Chapter 1: Christmas Shopping
Selfish fucks! That's the only way to describe my fiance's family. They're the reason I've hesitated to tie the knot. My mother always told me that if you marry someone, you marry their family right along with them. I love Justin Summer, but I can't get past his controlling older brother Jeffrey, or my future monster-in -loathe, Ruth. She refers to herself as my mother-in-love, barf on every level. Ruth is on another level of future relatives I could do without.
"Noelle, go to the store, and get my brother's kids the toys they asked for. I'll text you the pictures of what the boys want," Justin shouts from his mid-morning shower. Nothing screams lazy shopper like making me, the fiance, buy presents for the Summer family.
The Summer family has put on a facade that they are humble and generous. Maybe they're humble when an audience is around to fuel the fires of their narcissistic desires. But when the fires are dim and the doors are closed, their true colors and inner demons appear and it usually is in the form of shaming me verbally and emotionally.
"Noelle, did you hear me?"
"Yes, Justin. I read you loud and clear. I'm almost done getting ready. Want me to get a gift card for Jeffery and his wife?"
"Yes, thanks babe. That would be helpful. And thanks for doing this. I know you and my family don't see eye to eye, but I'm sure this year will be better than last year."
Ah yes, last year is the year no one on his side of the family bothered to get me a gift. There was no point, I am a fiance and fiances aren't technically family yet. We don't have deep roots and our blood is not the same. Justin always spoke highly of his family, and I enjoyed them for the first five years. But when I moved in with Justin that's when it all changed, and the assholes came to play.
Monster-in-laws are real. I'm not even married to Justin yet and my future monster- in-law insists on being a conniving and condescending bitch. I've seen her hover over Jeffery's wife, Anna, and rearrange dishes after Anna would put them in the dishwasher. Her lectures on Anna's parenting are something else. If I ever marry into this family, I'm not breeding children, they would be forced to endure verbal abuse, perfection, and possibly undertake the Summer family dynasty.
Anna's oldest son, Peter is ten-years-old. He has the world placed on his shoulders. Like Atlas the Greek god, the world spins it's axis on his back. The Summer family name will fail if Peter fails, and for a ten-year-old, it's no wonder he doesn't speak unless spoken too. His eyes are usually glazed over and his tears want to come out whenever I visit. I want them to come out, so he can cry the terror of narcs away.
"I hope you're right. I better be off now," I reply as I head out the door.
The truth of it is, his family will never change. In the years I've known them, they've gotten worse, not better. They're love of others is nothing but selfish and self serving. Some of them attempt to look Pinterest perfect, but I know better. Everyone uses social media to gain likes and comments. I have a few things I'd like to say myself on all their social media platforms, too bad it would only come back and haunt me.
I get in my car and head to the big fancy bookstore down town. The bookstore has a large toy section in the back. Peter the eldest wants chess. Patrick the middle one wants a checkers set, and Percy the youngest wants a puzzle of dinosaurs.
My feet find their way into the toy section of the large book store. Everything has the new fresh smell about it. The prices of everything has skyrocketed. But I want to make a good impression and try to forget the awfulness at receiving nothing last Christmas from them.
His family doesn't know it yet, but this Christmas celebration is their final test. Their last chance to apologize and admit that bullying is wrong. My mom always told me to be the better person, which is why I'm at the bookstore today.
My hands touch and grab the various chess sets. I buy Peter, the eldest, a large chess set made of wood. For Patrick a nice wooden checker board. For Percy, the youngest of the three, I find a wooden dinosaur puzzle. I spend $60 on the boys. I've spent beyond my means, all in the name of peace keeping. Jeffery and Anna aren't deserving of these gifts of generosity for their spon.
I get home and wrap the gifts as nicely as I can in blue wrapping paper adorned in white and silver snowflakes. I get my car keys out one more time and go to the small grocery store around the corner. I select an Amazon gift card worth $50 for Anna and Jeffery.
What do you get people who want nothing to do with you? What do you get for ungrateful fucks who reject you, ignore you, and deny your existence? In my book a lump of coal is sufficient enough but in the name peace, I spent $110 on the most selfish fucks I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, the Summer family. I only hope their Christmas gift to me is better than getting nothing at all like I did last year.
