Started as the best Christmas ever and then life hit. in My life both public and private!

We had my parents for Christmas Eve. The plan was appetizers and then we would order Chinese. Well the appetizer were great and we tried to call in an order to an excellent Chinese restaurant and couldn’t ger through. I called for 45 straight minutes and only.got a busy signal. We then decided to call the local pizzeria and they were closed. On a whim Steve said try Anthony’s which is a chain but has great pizza and wings. Got through on the first ring, ordered pizza and wings and had a nice meal. No complaints from anyone. I actually thought we would end up having cheese and crackers for our meal.

We exchanged some small gifts with my parents and each other. My mom has been acting kinda sketchy lately about what gifts she was giving. Which is not like her as she loves Christmas and seeing everyone open gifts. She gave us a Cutco knife set as we both have complained about the knives in our kitchen. They gave Steve a gift card to a fancy men’s clothing store as he loves to dress nicely. And finally the gave me a nice work watch to replace the one my grandmother gave me when I graduated from Skidmore.

We gave them a gift card to their favorite restaurant. Gave my mom a spa day and my dad a Notre Dame sweatshirt. Then it got a little strange. I am usually very good about picking things up and I think I am very hard to surprise. Both my parents had this kinda giddy look on their face. Steve gave me a gift from under the tree. It was a shoe box and I thought it was a pair of running shoes. It felt too light to be sneakers. So I open it and there is a ring box in it. Yep he asked me to marry him. My mother had given Steve one of her diamonds and he had it reset in a lovely band. My mom has some lovely jewelry and had given Kyle a 2 carrot diamond to have made into an engagement ring for Kelly. She gave Steve a beautiful diamond that I have always admired and he had it set in a band my mom helped him pick out. I was totally floored. And I have no idea how rhe three of them kept it a secret from me.

We quickly discussed wedding venues and I think we will get married next summer at my parents house on Martha’s Vineyard. It is their 40th wedding anniversary and also Steves parents 40th wedding anniversary. Lots to discuss and decide before then.

So I am floating on air on Christmas day. My brother Kyle Kelly and baby Elijah arrive about 1 or so. We had some small talk, some appetizers and I told them all our big news. My brother and I have always had a very strained relationship. He was a raging drunk and drug addict for about 11 years. My parents bailed him out of a lot of bad situations. I was always the good girl. Never caused any problems. Graduated in 3 1/2 years from college. I will.admit I drank too much in college and gained a ton of.weight but stoppeddrinkingwj8I graduated. As soon as I graduated I had a job where I went to school and my mom taught. But Kyle always got all the attention because he was always in trouble. Me I was always the invisible child.

But Kyle cleaned up his act and has been sober for almost 7 years. Has a job as a college professor, is married and has a baby son he seems to adore. His wife Kelly is lovely and we get along fine. As soon as I tell them our news he leaves so he can go get a coffee. No good words or a congratulations or even a hand shake or hug. I will admit i was kinda hurt.

So we open some gifts and decide to have a Zoom call and tell everyone our news. We call my Aunt Kathy and she has my cousins Kate and Jon join the call. We have some small talk and I flash my ring. They all like Steve and are all very happy. I barely have time to bask in the spotlight and my brother and Kelly join. They have my Shiatzu Bella with them. She is wearing a white shirt with pink lettering thar says Its A Girl. Kelly is pregnant again and due late May. I don’t even have 5 minutes to bask in the spotlight and that ass steals the show and as usual it is all about him. I am very happy for them but couldn’t they wait a little and let Steve and I enjoy our special day?

But no that’s not the way my brother rolls. We had another Zoom call with my moms family and I basically skipped it. My mom told everyone about our engagement which was nice. But the news of another Covid baby always takes center stage.

After the calls we had dinner and Steve and I.left. I feel bad I didn’t hang around to help clean up and engage in small talk but I just felt blah. And Steve was terrific. I think a lot of.my family figured I would end up an old maid school teacher. I cried a little but Steve and I had a drink together and then went to bed and watched The Flight Attendant. First episode was ok, not great. Then he held me and told me how much I meant to him. And it made everything seem ok.

Happy New Year everyone! May it be safe and healthy for everyone