He could never forget her, and his memories were the keystone in the center of everything he was. Ye
He could never forget her, and his memories were the keystone in the center of everything he was. Yet it is said we are not human beings but human becomings. Leonard Church was no exception.[ Full Story: FFN | AO3 ]Chapter 75: Home For ChristmasSitting off to the side, Leonard watched the family as they all talked and laughed together. Celebrating Christmas was a new thing for the Churches—Leonard and Lawrence hadn’t kept the holiday since Leonard’s mother had left them, and Valerie had never celebrated it at all. At least, not with them.This gathering was smaller than the Thanksgiving they had celebrated here last year. It was just Lawrence, Jackie, Ashley, Jacob, Leonard, and Valerie this time. They had brought their menorah over, as it was the first night of Hanukkah. And naturally, the Churches had brought gifts for the Chamrouen family, as well as Hanukkah gifts for one another.The luncheon Christmas meal had included both turkey and ham, and so many side dishes that the family had had to serve themselves buffet-style before moving to sit at the table. Leonard had wondered whether Jackie was going to extra effort for them. Normally this holiday meal would be smaller for her to prepare.“So you just give each other something small,” Ash was saying, “but you do it eight times.”“I usually get money, honestly,” Valerie said. “And maybe a big gift for the last night.”“I don’t know if I could hold out,” Ash said, laughing. “I’d just open everything the first night.”“No way,” Valerie said. “I mean, of course I try to peek and guess and all that, but I wouldn’t open a present until it was time for it.”Ash laughed again. Leonard smiled, somewhat ruefully. He felt out of place here; Ash and Valerie and Jacob were all close enough in age to fall together as a group, and Jackie and Lawrence were dating. What was he even doing here? Keep reading on AO3 -- source link
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