Eggnog and Christmas Memories

It was a completely normal Friday evening – well, at least it looked like one. Daniel was seated on the couch
awkwardly a few paces away from Lauren, his mother. He was holding onto the cup teacup’s handle so tightly, that his knuckles had turned white. You could have cut through the tension in the air with a butter knife.

“Well,” Lauren cleared her throat, in an attempt to break the unbearable silence. “How are Frederick and Samuel?”
“Good.”
“That’s nice.” Once again, they were plunged into quietude. Nothing could be heard other than the mind-numbing tick-ticking of the clock. Daniel slowly took a sip of his tea – careful to not make a slurping sound; he didn’t want to set his mother off again.

“So, I trust you will bring them during Christmas?” Daniel almost spat out his tea. “Christmas?”
Lauren looked surprised. “Yes, of course. Cara told me you were coming over for Christmas. You know, the whole family appeals!”
Oh, my god, Cara! You couldn’t have kept your nose out of this one for once?!, Daniel thought. But he said, “Of course, yes. She said that, didn’t she?”
“Yes. Oh, and I have a surprise for you too!”
“For me?” Daniel tried to disguise the concern on his face with mock excitement.
“Yes!” Lauren paused dramatically- “I invited George!”
Time seemed to stand still in that moment, as Daniel stared at his mother in bewilderment. Over the years, she had gone to great lengths to reunite the brothers after their every squabble; arranging “accidental” meetings in coffee shops, faking sickness for the both of them to come home and resolve their disputes, and whatnot. But this time, it was different. This time, they hadn’t fought over a little part in the play.

“Oh, don’t look so glum.” Lauren leaned forward slightly – making a squeaking sound on the leather sofa – and placed a hand on her son’s knee. “I know it’s always hard in the beginning, but you two are so close. Don’t you think-”

“We aren’t close, mom.” Daniel interrupted. He moved his knee away from his mother’s grasp.
“Dan-”
“No, mom. We aren’t close – stop trying to make us. We will never be close. After what he did to me, I can’t even stand to look at him, much less bond with him. The world doesn’t go by your rules.” he’d had enough. Enough of his mother’s poor attempts to prove to the world that her sons were through thick and thin – because the truth was simple and plain; they despised each other. No matter what she tried, nothing would change that.

“I’ve got to go. Thank you for the tea.” Daniel stood up abruptly, trying to control the flames of anger licking
at his insides.
“Daniel, wait-”

“Bye mom.” With that, he slammed the front door shut – ignoring the deep pang of guilt spreading through him like wildfire. He was tired of it all. Sometimes, all he wanted was to escape from the cold, hard reality of it all. When he was young, he’d crawl to the back of the tiny space underneath the stairs in their Victorian-style home with a book every single day, when he felt like he needed a break from life. Right at that moment, he craved that space under the stairs. He wanted to feel how he’d felt all those years ago – free. Free from all the worries and woes that burdened him so. He was pulled away from his thoughts when the sound of Apple’s ringtone rang through his car. He pressed the ‘accept’ button on the steering wheel as he took a right turn.
“Hello?”
“Hey Dan. Are you coming home?”
“Oh hey Cara. Yeah, I’m on my way.”
“Alright.” She paused for a minute. “Well, how’d it go?”
“Just great.” Daniel gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Absolutely amazing.”
“Wow. Doesn’t sound absolutely ‘amazing’.” Cara’s voice seemed to move closer to the mic of her phone.
“Honestly, Dan. How was it?”
“Did you tell her we were visiting for Christmas?”
“Huh?”
“I know you did, Cara. Drop the act.” He turned the wheel aggressively.
“Okay, so maybe I did. But seriously Dan, think about it. It would be good for all of us. I’d love for Freddy and Sammy to actually spend some time with their family for one Christmas at least. I mean, you’ve never let them see their grandma for more than two seconds before – so, you know. They’d like it.”
“Oh. My. God. Cara, are you listening to yourself? This is my mother we’re talking about. When has anyone ever “liked” spending more than two seconds with her?”
“Daniel. Stop it. She’s your mother.”
“I trust you know she invited George over.”
There was silence on the other end for two whole beats. “No, I didn’t.” more silence. “Daniel, if you don’t want to go, I completely understand. We don’t have to go. I won’t force you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But, I mean, you should try to patch things up though, right? He is your brother after all.”
Daniel sighed. He knew this was coming. “Look, we’re not in the best of places right now, and we haven’t been – for a pretty long time. What he did just proved his true intentions from the start. He only helped me get that job in the first place so he could humiliate me and kick me out of the position that was so rightfully mine!”
“Dan, you ever thought about the possibility that not everything he does is to take you down?”
“Are you serious? You’re really taking his side right now?!”
“It’ isn’t about sides, Daniel. He’s your brother. I don’t think he’d hurt you intentionally like that.”
“Come on, Cara. This is George we’re talking about. This wouldn’t be the first time he’s hurt me ‘unintentionally’. There is literally no way I’m visiting them on Christmas day – the one holiday we get free from that awful lot.” There was silence on the other line. “Okay. If that’s what you want.”
“Thank you.”

