Christmas Day 2012
Debbie 17 - Daysha 0
Debbie was in the kitchen when Daysha and Aaron arrived at the Jackson Family residence for Christmas dinner that day. It was long before they would eat and Daysha thought she’d be the dutiful daughter and help her mother. Thought, being the key word.
The detective put down the bag of stuff she was to bring. Two salads, one fruit like and the other a vegetable salad along with tart cookies and fresh bread. All bought from the store that morning. Because let’s face it, Daysha’s cooking skills were enough to get her buy and make generally edible and simple things like roast, chicken and stuff from a box. The complex stuff, she wasn’t any good at. Just ask those who got to witness the cookie tragedy of November 2012. Nothing like
Sara Harlowe
’s amazing cake.
Not that Daysha was trying to fool her mother at all, but the place she’d ordered it all from put it in beautiful plastic dishes that looked presentable and possibly homemade.
Popping over to her mother at the stove, Daysha pecked her on the cheek. "Hey Mom, Merry Christmas.”
“Oh you’re finally here.” Debbie said like her daughter was immensely late. “Say, could you put that stuff from the store in the fridge. Leaving it out it may get funny.”
Cocking her brow, Daysha shrugged. “Uh, sure mom. What else do you need help with.”
Aaron walked over and hugged Debbie’s side, to which she pecked him on the forehead. “Hey sweety, could you help Darrin hook up the new TV he gave us for Christmas?”
Daysha tried not to let it all get to her, at least for now. She and Darrin went together to get her parents the new television and she knew Darrin told her this. But apparently it was ‘from Darrin’. Aaron quickly dashed to the living room with the rest of the guys. At 14, of course gadgets were way more fun than hanging in the kitchen.
Wondering if her mom heard her or ignored her, Daysha asked a different way. “So, need the taters mashed, table set or anything?”
Her mom was fiddling with a few things, and checking the oven before she answered and didn’t bother to look at her. “Table was set this morning, Emily mashed the potatoes already. We’re just waiting for the turkey now that everything else is simmering.”
Daysha leaned on the counter shrugging a little. “Oh, alright.” She wasn’t ticked at Emily, Darrin’s gal. Cause if that poor woman managed not to be on her mom’s hate trail so far, that was a good sign. In fact, she was the first girl that Debbie didn’t chase off after the first family dinner. So, that was a shocker.
After a long bought of silence from her mother she put down an oven mitt and checked the fridge. First a tisk then a sign as she looked at the shelf Daysha put her stuff down on. “You couldn’t have made at least one of these yourself?” She said in an irritated voice.
“Well ma, it’s not like I had much time. That and I don’t normally make that stuff so I’d most likely screw it up.” Which was entirely honest considering Daysha either worked, spent time with Aaron, Darrin, dad… or hunting.
“Really.” A long pause. “No time.” Another pause. “No time whatsoever.”
The detective didn’t really know where she was going with this and shrugged silently trying to avoid a conflict.
“You mean to tell me that all you do is work? I highly doubt that Daysha. I think its just laziness.” Debbie said with more irritation and shut the door to the fridge. She went back to stirring something.
….but that, was the final straw for the detective. “No ma, it’s not lazy. I really don’t have time. When I’m not busy with work or Aaron I’m studying cases. It’s not a job that you can just leave at the office.”
“Oh it certainly is, Dasyha.” The mockery was very apparent in her voice. “You have the same career as your father. He found time to do something productive outside of work. Like fishing. At least he had something to show for it.”
Part of Daysha wanted to laugh at the fishing comment, but the angry side of her won. “Ya know, it’s Christmas day. For once could you not cut me to the quick and nag at me?”
“Why?” Debbie’s head tilted in front of the stove. “Maybe if I keep at it, it will probably sink in.”
Daysha didn’t say another word. She grabbed her jacket and went outside, slamming the door behind her.
Lighting up a cigarette, she stood by the flower bed. It was intentional to ash all over the fucking flowers her mom planted. She also put the butt right in the shitty ass flowers. It was while Daysha was chainsmoking into smoke number 2 that she heard the door open to the house. The familiar steps that were medium weight pressing on the wood of the porch. The way the walk was purposeful but still slower. The breathing just loud enough to know he wasn’t trying to sneak up… it was Doug.
Also known as Dad to the detective just cut to the quick by her mother. “Dad if you came out here to apologize for that bitch, please save your breath.”
Moving next to her, Doug put his arm around Daysha’s shoulder. “Nope, that’s not why I’m here honey.”
“So you’re here to what? Tell me I should avoid her and not bother trying?” She sighed slightly dismayed.
“Nope, not that either sweety.” Doug spoke with a slight ring in his voice that there was something he had in mind.
“Alright, I’ll bite.” Turning to her dad, with a nearly hopeless look on her face.
“You need to learn to lie better to your mother.” A soft smirk moved over Doug’s thin lips.
“Haha, what?!” It’s not every day your dad tells you to lie to your mother. “Uh…okay?” Daysha said with bewilderment.
In a low conspiring tone, Doug added. “A buddy of ours paid a guy to fish for us. So we had something to bring home. They” Looking toward the house, indicating Debbie. “were none the wiser.”
“Okay well I tried that trick and had the stuff special ordered…” Shrugging, still hopeless like.
Doug hugged her shoulders toward him. “And that was a good attempt. But, your mother has this creepy knack for knowing the difference.” He rolled his eyes and chuckled softly. “So, what you do, is pay a neighbor who’s fairly decent at that stuff. Or someone else you know. Bring your own containers, she’ll never know the difference. Other than you suddenly found your hobby.”
The light-bulb clicked on. “Wow, that’s genius dad. I’m really going to need to remember that for the next holiday or whatever.” Wrapping her hand around her dad’s waist, she hugged him back. “Thanks, Dad. For…everything.”
“Always sweety. One day, Debbie will realize you’re amazing in your own way. Like I do.”
Daysha didn’t really need to hear the words from Doug. But still, it made her day; and the Grinch that was about to rise up and hate the whole day, slid back into the cave.