“Quit squirming and sit still.”

“I don’t want my finger nails painted!” I protested as my aunt from hell tried to grab my hand.

Aunt Catherine frowned as she grabbed my hand. “Look, girl. I promised your mother to get you all pretty while she got ready to go out.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere!” I scowled as Aunt Catherine held the brush of bright pink nail polish.

“Give me a break,” sighed my aunt. “Your Me-Maw has always attended the evening service on Christmas day. Mom likes to have all the family dressed up for a picture by the tree and then attend the service with her. Now is that too much to ask?”

I frowned at my aunt. “I’m not family.”

Aunt Christine laughed. “Squirt, as far as Mom is concerned, your Mother and Ollie are as good as married. Me-Maw just adores you. Get over it. Now hold still.”

I wasn’t happy, but I stopped resisting and let my alleged aunt do my nails. She had done my toe nails when I had taken a nap. A little white dress with pink accents also awaited me. It would be just above my knees and have short, puffy sleeves. And white, patent leather shoes. She braided my hair as well while I was napping. I’m never sleeping again.

Earlier for dinner, I helped with the potatoes, the green beans, the dinner rolls and I forget what all else. Pe-Paw carved the turkey. After we were all seated and as I was reaching for a roll, Me-Maw asked me to say grace. I was very tempted to just say “Grace.” I couldn’t bring myself to do so as it was Me-Maw who asked. Me-Maw went out of her way to inform everyone I had helped prepare dinner and what a wonderful little homemaker I was going to be.

Aunt Christine said, “Okay, now I’m going to put a little make-up on you. Don’t look at me that way. It’s just a little bit and some pink lipstick. I understand the whole tomboy shtick, but you really need to grow out of that. You’re too pretty for that.” After a few minutes of work, she stepped back and grinned at me. “Girl, you are totally gorgeous! I’m serious. Here, take a gander.” She held up a mirror in front of me.

I was shocked. I couldn’t believe how pretty I looked. I couldn’t help but smile at my image. I had a sneaking suspicion that more dresses were in my future. My slide into the pink side seems inevitable.

Aunt Christine gave me an approving look. “Now let’s get you into that cute dress.” I made no fight to wear the dress. It’s like the Borg. Resistance was futile. Mom almost cried when she saw me in it.

We all loaded up into Pe-Paw’s mini-van for the drive to the church. I couldn’t even remember the last time I was in a church. It was already getting dark when we arrived. Oliver opened the side door and I jumped down to the ground. I was immediately hit with an icy blast of cold.

Mom took my hand. “Come on, baby. Let’s hurry up and get inside where it’s warm.” I couldn’t disagree. Oliver took my other hand and smiled at me. All three of us walked together towards the church.

Upon entering, Mom took my jacket and for a moment, left me standing alone in my dress amid strangers. Me-Maw eventually stood next to me.

An elderly woman stepped next to me and smiled as she bent down to look at me. “Now who is this adorable little thing?”

Me-Maw grinned as she placed her hand on my shoulder. “This is Chrystal. My new granddaughter.” I just stood there, embarrassed all to hell. It’s not official yet.

Another elderly woman walked up to us. “This is your granddaughter? What a lovely child. You must be so proud!” I just smiled weakly, wanting desperately to run away.

The first woman who spoke said to Me-Maw, “I had no idea Ollie’s fiancée had a child.” I’m standing right here.

Me-Maw said, “Oh yes. Denise is a dear girl. It’s not easy being a single parent.”

The second woman said, “You’re going to have fun spoiling this little girl rotten!”

Me-Maw laughed. “You can say that again!” Terrific.

I looked over at Mom conversing with several other people. Mom enjoys meeting and talking to people. Me? Even before my life was ruined by that switcher bastard, I avoided social situations. But Mom? She was in her element. And she looked absolutely beautiful in her dress. Oliver darn well better appreciate what he’s getting.

Mom looked… well, she looked happy.

My mind had wandered off and so I was surprised when Mom took my hand again. “Come on, honey. Let’s go sit down.” She led me to a pew where the whole family was seated together. I got to sit at the end.

Two boys kept staring at me. I sighed. Couldn’t boys wait a couple of years before they start looking at me? I pulled my phone from my purse and was about to start a game. Mom looked over at me and I’m surprised the glare from my Mom didn’t melt the phone. I sighed and put it back inside my purse.

When the sermon ended, it was apparent we weren’t going to just leave right away. It seemed Mom wanted to congregate with the congregation. After being dragged around and introduced as my Mom’s little girl, Mom finally looked down at me and said, “We’re going to be here a bit longer. Why don’t you go play with the other children.” There was something irritating about the way she said “children.”

I wandered over to look at the really big Christmas tree. Despite its size, I thought it was boring as it only had one color of lights. I like a little variety. At home, we had some Christmas lights and decorations that our parents had bought before I was even born. Before Mom hid it, there was an ornament that read “Baby’s First Christmas” with the year of my first Christmas stamped on it. After I was hit by the Switcher, as an old man, I would cry when I held it.

My reverie was interrupted by a boy seemingly appearing by magic next to me. Smiling, he said, “Hi. My name’s Thom. What’s yours?” Why aren’t boys terrified to talk to girls anymore? When I was his age originally you couldn’t drag me to talk to a girl.

I sighed. “My name’s Chrystal.”

“I’ve never seen you before,” said Thom astutely.

I just looked at Thom coldly. “I don’t live here.”

Thom, no longer able to think of anything clever to say, said, “Oh.”

Another boy came bounding up, a bit more animated than Thom. He said, “You wanna play Nintendo? They have some games in the play room.” That would certainly beat just standing around.

I smiled and said, “Sure!”

We all turned and ran to the play room. Turns out the game system was actually a Play Station 2. Well, that’s okay. I quickly searched for any good games, but my efforts were in vain. It was stupid think that a church would have Grand Theft Auto or Resident Evil. They did have Mortal Kombat and that’s what we wound up playing.

After beating him three times in a row, Thom said, “You play pretty good. You know. For a girl.”

“Oh, there you are,” said the familiar voice of my Mom. “Come on, Sweetheart. It’s time to go.” She took my hand to lead me through the church to the minivan waiting outside.

Thom waved and said, “Bye Chrystal.”

Mom looked down at me and asked, “Did you meet a little friend?”

I shook my head and said, “No.” Thankfully, I’ll never see the little twerp again.

We all climbed up into Pe-Paw’s minivan. Mom looked excited as we slowly drove from the church parking lot.

Mom said, “Oliver, I liked that little church. Honey, do you think we could start going there on Sundays? I really liked the preacher and I liked that they had a lot of children there that were Chrystal’s age.”

Seriously?

To be continued…