Annihilate Me: Holiday Edition by Christina Ross Read Free Book Online

if it was a challenge.   But I
won’t do it if they continue to act up and take advantage of me.   I will put them back on this plane if I
have to. They will treat me and those around me with respect.   I feel terrible for what Daniella said to
Lisa and to Tank.”
    “I
think you handled Daniella beautifully.”
    “And
now she hates me for it.   I can’t
win.   I probably shouldn’t have
given her a public dressing down, but what choice did I have?   We were about to leave.   I couldn’t bear what she was saying.   I snapped.”
    “I
would have done the same thing.”
    “The
truth is that she can be a sweet girl.   Same with Alexa.   I hope you
get to see that over these next few days.”
    “Maybe
all of us will.   Maybe you just laid
down the law.”
    She
sat down on the bed, and I sat down beside her.   It was rare for Blackwell to show me a
trace of emotion, and certainly not defeat, but she did now.   I could feel the weight of the situation
pressing down on her.   I could tell
that she was second-guessing herself for agreeing to come at all.
    “I
think you handled it well, especially after what she said to Tank and to
Lisa.   She was rude.   She deserved what she got.”
    “What
she said to them is what put me over the edge.   Lisa and Tank don’t deserve that kind of
treatment.   Nobody does if they’ve
done nothing to provoke it.   If they
have?   Fine.   Gloves off.   But Daniella was just being a
bitch.   Pure and simple.   And I don’t buy for a minute that her
behavior has anything to do with Charles and me.   Each of those girls came to me years ago
and asked for me to end my marriage with him because they were tired of the
arguments.   Now, she’s just trying
to get something out of the situation, which I refuse to accept because it’s
disingenuous.   When we’re in Maine,
I plan to take Lisa and Tank aside, and to apologize to them myself.”
    I
kissed her on the cheek.   “Let’s go
back in the cabin, play some old-fashioned Christmas music, and lighten the
mood with a glass of champagne.   What do you think?”
    “Maybe,”
she said.   “Maybe it’ll lighten them
up.”
    “So,
let’s see if it does.”
    “I’m
leery.   We’ll what the hell?   Just one glass for each of them.”

 
 
    *   *   *

 
 
    And
it went fine.  
    For
the next hour or so, all of us listened to music, we sipped champagne, Daniella
and Alexa sang along with some of the songs they knew, and when they did, I
looked across at Blackwell, who was seated across the aisle from Alex and me
looking troubled and exhausted.   I’d
never seen her quite like this, with the few exceptions of when I was under
attack at Wenn.   At one point, when
everything seemed as if it was going well, she turned and lifted her glass to
me.  
    It
was at that moment that I blew her a kiss.
    Later,
when we were about to land, Alex reached for my hand and held it in his
lap.   In my ear, he said, “You’re a
miracle.”
    “No,
I’m not,” I said quietly.   “I was
just raised in a family that had more issues than Barbara’s family has.   I wish that my parents had divorced.   They didn’t, so I learned how to cope
with everything that was slung my way.   All I did was have a chat with her.   I wanted her to know that I am here for her, and that she can always
talk to me.”
    “Sometimes,
for a friend, that’s the best thing one can do,” he said.   “That, and listen.   Especially listen.”
    “I
love you,” I said.
    “And
I’ll say it again.   You’re the love
of my life.   I can’t wait to tell everyone
that we’ve set a date.   And that I
want Tank to be my best man.   And
that you want Lisa to be your maid of honor.   That’s our Christmas present to us.   Can you think of a better one?   To share that with friends?”
    “I
can’t.”
    “Have
you noticed Lisa and Tank?”
    “I
haven’t.   I’ve been too distracted.   What’s going on?”
    “Look
at