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It was awkward.

Will it not be awkward to have their son bring a guest home when the guest is a girl?

Jasper greeted every member of his family who was standing in front of me. They were all having a lost or confused expression. I could tell one thing for sure, Jasper has never brought his friends home or that he has never brought a girl home.

Jasper came back and stood next to me and I waited till he made a move in introducing me to the family as their guest for Christmas. Before Jasper could even begin to say a word, his mother spoke up.

"Oh, I am so sorry! I have been rude!" she exclaims and she walked over to me. "Hello darling, I am so sorry to have not greeted you." she apologises.

"It's not a problem, really," I reply quickly with a smile on my face.

"Jasper, you are supposed to introduce your guest rather than just standing there. Where are your manners?" His mother looked at him, he opened his mouth to respond but he chose not to.

"I'm Sarah and do call me Sarah only, I'm Jasper's mother." she introduces herself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Holly." I tell her my name. "That's a really sweet name for a girl like you." His father stepped up. "I'm Peter, Jasper's father and I was never informed that he would be bringing his girlfriend home." he glared at Jasper.

Girlfriend?

See, this is what happens when the son brings a girl home even as a guest.

"No dad, you've mistaken. Holly is not my girlfriend." Jasper tells his father.

"Exactly Sir, in fact, we happen to meet a few weeks back at our writer's club meeting," I add a little explanation. "We have a small assignment to do and since she wasn't going home for Christmas, I invited here." Jasper finishes the explanation.

"Oh." Sarah's smile faded for a moment but it came back. "Well! The more the merrier!" She pulled me into a hug. "It's good to have you here for Christmas." She tells me as she pats my back.

"Alright then, Sarah and I are heading for the kitchen. Jasper, introduce Holly to your brothers and sisters and also show her the guests ' room." Peter instructs him, he nodded his head and soon, Sarah and Peter left the room.

"Hi, I'm Jesse and you really look beautiful in that sweater." A boy came up to me, he brought his hand forward.

"Thank you and it's nice to meet you, Jesse." I shook his hand.

"He's trying to flatter you. It's his latest hobby." A girl came and stood next to Jesse. "My name is Jessica and you must be different for Jasper to have invited you home." She tells me.

"Jessica it's nothing like that. We've got a group project to work on, that's all." I smile.

"Hmm.. It's anyway good to have you home for Christmas." She smiles and shook my hand.

The twins left the room and I saw a girl older than Jasper standing there. She stepped forward and introduced herself.

"Juliet." She brought her hand forward. "Holly." I shook her hand. We smile at each other and then her eyes shifted to Jasper and she gave him a smile. She turned around and walked towards where Sarah and Peter left.

"Don't bother about Juliet." Jasper tells me, I give a slight nod and pick up my suitcase.

"Right, I'll show you the room you will be staying in." He starts walking towards the stairs but he stopped and turned around. "May I help you take your suitcase up the stairs?" he asks me.

"It's alright, I can handle it." I put a smile on my face and held my heavy suitcase a little tighter.

"I know for sure you will not be because I know how heavy it is." He looks at me. "But if you have "falling down the stairs with a suitcase" is on your list, then you're welcome." He shrugged and waited for my response.

Falling down the stairs in a house where I am staying for a while would be a good holiday joke. I wouldn't want that.

"Fine, but what about yours?" I ask.

"Don't worry about that right now." He walks closer to me and took the suitcase from my hand and turned around with it.

I walked behind him and climbed the staircase.

The house wasn't very big but the interiors were exceptional. Wooden floor, wooden staircase and I could go on forever. We walked past many doors and then we stopped at a door. Jasper placed my suitcase on the ground and opened the door and I stood in awe when he switched on the lights. It was so much more beautiful than my bedroom in California!

"Are you planning to stand there?" He was in the room and I was still standing at the door.

I walk in and stood by the dressing table. "You can freshen up and I'll see you for dinner downstairs." I nod and he smiled. He walked out of the rooms and closed the door behind him.

I looked at myself in the mirror and I looked like a mess. I had to freshen up, I couldn't have stood like this while I met everyone downstairs!

