Episode 226: Merry Christmas Darling

Michael gazed out the frosted windowpane. Snow blanketed the ground and coated the trees like a vintage postcard. Curran came to her from the piano. He played by ear, very well, though not in public, only for her.

He folded the collar of Michael’s violet turtleneck and kissed her. She smiled, reminded of how her mother had dislike Curran when they’d met. Too smooth, she’d said. She referred to him as Dracula as though he held people under a spell. He’d eventually won her over too.

"I’m so glad you convinced me to get away." She purred as his left arm looped around her to him. His spare hand produced a small box wrapped in silver paper with a blue ribbon. "What’s this? Christmas is days away,"

"Just a taste of the many things I plan to give you over the next seven days." Michael kissed her husband tenderly and opened the package. She found a disappointing bracelet of colored diamonds. Curran usually got it so right. She may be Latina, but she didn’t have J-Lo taste.

In her small apartment in the city Lila made certain she wouldn’t be interrupted. She’d given Jess a present early, a Lemony Snickett book. Bowie and Jesse raved about the movie, they’d seen it together when she’d been otherwise occupied. So the two of them were tucked away in the boy’s room and Lila climbed into bed, cherished the time alone.

She opened her most eagerly anticipated gift. She frowned at the single strand of pearls. Something Avalon would adore. Or... or her former boss.

Episode 227: Home For The Holidays