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“Tracy, this whole time I have been completely out of the loop on everything that is going on around me.”
“Maye, you’re busy—”
“No,” Maye interrupted. “Don’t defend me. I’ve been oblivious. I just found out that my newly ex-boyfriend was fired by his dad because he decided to sell the family business. I bet at some point over the last few months Randall mentioned his hiking plans, and I just missed it. He probably sensed that something like this was coming. He may have even mentioned it to me. But I missed it. I’ve missed so much. Tracy, there’s a barista at Tay’s who calls him Randy and knows he likes hiking.”
“Who, Tabby?” Tracy said. “She’s—”
“Don’t you dare compliment her, Tracy,” Maye said. “I am in the middle of an existential crisis, I do not need you taking anyone else’s side in this.” Maye sighed. “I have been so disconnected, Tracy. I keep myself so isolated and now look at me. Literally. Look at me right now. I’m at home alone on a Saturday night.”
“No,” Tracy said. “Don’t do that. Don’t blame yourself. Why don’t you go see a movie?”
“Alone?” Maye whined.
“Mini golf? Your own mind is really your biggest competition in golf…”
“Blah…” Maye responded with more of a sound than words.
“Line dancing?”
“Ugh…”
“Well, you just got dumped, like, twenty-four hours ago, Maye, so give yourself a little grace.”
“I don’t think I can trust myself,” Maye said. “I’m supposed to be a professional therapist. People pay me to listen to them. How can I help others if I can’t even help myself?”
“Maye, I think I can help. But you have to trust me.”
“Okay, thank you,” Maye sat on her couch and prepared for some type of meditation or breathing exercises. “I’m ready.”
“You have to trust me with your life,” Tracy said.
“I’m not doing that,” Maye said, eyes closed.
“Fine. Then you have to trust me with your holidays.”
Maye’s eyes jolted wide open. “What do the holidays have to do with any of this?”
“I think you need some joy in your life,” Tracy said. “You isolate yourself. Those are your words. Maybe you’ve isolated yourself from experiencing too much chaos, and so you’ve missed a few things because of that. Well, that includes fun. Celebrating holidays is fun! I think we can get you back to living in the present and enjoying yourself.”
“How? It’s July, Tracy.”
“The holidays are a state of mind, Maye.”
“No, holidays are very much events that happen on specific dates.”
Tracy scoffed. “Maye, you sound ridiculous right now. Just stop talking. Let me guide you through a fun holiday season—Oooh,” Tracy interrupted herself. “I just had an idea! We could document it and make a podcast! The Christmas Cousins podcast!”
“That sounds awful,” Maye said.
“Yes!” Tracy continued unfazed. “I’ll be your personal sherpa, helping you embrace the holidays and the peppermint mochas—”
“Those are too sweet,” Maye interjected.
“…and the gingerbread cookies…” Tracy continued.
“Those are always disappointing.”
“…and the egg nog…”
