Actually it was, but she wasn’t going to admit it.
“Cool. It’s a Wonderful Life is on.” Christian set down the remote on the bed.
Blue sat up and turned to search his face. “Are you serious ? I am not watching this schmaltzy crap.”
“Of course I’m serious. This is a great flick. I mean, the dude changes his life and gets a grip on what really matters.”
“That never happens in real life.”
The minute the words were out of her mouth, Blue wanted to retrieve them with a fish hook. Damn it. Now he was going to psychoanalyze her. Or worse, not even care that she’d said something so boo-hiss.
But all he said was, “Sure it does. Happens all the time. And the point of the movie is not to make a totally lost soul find himself, but to remind people who are mostly doing it right to keep on doing it right.”
Blue folded her arms over her bare chest as she frowned at the TV, leaning on his chest. “I still don’t want to watch it.”
“Fine. But if Charlie Brown’s Christmas is on we’re watching it.”
“You do realize that all those Christmas specials are horrible? I mean, something awful happens in every single one. The island of misfit toys, Charlie Brown’s pathetic little tree, Cindy Lou Who watching the Grinch steal all her presents, Frosty melting . . . they’re depressing.”
“They all have happy endings.”
Blue snorted. “Yeah, after everything sucked, anything even remotely okay seems brilliant.”
“Though I could never figure out why Frosty didn’t just toss a chair through the windows. I mean, he was melting in a glass greenhouse. He totally could have busted himself out.”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into it.” Blue picked up the remote, but somehow found herself not pushing the buttons, just staring blankly at Jimmy Stewart.
“So have you, obviously.” Christian brushed her hair off her shoulder.
She shrugged.
“Was Christmas really that awful for you?” he asked in a soft voice that made her shoulders stiffen.
Her throat felt tight and she wanted to laugh it off, blow him off, deflect the question with wit or sarcasm. But she couldn’t. She nodded. “Yeah. For most kids, aside from the religious aspect, Christmas was about them. For me, it was like the one day that made it really, really clear that I was an afterthought in my parent’s lives.”
She was glad he was behind her so he couldn’t see her face. She knew she didn’t mask her emotions well and she was feeling really vulnerable. But at the same time, she was actually relieved she’d spoken the truth. She had never admitted that out loud to anyone in her entire life and she instinctively knew that she could trust Christian with something so personal. Maybe it was even easier because she’d just met him. She didn’t know exactly what it was about him that instilled such confidence, but her heart did pound a little faster than normal as she waited for his response.
He kissed the top of her head. She’d never really had a man do that, and Christian had already done it more than once. It made her feel . . . protected.
“I’m sorry, Blue,” he said, brushing his lips across her temple. “That’s a raw deal and you deserved better than that.”
She turned her head slightly, trying to see his expression. “You’re not going to tell me that I’m whining? To suck it up. That everyone’s family is dysfunctional and I should get over it?”
“Of course not. Those things hurt when you’re a kid and you carry it with you to adulthood. What was Christmas at your house like? Describe a typical day.”
Blue chewed her lip and leaned forward a little so she could see him. “Are you sure you want to listen to all this? It’s not like I was abused or anything.”
But he just nodded. “Yes, I want to hear it. Get it out. Rant if you want. You’re entitled to your feelings.”
She hesitated, but then she leaned back against his chest and played with the edge of the bed sheet. “Well. My
“Cool. It’s a Wonderful Life is on.” Christian set down the remote on the bed.
Blue sat up and turned to search his face. “Are you serious ? I am not watching this schmaltzy crap.”
“Of course I’m serious. This is a great flick. I mean, the dude changes his life and gets a grip on what really matters.”
“That never happens in real life.”
The minute the words were out of her mouth, Blue wanted to retrieve them with a fish hook. Damn it. Now he was going to psychoanalyze her. Or worse, not even care that she’d said something so boo-hiss.
But all he said was, “Sure it does. Happens all the time. And the point of the movie is not to make a totally lost soul find himself, but to remind people who are mostly doing it right to keep on doing it right.”
Blue folded her arms over her bare chest as she frowned at the TV, leaning on his chest. “I still don’t want to watch it.”
“Fine. But if Charlie Brown’s Christmas is on we’re watching it.”
“You do realize that all those Christmas specials are horrible? I mean, something awful happens in every single one. The island of misfit toys, Charlie Brown’s pathetic little tree, Cindy Lou Who watching the Grinch steal all her presents, Frosty melting . . . they’re depressing.”
“They all have happy endings.”
Blue snorted. “Yeah, after everything sucked, anything even remotely okay seems brilliant.”
“Though I could never figure out why Frosty didn’t just toss a chair through the windows. I mean, he was melting in a glass greenhouse. He totally could have busted himself out.”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into it.” Blue picked up the remote, but somehow found herself not pushing the buttons, just staring blankly at Jimmy Stewart.
“So have you, obviously.” Christian brushed her hair off her shoulder.
She shrugged.
“Was Christmas really that awful for you?” he asked in a soft voice that made her shoulders stiffen.
Her throat felt tight and she wanted to laugh it off, blow him off, deflect the question with wit or sarcasm. But she couldn’t. She nodded. “Yeah. For most kids, aside from the religious aspect, Christmas was about them. For me, it was like the one day that made it really, really clear that I was an afterthought in my parent’s lives.”
She was glad he was behind her so he couldn’t see her face. She knew she didn’t mask her emotions well and she was feeling really vulnerable. But at the same time, she was actually relieved she’d spoken the truth. She had never admitted that out loud to anyone in her entire life and she instinctively knew that she could trust Christian with something so personal. Maybe it was even easier because she’d just met him. She didn’t know exactly what it was about him that instilled such confidence, but her heart did pound a little faster than normal as she waited for his response.
He kissed the top of her head. She’d never really had a man do that, and Christian had already done it more than once. It made her feel . . . protected.
“I’m sorry, Blue,” he said, brushing his lips across her temple. “That’s a raw deal and you deserved better than that.”
She turned her head slightly, trying to see his expression. “You’re not going to tell me that I’m whining? To suck it up. That everyone’s family is dysfunctional and I should get over it?”
“Of course not. Those things hurt when you’re a kid and you carry it with you to adulthood. What was Christmas at your house like? Describe a typical day.”
Blue chewed her lip and leaned forward a little so she could see him. “Are you sure you want to listen to all this? It’s not like I was abused or anything.”
But he just nodded. “Yes, I want to hear it. Get it out. Rant if you want. You’re entitled to your feelings.”
She hesitated, but then she leaned back against his chest and played with the edge of the bed sheet. “Well. My
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