---

The Anderson's were already seated at the dining table by the time I reached.

That's not a good thing, right?

Anyway, as Jasper told me it was roast chicken for dinner with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. It indeed was amazing.

I met James, Jasper's youngest brother at the dinner table, He was sleeping when we reached. Jasper's four-year-old brother is just too adorable. He wasn't afraid of strangers and happen to want to sit on my lap for the entire meal that Peter made him sit on a chair next to him.

Sarah and Juliet passed out some Apple Pie slices to each one of us. I had a major weakness for pies and it probably would have started because of my constant eating of Pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. The aroma of the cinnamon and the sweetness and the softness of the apples along with the perfectly baked pastry.

"Jesse, are you coming with me to get the tree?" Peter asked before he placed some pie in his mouth. "Of course I will but if I don't wake up, then don't bother." He replied and went back to eating his pie.

"Daddy, I want to come with you." James turned to his father and asked very sweetly. "If you're a good boy and go to sleep early, then you may come." Peter told James and fed him some pie.

"Holly, you must come with us!" Jessica exclaimed.

"You must join us, it would be great to have you there." Peter spoke.

"It's a family tradition to go Tree hunting in the Christmas Tree farm," Sarah explained as she served Jesse with another slice of the pie. "And it's great fun to check all of them and choose one for the house" Jessica continue to explain. "We basically wait for Jasper to come home for the Holidays and then we get the tree. With you, I won't be bored with all the men around me." Jessie gave a quick glare at Juliet before she looked at me with a sweet smile.

I wasn't sure if going for this was a good idea. It was a family tradition and was just their guest. I formed a small smile with my lip and took another fork of my pie.

After dinner, I offered my help to wash the dishes but Sarah told me to take rest. Maybe I could help her tomorrow with them. I thanked her and said goodnight to her and Juliet.

I went up the stairs and turned to my right and walked to where my room was. Right beside my door was another and Peter and Jasper was standing in front of it and having a word. I walk past them softly, not to disturb their conversation. The conversation faded and I saw Peter walk away from the corner of my eye.

As I turned the doorknob of my door, I heard someone clear their throat. I turn my head to see Jasper looking.

"Hey" I smile.

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you to not think of not coming tomorrow with us to get our tree." He tells me.

"Jasper, it's a family activity and I'm a guest at your house." I tell him, he shook his head in response. "I promised you a perfect Christmas so please, you need to come tomorrow." He tells me and turns around and walked to the door beside mine and stood in front of it.

"Good night, Holly Anne." He looked at me again.

"Good night Jasper." I say and he opened the door and walked into his room. I walked into mine and dressed into some night clothes and got under the warm quilt.

-----

The Winter sun that poured in at around seven in morning, woke me up. I sat on my bed, still under the quilt, and admired the room. I took my phone from the nightstand and checked the time.

7:15 am

I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Today is my first day here at the Anderson's and I must look good all the way but not too much. A simple outfit of a long sweater and a pair of black jeans along with a beanie on my head and Uggs for my feet.

I went back into the room and took my phone. I walked to the large window and admired the view I had. If it were spring, it probably would be a green meadow but since it's winter, there was snow.

Around eight o'clock, I headed downstairs. I saw Peter seated in the living room on an armchair with a newspaper in his hands. I turn to the dining area and walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning." I greet Sarah. "Morning Holly!" She greets me as she pulled a tray of muffins from the oven. "Did you sleep well?" She asks me. "I did." I smile.

"Let me help you with that." I try to take the tray so that she got the other tray. "Oh no honey, I'll manage. If it's okay, can you start some coffee in the coffee pot machine?" I nod and turn to wear the coffee pot was.

I put the coffee powder and did all the requirements to make this coffee. Juliet was standing next to me and flipping pancakes. We looked at each other, she smiled, I smiled and we went back to what we were doing.

Maybe she doesn't like to talk too much.

Jessica came in a little later and helped Sarah in setting the dining table. I took some of the stacked pancakes and placed it on one side of the table and Juliet placed one on the other side.

Five minutes to eight thirty, everybody was seated at the table. After saying our grace to God, we started having our breakfast. The last time I had a large breakfast must have been last year when Aunt Claire invited me over for an evening.

