A Billionaire for Christmas

I have no clue what I was actually doing on this particular day one year ago, but last Christmas Eve Zach and I were in the Bossy Building on my floor watching reruns of It’s a Wonderful Life. I was thinking I could relate to that dude, but looking back on it now, I can see I was wrong. Jimmy Stewart’s character—I forget his name in the movie—he was the glue in his community. He sacrificed his own happiness and future for the good of everyone.

I glance at Johnny—who is still talking about this psycho little girl with Megan—and realize… it was him, actually. Johnny was the one who sacrificed his future for the rest of us.

I kinda respect the dude for that. I might not know him well, but I respect him. And I hope this Megan girl is the real deal.

Which reminds me… she told me she was pregnant.

“So… uh… hey,” I say, directing my words at Johnny. He stops talking and looks at me. “You got any big news you want to share with us, John?”

Megan smiles big. But Johnny just looks confused.

“You know,” I say, winking. “The baby?”

And then… in that moment… I see him.

I see Johnny. Maybe for the first time ever.

My brother. My big brother. My big, badass, dangerous, I-will-kill-you-if-you-look-at-me-wrong brother.

His whole face changes. Like right before my eyes. And then he glances up at Megan and I swear to God, there’s a tear in his drunk fucking eye.

“No,” he says.

“Yup.” Megan beams.

“Really?”

“Oh, shit,” I say. “I didn’t know it was a secret.”

But they give no fucks about me. Johnny pulls Megan into his lap and hugs her tight. And I don’t know. It’s weird, for a moment. Like there’s something deeper going on here than just the good news of a baby.

But then everyone is congratulating them, and the Bright Berry Beach men come over to see what’s going on, and that feeling drifts away as this new kind of happiness washes over us.

Suddenly everyone is standing, me included. And we’re all slapping Johnny on the back, and the girls are hovering around Megan, and then Emma is there. Emma and Natalie. Mila and Hannah.

Everyone is here.

All the important people in our new lives. Together.

“What’s going on?” Emma says, sliding her hand into mine.

“Johnny and Megan are having a baby.”

“Wow. Holy shit.” And then she’s in on it too.

I look up the giant Christmas tree backlit by the city lights and the trappings of a fantastic night all around us, then wonder if it’s real. Wonder, How the hell did I go from being a lonely, despised outcast to the inner circle of this fantastic group of people in just one year?

Half a year, really. Because Emma and I have only been reconnected since last summer.

Somehow, I find myself in front of the Santa Machine, looking down at it. It’s like a legit robot Santa. Like one of those wide, circular fake-security bots that the city started putting in the parks last year. But he’s got a beard, and bushy eyebrows. And to scan your lanyard you pass it through his mouth.

I chuckle just thinking about the craziness of this idea. And the wacko imagination of Alien Elf and her nerdy boyfriend.

“Did you scan yours?”

I turn to see Emma coming up next to me. “Not yet.”

“Well, good. Because you’re not on the list, buddy.”

“What do you mean?”

She leans up and kisses me on the mouth, then whispers, “You’re not an employee, Jesse. You have to wait until Christmas morning like everyone else. Now, come on. Take me home. I just spent fifty million dollars and I’m exhausted.”

We say our goodbyes, grab our coats, and head down to the garage where Emma’s Huracán is waiting.

I get to drive home. One of the perks of being sober.

But I’m still drunk. I’m drunk on her.

My Emma.

And when we get back to our apartment, we drop the car off with the valet and I hold her hand all the way up to the penthouse.

We share this place now. It’s ours.

But when we walk inside, I glance at the wall of windows just before Emma flicks on the lights, and see the Bossy. All lit up for Christmas in a pattern of gold that makes it look like a beacon.

Is someone living on my floor now? Did Chek get all our stuff? Will I ever go back there? Or is that place a part of my past now?

“Are you coming?”

I turn and look at Emma. Her head is tilted to the side a little, like she has a question for me.

“No,” I say, walking over to her and taking her hand. Then I look down into her eyes and say, “I’m already here.”I have the craziest dream.

Like seriously, insane dream.

We’re all there. All of us. Johnny and Megan. Joey, and Huck, and Wald, and Brooke. Emma and me. Mila and Diego. Hannah and what’s-his-face. Natalie and the two guys from the party, even though those guys are just her current flavor of the month and don’t really belong. Dreams are weird like that.