“I mean, it’s totally fine. It would have been nice though. But if you feel like it’s too much for you, who am I to tell you otherwise? It’s alright.”
“Cara?” Daniel took the exit towards his apartment.
“Fred and Sam would have finally had a chance to get the whole Christmas family experience, but it’s okay.
No worries. I’d better get going now, my shift is starting soon. I’ll see you at home.”
“Cara, wait-” He began, but it was too late. She’d already disconnected. Just great! Now she was mad at him too. Once again, he found himself in this situation – day before Christmas Eve, and everybody hated him. It was becoming like tradition, to be honest. There hadn’t been a single year, where he’d had a normal, warm Christmas Eve with his family.

He pulled into the driveway gingerly, and parked the car. The lights were off inside the house. Fred and Sam must have fallen asleep already. Careful not to wake them, Dan opened the front door, stepped inside and closed it behind him with a soft click.

“Dad?” Dan jumped.
“Fred. Why are you still awake?” He looked down at his five-year-old son – his crumpled dinosaur pajamas riding up his ankles. He sure was growing fast.
“I couldn’t sleep. Too excited!” He watches as his son’s face breaks out into a wide, toothy grin. “I can’t believe you’re taking us to grandma’s house for Christmas dinner tomorrow!”
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah! You’re the best dad ever!” Suddenly, Fred throws his arms around his dad and squeezes him tight.
“This is the best Christmas present I can get!”
At that moment, something changed inside Daniel. Maybe it was the warmth of his son’s arms around him or the fact that he had just been proclaimed the ‘best dad ever’ – but all of a sudden, he knew that he couldn’t do this. By saying no to his mother, he was ruining the whole family’s Christmas. He had been too blind to see it before, but now- thanks to his son- he knew what he had to do.

