Christmas carol

22nd of Christmas)

  

 After breakfast on the twenty second of December which happened to be Sunday, mom insisted that everyone must go to church but aunt Caroline refused and went upstairs. Mom gave dad a long stare which I didn't understand before going back to the kitchen. Dad shrugged and went after his sister upstairs. I just sat there on a couch with grandpa swinging my legs like a kid and waiting for whatever that came next.

Point of correction!

I hated being called a kid so much that I rather go hungry on a bet than agree that I was a kid and that made me do things that were simply out of the ordinary for kids to do. Mom found that outrageous. She kept insisting that I should calm down and act like a kid which I was but dad was the opposite of her reasoning. He thinks that I'm growing up,duh!

I was still engrossed in my little fantasy thoughts when Iyvonne walked down stairs, looking distressed. She was complaining about her outfit. She couldn't find a suitable one in all the mountain of clothes she has.

“They are all old and worn-out moms, it's not good enough!” She complained like a baby, stamping her foot on the floor like a spoiled brat.

Mom who just walked out of the kitchen gave her a confused look, “what do you mean by that, you sure have enough and pretty clothes to attend church,I hope you are not finding horrible excuses to skip church today because it's not gonna work.” Mom said, glaring at her.

I exchanged glances with Pete and he muffled a laugh and continued typing on his phone screen.

I was confused as well!

What does Ivy mean by the clothes she has no good dress?

“I can't seem to find something pretty!” She said,

“Then wear whatever you have!” Pete sneered at her but received a cold glare from Iyvonne.

“You don't know anything about girls so shut the trap,I have to look good and gorgeous. You never know how you will meet your future husband right,so I need to be the best I can afford.” She said, flipping her hair to her back.

We all gasped with wide eyes. Grandpa bursted into fierce laughter and looked at mom with a funny gaze.

Mom's mouth was open for seconds before she got back to her senses and closed her mouth, slowly letting out a sigh.

“You are just sixteen, remember that” mom said and left Pete and I rolling with laughter in the living room not minding how hard It glared at us in displeasure.

Giving us a last glare,she stumped her feet and went upstairs.

Minutes later, Aunt Carolyn walked down the stairs with Dad. She wore a chocolate gown which stopped a little bit above her knees. Her red hair flowed down her shoulders unlike how it used to be when she just tied it up in a ponytail and left it to dangle about. 

After waiting for minutes that seemed like ages, Iyvonne later came downstairs dressed in a pretty pink flowing gown with makeup and things on her face and in no distant time we all went to church.

              Chapter 8

When we arrived at the church,the service was already going on. We all settled down and joined in singing and dancing until the pastor walked to the altar to preach.

The sermon started off good and exciting but to a point, aunt Caroline wasn't finding it great at all. We all could tell. She was so uncomfortable on her seat, dabbing her neck and face with a piece of cloth, blinking her eyes rapidly.

The pastor was talking about the proverbial woman. He was giving examples of good women in the Bible who didn't adorn themselves with jewelries, makeups and expensive perfumes but with good characters and modesty. Men were nodding and slowly sneaking a glance at their wives with smiles on their faces,when their gaze locked with their husband's, they rolled their eyes and looked away. The pastor continued his sermon, hammering on makeup and expensive dressings of women.

We were all following the service. When I slowly turned to look at aunt Caroline,she was all red with anger. It was all written boldly on her face. The pastor continued his sermon but the next thing we heard felt like a thunderbolt or should I say thunderstorm, lightning and dynamite. From nowhere, aunt Caroline began talking back to the pastor right there in the church,in the presence of everyone,her voice loud and clear like she was in a fist-a-fare with an enemy.

“Don't say that about women,what about Judith? She had to put on all ya all makeups, expensive dressings and perfumes to go tempt that Holofernis or Holi whatever guy who couldn't stop looking at her until she caught off his damn head and gave it to the children of God like a desert , that's the power of the beauty of a women on makeup pastor.”

The pastor's mouth fell open as he mopped at aunt Caroline and threw his glasses which were just like Harry Potter's. 

Oh…my….ears!

That was so so embarrassing. We were all very astonished as we turned to look at her as she continued to run her mouth at the pastor who just stood there looking at her. The whole congregation was as dead quiet as a graveyard as they all mopped at us in disbelief.

Now hear me, not mop at aunt Caroline who committed the blunder but us..as in our whole family especially dad because they knew he's her brother.

Pete's face was squeezed in embarrassment. I knew if he could find a way or maybe if he sat close to the door,he did run away, gently, smoothly,just like the passing wave but unfortunately,we all sat on the second row of seats with many sitting right behind us.

 Iyvonne was hiding her face away and gently shifting a little on the long row to give us a distance. That one…she must be probably worried that her future husband won't see her.

Two hypocrites!

Down to mom,she was the one stylishly signaling aunt Caroline to stop talking without any luck because aunt Caroline was bent on finishing the pastor that Sunday. Dad just sat there,his face as grave as ever. His hand clenched but he didn't do anything.

This was a big mess and embarrassment we all endured until church dismissal, everyone fidgeting and hoping we could just disappear with no trace at all.

Aunt Caroline walked out of the church, probably still angry without being mindful of the blunder she had caused. Everyone was staring at us, sneering and whispering things into their ears. I dared not look sideways at all until we walked out of the church but not after we waited for the church announcements which included the Christmas carol that night.

 

Immediately that was over, Pete,Ivy,Josh and I rushed over to our car and jumped inside like we were being chased by a dragon. Pete whined up all the car glasses and closed his eyes, muttering unaudible words. Aunt Caroline just sat there,nose in the air like a snub and fanning herself even though it wasn't hot inside the car. We all didn't say a word.

We were all in the car waiting until mom, grandpa and dad walked over and entered the car. The way dad banged the door shut showed that he was way too angry,his grip on the steering as he drove out of the church premises was tighter than normal. 

Just immediately we were some distance away from the church, disaster struck.