we have a slightly tighter bond than with our older brothers, who are already dads…
While I’m distracted by our Christmas GIF war, Nicolas finally returns with two full plates.
“Here,” he says, sitting with a determined nod toward our plates. “We should eat.”
“Thank you,” I smile. “This looks scrumptious!”
“Lounge food is usually acceptable,” he nods. “It looks like they made a bit of an effort to have some holiday-themed food. Of course, it would have been better if we could have eaten in Quebec City… You’re not too sad? About missing it?”
I’m sure my smile falters a little, but I give him a little shrug.
“I’d be lying if I said I’m not a bit disappointed,” I admit.
“I was looking forward to eating a poutine and strolling through the Christmas Market with you, but… It’s not something we can do anything about, right?
Plus, it will be a fun story to tell later.
It’s like our first little Christmas adventure! ”
“I don’t understand,” Nicolas frowns. “How is this fun?”
He does have a point… but I’m the optimist here.
“Well, we are stranded in an airport on Christmas Eve,” I chuckle, waving a hand around us. “Isn’t that how a lot of great Christmas movies start?”
Nicolas slowly nods, looking all serious. God, I love it when he does this thinking frown. Every time he takes another of my silly comments seriously, like this, it makes me love him a little more.
“I see your point,” he finally says. “…But I still think that the woman forgetting her child was very irresponsible in that movie. And the father, too, looked really unbothered by the whole incident. I think he seemed very inappropriate as a parent. I’d never—”
He stops himself, and I blink. It’s so rare that he stops himself mid-sentence!
“You’d never what?” I ask, confused.
Nicolas frowns and then shakes his head.
“…The child was very ingenious about his circumstances,” he finally says, with a firm nod. “I liked his part.”
I chuckle. Nicolas and I have been watching a lot of the Christmas classics lately, remotely or together.
I can’t go through December without binging at least one Hallmark movie every night, and while I wouldn’t impose that on my boyfriend, I admit it’s been pretty funny to see his reactions to each must-see Christmas movie I’ve selected for him to watch.
He had never seen most of them (unbelievable, I know!), and he did have a phase of the ‘this wouldn’t happen in real life’ and ‘their clothes don’t make sense for the implied temperature’ at first…
but once we got past the first few minutes of each movie, he went quiet, and I’m fairly sure he actually enjoyed a lot of them—and he totally went ahead and rented the second Home Alone movie without me even mentioning it. Victory!
“Well, it’s true that wouldn’t happen with you,” I say, smiling at him. “You’ve been very good at guiding me through all of this.”