After putting an exhilarated Fred back into bed, he crashed on his couch with a hot cup of coffee in one hand – and his phone in the other. He dialed a number with his thumb and lifted the phone to his ear.
“Hey, mom?”
“Daniel?” She sounded genuinely surprised to hear from him so late – especially after their last meeting.
“Look, I’m really sorry about the way I behaved. I didn’t mean to lash out like that. It’s just- I was scared. I mean, what if George and I never get on good terms? I understand that you want us to, and so do I. But… just, what if?”
“Oh, Dan. It’s going to be alright. I’m sure he’s making an effort too. I mean, he accepted tomorrow’s dinner invite. That’s a start, right?”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “Speaking of dinner…”
He could almost hear his mother holding her breath.
“… I hope I’m still invited…!?”
~~~~~~~~~~

DING!DONG! The bell rang out loud and clear, and Lauren rushed to open it. She’d never felt this way before – a mixture of fear, excitement, and immense joy. Her sons had finally come together. She had no idea what had influenced Daniel’s sudden change of heart – but she didn’t care. All that mattered was that her sons were together. It felt as though everything was falling into place for her again. She opened the door to reveal the smiling faces of her granddaughter, daughter-in-law, and her elder son – George.
“Oh, Georgie! I’m so glad you could make it! Come in!” she ushered them in excitedly, and smiled at them as they hung up their coats. “Melissa, you look wonderful, and Ariana – what a beautiful little woman you are becoming!”
“Thanks grandma!” Ariana, her granddaughter, wrapped her arms around Lauren’s waist jovially.
“Okay, now. Come on in. By the way, Daniel and his family have already arrived. Isn’t that great! We can get
started with dinner right away!”
She hoped she was imagining it, but there was an instant shift in George’s expression – the minute she mentioned Daniel. But worry not, she thought to herself. For soon, it would all be like their childhood. They’ll sit right there on the couch, and share a cup of hot chocolate, and laugh to themselves like they’d never left.

George walked into the room, and stood stock still by the door frame for a good couple of beats. His brother stared back at him – with a perfect poker face – from the couch. If either of them had any sort of reaction to being reunited, they sure didn’t show it. In fact, they didn’t even acknowledge the other’s presence. Lauren felt her heart sink. What had become of her two boys? It was hard to imagine that these two – once used to be practically inseparable.
For several minutes they sat in silence – except for the playful cries of the kids from one side of the table, there was no sound whatsoever. Cara sat beside Daniel, twirling her fork around on her plate, and Melissa was opposite her, staring down at the delicious slice of turkey that had been placed in front of her.
“Well, everyone – dig in! Merry Christmas, everyone!” Lauren attempted a cheery demeanor – somebody had to keep the Christmas spirit alive, and clearly – it wasn’t going to be either of her sons. There was a polite murmur of ‘Merry Christmases’ around the table – and Lauren couldn’t help but observe how Daniel’s eyes flicked over George as though he wasn’t even present at the table. He nodded curtly at Melissa, and got back to his plate hurriedly. It was all she could do to keep herself from standing up abruptly and yelling at her sons to put them in their place. How could they do this to her? How could they do this to themselves? All over a little job post. For god’s sake, that position wasn’t everything! There were always more posts up for claim. However – no matter how hard they tried, a brother could never be replaced. Why couldn’t they see that? But this time, she had a plan. An immaculate plan – and NOTHING, could possibly prevent it from playing out perfectly.

After a scrumptious dinner – consisting of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, boiled veggies, and a delicious apple pie – Lauren led the family back to the living room, where they all settled beneath the Christmas tree. Finally, it was time. It was time for her master plan to begin its course. “If you’ll all excuse me for a moment. I will be right back.” She rushed into the kitchen, leaving the rest of them in icy silence. Little bits of flaky snow drifted to the ground outside the window, and the long oak tree in the garden shuddered slightly – its branches moving back and forth, as if welcoming the special Christmas guests.

Cara cleared her throat slightly. “So, George. How is everything?” Her courage was commendable. She was the first person to speak out of the four of them since they’d arrived.
“Good. How about you?” Melissa answered for him.
“Same here.” Once again, the room was plunged into momentary silence. Then, unexpectedly – George spoke.
“How are Fred and Sam doing at school?”
