Chapter 24 - Rules for Christmas
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By November, the holiday season began to creep into the stores and onto our calendar.
The previous Christmas had been a chaotic, traumatizing nightmare that ended in legal threats and broken relationships. This year, James and I decided that we would control every single variable.
"We are hosting Christmas at our house," I told Mom during our weekly phone call.
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. "Oh," Mom said softly. "Are... are your father and I invited?"
"Yes," I said clearly. "But under strict conditions."
I laid out the boundaries without an ounce of hesitation.
First, Mom and Dad would arrive separately. Dad would come for an hour in the late morning to give Emma her gifts and spend quiet time with her. Mom would come in the afternoon. They were still working through their own marital recovery in therapy, and James and I did not want any residual tension between them to affect our home environment.
Second, Lauren's name was strictly forbidden. If either of them brought her up, made excuses for her, or tried to pass along a message from her, the visit would end immediately.
Third, neither of them was allowed to push for physical affection from Emma. Emma was a toddler now, with her own personality and boundaries. She would decide if and when she wanted to interact with them.
"I understand," Mom said, her voice completely devoid of the pushback she used to give. "I will follow whatever rules you set, Sarah. I just want to see my granddaughter."
After I hung up the phone, James walked into the kitchen carrying a box of holiday decorations from the attic.
"How did she take it?" he asked, setting the box on the floor.
"She agreed to everything," I said, leaning against the counter. "No arguments. No guilt trips."
May you like
James smiled, pulling a long strand of warm white Christmas lights from the box. "Good. Then let me get these lights up on the porch. Christmas is going to look very different this year."
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