Silver Umbrellas

Thirty-Six-- Special Delivery

'I hope this vorks... Please, Tino, don't fail.'

Land flashed by below their feet, then choppy blue waves that looked so much smaller from so high up. Meanwhile, the sky began its shift from midnight blue to grey to the faintest beginnings of a vibrantly colored sunrise. It was like God Himself had painted the sky as beautifully as possible to celebrate the occasion, but this time it wasn't a welcome gift to the world. All it succeeded in doing was make a cold sweat begin to break out on Tino's brow. 

The two reindeer-- Tino's magic had only been sufficient in summoning two as opposed to the usual eight-- worked their legs rigorously, sensing Santa Clause's rising worry and doing everything in their power to lessen it. Their puffing breaths filled the air with substantial sound and created great clouds of fog that dissipated into the cold night. Mentally, Tino thanked them profusely and apologized for the strain he was asking them to put on their bodies.

'I'll make this up to you' he promised. 'Just don't fail me now, please. You've done wonderfully so far, pulling us along when it's just the two of you.'

Granted, there had been noticeably fewer stops to make this Christmas, so the ride had been easier than it normally was. Even so, that didn't disregard all the effort the reindeer were pouring into making sure they reached their destination before the sun peeked up over the horizon and shone its first rays of light on their portion of the world.

Suddenly Finland felt a fierce tug on his heart, urging him to bank right a few extra degrees and continue in that direction instead. It was his homeland calling to him, asking him to return. He shook his head emphatically, making his hair swish around, and refused to divert his course. 'I'm sorry, but I can't go back. I have a job to do and important promises to keep.'

~~

Resisting the urge to sigh and possibly wake up his peacefully dreaming wife, Lukas Bondevik finally accepted his fate and rolled out of bed despite the fact that it wasn't even time for the sun to come up yet. He'd been tossing and turning all night, trying his hardest to find that special place where he could drift off for a few hours, but for some reason it eluded him completely that night.

And so, tired and a little lethargic, he rose to his feet as smoothly as he could and padded to the kitchen to brew himself a cup of very dark coffee. Maybe, because it was Christmas, he'd be a little naughty and break his rule about limiting himself to one cup a day... 'It'll be a little present to myself' he mused, lifting the hot drink up to his lips for that first sip. 

'I vonder vhy I can't sleep... Is it because it's Christmas?' Norway asked himself, taking his coffee to the table in the living room and sinking down into a couch cushion. 'I can't see vhy that vould be the reason, unless... it's because Tino isn't here.'

All too clearly, Lukas could recall how he had asked Tino for a dreamless sleep one Christmas Eve, right around the time when he and Mary had first begun to date. That had been a small miracle at the time, without a doubt. Now that Tino was presumed dead, maybe that miracle would never be experienced again... 

"Vhat an empty holiday this is now," Lukas sighed mournfully, and drank down the last of the mug's contents. 

Nevertheless, he knew that he'd act normally throughout the day for his family's sake, as they all would. No one would want to spoil Christmas for the others, especially the kids. 

Before making that second cup of coffee, Norway snuck into his and Mary's bedroom to grab some clothes for the day: a dark red, long-sleeved V-neck shirt and sharp black pants would do nicely. He dressed in the bathroom and threw his pajamas into the laundry hamper, then drifted back to the kitchen for more life-saving coffee.