A woman smokes a cigarette outside her home, the door slightly ajar with the sound of indistinct arguing drifting out. A man steps out.

"Hey, you okay, Sandra?" the man asks.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Thanks Jake,” she responds. 

"Maybe just don’t do it to yourself. I know what you’re going to say, but it does matter. When you do that, do you know it affects all of us?"

“Jake.”

“Sandra.”

“Just don’t ask her.” 

“It’s not like I want to ask her.”
"Yeah, I know. It’s that thing where when you ask someone if they’re okay, they start thinking they’re not okay and everything goes to shit. Just don’t ask her today. Any other day, but not today."

"No one can make anyone act a certain way."
Jake laughs and takes a puff of his cigarette. 

"Do you remember last year? And the year before? I asked her once, and everything went to shit. You can’t think I’m crazy."

"Nobody thinks you’re crazy, Sandra. Nobody’s saying that. It’s just... you know how Mom is."

“Yeah, she’s fuckin’ out of her mind.”

"So I’m stuck in the middle because Carter is Carter and you’re you."

"Okay, so just, you know, let us handle it."
“You won’t handle it.”
"Exactly. For her, the best thing to do is not to handle it. What is she at right now? A six or seven?"

“Eight.”
“Jesus Christ, Sandra. One more and she’s gonna blow us all to the fucking moon. Please no more. I’m begging you.”

The door opens again, and Carter steps out. More indistinct arguing can be heard inside.

"Hey, Jake, can you come inside and be yourself real quick? I don’t know how to deal with these people."

“Yeah, I will. Just give me a sec.”
Carter looked at the cigarette.
Carter eyes the cigarette. "Let me see." He takes it and gives it a long puff.

“Happy you’re home, Carter. ”

“Would it kill you to pick up the phone?”

“Carter, I’m happy you’re home.”
“Hey, I’m just fucking asking. Just because I go overseas to study doesn’t mean I cut all contact with you guys.”

Sandra breathes deeply. "I am not going to ask if she’s okay."

“There you go, Sandra. That’s the spirit,” Jake teases.
“Hey, Carter, can you handle mom?”
“Yeah, I got her.”
“Jake, can you handle them?”
“Of course.”
“Great.”

All three then walk inside the home. Happy Christmas music played throughout the house. In the kitchen, Mom held a pan in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Carter walked in and immediately Mom is on fire. 

“Carter, I’m spilling shit everywhere, and I’m behind on the lobster. Also, I have a question. Is cousin Michelle’s friend Mox, is he gay?”

“Is who gay? Mom. Mom, Mom, Mom. Why are you doing the two-fish thing? Nobody ever eats this shit.”

“No, no, no. Mox, is he gay? I mean, he seems kinda gay. You know, he likes art. I mean, I love him and everything, but he’s gay I think. And it’s tradition.”

“Is it tradition that he’s gay?”
“No, the two fish. What the fuck do you think I’ve been doing this since four in the morning?”
“Okay, Mom. How can I help?”

“Um..you can fix the forks. I accidentally dropped them on the floor so I needed to wash them again.”

“Why did you drop the forks?”
Then another person entered the kitchen. Uncle Bud.

“Excuse me, I  just need some olives for the drinks. I’m not gonna touch nothing.”
Uncle Bud carefully reached for the olives, trying not to disrupt anything. Otherwise, Mom would have a heart attack.
“This food smells delicious. What’s for dessert?”

Mom snapped her head to look at him. “What do you mean what’s for dessert? You brought the cake. Get the fuck out.”

Uncle Bud laughed and exited the kitchen.

“Hey, Carter, stop giving me shit about it.”
Carter turned his head. “What? What?”

“I’m trying to do a nice thing for these fucking people. So stop fucking asking questions and just do it.”
“Alright. Alright. Yeah.”

Then two more people entered the kitchen. The Plumps. Max and Theo. Both humongous.

“Hey, are our skateboards in here? Jake said they were in here.”

Mom turned her head around once again.

“No, no, no. They are not here. Get the fuck out.”
“Are you sure because Jake sai-”

“Yes, I’m pretty fucking sure. I’d know if there were skateboards in my kitchen.”
“Also, can we sleepover here?”
“Fuck no. There are no sleepovers at Christmas. Jake! Get in here! The Plumps are asking me stupid questions!”

Sandra walked in. “Hey, Mom, are you-?”

Carter interrupted before she had a chance to finish the question. “Yeah, yeah, we’re good. Hey can you go grab me some paper towels from the garage, please?”

“Yeah, okay.”

As Sandra left the kitchen, Jake walked in.

“Thank the Lord. Jake, get the Plumps out of my kitchen, please.”

Jake walked over to the fridge and seemed to rummage around in there.

“Why are you two even looking for skateboards? You are grown ass big men.”

“Hey, man. I got a little side hustle. Don’t judge.”
“How about you do me a favor and go get me some ice from the garage?”

“On it before you said it.”
The Plumps then exited the kitchen. Mom looked confused. 

“Wait, what was I doing? Where’s the cake?”

“It’s defrosting, Ma, it’s fine,” Carter said.

“Hey, Mom, why don’t you let Carter help you? It’s all he fucking does.”

“What was that like a fucking shot?”
“Was it a shot?”
“Yeah, like I’m the guy that does food. Very funny. You’re what? You’re that guy that starts a hundred businesses and have zero follow-through.”
“Wow. I feel like that was a shot, Carter.”
“Okay, this is why, this is why I didn’t wanna come home.”

Both Mom and Jake erupted.

“Oh, fuck you.”

“Why the fuck would you say that?”

“It’s fuckin’ Christmas. Why would you say you didn’t wanna come back?”
“Whatever. Okay. Whatever.”

“You know we are all very happy you’re home, Carter. Very proud of you.”
“Then stop acting like I’m a baby.”
“Then stop being a fucking pussy and say the words.”

“No.”

“Come on. Just say it.”

“Yeah, say it.”
“I love you.”
“Aww, there he is. Thank you.”

“Thank you. It’s nice that he’s back. We only see him once a year. He’s too fancy for us.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
With that, Jake exited the kitchen. 

The family gathered around the dinner table, the spread of food gleaming under the warm lights. Happy Christmas music played softly in the background, but there was an underlying tension that everyone could feel. Sandra looked around the table, seeing the forced smiles and the barely concealed worry in everyone’s eyes.

Mom was at the head of the table, her cigarette now extinguished and replaced with a weary smile. Carter, Jake, Uncle Bud, Max, and Theo were all present, their earlier banter replaced with a heavy silence. Sandra took a deep breath, feeling the need to address the unspoken concern.

"Mom," Sandra started gently, "are you okay?"

Everyone at the table tensed, their eyes darting between Sandra and Mom. The room seemed to hold its breath.

Mom’s smile faltered, her eyes filling with tears she could no longer hold back. She put down her fork and took a shaky breath.

“I’ve tried to tell you all something.”

The room was utterly silent, every eye on her.

“I’ve tried to keep it together for all of you, especially during the holidays,” she began, her voice trembling. “But I can’t anymore. I need to get this out of my chest before it eats me completely alive,” she chuckled.

“I have cancer,” Mom said, her voice breaking. “I’ve known for a while now, but I didn’t want to burden you all. I thought I could handle it on my own.”

Gasps and murmurs filled the room. Carter dropped his head into his hands, Jake clenched his fists, and Sandra’s eyes filled with tears. Uncle Bud looked shocked, and even Max and Theo were stunned into silence. Mom smiled one more time with a genuine streak across her face that seemed to illuminate the room. “I love you all. Merry Christmas."