It’s December 24 and some hours before Christmas. I’m still at work, as I always am every year. After a few hours, I’ll be heading home to spend time in the kitchen cooking Christmas dinner. I’ve recharged and readied myself for Christmas and this year it will be a different one.

No more tears. (I hope, no jinx please)

My husband will/might/will(!) join us on Christmas eve. These past years, work has taken over much of his personal time for his family and for himself, especially after moving to Dubai three years ago. It got worse and worse then there are days when he only gets 2-3 hours of sleep and no time to eat due to a constantly ringing phone (which he just couldn’t ignore). Have you seen the movie Sweet November when Charlize Theron’s character threw Keanu Reeve’s cellphone in the sink full of dishes and water? I so want to do that like, every freaking day. He has missed important dates like birthdays and only “physically” present during anniversaries and vacations, carrying his laptop with him and waking up in the middle of the night working (and thought I didn’t know). The weekends I spent explaining to Pristine why her father is always absent.

I did not sign up for any of these.

He apologises for the lack of time like he is forced to do it, like he doesn’t have a choice. I guess no one told him that life is all about the choices we make. Sadly, we always get into a fight when that topic comes up.

All this gagaloo has to stop. And it will.

The Gods must have heard my cries because one day last month, he told me he’ll be quitting his current job. Pristine and I have spent so many Christmasses without having him around and for the first time in a long time, he’s chosing us over work. He has cleared his afternoon today, hopefully tonight on Christmas eve and tomorrow Christmas day. We will take Pristine to an event and help her make her own gingerbread house or we could just stay at home doing nothing, just being together.

Best nothing and no one disturbs our peace coz I’ve been waiting for this moment in years.

******

I wish each and every one celebrating, a blessed Christmas eve full of love and most importantly, togetherness because I think the true meaning of Christmas is not in the gifts or the fancy tree but just being together with the people you love.