Merry Cherry Christmas

She smiled, blinking away her own tears. “You’ve been the most wonderful son I could ask for. And we can’t have poor Jeremy sitting there watching us all open presents. That’s just being a good host.”

“It’s more than that. Thank you.”

She swatted the air. “Oh, don’t be silly.” She sniffed and put on a bright smile. “Here’s Jeremy. How are you doing, hon?”

Jeremy entered the living room hesitantly. “I’m okay. Are…you guys okay?”

“Yep!” Valerie answered. “How about a midnight snack? It’s Christmas, after all. Jeremy, there’s a jug of Papy’s cider in the bottom of the fridge. Can you get it heating on the stove? Do you know how to work a gas range?”

Jeremy nodded eagerly and hurried out. Valerie said, “Let’s finish this up quick smart.” She took Max’s chin and kissed his cheek with a loud smack the way she used to when he was still a kid.

Soon, all the presents were in place, the cider was steaming, and the leftover pets-de-soeur from a batch Papy had made that morning were warming. The door to his room opened with a creak, his shuffling steps nearing the kitchen.

“Dad, you’re supposed to be fast asleep!” Valerie chided.

“I had to piss, and I smelled what you’re up to out here.”

“We all smelled it!” Max’s father said as he entered the kitchen. “Is this for Santa?”

Meg followed him. “I was watching YouTube, but I’m not missing out.”

Valerie huffed in exasperation. “It’s after midnight!”

“And since we skipped out on mass this year, we can worship at the altar of Papy’s treats.” Meg grinned and crossed herself. “Amen.” She gave Jeremy a wink and led him out of the kitchen.

Max stayed to help Valerie and Dad ladle out the cider into mugs while the others relaxed in the living room, their off-key singing of “Jingle Bells” ringing out.

It had nagged at him that Jeremy had told his parents they were dating, and since it was apparently the night for confessions, he blurted, “Jeremy and I… Well, I think we really like each other.”

After a beat of silence, Valerie and Dad shared a look. “You don’t say!” Valerie struggled to keep a straight face.

Max had to laugh. “Okay, you figured it out. Or Meg blabbed.”

“Your sister did not blab,” Dad said. “No need. No need whatsoever.”

Valerie grinned. “Jeremy looks at you like you hung the moon, the stars, and Pluto to boot. And you beam it right back to him.”

“Poor Pluto.” Dad shook his head solemnly. “I still say it got a raw deal.”

“Yes, yes, justice for Pluto. But back to me and Jeremy.” Max suddenly had no idea what to say next. “Um…”

Valerie squeezed his arm. “He’s a lovely young man. Why on Earth would you think we’d have an issue with him?”

“I didn’t. But it’s still new, and I guess I got freaked out. I really like him. But you guys have the rule about separate rooms if we bring someone home. So I figured it was a good excuse to slow down. Just be friends for a couple of weeks and figure out some stuff.”

Dad’s brow furrowed. “We have a rule?”

Valerie seemed just as puzzled. “Sweetheart, you’re an adult. Of course we always appreciate discretion, but it’s not as if we think you and Meg are going to be chaste until marriage.”

“Wait, what?” He sputtered. “What? No way. You made a big deal about it! Remember? When Meg was a frosh and she was dating that guy Craig? She brought him home for Thanksgiving, and you two were super weird about it.”

“Oh!” Valerie burst out laughing. “We couldn’t stand that Craig! Thank goodness Meg regained her senses soon enough. But in the meantime, that greasy, obsequious little man wasn’t sleeping with our daughter under our roof.”

Dad screwed up his face. “What did she ever see in him?”

Max gaped. “Yeah, he was the worst. But you’re telling me you don’t actually have some weird Puritanical rule about us not sharing a room with our SO unless we’re married?”

They laughed a little too hard. “It’s not the seventies, Max.” Valerie wheezed, her pale face flushing red. “Oh my goodness. I can’t believe you thought that was a real rule. Just imagine if this had gone on for years!”

“Wait until we tell Meg.” Dad’s shoulders shook. “Wait, wait. Maybe we should hold off until she has another boyfriend, then add more arcane rules.”

Max shook his head. “You guys are such dorks. I love you.”

They drew him into a group hug. “We love you too,” Valerie murmured, and they broke apart, laughing, as the living room contingent—particularly Papy—loudly shouted for refreshments.

It was very late when they finally trooped up to bed. Dad and Valerie had confessed to Meg that the no-sex rule had been specific to her bad choice in boyfriends, and after Meg’s outrage, they’d all laughed and laughed. Max nodded to his room in the hallway, snagging Jeremy’s hand.