44 Sweaters, Pyjamas and Sugar lunches
Down to Earth,
It's like I'm frozen but the world still turns,
Stuck in motion and the wheels keep spinning round,
Moving in reverse,
With no way out.
-Infinity.
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The past few days with my family have been very... complicated and uncomfortable. My grandparents have decided to stay out of it since the first day they arrived, muttering something about how they have a first child and a son to take care of the family and resolve quarrels, it seems to everyone though that it's more than just quarrel.
It's a kind of rivalry that started because of jealousy and envy.
Dad and mom have been trying to keep their distance from everyone, occasionally dragging us out to get late lunch or even dinner sometimes.
Today, grandma Cecile ordered that we all went out to go gift shopping, and I mean all of us.
Christmas is this Friday, and today's Monday. We have a kind of tradition to go shopping the week of Christmas, and sometimes, it brings out the competitiveness in out family.
I walk into a store that seems to be selling a lot of Christmas sweaters and pajamas, trying to get rid of the tension in my shoulders when I hear Malia and Mara following me. "April, are you sure they have something that will be my colour?" Malia asks, looking at me with wide innocent eyes as Mara eyes the store, her scrutinizing gaze resting on each piece of hanging sweater.
"I don't care Malia, if you don't find anything, you can surely go get from another store like you always do." I sigh, walking to the store keeper who was trying and failing to hide her eyes behind the book.
"Hello, what can I help you with?" She jumps up, her red hair and big eyes reminding me of Mia.
"Can I see some sweaters and pyjamas, probably in the back?" I silently please with her and she nods hurriedly. "Sure," she chirps, turning to the two people I was desperately trying to get away from. "I'll have someone else come to attend to you, I'm sure you'll be able to find something that can accentuate your skin tone, something to reduce the orange."
My eyes widen as I hear Mara choking, showing no pity for her sister. Before Malia can attack her, I grab her arm and pull her away. Her snickering explodes into a loud laugh when we burst through some doors. I bend over, clutching my stomach and letting my dreads fall down my head.
"Blimey! She was red with anger, being so chuffed up about herself!" She wipes a fake tear, calling the attention of some girl that was looking through some clothes.
"You know she can give your store bad review?" I question, taking a blue sweater. "Eh, she can sod off." She shrugs, as the girl rushes to attend to my cousins.
"Okay, so how many people are you buying for?" She asks, looking through some sweaters with me.
"About... eighteen people, but that's for the sweater, I'm getting fourteen pajamas." I hum and she blinks faster than a butterfly.
"That's more than most people buy in one day. It's Christmas tradition right?" She asks, showing me a pink and grey sweater. I nod and grab them, joining them with the other four I'd picked out.
"How did you know?" I ask, going to the smaller size section. I take a green sweater with white designs, "You seriously cannot be thinking of getting sweaters for everyone this Christmas April, and I've heard of your amazing gift giving." She nods, closing her eyes.
"Yeah I gue- wait, how did you-?" I pause, my hand resting on the stacks of sweaters I collected.
"Know your name? I'm a big fan of yours, and also your news is the latest trending one, well after the celebrity Christmas outfits. It's nothing to worry about though, I'm not a crazy fan." She smiles warmly at me, taking the sweaters from me, it almost blocked her whole head and when I go to help her, she turns, placing them on a table that I didn't see.
"Thanks." I mutter and she looks at me with calculating eyes.
"Alright, let's go get those pyjamas, Marcus, bag these sweaters!" She calls to a guy that looked like he was dozing off and was just about to fall off his chair. "They're the right sizes, yeah?" She questions, separating them, and I nod.
"Get Christmas decorated bags, small cute gift cards for these small sweaters, not glittery or anything, just something to get a kid excited." She says before tugging me to the pyjamas section.
"I really like your services, gift cards, really?" I question in surprise. She laughs heartily, waving me off.
"It's nothing, it was my mom's shop before she passed, it was something she lived to do for every holiday, so I just kept to it." She explains as she slides the door open.
"I'm sorry." She shakes her head and walks straight to the large sections.
°•°•°•°|°•°•°•°
I reach the Christmas market where Kira and Fayette are buying things for the gingerbread house decoration. And some candy in general.
Malia and Mara had decided to go home, already tired of shopping and possibly freezing their butts off, from wearing exposing skirts, in the middle of winter, in England.
"Hey, you found everything yet?" I ask when I meet them at the candy store we used to come to when we were kids.
