The bells at the front door tinkled.That must be Heathcliff, home from the pub. I wonder if he drank himself into a better mood…
Beside me, Morrie grabbed his phone from Quoth’s nightstand and started scrolling and tapping. I craned my neck to see what he was doing, but he angled his phone away.
“No peeking. I’m planning a Christmas surprise the likes of which you’ve never encountered before.”
“But you already got me an amazing Christmas present. Those cassette tapes—”
“Oh, those are for you to enjoy now. At top volume. While Heathcliff is nearby.” Morrie grinned, kissing my cheek. “Call it a pre-Christmas Christmas gift. I’ve come up with something even better for the big event.”
I flopped back onto the pillow and groaned. Great. Now not only did I have to come up with three epic Christmas gifts, but I had to sort pre-Christmas Christmas gifts, too?
* * *
When I opened my eyes again, grey light streamed through the window, casting a square across the narrow bed. I slid out from under Morrie’s arm and crept to the window, watching tiny flecks of white tumble through the air.
Snow!
We’d already had a snowfall earlier in the week, but Heathcliff had me doing stocktake in the storage room and I missed it. Well, I wasn’t going to miss this one. I stuck my head out the window and breathed in the crisp, wintery scent. Snowflakes dotted my face, collecting in my hair and—
“Who let that draft in?” Morrie muttered, tugging the covers over his naked arse cheeks.
I jumped on the bed, jolting the two of them awake. Quoth tried to drag me down under the covers again, but I wasn’t having it.
“It’s snowing!” I poked Morrie’s ribs. “Let’s make snow angels. Let’s build a snowman and dress him up like a hipster. Oooh, we need to have a snowball fight…”
“Or… here’s an idea.” Morrie held up one finger. “You could come back to bed and Quoth and I will make your sleigh bells ring.”
I yanked the pillow from under his head and thumped him with it. “Get up. That’s an order. Heathcliff! I don’t care how hungover you are, it’s time to wake up!”
I untangled myself from Morrie and Quoth and scrambled for my clothes. I hopped across the floor, dragging my fleece leggings over my arse and pulling on Quoth’s Blood Lust hoodie over my own for extra warmth. Morrie lunged for me again, but I slipped past him and barreled down the steep attic steps.
“Heathcliff, get up! It’s snowing! We’re going to have a snowball fight, and I demand that you join us. You can work out some of that pent-up Christmas aggression with—yeeeeow!”
My foot landed on a silvery bauble at the bottom of the stairs. My ankle rolled out from under me.
CRASH.I went down in a heap. My knee smashed into Heathcliff’s door.
“Owie,” I moaned, clutching my knee. Grimalkin poked her head around the corner of the living room.
“Meow?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, leaning against the wall as I rolled up the hem of my leggings to inspect the bruise already blossoming across my knee.
“Mina, are you okay?” Footsteps clattered down the stairs. Quoth dropped down beside me, his eyes wide. Behind him, Heathcliff’s door swung open. A shaft of light pooled across the hallway rug, only to be obscured a moment later by a heavy shadow. Heathcliff loomed over me, wearing the same clothes and coat he had on yesterday, his wild hair rumpled and a pillow crease on his cheek. He narrowed his eyes at the bauble in my hand.
“What’s that doing up here?” he demanded. “We agreed – no Christmas decorations in the flat.”
“I didn’t bring it up here.” I flipped the bauble over, noticing my mother’s Bedazzled Bethlehem tag stuck to the back. “This is one of the decorations from the tree. It might’ve got snagged on our clothing last night. Look – there’s a bit of black fur stuck under the string.” I held up the bauble against the trim on Heathcliff’s rumpled coat, noticing as I did the strong aroma of beer.
“True,” Heathcliff grumbled. “I think I did crash into that bloody tree last night. Mystery solved. Now, I have a date with my morning whisky and—”
I yanked him toward the stairs. “Come on, Mopey McGee. We’re having a snowball fight whether you like it or not.”
Morrie and Quoth slipped down the stairs behind him, blocking Heathcliff in.
“Meow!” Grimalkin leaped onto Heathcliff’s shoulder, digging her claws in and shooting him an adorable look. Heathcliff sighed, but he shuffled down the stairs after me.
The perfect winter day.I crossed the landing and started down the main staircase, tugging on my woolen hat and gloves.Maybe we could get hot chocolate from the bakery afterward. And invite Mrs. Ellis and Jonie to join us. I bet snow will wipe that scowl off her face…
