Adrian didn't like Christmas. In fact, he hated it. It had been two years since it was clear in his mind. His mother wasn't rich, nor was she poor. He did not know his father and his only half-brother was out in the Alps to work for  Christmas and several months then. His mother and him were in the middle of a cold, just as usual, but this time things had escalated up to an even more uncomfortable point. Daytime had been long and boring for Adrian, and he did not expect night to be any better.



As Adrian was getting to the living room by the stairs, his mother asked him what pizzas they would order for Christmas. Only calling the usual names, he went back to his room waiting for Christmas Eve to begin.

Once the pizzas had arrived, Adrian made it once again for the stairs, reached the kitchen and asked his mother what she would eat. "I'll get myself some." she said. Adrian then asked what movie they would watch to go with the pizzas. and her answer was "Just choose something you like, I have things to do before I eat, I'll join you when I'm done." And once she had been done, she sat down on the sofa, her phone in a hand, typing a text with a finger from the other hand while smoking her electronic cigarette. Adrian ate his pizza rather quickly, just as any dinner. Then he got himself a piece of a chocolate cake her mother had taken out from the freezer the day before, which took him a good 30 seconds to eat. The movie was still playing, and Adrian's mother still didn't seem to watch it. Adrian left home to have a walk, missing the good old Chistmas Eves, the ones he used to spend ten years in the past, with everybody around the table. Sure he didn't mind presents, but they didn't matter to him, he would have been as happy about recieving a teddy bear for Christmas as an XBOX game or even just money. What really mattered to Adrian during Christmas was gathering.



When he came back home, Adrian was surprised to see there was an additionnal present under the Christmas tree. He opened everything, smiled for one or two photographs, thanked his mother for the small surprise and went back in his room. A few minutes later, his mother yelled at him: "You traitor ! What on earth did you do ?", then "You must never phone your old step-father, what did you tell him about me you cunt ?". Adrian didn't move a lip, he took a big good breath and went back downstairs so he could escape the storm going out. When he reached the front door, his mother said: "Yeah good idea dude, get the fuck out of my house and may you never come back." Adrian only said "I think it's enough Christmas for me in 2013", left home and began to walk with no defined direction.



It was raining cats and dogs, and Adrian was only wearing a t-shirt. He wasn't cold though, it had been around a month since he hadn't been. He walked down to a train station, called some friends to know if they'd have room for one more on Christmas night, but either they weren't answering their phone either they wouldn't be around and on their own. He was drenched to the bone, almost looking like a wild dog lurking for food, and although he didn't care much about his situation at this point, he was disapointed. Something was missing, it was not his mother, not his house nor anything he had just left. He decided to come back nearby his home to find out. 

He walked another 20 minutes to get there, but didn't stop when passing by his mother's house. It seemed like something was leading him astray. He was full of contradictory feelings, completely unarmed and unprepared for what he was about to do. He walked several streets, a couple of roads and counted a few houses before he faced number 130 of Tourlourette Street. It was there. It wasn't a huge house, and there was no Christmas lights on it. He only made out a little circle of grass on the door, with a bell. Adrian paced forth to the front door, took another deep breath and raised his left fist to knock it. His hand was about to hit the painted steel when a woman opened the door. She was a bit surprised to see such a soaked shell of man in front of her home on Christmas Eve at five to midnight, and so was Adrian to see that the house was waiting for him on that very one night. He hardly asked "I'm sorry to disturb you on Christmas Eve, but could I speak to Mister Hatik ?". Mister Hatik had heard his name being called in the doorway so he came to see what it was. Adrian then asked "Possibly just us two ?", so Mrs Hatik closed the door to leave them on their own. Mister Hatik asked "So tell me, what's sending you here on Christmas night ?". Adrian then took a second to formuate his mind, and replied "Well, I don't exactly know what to get this started with, but we'll say weird things sometimes happen during Christmas. Let's say my name is A..

_ You're Adrian." 



Adrian had just met his father, 17 years after he was born, on Christmas night. It was plain midnight, and his father told him "Just come in, you don't want to catch a cold, do you ?". Once Adrian got in, everybody was around: his step mother, his two half sisters and of course his father. The first words came from his father's wife, Nathalie. They were that simple: "Welcome Adrian, Merry Christmas.". He kissed everyone good evening, feeling less anxious, and followed his father upstairs to get some dry clothes.



I could tell you the whole story, from how I explained to my father how come I had just decided to go there, to what was my grandmother's reaction when he called her on the road back home; but from there things just happened how they were meant to. My father hugged me, then we drank some hot chocolate all together and planned a moment to meet again before he brought me back home. And of course, 

I'm quite sure Adrian will now love Christmas again.



Aurélien