Alone For Christmas - Christmas Story 2019

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The doorbell finally sounds. Stacy has waited all day to hear the sound of the doorbell ringing. Ever since she got a text from Dereck this morning stating he has something important to tell her. They have been dating for five years and this might finally be him wanting to take it to the next level. She opens the door wearing her best black cocktail dress. Important things like this deserve to be celebrated. But there on the other side of the door is Dereck standing in his plain old dirty work clothes. He does not look like he plans on taking her somewhere special for this important thing.

Dereck steps in over the doorstep and gives her a deep passionate kiss before Stacy can get the chance to say anything “oh my beautiful darling, my love. You are like a Christmas angel” he says kissing her down the side of her neck and slowly trying to lead her to her bedroom.

“Oh Dereck please” she tries to slow him down “you said you have something important to tell me”.

“It can wait Stacy-pie. Let’s go have some fun first. It can be an early Christmas present” he teases as he continues to kiss down her neck.

“Please tell me now so I know just how much I need to reward you” she holds him off with a determined stare.

Dereck sighs and takes a step back defeated “I came to tell you that this is over” he says in a cold and serious tone “I’m breaking up with you”.

The words hit like a hammer, it stuns Stacy for a moment. This was not what she expected to hear. They have been together for five years and he just breaks up with her like that. She left her family and moved to New York to be with him. “You are breaking up with me? Why?” she asks confused.

“That’s none of your business” he dismisses the question and starts picking up a few of his things.

“None of my business? NONE OF MY BUSINESS?” the anger starts boiling inside as she hears these words “NONE OF MY BUSINESS! You just tried to have sex with me five seconds ago and now you tell me it’s over. I moved here for you. I have given five years of my life to you. I gave my love to you and now you throw it all away saying it’s none of my BUSINESS!” she cries “IT IS NOTHING BUT MY BUSINESS. I DESERVE THE TRUTH!”

"You really want to know why? Well fine then. My other girlfriend is pregnant and I think it's time I take my relationship with her more serious".

He has barely finished talking before Stacy starts yelling "YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER GIRL PREGNANT AND WANTS TO TAKE THE RELATIONSHIP MORE SERIOUS! WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR FIVE YEARS. YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN US MORE SERIOUS. GET OUT!"

"But what about my stuff Stacy-pie?"

"YOUR STUFF? YOUR STUFF? I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO BURN ANYTHING OF YOURS THAT'S LEFT BEHIND. YOU … YOU … YOU LEFT NUTTED DIMWIT. YOU FUCKING CHEATING PRIMATE. I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN" she pushes him out of the apartment and slams the door shut.

The anger leaves her body now that she is alone and a crushing sadness surrounds her. She sits down in front of the door crying. How could he do something like this to her? Cheat on her. Break her heart. And waste her life like this. She has put five years into a relationship that was never going anywhere. And he does this the day before Christmas. They were supposed to spend Christmas Eve together with his parents. But now she is all alone. She will not be able to get a plane home to her parents. She has not made any friends in New York except her roommate Jill and she is with her own family.

After twenty minutes of crying in front of the door Stacy gets up. She needs something to drink and eat. Something to soothe the pain and numb her heart and brain. She grabs a bottle of white wine and a triple chocolate ice cream. And while cuddling up with a big blanket she tunes the radio to the heartbreak channel.

"Ahemm, Miss Stacy Williamson!"

A small squeaky voice sounds pulling Stacy out of a nightmare where a Dereck made of ice cream drowns her in white wine while singing Killing Me Softly.

"Miss Stacy we are late for your meeting"

Stacy slowly sits up and looks around the room. The clock on her radio says it is just past midnight and she lies back down, thinking that her dreams play a trick on her.

"Miss Stacy we really have to get going or you will be late"

This time she is sure that she heard someone talking. She sits up with the wine bottle in her hand. "Who's there?" she asks confused.

The lights turn on.

"I'm Mister Twingle Twangle your Christmas elf for the night. My job is to help you have a good Christmas" the squeaky voice introduces.

A small creature with big pointy ears and wearing elf clothing stands by her bed. Unsure whether to believe that she is hallucination from drinking bad wine or that she is having a weird dream Stacy decides to go along with it.

"You said I have a meeting to attend, what is this meeting?" she asks trying to find out where this dream or hallucination leads her.

"I have gathered a group of people who will try and help you have a better Christmas. Now come on if you please" Twingle says ready to leave.

Stacy gets out of bed and looks in the mirror. She has ice cream down her face and on her dress. Her mascara has been ruined by her crying and her hair is big and everywhere. If she is leaving her apartment she wants to look presentable.

"I can't go out like this I'm a disgusting mess" she exclaims and starts cleaning herself up.

