Saint Nick

19. December

Yesterday, after the intense sex marathon with Nick, Hazel's sister's husband Jim had called her up and told her all of them were going on a family outing on Thursday to celebrate the start of Christmas break. Jim got off from work the 20th and Ashley had apparently suggested they all go sledding. Naturally Hazel was invited to that outing, so Jim was calling to hear if she was interested.

Hazel had joyously said yes. A family outing was just what she needed to distract herself from the fact that her heart had wholesomely fallen for a man who was leaving in less than a week, and there was nothing she could do about it.

– And then there was the whole family/Christmas situation waiting for her as well.

Sighing, Hazel brushed the negative thoughts away and focused on her current situation. She was currently walking down the shopping aisles of Leavenworth's best winter wear boutique to find what she needed. If she was going sledding tomorrow, she would need a new pair of insulated gloves and some earmuffs to keep her warm. The snow laid deep outside and she didn't doubt that her niece was going to go at it wildly tomorrow.

Coincidentally, the winter store just happened to be located inside the mall where a certain Santa was doing his volunteer duty in Santa's village. After picking up her gloves and earmuffs, she had planned with Nick to come pick him up as well and take him home with her since it was convenient. There may or may not have been some banter about trying him on and seeing if he would fit as well.

Hazel smiled to herself and shook her head as she paid for her things and then walked out of the store. She started walking towards the center of the mall where the village was. The mall was close to closing, and not surprisingly, the village had closed already and the dressed-up elves were cleaning up while Nick stood outside, already changed and ready to go. He was on the phone and wore a slight frown as he spoke.

As Hazel approached, he looked up and smiled. Hazel smiled back carefully and caught him mumbling into the phone what she probably wasn't supposed to hear, but still did.

"Just fix it. I've got to go," He hung up straight after. Hazel frowned shortly, wondering if he actually just cut someone off in the other end because of her. Was this work-related again? "Hey."

"Hey," She let him lean down and kiss her lips before looking back up at him, slight worry staining her features. "Is everything okay? Was that work?"

"Just a minor mishap," He brushed off again, easily. Hazel was beginning to think he didn't want her to worry—scratch that, she knew he was. For some reason he didn't want her involved in his work, and she believed she knew why, too. The answer was as easy as his attitude: that wasn't the nature of their relationship.

But what was, exactly?

"Alright," Hazel decided to brush it off just as easily as he did. If he could do it, so could she. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, you got what you needed?" He asked as they started walking towards the exit. He gestured down to her shopping bag and Hazel nodded.

"I sure did. I—oh," Just then, her phone started ringing. Hazel quickly smiled apologetically before diving into her pocket. Looking at the caller ID, she saw it was her sister. "When you speak of the sun... Hello?"

Camille spoke into the phone, and purely based on her tired voice, Hazel knew there was another situation at her place. "I'm so sorry to do this again, but I need your help. Jim was supposed to build the baby stroller tonight, but he got called out on snow-duty again. He won't be back till late, and if it's not ready and rolling by tomorrow, the whole trip will be canceled. I can't carry Michael around in his baby carrier all day, plus it will get wet in the snow and—"