Livia’s Christmas, by Jasmine Sheherazade Ebrahim, Story in the Livia Series
Livia Bell, Maya (Mum), Sam (Dad), Brittany Bell, Roxanne Bell, Alexa Bell, Catherine Bell, Rosalind Bell, Lavender Bell, Luka Bell, Yasmina Amira (Luka’s wife), Zain Bell, Fiona Challis (Zain’s girlfriend), Kitty Mall (Family friend), Grandpa Joe (Sam’s dad), Granny (Sam’s mum), Grandad (Maya’s dad), Grandma (Mum’s mum), Aunty Karen Parkour, Uncle Victor, Zed, Franny, Georgie, Martin, Amira, Aria, Alia, Heather, Rennie, Sweety.
Aunty Karen Parkour and Uncle Victor Parkour’s children:
Carlie, Holly, Lily and Charlotta.
Chapter one
Sam skips in, humming a Christmas tune. His wife and her parents stare at him.
“What?”
His wife sighs, gesturing for her parents to leave. “We’ll talk later.”
“Seriously, what?” Sam said.
“Sam, my mum, she wants one of our children,”
“What?! Maya, listen, you tell her,” Sam started.
“No. Sam, you listen to me!” Maya shouted. “I had no choice! They will be taken—my mother is very particular.”
“So, you’re just going to watch them get stolen!”
“No! My mum isn’t stealing them, she’s—she’s, educating them.” Maya trails off, looking down. “Sam, if our kids slip up even once, they’re gone.”
Sam put his arm around his wife, calming her. “Maya, dear, they’re not going to slip up. They’ll be perfectly fine, well behaved even.” He chuckled. “You’ll see, they’ll all have little golden halos above their heads.”
Maya nodded. “Okay.” She smiled. “We’ll be fine.”
“Well of course! It’s Christmas darling!”
Maya laughed as Sam lifted her up.
“Mum, mum, mum, mum!” Livia squealed, running into the living room.
Maya broke apart from her husband, pretending nothing had happened.
“Yes, sweetheart?” Maya asked wearily.
“Aunt Parkour brought her dogs!” Livia grinned.
“Oh, she did, did she?” Maya raised her eyebrows at Sam.
“They are so cute! Patty and Hattie, two girls. They haven’t caused any trouble—well, except for the poo they did on the rug, chasing little Rennie, chewing on Brittany’s best dress and sprinkling flour all around the kitchen—did I mention how cute they are?” Livia smiled sweetly before sprinting away before she could be told off by her fuming parents.
“Did that just happen?” Sam asked, bewildered by what Livia said.
“Yes!” Maya yelled, grabbing her perplexed husband.
They marched into the kitchen before Sam slipped on a wet puddle. He cursed loudly, shooting up the stairs to have a shower.
Little Rennie skidded past, dodging the generous amount of flour tossed on the floor, before screaming loudly.
“Rennie!” Maya gasped. “What’s wrong deary?”
“Patty and Hattie!” She howled.
“Right. That’s it.” Maya brushed the flour off of her top. “KAREN!”
Aunty Parkour suddenly emerged. “Yes? Maya? What?”
A dog skuttled around the corner. A loud whooshing noise surrounded them.
“Yours, I suspect?” Maya pointed at the golden puppy, weeing on her kitchen tiles.
“Yes, Maya. Patty is mine.” Karen raised an eyebrow. “Was that all?”
“Karen Parkour, you know fully well that this dog is not allowed in my house!”
“Sorry, Pattie darling, but this lady isn’t allowing you in her house.”
Maya turned red. “Livia told me everything, Karen. The dress, the poo, the chasing, the weeing, the flour,”
“Oh! That! Yes, that was little Hattie. The flour I mean. A naughty rascal.” Karen smiled fondly.
“Listen, sister, these dogs of yours, have to go.”
Karen rolled her eyes. “Hattie, Patty, out. Now.”
The puppies scuttled away, whining profusely.
“Karen, now that’s sorted, I need to tell you something.” Maya quieted down. She led her sister into the spare bedroom wringing her hands. “Mother is taking one of my children away, and is refusing to negotiate.”
“I know, Maya. She’s already told me.”
“And? What did you do?”
“Charlotta is going. It was between her and Holly. Lily put up a good case. Carlie threw a fit until she got her way.”
“What?” Maya blinked. “You sent your child away?”
Karen shrugged.
“And Charlotta agreed to this?”
“Yes. Carlie made sure of it. Charlotta was dressed in her best today, blue silk, especially bought for her. Made her sisters go all jealous. Lily and Holly were full of spite this morning. I could tell Charlotta was smug.” Karen smirked.
Maya shook her head. “I couldn’t make them choose, go to live with mother for the holidays…”
“But wouldn’t you like to see the back of Livia?”
Maya froze.
“Livia would be put in her rightful place.”
“Mother was as strict as anything when we were growing up, Livia would never survive.”
“Good!” Karen threw her arms up. “Livia’s been on the edge ever since last summer. I can’t believe you let her get away with everything. She deserves to be disciplined. Maybe one of your other daughters would accompany her, Brittany maybe.”
Maya turned away watching Livia fighting with her sisters. Maybe her sister was right, maybe Livia should go.
Chapter 2
The kitchen was filled with a sweet aroma, noisy children and shouting adults. Livia was watching her family devour slice after slice of pizza.
“Livia! What are you doing all by yourself?” Catherine asked, hauling her younger sister up. “The pizza’s going fast!”
“I hate pizza.” Livia muttered.
“Me too.” Catherine confessed.
“Mum ordered pasta but she said I have to wait until everyone’s finished.”
“Oh Liv, join us, at least for a little while.”
Livia shook her head, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. Catherine shrugged, turning back to the chatter and noise of the family.
Livia frowned; sure, she could see her box of pasta amongst the pizza. She stood up, marching towards her mother.
“Mum! Why is my pasta being eaten!”
Maya gritted her teeth. “Livia, the pasta isn’t yours!”
