“Welcome, Henry. I hope you are hungry because I made my famous soup just for you!”
I smiled to my aunt as I entered their massive mansion. This was my first time spending Christmas with someone, other than my mother. She wasn’t in town and even though she didn’t get along with her sister really well, she sent me here so that I won’t spend Christmas alone.
I awkwardly hugged my cousin. It was my first time seeing these people in real life, we usually did Skype calls once a year.
Living room was huge. Almost as big as half of my house. I sat on the edge of the couch and continued to smile, I was probably looking like a freak. I could understand that from my cousin, Hannah, staring at me. She started to play with her piercing. Hannah was the only child, and she had a unique style for sure. She was wearing a black leather jacket with white cargo pants and a tank top.
My uncle started asking questions nonstop about school and girls. I was barely listening to him tough. I was only here to get what belonged to my mother and leave.
I needed to find a ring, my grandmother’s ring. My mom was the oldest sibling so that ring was supposed to be hers.
“She just liked my sister more, that is it. Your only intention should be getting that ring back to me Henry. Our lives can change!” She had said.
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I made my way to the kitchen, trying not to make any noise. It was midnight when I started searching for the ring.
I checked everywhere, including the bathroom and even the garage. I couldn’t find anything.
“Henry?”
I slowly looked at the door. Hannah was standing there, playing with her piercing.
“I couldn’t sleep.” I said, cracking my knuckles.
She took a deep breath in “Do you want to play Monopoly?”,
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We were decorating the tree, probably the biggest one I had ever seen. I insisted on hanging the baubles myself, just to see if any of them has the ring on them.
I was being paranoid .
“Henry, do you want to put the star?”
I snapped out of my thoughts as I heard my uncle.
“Yes, please.”
I was happy. Christmas with my mom was good but this was the first time I actually felt the warmth of a family. If my family were together, would we be like them?
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For the past few days, I wasn’t even thinking about the ring and my mother was still waiting for a reply. I didn’t know what to do, they bought me a brand new bike. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
I didn’t know how to ride a bike, but Hannah told me that she would teach me.
“Henry?”
“Yes?”
“Can I show you something?”
I nodded. I was home alone with Hannah and her parents were at the grocery store.
She got her piercing off and came closer to me. “Do you know what this is?”
I shook my head “No.”
She put the gold piercing in my hand. “It was our grandmother’s.”
This was the ring. This was what my mother had been asking for. I felt so stupid, it was right under my nose.
“Grandma wore piercings?” I said, smiling. I was trying to make sure that this was my the ring.
Hannah laughed. “No silly. This is a ring, and I think it is time for you to have it.”
I looked at the shiny little ring, it actually looked like a normal piercing. I was supposed to be happy but something didn’t feel right. I couldn’t just steal from these people, they were my family. I placed the ring on Hannah’s hand.
“I think you should keep it.”