Episode Nineteen: I'll Be Missing You Come Christmas

"We might as well open presents that’ll waste two whole minutes," Aunt Cherie had disappeared with her latest flame and Lila was forced to swing the rent on her own.

Jesse raced over to the Charlie Brown tree. While Lila had been out shopping the night before, Bowie had taken it upon himself to decorate her apartment. She had walked in the door annoyed with the only tiny gift she could afford for her son and she’d taken it out on Bowie, telling him he made a sparkling mess of the place. She made a sparkling mess.

"Homemade Fudge from Ava, how sweet, she’s trying to make me fat," Lila grumbled and watched Jesse push her present aside, favoring the one from Bowie’s family based on his favorite cartoon. Bowie may as well take his place on top of that tree she frowned.

Love Bowie, the tag said and nestled inside red tissue paper was a gold star necklace engraved with the word ‘Someday.’ It looked cheap; Sebastian had never been inside a store that would sell something like it.

Twenty minutes later, there stood Bowie’s mother Iris in her Holiday finest. "Miss Lila and Gentleman Jesse, Bowie told us not to be expecting you,"

"Um, yeah, I know, it’s just that Jesse loved his present so much and-"

Right then, Bowie walked out onto the porch in his socks and scooped up Jesse in his sturdy arms. "Did your mom cheat and open presents early again this year?" His eyes wrapped around Lila’s neck, beaming inwardly with pride as Iris snuck inside.

"It’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever given me, besides Jesse," Lila admitted truthfully.

Bowie gave a little nod, almost said something, then stopped himself. "We’re fresh out of chestnuts but there’s a warm fire straight out of Walton’s Mountain if you’re interested,"

Episode Twenty: What Are You Doing New Year's Eve