This is my entry for the
Winter Holidays Story Contest 2022
, and my first ever contest. I hope you enjoy it. Happy holidays.
All characters are over eighteen.
Please try to leave feedback in the comments section. Constructive criticism is invaluable for every author. I encourage everyone to vote and leave ideas for future stories as well. Finally, I would like to thank kenjisato for his time and help.
*****
"Go on," I seethed. "Say it. 'I told you so.'"
My not-small pride hated admitting that my husband had a point about not inviting my parents over for Christmas Eve. What started as an attempt to rebuild some bridges had somehow turned into all my brothers and sisters being invited to our house.
Pete responded to my outburst by slipping his arm in and around until he was holding my hand. "Don't worry. It'll be alright."
"No, it won't!" I barked angrily. "My fashion business takes off and I become the richest member of the family, and they're still treating me like I'm a baby!"
"Gwen, can we get some more cookies? My son would like some more."
Throwing my husband a look, I yelled back, "Sure thing, Daryl. Be right out."
Filling another platter of the Christmas treats my husband had the foresight to cook, I wove through several people to reach the food table. We'd ordered several pizzas, but the thought of waiting until they were ready for pickup never occurred to most of the guests.
"Thanks, Auntie Gwen," my four-year-old nephew thanked me as I placed the new cookies on the table.
"You're welcome, Leo," I smiled, noticing that the children seemed more inclined to thank me than the adults.
My bad mood returned as soon as I passed the garbage bags full of wrapping on the way back. Our family had a tradition of exchanging presents whenever we all gathered together on Christmas Eve. There was plenty of torn tissue to clean up, but no one had thought to bring a single gift for me.
"Why did I even bother inviting my parents?" I complained to Pete. "It's not like they approve of us or anything."
By then, I was so short-tempered that I didn't care if anyone heard me. Since the kitchen faced the living room, anyone watching us from behind the bar table would've heard me. Fortunately, no one was interested. The men were watching sports on our jumbo-sized TV, the women were chatting, and the kids were all playing.
I had the satisfaction of seeing Pete's face darken, if only slightly. My parents made no secret of their opposition to my marriage.
"Can't argue with that one," he admitted.
"First they thought you weren't good enough for me. When my business took off, they complained I was too good for you."
"You don't have to remind me," he grumbled. "Trust me, I want everyone gone just as badly as you."
The look we shared was of two co-conspirators. We made a great team, despite being an odd match. I was a short, hot blonde with a fierce temper and an inclination to stress over every detail. Pete was the opposite: tall, brooding, and handsome, with brown hair and matching eyes that revealed his relaxed, methodical approach to life.
"I am this close to just screaming for everyone to get the fuck—"
"No," he said unexpectedly sternly. "Trust me, I have something better planned."
"Like what?" I questioned.
Pete bent down to look at me closer. "I'm going to pick up the pizza. While I'm gone, bring the cooler in the basement up to the living room. Afterward, you will find a box waiting for you on the bed. Open it, then come back down."
I looked at him, befuddled. He answered with a sly grin.
"Trust me, this little Christmas helper has a trick up his sleeve."
He turned and left without another word, leaving me scowling. His cryptic words did nothing to lessen my mounting frustration.
I found the cooler at the bottom of the basement stairs. It was our largest one, and I wondered why he'd saved it when we could've used it earlier. I got my answer when I opened the chilled cover.
"Are you kidding me?!" I said as I held the bottle. "What's he gonna do with this much beer?"
Not just any beer, either. It was from a local brand with a much, much higher level of alcohol than any big brand. It tasted like regular beer, but it could leave a grown man groggy in just a few cans.
I'd always thought Pete was above this, but I was angry enough by that point to decide that if he wanted to spend Christmas with a hangover, that was his problem. So I pulled out the extendable handle and hauled it up, one step at a time, then rolled it to the side of our couch.
It was like a treasure chest had been cracked open. The whole room went wild as the men scrambled for the golden stuff. I still wasn't pleased, but I did notice that in all the commotion, nobody was paying any attention to me, so I used the distraction to head upstairs and check for that gift Pete mentioned.
The noise thankfully died down the further I got. When I got to the bedroom, it was silent for the first time in nearly twelve hours.
"Oh, thank god!" I exclaimed, closing my eyes to enjoy being able to think again. I'd never be inviting my parents for Christmas again. The best thing about Pete was that he seemed to know when I needed my space.
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a large, purple box placed in the exact center of the bed. It was almost comically large and had a green ribbon tied into a bow, making it look almost like a Joker gift. I honestly thought it would turn out to be anti-climactic, but it wasn't.
It was a dress. Like, the sexiest possible red bodycon I'd ever seen. It felt like it was made of pure silk and extended about as far down my legs as a French maid's outfit. One look told me I'd never be able to wear it in public.
Unfortunately, it was offset by the un-sexiest apron imaginable. It combined the old-fashioned look of a fifties housewife with the aesthetics of a chef's outfit. As a fashion businesswoman, I screamed in silent horror. It even had click-on leather shoulder straps. What was the point of the dress if it was going to be canceled out by something this hideous?
At the bottom was a single note. "No panties."
I was still annoyed, especially by the lack of an explanation, but I had to admit the dress looked great. I circled several times in the mirror, admiring how seductive it looked. Wearing something like this out on the streets would be borderline dangerous. Besides how tight it made my curves, it couldn't have shown more cleavage if I wanted it to. The slightest bend or breeze would expose my smooth, hairless pussy to anyone who cared to look. The dark-red color was a natural fit for my short-cut blonde hair. I couldn't help being impressed with Pete's sense of style.
I felt like liquid sex wearing the dress, but I turned stone cold when I put the apron on. Any thoughts of arousal vanished; if I went out wearing this, the only looks I'd get would be from people wondering why I was wearing something so ugly. I shuddered at the thought that my husband was forcing me to wear something that made a mockery of everything I'd accomplished in fashion.
There was one pleasant surprise. The dress was so smooth that I enjoyed the feeling of it. The heavy nature of the apron meant the silk caressed my skin with every movement. I could get used to that.
As I predicted, no one looked at me like I was inappropriate for children. What made it especially annoying was that it made me look like a maid when I was already being treated like one. My cheeks burned with humiliation.
When I returned, there was an entire pile of crushed beer cans littering the floor, but they soon dried up. It wouldn't be long before the effects started to kick in.
"Gwen, would you please take this trash?" Samil, my sister-in-law, held up the emptied box from her son's present.
A flash of light in the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was hard to see because of the thick layer of snow that permeated the darkness of the night, but I recognized Pete's car. I heard the engine shut off, followed shortly by the lights, but he didn't get out. Instead, I got a text on my phone:
Clear off one of the tables and put it in the living room. Grab every paper plate and wait for me.
We'd agreed to serve the pizza in the kitchen. If he thought I was going to spend my Christmas cleaning up grease stains from the couch, he had another thing coming.
Done.
Pete re-entered stealthily. Well, as stealthy as a man holding a stack of pizza boxes that went to the top of his head could. It was heavy, even for him, but he smiled when he saw I was wearing his ridiculous little gift.
He winked, then walked into the living room, me trailing behind with my arms laden with plates.
"Pizza's here!"
The kids went wild, especially when he started handing out plates, telling them to take a seat by their parents. The couch quickly filled up and several people had to eat standing up or sitting on the floor.