Crumbling the Cookie

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. I love the traditions people celebrate, I love the lights, gift-giving, baked goods, all of it. But my favorite Christmas tradition, is the cookie exchange my friends and I do every year. This year, it was my turn to host, I had gone to great lengths to ensure that this party would be perfect. New table cloths decked with green and red and gold and silver threading, plates with beautiful holly leaves and wine glasses to match, not to mention the stocked up medicine cabinet from the inevitable sugar-induced headaches and stomachaches people would be getting. I love my friends, I consider them to be family. And while even some of my family doesn't treat me as they should. at least my friends always are.

Especially my best friend, Eliza. She has been with me through thick and thin, and when she and her husband divorced, I let her find solace in my home and among my own family while she found her strength again. My husband, always the knight in shining armor, helped her a lot, found job listings, therapy groups, and was just there for her as a friend. I was so proud of him for his kindness to the woman who was like a sister to me, and even prouder to see that, in the weeks after she started staying with us, she seemed to find joy in life again.

At 6:30 pm, my friends and their husbands all brought such beautiful cookie platters, filled with different types of cookie and decoration, and some even came with recipe cards which I greatly appreciated. I'll admit I'm not the most talented baker, and seeing the cute sugar cookies frosted so beautifully and sparkling in sprinkles, and the different flavors such as cherry, chocolate, snickerdoodle, and sandwich, always make me just a tad jealous.

Eliza was a brilliant baker though, and even opened a bakery soon after she moved out of our house and into her own apartment. It really was an adorable shop, and I was always so happy to visit her with my daughters. She'd always give them a free cupcake of their choice, and we'd make chit-chat over iced tea while she wiped the flour from her hands onto her apron. I miss those days.

I became a little nervous when I didn't see Eliza and her new boyfriend as I was particularly excited for her to try my cookies. Just as I was beginning to accept she wasn't going to come at all, the doorbell chimed. I heard my own husband, Jacob, open the door and greet her warmly with his charming "Hello! Those cookies look almost as wonderful as you! Is Mason not coming tonight?" I hoped my face didn't give off to my other guests the giddiness I was feeling.

"Eliza! I'm so happy you could make it, I hope you brought those amazing gingersnaps you made last year." I hugged her as she came in, the smell of cheap perfume rubbing on me, but I knew it was worth it as she was about to taste real quality goods.

"Ugh, I'm so happy I could come! The snow really picked up on the way here, I'm sorry. And Mason wishes he could be here but his mother recently got sick and since she lives by herself, he and his sister have been taking turns taking care of her, and she has kids so you know how it is. And yes! I did bring the gingersnaps!" Eliza was cheery, and she seemed genuinely happy to be in my home. I almost feel guilty for inviting her in the first place.

"Alright everyone," I say excitedly, "let's get started! Help yourself to any drinks in the fridge and any of the food platters we have set up, and please don't forget to vote for your favorite cookie on the note cards I have set up next to the plates!"

While everyone got to eating and mingling, I brought Eliza over to a corner of the kitchen. "Can you tell me if these are actually good? I tried a new recipe for the party and gave Jake some, but you already know very well that he likes anything he can get his mouth on, so he's useless with these things."

"Oh, well sure, but don't think this gives you a leg up in the competition, Mel." She laughed and winked at me as she ate one of the lemon shortbread cookies I had made with extra love, just for her.

"Melanie, these are absolutely delicious. Do you have the recipe handy? I really do need to put these in the bakery, they're a perfect summertime good." She reached for a second cookie on the small platter I had prepared just for her.

"Of course! I have a few printed copies of it just in case anyone wanted it," I smiled kindly as she reached again for a third cookie.

Several minutes later, I heard her whisper behind me, "I'm so sorry, do you think Jake will be out of the bathroom soon?" She asked. But I pretended I didn't hear her as I walked over to speak to Alison.

Moments later, a disgusting odor filled the room, and Eliza clenched her stomach in pain. She ran to me now, again asking for the bathroom.

"Oh I'm sorry, Jacob is still using it right now, and the upstairs one is blocked off so the kids can have a little privacy for the night. I'm sure he'll be out soon." I offered her some Pepto-Bismol and water but it was to no avail. The poor woman soon messed her beautiful light blue skirt, the stink of which will not likely be forgiving when cleaning out, and I soon heard the shower running upstairs, I assume my husband had found a similar fate from my special batch of lemon shortbread cookies that I made just for them.

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love the traditions people have for it. I love the lights, gift-giving, parties, and the kindness it gives me to wait. Waiting until the holidays are over to drop the divorce papers on my cheating, soon to be ex-husband so he can go about and do whatever he pleases with my soon to be ex-friend, Eliza.