Bloody Christmas

BLOODY CHRISTMAS

I didn't expect her to be this pretty. In fact, nobody did. Smiling with her shiny white teeth (which were, obviously, fake), laughing and talking to dad, it almost looked like they are still in the marriage. However, next to me was sitting Isabella, dad's new wife. I like her better than mom and I'm happy to see them together. Dad finally looks like he found his true soulmate.

Mom changed a lot in the past year. We haven't seen her since the two of them got divorced. She looks a lot better now. The conversation continued. Every now and then I glanced over to Tommie, my twin brother. I asked him a few times what does he think about Isabella, but I never got a clear answer from him. You have no idea how much it frustrated me. These past sixteen years of my life I have been at least once a week asked about twin telepathy and other crap like that. Before, I could at least tell how he is feeling but now...

***

I was always the shy sibling and Tommie was always the one to cheer you up, but now it changed. He became withdrawn since the divorce, he barely comes out of his room. I mean, I get it. He was always mom's favorite child. But now things changed, and he seems to be stuck in past. Before we met Isobella for the first time, dad gave us a sort of a pep talk. They were friends for a long time and over years they developed romantic feelings for each other. But they never thought of being together because dad was married and he would never cheat on any woman. But mom accused him of cheating. That's the real reason why they broke up. A few weeks later we found out that she was actually the one who was cheating.

***

Suddenly, mom got up and loudly announced: '' Thank you all for coming here today.'', I looked at Tommie but he was looking at her. ''Weird'', I thought, ''mum was the one to come to our house. Not the opposite.''

''I wanted to tell you some happy news!'', she said. We were all quietly staring at her. ''I am pregnant. Baby is on the way!''

Tommie gasped, dad was staring at her in silent shock, and I glanced over to Isabella. She was staring down, intensively looking at her plate of half-eaten Christmas dinner.

''That's great Emma!'', dad said after few moments. ''So, who's the father? Is it somebody we know?''

''It's you silly!'', she replied looking with a smile on her face and pure love in her eyes. I wasn't excited or shocked. We all knew that dad didn't see or talk to mum since the divorce and that was over a year ago. Basically, if you know anything about how pregnancy works, you would know that it isn't possible.

''Emma, what are you talking about?'' dad asked. ''I couldn't be the father. You are mistaken.''

''Honey, I know that you didn't want any more kids, but I can assure you that we will give the little boy the happiest home possible, with great siblings.''

''We? Emma, we aren't married anymore! And I'm not the father!'' dad was now almost shouting. It was upsetting seeing him like this. He always stayed calm, even in the most stressful situations.

''Look, I think that you drank too much. Why wouldn't go out for a minute or two? Maybe breathing some fresh air will help you.''

She made a puppy face at him but listened. While grabbing her purse, she gave him the most innocent smile, turned around, and walked out of the house.

''Geez. That woman is making me crazy.'' dad said after a loud sigh.

''It's okay. You just need to calm down. We are all going together through this. As family should.'' Said Isabella and reached over the table to hold dad's hand. ''Everything will be all right.''

''I know but...'' he didn't get a chance to finish a sentence because mum burst back through the door.

''The baby just kicked!'' she shouted. ''Isaac, please, I don't think that I will be able to go through the pregnancy all alone. I need you.''

''Emma, I already told you. I am married. And you are not my wife anymore.''

''So you won't help me?''

''I'm sorry but the answer is no.''

''How dare you leave a pregnant woman alone!''

''That child isn't mine!'' dad shouted back.

''Why don't we all just calm down down a little bit?'' suddenly Isabella stood up. ''I'm sure that you two can work this out but it isn't appropriate to shout on Christmas.''

''Oh shut up, woman! This isn't any of your business!'' mom replied with pure hate in her eyes.

I almost fell out of the chair. I have never seen mum this, this...

''You won't talk to my wife like that.'' Said dad. He managed to calm himself down in the meantime so he wasn't shouting anymore.

''You know what? I hoped I won't need to do this but...'' mum said. She reached into her purse.

''Do what?'' dad asked, but my instincts were kicking in. I shouted ''Duck!'' and threw myself under the table. In a second Tommie was next to me laying on his stomach.

''Emma what are you doing?'' I heard dad shout. I couldn't see them but I somehow knew what was happening. Tommie wasn't as smart like me so he tried to scramble from underneath the table but I pulled him back. ''Stay here!'' I hissed at him. He just looked me in the eyes and seemed to understand what I was trying to say.

''Emma, put the gun down.'' Dad said but I could hear fear and panic behind the mask of calmness.

Tommie and I stopped breathing. I heard a silent click.

''You see, now I just need to pull the trigger and you're dead. Do you hear me? Dead.'' She said emphasizing each letter. ''So you better start talking. Why wouldn't I end this right here, right now?''

''Emma, we were married twenty-five years and we were happy. Why would you want to kill me?''

''Because you are unfaithful.''

''Emma, you were the one who cheated on me. You are the reason why we broke up and divorced. It's not my fault.''

He chose the wrong words. I knew what would happen even before I heard it. I heard ringing in my ears. After a second I realized it's because of the gunshot. I heard a loud thud. Isabella started screaming while mum was laughing. I realized that she has gone completely crazy over the past year.

''That's what you deserve.'' I heard mom say. Following that was a weak grunt. I crawled to the edge of the table and ran to dad. ''Tommie! Call 911! Hurry!''

I heard Tommie's footsteps. I knelt next to dad. Isabella already had his head in her lap and was gently stroking his hair. ''Shh. Everything will be OK.'' I knew that nothing will be OK after today but I didn't say anything. Instead, I took dad's hand. After some time which felt like forever, Tommie came back and said that ambulance is on the way.

''Good,'' Isabella said with tears in her eyes. ''I hope that...''

There was a loud banging on the door. I got up, Tommie taking my place, and went to answer the door. Standing on our front porch was our neighbor Ms. Stillman. She was a sweet, old lady who every time she baked her neighborhood-famous cookies gave us some. She always told us that dad reminded her of her son who died at a young age in a car accident. She also told us that we were like grandkids who she never had.

''Is everybody all right?'' she asked with panic in her eyes.

''D-dad got shut.'' I stammered bursting into tears.

''Oh, you poor thing. Come here.'' She said and hugged me.

I heard ambulance sirens in the distance so I rushed inside. Ms. Stillman came in after me. I found everybody as I left them, just dad was now laying in a pool of blood and mom was gone.

''Get his wallet and jacket. There is his ID and everything else we might need.'' Isabella told me so I ran back to the front door. On a hanger next to the door was dads jacket so I grabbed it and went back.

***

SIX MONTHS LATER

Everything turned out all right. Dad is still recovering from his injury, but he'll live. Isabella announced that we will soon have a new brother or sister so we properly celebrated that. Ms. Stillman was also excited about the news so we decided to make her baby's godmother. Police caught mom and she was brought to interrogation. She was accused of an attempt of murder and got twelve years in jail. She wasn't pregnant. Tommie moved on and even got a girlfriend. I'll never forgive him that. We had this bet thing going on since we were eight: ''Whoever gets a boyfriend or a girlfriend first, the other one owes him 100 dollars.''

THE END