"Yep, we even got those super rare chocolate that Joe's dad used to get. Honestly Fayette, you will be blown away!" Kira sighs in bliss and I shake my head at her.
"Come on, we'll get going soon, we just need to get those wrapping papers." I say and she shakes her head. "Already got them while we were waiting, and don't worry, I got the color schemes too." Fayette tells me and I smile at her.
"Thank you, let's go."
When we get to the car, their eyes widen at the amount of bags I have, "You really outdid yourself this year April." Kira gasps, Fayette's eyes widening as she takes in the trunk.
"Just get into the car, I haven't even gone gift shopping for the real Christmas." I laugh and turn to go to the driver's side, my gloves wrapping around the steering wheel. Kira and Fayette get into the backseat to probably start sleeping. The Christmas market is kind of far from the manor house so it might take about an hour to get back to the manor.
My phone beeps when I start the engine, I pick it up, my brows furrowing when I see the message, from Storm. I decide to reply him when I get home, taking in a deep breath.
"You think the boys will be done with their shopping?" Fayette asks me and I laugh, turning to look at Kira.
"You'd think they shop like men, but honestly, they shop like highschool girls that are excited about prom or winter formal." Kira scoffs, looking out the window as I start driving.
"I heard some people talking about a lightopia festival that's going on..." Fayette says hesitantly and my eyes widen.
"I honestly can't believe we forgot about that, we have to tell mom, it's going to be amazing this year, just you wait Fayette, you'll be blown away."
°•°•°|°•°•°
I walk into the kitchen, the bustling of the kitchen maids causing a small smile to tug up my lips. I see mom and Nana Abigail around one of the blenders, mom talking and Nana Abigail listening attentively while she watches what mom is doing.
"Hello, ooh, you're making akara." My eyes go wide as I stare at the ones that are frying in the pan. Henrietta, a maid that just recently got married to her best friend, was taking the latest batch out of the pan.
"Don't you dare go there Temari! Go help Brooke with something for her designing. Also, call Kira to help Henrietta, when you're done, then you can take a plate." She dismisses me and goes back to talking to Nana Abigail who just chuckles at my dumbfounded expression.
"You know, I missed when I was taller than you." I tell Henrietta when I pass her and she throws her head back and laughs, a sweet smile on her face. "Yeah right, say that one more time and you won't taste my special arctic roll!" She smirks and I whip around, glaring at her.
"You wouldn't dare!" I gasp.
"I would dare, in a daringly daring way infact!" She huffs, adding more batter for the akara to the oil. I roll my eyes and walk out of the kitchen, the wafting scent drifting away from me as I move further towards Ethan's room. The door was slightly ajar and I poke my head in, knocking to get her attention.
"Oh, yes! Finally some help! Kira, I live you but you really do not know how to color scheme." She breathes as she pulls me inside the room. Kira gasps, dropping a cute onesie for Uriah.
"I picked out most of ye clothes for Gage, you really need to learn how to appreciate me!" She whines. Brooke just gives her a look that days shut it and she imitates a lock and key.
"Kira, mom needs you to help Henrietta with the rolls, you know, Christmas desserts." I yell her and her face brightens.
"Aye, aye captain!" She mock salutes and marches out of the kitchen. "Sometimes I feel I shouldn't leave her with my child, I don't even know who is more childish, Bear or Kira."
I laugh, going to Uriah's crib. I try to pick him up but Brooke slaps my hand away and tells me to go wash them. "Are you sure you don't have OCD?" I question as I saunter to the bathroom.
"If I did, then you'd know your presence alone is enough to disturb my peace." I sprinkle water on her face and she gasps, glaring at me as I chuckle.
"Don't worry baby, nothing can keep our love apart, not even the gods above, can separate the two of us, oh nothing can come between you and I-" I start singing when he farts loudly.
I look at Brooke as her eyes widen, her lips stretching out into a smile. "Oh my goodness, I am so proud of you! Your first fart in aunty April's arms, come on, do it again!" I squeal, tickling him.
"April, he doesn't just fart like he has a button for it, put him back and come hel- what is that smell?" She asks, standing up and coming to look at his face.
"I need to change his diaper," she sighs, closing her eyes from stress. "Yeah, I'll just help you with whatever, mhmm." I rush out, desperate to get away from changing the diaper.
"It's not like you aren't going to have your own children April, I can't wait really, I hope they have eyes like Luke's." She sighs already day dreaming as she lays him on their bed, going to grab a new diaper.
"Yeah, Luke's eyes." I mumble, sitting down and going through the papers. "Hey what's wrong?" She asks, looking at me with concerned eyes as she takes off his diaper.