"Don't worry it's fine".

Stacy looks at Twingle for a second and then continues cleaning her face but the ice cream is gone and her hair and mascara is fixed.

"Why didn't you just do this right away?"

"Because it doesn't matter, where we are going".

"So where are we going?"

"Right here" Twingle gestures out in the room.

"We are going to my living ro…" she looks up from the elf and notice they have entered a white room with no doors or windows. But in every corner is a big decorated Christmas tree and between every tree is a beautiful fireplace with Christmas stockings. In the middle of the room are a group of chairs placed in a circle.

"Come, the others are waiting" Twingle walks over and sits on a chair between an elderly woman and a jock looking guy.

Stacy sits opposite of Twingle between a handsome man and a beautiful woman.

"Welcome everyone and thanks for participating in this support meeting for Stacy. Her boyfriend dumped her just a few hours ago because he got another woman pregnant. So we are a little short on time in order to help her have a better Christmas. Stacy please say hello to everyone" Twingle greets the people sitting in the chairs.

With all eyes looking at her, Stacy awkwardly waves her hand "I am Stacy" she says not knowing what they expect from her.

The elderly woman takes the word "how are you, dear?" she asks just like a loving grandma would.

"I'm confused about what is happening here. I'm sad and angry because Dereck just dumped me. And I'm drunk and tired" Stacy says still not sure what they expect of her.

"And now you are to spend Christmas alone?" the handsome man asks.

"I was to spend Christmas with Dereck and his family but I can't do that now. My only friend here in New York has gone home to her family. And my parents live in the other end of the states. So yeah I'm to spend Christmas alone" Stacy replies defensively.

"All of us here are to spend Christmas more or less alone, dear. I have been spending Christmas alone for the last thirty years since my husband died. I don't have any family left but I don't let it get to me. I start the day with a walk up to his grave to wish him a merry Christmas. Then I go to church and it is usually a lovely sermon. After church I walk around to all my neighbours with cookies wishing them a good evening. They are always so happy to see me and the kids love it. I receive letters and drawings from all over the neighbourhood. When the evening comes I cook a small dinner for myself and my cat and put a Christmas concert on the radio. All in all it is a really joyful and pleasant day without stress and schedules" the elderly woman informs.

"Good for you. But don't you get lonely?" Stacy asks.

"Many of us are lonely every other day of the year as well. So we don't let our bad situation ruin the days that matters to us. I live in an orphanage because I lost my parents in an accident and I miss them every day. It's a constant pain that I have to live with. But on Christmas I know they would want me to be happy. So even though I can't be with them, I still have a wonderful time with Santa, the presents, the other kids and all the volunteers" a small boy says he sounds wiser and older than he should.

"Christmas is a time of love and compassion. It's about celebrating those you love and help those who need it. But it's just as important to love and take care of you. Even though you can't be with those you love they still want you to have a good time and hear about how well you are. So by taking care of yourself and by having a good time you honour those who love you. Remember self care is healthcare" the handsome man next to her says.

"Yeah and what do you do on Christmas?" Stacy asks him.

"I take a day at the spa with a massage and all that. When the evening comes I hit the biggest single party in town. Everyone is desperate for love and for someone to be with. People believe so hard that you could be the one, that for one night it feels like you are the love of their lives. It is a very strong and intense feeling".

"So you just hook up with desperate people?"

"It doesn't have to be a hook up and it doesn't have to be for the night. I'm looking for love just as they are but it is them who regret it the day after. Besides this isn't about whether you like my lifestyle or not. This is about showing you that there are many different ways to have a good Christmas even when you are alone" the handsome man says calmly.

"Also you just have to spend one Christmas alone. You still have friends and family you can be with next year and on all the other holidays. We are not as fortunate. When I got married to my wife, my family and friends disowned me because homosexuality is a sin to them. Later I lost my wife in a car crash leaving me all alone. Now I travel the world to help those who have lost everything. To give them a new chance and a new hope. And Christmas is one of our busiest days of the year" the beautiful woman says.

"What are you trying to say? That I shouldn't be sad because I haven't experienced loss and loneliness like you guys? That many people have it worse than me so I should just get over it" Stacy is almost yelling. She finds this stupid and useless and is already tired of hearing how they all have it worse than her. Were they not supposed to help her get better so why are they only talking about themselves.

"No dear not at all. Pain comes in many shapes and sizes and there is not a single solution that works for all. You are right to be hurt and angry" the elderly woman says.

"What Dereck did to you was uncool Miss Stacy. He has stolen five years of your life that can never be given back. He broke your trust and your heart. But we don't want it to break you. We at the North Pole know how much you love Christmas and what it means to you. So we would hate to see a jerk like Dereck ruin Christmas for you" Twingle says.

