Chapter Twenty-Five: Bethlehem:

Jamie doesn’t celebrate Christmas because she is Jewish. Still, she was going on a break. How was she going to say no? Besides, Noiz insisted on taking that break. So, Jamie went back home. And where is that? All the way in Bethlehem, Israel.

Jamie’s mother gave her a confused look.

“So you are off for the rest of the year?” she asked.

“Yep,” Jamie said on the couch.

“Wow,” her mother said. Her daughter put her arms behind her head.

“I’m not complaining,” she said. “I’m just going to take it.” The girl drew her eyes closed. Her mother shook her head.

“I know you’re not going to take a nap here on this couch!” she said. Jamie was already going to sleep. Her mother hit her on the foot.

“Hey!” the girl yelped.

“You are not a guess here,” her mother said. “Get up and do your chores.” Jamie threw back her head and groaned.

“Mom!” she said. “But I’m on break!”

“I don’t care!” her mother shouted. “You are home now. Get up and do your chores.” Jamie threw back her head and groaned.

“Don’t take that attitude with me, young lady!” her mother said. Her daughter stood up and sighed.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” she said.

“Start with the kitchen!” her mother shouted after her. The girl didn’t respond as she walked into the kitchen. Okay, so she wasn’t going to completely rest on her break. Maybe everything would be chill by the time New Year’s Eve rolled around. For now, Jamie was going to have to come up with a way to get her mom and family to not work her to the bone during her whole break. Jamie sighed as she looked at the kitchen. Yeah, good luck with that. Well, at least she had an ace up her sleeve. That ace came in the form of cooking a really good meal. The ideas were already brewing in her head too.