The smell hits me and I groan, holding my nose together and she makes a face at the giggling baby. It's almost like he's happy that his poo smells.
"It's nothing, really, we just had an argument before I left, I've been trying to call him since but he hasn't been answering my calls." I shrug as I grab a jelly cream scone from the plate on the bedside table, shoving it into my mouth.
"Awn, don't worry, you guys will work it out! I don't know what happened, and I don't think I can give you advice but to just be positive. You guys are the cutest couple I've seen, well after May and Devin, but you should know by now you'll sort it out. You're both mature, eventually he'll listen to what you have to say and you'll also listen. Now arrange those colors together and choose what furniture goes with it." She smiles and walks into the bathroom with Uriah.
"If only she knew neither of us are mature." I mutter.
°•°•°|°•°•°
I hold two trays on my hand, walking with expertise as I pass by the four tiny children running around, excited for our new sweets late lunch.
"Alrighty, Nolan, Uthur, Chad, Rayne, living room, now!" I say in a stern voice and they giggle, running towards the living room.
"Hey no running!" I yell after them and sigh, walking carefully as I balance the trays. When I get to the living room, I see Devin placing his own trays on the large table in the living room.
Usually we eat in the dining room, but dad decided we bond over TV and sweet lunch, hence the baking through this morning till afternoon. I place my trays next to Devin's, admiring the arctic rolls and swiss rolls. They really outdid themselves, and I was even surprised when Devin baked the swiss rolls and made the oten mess.
The maids bring in the last baked foods, placing them on the table, the oten mess, the strawberry shortcake, all of it. It's like sweet paradise. And it's not even Christmas yet!
"Alright family, dig in!" Grampa bellows after Trisha blessed the food. we all take a plate, even the maids come round to have some.
I take a cup of oten mess, sitting myself on the floor beside June. She's eating an arctic roll, a whole roll. She didn't even cut it. She looks at me and rolls her eyes when I keep looking from her face to the roll.
"June, you might just need to get yourself on a treadmill after that roll!" Kira laughs and mom throws a lemon slice at her. We all chuckle, watching as Kira cries on Alistair's shoulder, when he pulls the lemon slice off her face.
My auntie's chuckle softly, talking with my mom and dad as my cousins start talking about some distant memories. My family can be stressful and annoying sometimes, and even bitches, but not totally all the time, and those times are the times we cherish the most, even if it's just a second where we sit together without arguing and just, talking like we have no worries in the world.
I wish I had brought Austin with me, I wish my family had met him, I wish he had talked with my grandparents about things that they love to talk about, I wish this Christmas had been with him. It would have been our first Christmas together, it would have been awesome, but because of a stupid argument, he's going to Italy in a matter of weeks. Layla told me that Kai is out of the hospital now, my heart broke when Nova told me she was pregnant.
The world just had to use me as the starting comedy act, even Trevor Noah must be jealous of how I made the universe laugh. It's like we're so close to our goal but yet so far from each other.
"Hey, you okay?" June asks, nudging me and shoving a piece of the roll in her mouth. I nod, smiling at her before stuffing my face.
"Um, April, I think you need to see this." Peyton, one of my favorite cousins tells me with a hesitant look on his face.
I collect the phone from him, my brows furrowing. He nods for me to take a look and when I do, my furrow releases and I feel my teeth tugging up my lip.
"What's that?" June asks, poking around to see, and when she does, she lets out a deep 'oh'.
I should've expected this, but it doesn't mean my heart was prepared for it. I knew she would eventually try to reach out to him when the news spread out, but I didn't know she would do it this fast.
I stare at the picture of Sheryl Stone and my boyfriend, or who the internet is now my ex. He's carrying Layla as he walks with her, there are some more pictures of him at a booth with her. Some even say that she's consoling him after our tough 'break up'.
It's laughable even though I can't laugh right now. But seeing him with Layla means that there's nothing going on between them.
"Are you okay?" June asks as she takes the phone and hands it to Peyton, glaring at him. "Yeah, I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about." I try to smile but it comes out watery and she pouts, putting her roll down and wrapping her arms around me.
A second later, I feel another pair of arms wrap around me. I look up and see May's pale blue eyes staring into mine. "How did you know?" I ask, my voice cracking a little.
"We were all born on the same day, we shared a womb together, I think we'd know if something was wrong with half of us."
I stare at my sister's, the smile on their face matching mine, triplets, we make the ultimate trio.
April, May, and June.