Cara perked up. At least one brother was coming out of his shell. “Good, actually. Sam has even started extra coaching for basketball. He loves it.” She turned to Daniel. “Dan, tell him about Fred’s writing hobby.”
Daniel simply stared at her through narrowed eyes and looked down at his lap wordlessly. Wow. Cara wanted to smack him. He was acting like a child. “Fred signed up for the school magazine!”
“That’s wonderful.” Melissa smiles at her. “And how about you both? How have you been lately?”
That was it. That was the last straw for Daniel. “How have we been?” he gave a hoot of mock laughter.
“That’s ironic of you to ask, since – you know – your husband got me fired.”
The room fell into a hush. No one had been expecting the sudden outburst from Daniel. Cara stared at him.
“Dan-”
“No, no don’t ‘Dan’ me! If these people think they can take everything from me, and then waltz into my
mother’s home acting like it’s all in apple-pie order, they’re wrong!” he yelled the last word, bashing his fist down on the coffee table hard.
George leans forward coolly and rests his chin on his fingers. “Daniel-”
“I won’t have this. I won’t have it. It’s become a habit for you – hasn’t it?” he turns to George, his voice
becoming dangerously hushed. “You just can’t settle for what you have; you need what’s mine too, don’t
you?”
“Daniel, listen to me-”
“No. I won’t listen to you. I’ve spent my whole life doing just that, and it’s time I stop. That main lead in Macbeth? It was mine. The high school friend circle? It was mine. Getting into NYU? That was my thing. And the Senior Manager position? It was mine!”
“Daniel, enough!” Everybody turned towards the speaker. It was Lauren. She stood by the kitchen, holding a tray containing five cups of what appeared to be a viscous, creamy, white substance. There were sprinkles of cinnamon and a chocolate flake in each cup. Lauren was staring at them with a furrowed brow, a look of shock and betrayal on her face. “What is wrong with the lot of you? Fighting like teenagers! I will not have this in my house. If you want to stay, I suggest you all settle down right now, and act like normal, civilized adults!”

After a beat, Daniel sat down reluctantly – and Lauren walked over to the coffee table. She set the tray down on the coffee table, and looked around at the four of them, shaking her head in disappointment. Then, she walked out of the room – leaving them in quietude.

George leaned forward and grasped a cup of the drink their mother just left on the table. He lifted it to his lips and took a sip. Instantly, his face seemed to light up, a whoosh of feelings running through him. He sat there, frozen to his seat – as the storm of emotions took him over. Eventually, he was left speechless, holding the cup limply in his hand. When he finally broke out of his trance, he turned to the rest of them.
“Everyone, you have to try this. Please. I promise you – it will not disappoint.”
Everyone followed suit – first Melissa, then Cara, and finally, a hesitant Daniel took a swig from his cup.
Each of them were left spellbound.
Daniel was the first to break the silence. “Eggnog.”
“Huh?”
“This is eggnog. Mom’s eggnog. She used to make it when we were little.”
Instantly, George’s face lit up in recognition. “Of course! That’s why the taste is so familiar. It just took me right back to my teenage years.” he turned to Daniel. “Speaking of which, do you remember the time you got socks for Secret Santa at school?”
George chuckled. “I was livid, I tell you. And they weren’t just any socks. They had Barbie on them. Barbie!
Can you believe it?!” Everyone laughed.
“Oh, and the time you got the artist’s easel from mom and dad?”
“Hah, I thought it was a clothes dryer. I had no idea how to react to it. Wasn’t that the year you got your first bicycle?”
Daniel smiled to himself. “It was the best year of my life. I was only thirteen, but I remember that day like it was yesterday. Being with mom, dad and you really was the best thing I could have wished for on Christmas Day, considering that I was at boarding school most of the time. And that year – two of my biggest wishes came true.”
George smiled softly back at his brother, and for a moment, they sat like that – staring into each other’s eyes, engulfed by good old memories. It’s strange, what something as simple as a family recipe can do to a person. When it comes to nostalgia, and reviving old memories, what could possibly be better than a delightful, evocative meal with your family?

Recipe for Christmas Eggnog

4 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 whole cloves
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
12 egg yolks
1 ½ cups white sugar
4 cups light cream
2 ½ cups light rum (Optional)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Mix all the ingredients, chill it – and enjoy with your favorite people on Christmas Eve,
while reminiscing and celebrating the past – and years to come.

–Srinika Mukherjee, a ninth-grade student, is a budding author with two published books and a fervent passion for music.