Midnight Mistletoe

Katherine Bennett

I’m visiting my parents in two weeks for Christmas. This time, I’m not going to be on my own - I’m bringing my boyfriend with me.

For the very first time, I will have the pleasure of bringing someone to my parent’s house for Christmas.

It’s becoming exhausting to listen to my mother’s constant nagging about how she can’t wait for me to settle down. I have had serious relationships in the past, so it’s not like I have never been committed before.

Whenever my dad’s best friend came by for a visit, particularly his son, I felt uneasy and unprepared to bring a boyfriend to my parent’s house.

Just because of one person. I have his name tattooed on my right ass cheek.

Derek, Derek fuking Sawyer.

It was a stupid drunken night, and upon waking up, the realization of my actions hit me.

No one knows about it, not even my boyfriend, because it happened two nights ago, and it’s still fucking sore.

My ass is itching me. Ugh!

I mess with my hair nervously. I don’t know how I’m going to explain this to Seamus.

Speaking of Seamus, I wonder where he is. He’s fifteen minutes late. The staff in the restaurant stare at me as if I have been stood up.

As I lean back in my chair, I tap my finger impatiently on the table, wondering if he has stood me up.

I’m really hoping he hasn’t stood me up because if he did, it would be incredibly humiliating for me to have to walk out of here alone.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Katherine.” I sigh with relief as Seamus leans down to give me a kiss on the cheek.

Besides my mother, he's the only one who calls me Katherine. Everyone else calls me Kate. Except for that stupid nickname Derek calls me.

“It’s okay. I’m just glad you made it.” I smile so he believes my lies.

As we eat our meals, we don’t talk much. Maybe a word here and there.

I decide to break the ice between us. “I can’t wait for you to meet my family. I’m sure Mom and Dad will love you.”

Seamus wipes his mouth with a napkin. “About that.”

“Yes.”

He clears his throat. “I think it would be best if we break up.”

“What?” My eyes widen. “Is this a joke?”

He shakes his head. “I think it’s for the best.”

“You think it’s for the best to dump me two weeks before Christmas?” I resist the temptation to scream at him, even though it’s what I really want to do. “The plan was for you to come with me so that I could introduce you to my parents.”

I don’t want to cause a scene.

“I just think we aren’t quite there yet to meet the family. It's too complicated.” Seamus justifies his decision. “I don’t want to be a jerk.”

I frown. “Oh, you don’t want to be a jerk? Well, let me tell you, that is precisely what you are, Seamus.”

At least you don’t have to explain the tattoo on your ass.

Now is not the time to bring that up.

Seamus snorted. “I knew you would act like that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.

He shrugged. “You’re overreacting.”

What?

Did he say overreacting?

He did. A little voice says inside my head.

“Overreacting. I’ll show you overreacting.” I get up from my seat. I pick up my glass of water and splash it on him.

Seamus’s mouth sets in a firm line, wiping his face with his hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I put my hand on my chest with a hint of irony. “Was your suit expensive? Well, you don’t have to bring it to the dry cleaner since water doesn’t stain.”

I turn around and walk out of the restaurant.

The audacity of this man.

Ugh!

Stepping outside the building, I take my phone in my hand to see what time it is.

I don’t know if the universe is against me tonight because as I look through my phone. The snow that was on the building drifts down and covers me.

It can’t get worse than this.

I notice some people near me giving me a strange look while others chuckle.

Argh! I think I talked too soon.

I clench my hands into a ball and flounce on the sidewalk until I get to my car. I yanked the door open and slammed it shut. The whole drive to my house is filled with fury.

Once I’m home, I take a quick shower and lounge on my sofa to sip red wine.

I can't believe that asshole broke things off with me. Three months went down the drain, because of this stupid Jerk.

What an imbecile to do this two weeks before Christmas and to think I wanted to bring him to my parent’s house so he could meet them.

What am I going to do now?

It’s too late for me to ask one of my friends to come along with me. They all have planned their Christmas vacation.

I don’t need a friend. I need a boyfriend.

If I go there alone, I won’t hear the end of it from my mother. She wishes for me to find a good man in my life to take care of me. Deep down, I know she dreams of me ending up with Derek.

We can’t be all like my mother, who found the perfect man to spend the rest of her life with. She met my father when she was sixteen years old. They are still going strong. They love each other so much. Sometimes, I’m jealous of their happiness.

And that jerkface of Derek will tease me as I’m alone every year.

I rub my temple. I fucking need a miracle at this point.

Derek?

No, this would be a bad idea.

Why not!

Last time I heard his girlfriend cheated on him.

We could kill two birds with one stone.

If I can convince him, we could pretend we are a couple.

We have known each other since we were babies. Our fathers are best friends.

I rub my chin. We could always tell that our hate for each other had turned into something else as it involved a romance between us.

Yeah, and don’t forget the tattoo you have carved on your ass.

I don’t have to worry about that since I’m not ready to expose my ass to him.

Talk all you want. You have the hots for him.

Shut up! That was a long time ago.

Uh-huh. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

Ugh!

Against my better judgment, I take my phone and compose his number.

“Freckles, what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” Derek grumbles.

I’m already regretting my decision.