Turtle Doves

“Who wants two turtle doves?  Who even wants one?  Dumb.  Turn it off.”  Michelle’s voice came from her bedroom and I was tempted to turn it off, but part of me wanted to keep it on.  I personally loved Christmas music and would listen to it all year if I could.  I made myself limit Christmas music to the month of December and that was it. 

I knew Michelle hated everything about Christmas, but especially Christmas music.  Something about the holidays always turned her mood more sour than usual crankiness.  I spent the month of November decorating my room for Christmas because it was the one place Michelle wouldn’t complain about the decorations or take them down.  I was so desperate to learn why she hated Christmas so much, I was considering stealing (borrowing) her diary. 

But she would literally kill me if she found out I had borrowed her diary, but I was getting desperate.  Something had to have happened to make her dislike of Christmas so great.  I knew she had a work shift later that day and I knew it would be my chance.  Before I knew it, I was in her room and soon shocked at what I found.   

I now knew the secrets behind her actions and her despise of everything Christmas. I didn’t know the entire story about my stepsister, but now I knew why my stepfather had left her mother. And all the times she had ruined her favorite holidays, but especially Christmas.