Pancakes with plenty of maple syrup were on my plate. Crisp golden Hash browns were in a dish right in front of me. Muffins were on the cake stand, some with frosting some without frosting.

If licking fingers at the dinner table were good manners, I would probably do it.

Peter informed that we will leave for our tree hunt after we were done with our breakfast. Jesse wasn't coming so Peter told him to help Sarah in getting the decorations out while we were away. After placing all of the dishes by the sink; Jasper, Jessica, Peter, James and I were standing beside an SUV.

"I want to sit with Holly!" James ran over to me and hugged me by my legs. "James you need to sit in your car seat, you're not big enough to sit on your own." Peter came and picked him up and placed him in his car seat. As Peter buckled him in, James started crying. Ignoring them, Peter moved away.

"Daddy, I promise to be a good boy!" he cried.

Peter looked at me and then at James. He nodded and told me to make James sit on my lap and secure the seatbelt with him. I sat in the car and unbuckled James and he sat on my lap. I secured us with the seatbelt and I placed my arms around James for more safety. Jasper sat in the passenger seat and Jessica sat next to me.

Peter started driving out of the driveway and drove on the newly shovelled road. Christmas Carols was played along the drive, Peter, Jasper and Jessica sang along to the song. James was still learning them but he sang the words he knew and clapped his hands along with it. Watching James made me smile a lot. This little four-year-old was something I wish I had in my life.

Peter stopped and parked the car along with another three cars parked there. I told James to wait and I got out of the car, I held James' little hand when he got out and I closed the door. I stood there and saw the farm in front of me.

Green pine trees and green fir trees lay ahead.

Jessica handed James a golden star. James was so excited about it. He looked at me and raised his arms indicating that he wanted me to lift him up.

I met James last night and since then, all he wants is to stay with me.

I pick him up and held him on my arm. Jessica walked along with me and Jasper and Peter walked ahead and checked the best trees available.

I remember getting my tree for Christmas. Yes, I went with my father and we bought the best tree available at the store, a seven-foot tree with artificial leaves. It's not that there were no farms there or that there were no places that weren't selling real fir trees but they weren't interested and bought the tree because of my constant begging.

Imagine what an eleven-year-old would feel when all her friends had trees for Christmas and she had none because her parents had no time for her.

I felt James squirm in my arm and he wanted to get down. I set him on the ground and followed him.

"Where is he going?" I ask Jessica.

"To a tree he likes and that will not be picked up." She chuckles.

I saw James made a stop in front of an almost four-foot tree and he stood on his toes to reach the top of it to place his star. He realised that he couldn't reach the top, he let out a sigh and looked down at his star. I walked closer to him and got down on my knees and turn him around to face me.

"I really like this tree." He told me.

"It's a beautiful tree." I nod and look at the tree. It was pretty. "But it needs to be a little bigger to decorate," I tell him.

"James, your presents will not fit under this small tree." Jessica told him.

"What will I do with this?" He showed me his golden star.

"Ask dad if you can put it on the tree at home." Jessica messed his hair a little. He looked at me and sighed again. "Let's go back to your dad, he might be wondering where we are." I tell him before lifting him up.

We had to walk through the Christmas tree maze to finally find Peter and Jasper. They were talking to two men regarding the tree. Jasper's attention shifted from that conversation to me. I give him a small smile and turn to look at James who was laughing over with what Jessica told him.

The tree was wrapped up and placed at the back of the car. James got the permission to put the star on top of the tree but he got a little tired and settled on my lap and slept off with his head resting on my arm.

When we reached, I had no idea how I was to get out without waking him up. So I sat there in the car.

Suddenly the door opened and I see Jasper standing there. He gestured to hand James over to him, I gave James over and got out of the car. Jasper walked with James, Jessica and I followed him. He handed James to Sarah and yelled for Jesse.

Way to call someone when a kid is asleep.

Soon we had the three boys take the tree out of the trunk of the car and bring into the house and settled it down in the living room.

The tree was bare and it was decided that we will decorate it in the evening when James wakes up.

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