Ethan: What are you doing right now?

Hailey: Eating lunch with my family

Ethan: What about later?

Hailey: Making Christmas goodies

Today was baking day. Every year, before Christmas, I make a ton of goodies. Oreo balls (or truffles), cookies, and peanut clusters. It took up a lot of my afternoon. Usually, I tried to do it earlier, but luck was not on my side this year. I only had today to make all of my goodies. Why today? Because tomorrow we had a family Christmas. I wasn't talking about just aunts and uncles, but great aunts and uncles we only saw twice a year. Once at Christmas, and once at the Fourth of July, unless there was a graduation, wedding, or funeral. Then we saw them more.

Ethan: But I want to video chat with you

Hailey: Well it is going to have to wait until Sunday

"Who are you texting? You should be bonding with your family," My dad said. As I told Ethan, I was out to lunch with my dad, my mom, my brother, my aunt and uncle, and their three kids. Both sides of my family were close but especially my dad's side. They grew even closer after my grandpa passed away to help look after my grandma. All four of her boys stepped up and helped with random tasks. Even my brother and I got dragged into helping her.

"Just a friend," I answered as I shoved my phone back into my hoodie pocket.

My mom looked at me and asked, "What friend?" She knew me all too well. If it were one of my girl friends or even one of my guy friends I had at home, I would have said their name. However, I didn't, so it told her that something was up.

"Ethan."

"Ethan? I don't know Ethan."

"Actually, you do. I have mentioned him to you, just never his name."

"It isn't the cute guy, is it."

"It is."

"Who's the cute guy?" My aunt asked, popping into the conversation. My aunt was in her mid-thirties and very much liked to know about nonexistent love life. She was very into gossip about boys, and since her oldest was still too young to have real boy gossip, she relied on me.

I groaned, "He is just a guy at school who I literally ran into constantly. We started talking and hanging out."

"So, is this a possible boyfriend?"

"Hailey has a boyfriend?" My brother asked. This caught my dad's and uncle's attention. Like this couldn't get any worse. Couldn't my brother have minded his own business like every other day of my life?

"He is not my boyfriend. He is just a friend," I argued.

"That is what they all say," My aunt said. I rolled my eyes at my family. I knew I was never going to hear the end of this while I was home for break. "So how did you guys meet?"

I laughed, "Oh no, you don't get to hear the story. My relaxing winter break is now going to be a never-ending tease fest because of this."

"Come on. This isn't fair."

"Not my problem," I shrugged. I could see my aunt pout just a little bit, but one of her kids started to get her attention. The joys of younger cousins were that they still needed their parent's help, and it got me out of awkward situations like this. However, they were still demons.

Ethan: Sunday? Are you trying to kill me?

Hailey: Yes because now I have to deal with a whole lot of teasing this break.

Ethan: How is it my fault?

Hailey: You texted me. They wanted to know who I was texting.

When we got home from lunch, it was just my brother, dad, and I. My mom had to go back to work because, unlike my father, she doesn't take like a whole month off. Anyways, my brother went into the Nerd Cave, aka the basement, while my dad went to the living room. I got to take over destroying the kitchen.

I connected my phone to one of our many Google Homes and hit shuffles on my Christmas playlist. While an ad played because I refuse to pay any money to be ad-free, I started on the cookie doughs so I could refrigerate them while I make the Oreo balls.

"It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line. Tryin' to buy that last gift or two. Not really in the Christmas mood. And standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously. Pacing 'round like little boys do. And in his hand, he held a pair of shoes," The song sang. Alright, I guess I'm crying today. "His clothes were worn and old. He was dirty from head to toe. I couldn't believe what I heard him say."

"Sir, I want to buy these shoes. For my mama. Please. It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size. Could you hurry, sir? Daddy says there's not much time. You see, she's been sick for quite a while and I know these shoes will make her smile. And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight," I hummed along as I prepared the dough for butterscotch scotchies.

By the time my mom got home from work, I had the Oreo balls in the garage, hoping they would freeze, the peanut cluster finished on the table, the scotchies cooling, and the last round of chocolate chip cookies baking. All I had to do was dip the Oreo balls in chocolate. However, we didn't have enough freezer space, so I had to place them in the garage. Since the garage wasn't cold enough, getting them frozen enough to dip was going to take a while. Stupid Global Warming.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about Ethan," My mom said when we got to the restaurant for dinner. Friday night was date night, but since my brother worked earlier in the morning and I didn't work over winter break, we were crashing.

"I'm sorry," I said. Then I thought about it. "Actually, I'm not. Between you and Sam, somehow, your husband would have found out, and I would never hear the end of it. Do you know how annoying your husband is? I already hear enough about not finding a boyfriend so I can get married and have kids."

My dad butted in, "Your mom wants grandkids."

"She has accepted that neither one of her daughters wants kids, why can't you?" I argued.

"Alright, fine," Mom said. She knew I was right. My dad was annoying, especially when he thinks he was being funny or he was drunk. A lot of times, it was both. "But if anything more happens with Ethan and you, tell me. I like to know what is going on in your life."

"Deal," I said, ending the conversation about Ethan. Well at least for today.