The Christmas Eve Party ~ A Photo Story

Afton smiled as she switched on her video camera.

"Hello, fans!" she waved, "Today I wanted to show you my new family's tradition, a Christmas Eve party. Apparently they've done this every year for the last five years, but I haven't been here that long."

"This is going to be first Christmas here, and I can't wait! So let's go!"

"Here it is." Afton whispered reverently, "Let's go talk to one of the dolls."

"Hey, Taryn," Afton began, "Could I talk to you for a second?"

"Whoa!" Taryn jumped as Afton touched her shoulder, "Sorry, you um, startled me."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just wondering if you could answer some questions for me." Afton explained, "The first being, what were you doing?"

"Surveillance," Taryn replied, "on the traitor."

"Um, what?" Afton was confused.

"You see," Taryn began "Molly was my friend, until yesterday she made her opinions plain." 

"What opinion would that be?" Afton pressed.

"Molly think Marvel is better than DC!" Taryn spat.

"It isn't?" Afton continued.

"No!" Taryn cried, "Molly is completely discounting the epic-ness of Batman!"

Afton was silent for a moment, trying to decide how to respond.

"So, what's your favorite Christmas food?" Afton asked.

Taryn didn't even blink at the change of topic.

"Cake." She replied.

"You, uh, you do know cake isn't a Christmas food, right?" Afton clarified.

"Wow." Taryn sighed, "way to ruin the holiday, Afton."

After she excused herself from Taryn's company, Afton looked around, trying to decide who to talk to next.

Finally, Afton stepped over to Charlie.

"Charlie, may I ask you some questions?" Afton asked.

"Sure!" Charlie replied.

"So," Afton took a moment to gather her thoughts, "What are you looking forward to in 2019?"

"Girl of the Year." Charlie answered.

"And what, so far, do you know about this GOTY?" Afton prodded.

Charlie's eyes sparkled as she replied, "Well, we don't know much yet, but we think she's going to have curly, red hair, like me!"

"And, what can you tell me about her story?" Afton continued.

"Well," Charlie's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "We aren't sure yet...but rumor is, she'll be a farm girl."

"Thanks for the interview." Afton said, after a few minuets more.

"You're welcome." Charlie smiled.

Next was Molly.

'Oh boy.' Afton prepared herself for an odd conversation.

"Hi, Molly." She greeted.

Molly didn't even move.

"Molly? Molly!" Afton repeated.

"Oh, hi Afton." Molly looked up.

"What's wrong? You look upset." Afton said.

"Nothing, I just finished reading my book. It had about as bad an ending as Infinity War." Molly shook her head.

Afton tried to think of anything she knew about Infinity War, so she could take the conversation farther.

"I heard Infinity War had major character deaths." Afton said.

"Where did you get that misinformation?! That's is a blissful understatement!" Molly shouted.

"Um, right." Afton tried to think of something normal to talk about.

"So," She began, "What are you hoping to get for Christmas?"

"Tut, tut." Molly shook her head, "Poor, silly Afton."

"See that box-shaped lump in my stocking?" Molly pointed.

"Yes." Afton replied, suddenly sorry she had asked.

"I do not hope, I know, through very carefully observation, that I'm getting 'Thor Ragnorok' on DVD!" Molly exclaimed,"I've watched it on Netflix so many times, it's costing a fortune."

Afton should have know, Molly always takes the conversation back to books or movies.

"All right then." Afton smiled, "I'm going to go now."

"But, wait! You haven't even heard my theories about 'Endgame' yet!" Molly cried.

Afton just kept walking.

Suddenly, a cry of - "Kit! What are you doing!?" sounded from the other side of the room. Charlie was running towards Kit.

"How many cookies did you eat?!" Charlie cried.

"Well, um, how many were there?" Kit asked nervously.

"Two dozen." Charlie answered.

"OK, and there are three left." Kit said with a smile.

"So that means we ate exactly... a lot." Kit nodded.

"You, by yourself, ate two dozen cookies?" Charlie hissed, "That's going to make you sick!"

"Well," Kit replied, "Two things. One, I didn't eat them all by myself, Ruthie helped. And two, it made Ruthie sick, not me."

"Ohhhhh." Ruthie groaned.

Kit watched Charlie storm away, then she popped another cookie in her mouth.

"Hey, Kit." Afton called.

"What!" Kit cried, jumping in front of the almost-empty cookie plate.

"I was wondering if I could ask you some questions?" Afton asked.

"Look, I didn't eat them by myself! Ruthie ate most of them actually." Kit said, quickly.

"No...I...didn't." Ruthie mumbled.

"Did too!" Kit cried.

"Um, I mean questions for my video." Afton clarified.

"Oh, OK." Kit nodded.

"What is your favorite kind of cookie?" Afton asked.

"Oh, that's tough. I like macaroons...and Oreos. But I've never had a macaroon..." Kit trailed off.

"Um, then how can macaroons be your favorite?" Afton looked confused.

"They aren't." Kit said.

"Um..."

"I don't feel so good..." Ruthie groaned.

Afton jumped out of the way as Ruthie ran towards the washroom.

"Right, next." Afton said and walked towards the last two dolls in the room.

"Hi, Claire. Hi, Lanie." Afton waved.

"Hello." they chimed.

"May I ask you guys some questions.

"Sure."

"What do you hope to get for Christmas?" Afton asked.

"Not anything in specific." Lanie said thoughtfully, "I'm sure I'll love whatever I get!"

Claire looked a little embarrassed with her answer after Lanie's very selfless one.

"Um, well, I'm really hoping to get those Bluetooth headphones I saw the other day. But my stocking is huge! Who knows what's in there!"

Afton smiled as she looked up at the stockings. They all bulged with shiny wrapped presents, all except...

Afton's smiled disappeared.

"What's wrong?" Lanie asked, "You seem unhappy."

"Oh, no. I'm fine." Afton answered.

But she wasn't.

Afton's stocking hung, limp and empty, by the fireplace.

When she thought about it, she hadn't seen a single present for herself under the tree, either!

Afton turned, and walked away slowly.

'I'm not going to get anything for Christmas.'

But as she walked away, Claire and Lanie looked at each other and smiled.

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So, I hope you enjoyed this Christmas story and tune in soon to:

#1: See what happens to Afton

#2: See what I get under the tree ;)

See you all soon!

~ The Human