"I really don't feel like having a good Christmas and I don't feel like doing this anymore either" Stacy says defensively.

"If you just want to get drunk and cry then that's cool. It's your life, your choice. We give our stories and then you can do whatever you want with them" the jock says.

"And what's your story then?" Stacy asks as it sounds like she will be brought back home after he tells the last story.

"My story is much like yours. I loved Christmas and two years ago I spent Christmas with my girlfriend of four years. I had it all planned out. She came with me to my parents’ house and while the food was cooking I had a sleigh picking us up. We took a thirty minute ride around the streets in a magical snowy weather. And when we were arriving back we got met by the sound of two thousand people singing Silent Night. It looked like a giant choir of angels waiting for us. We stopped in front of them and I went down on one knee and proposed. But she said no and told me that she was planning to break up with me the next day. She was in love with someone else and that she was pregnant with him. Angry I went out driving and crashed my car. I broke an arm and both my legs and got benched from my football team. I almost had to drop out of my university as I lost my football scholarship. But as I couldn't play or party I had a lot of spare time to cry and study" the jock says.

"Well how are you spending Christmas then?" Stacy asks impatiently.

"Last year I didn't feel like doing Christmas so I stayed home in the dark drinking. I would have done the same this year but my parents came by and drove me home for Christmas. It just doesn't feel the same anymore. I don't love it the same" the jock says.

"Thank you all for sharing even though I could have been without. Can you take me back home now Twingle" Stacy stands up ready to leave. She is tired, hungry and nauseated because the wine is wearing off.

"Of course miss Stacy. We have said what we wanted to say and we hope it will help you come stronger through Christmas" Twingle walks past Stacy and as she turns around to follow him they now stand in a living room "But I have one last stop before I let you get back".

Stacy is about to ask where they are but then Dereck enters the living room carrying food and singing Christmas songs. Five people follows him and they sit down to enjoy the feast. They all look happy. Dereck kisses a woman sitting next to him.

"Welcome to Dereck's parents' house tomorrow evening. I don't know what you want to do tomorrow. But I wanted to show you that no matter what you choose, Dereck, his family and his girlfriend is going to have a great evening" Twingle says.

Stacy turns around and is suddenly surrounded by darkness. Twingle is nowhere to be found anymore. She is alone. But then again she is not. A crying woman sits on a sofa. An apartment appears around the woman. It has been trashed. A table has been turned over. The television lies on the ground cracked. Vases, pictures, plates and more have been thrown all over the place. The woman lifts her head and reveals that she is Stacy. The apartment is hers as well. She is looking at a lost and heartbroken version of herself who had decided to trash everything. The apartment changes into a jail cell and the other Stacy’s clothes changes as well. Now she looks angry and drunk but she is still crying. There is vomit down her sweater. On the wall of the jail cell is some sort of recording playing. It shows how she drunkenly ran inside the home of Dereck’s parents yelling and smashing things. And it shows how the police came and arrested her. The room changes again. This time she is in a bar and she is sleeping over a table with a beer in the hand. The changes start happening faster and faster. She is ice skating alone in a beautiful snowy weather. She is sitting at home eating a frozen meal in front of the television. She is feeding homeless people down at the local shelter. Multiple visions start to form all around her. She is at a pet store playing with a litter of puppies. She is in a fight with some man. She is just walking. And Stacy understands that all of these versions of herself are all possible outcomes of the Christmas she can have. She is back in her bed with dried ice cream all over her face and dress. It is nine in the morning on the day of Christmas Eve and it feels like the meeting with Twingle and the others was a dream. She slowly gets out of bed unsure what to do all day. But now that she is refreshed she must admit that it makes sense not to let Dereck ruin her day. She deserves happiness more than he deserves her tears. She cleans up and goes shopping. She wants ice cream, hot cocoa and good food. On her way home with two bags full of groceries she slips on the ice. But a stranger, a good looking man, catches her.

"Be careful" he smiles looking like a real nice guy.

It was like magic that he was suddenly there "thank you. Getting hurt would have put a dampener on my Christmas for one" Stacy jokes.

"Are you spending Christmas alone tonight?" he asks.

"Yeah, my boyfriend dumped me last night so my day opened up for a little me time"

"I'm sorry to hear that. If you want you can join my Christmas party"

"That's very kind but I'm gonna stay home, take a few days to process it. But call me in a few days and let's talk" Stacy puts down a bag and writes her number on his hand. He might not be single and maybe he is not her next romantic interest. But maybe she will meet some new people and make some new friends.

With that thought she leaves him and walks home to have a lovely day alone.