“Now was I right, or was I right, angel?” Crowley lets Aziraphale exit the retirement home first, then follows him out. “Beats sitting around an empty bookshop, doesn’t it?”
Aziraphale lights up, “Oh it does! It absolutely does! That one woman who has handmade ornaments? She’s 97!”
Crowley nods in recognition, “That’s Daniela. Used to be quite the looker back in the day as a showgirl.”
Aziraphale agrees, “What do you mean used to? She still is! I couldn’t pull off her look with my female corporation even if I tried!”
“And she’s got impeccable taste too.” The demon remarks as they approach the truck. “She pulled me aside, twice, to tell me if I didn’t make a move on you, she’d snatch you up for herself. And both times I told her that would be up to you, not me.”
Aziraphale doesn’t bristle at this revelation like he would have before, and says instead, “If I hadn’t caught you chatting about the good old days with that one older fellow, I’d be flattered.”
Crowley gets in the driver’s seat, and tells Aziraphale, “That older fellow is an old friend. I knew him when he was a young man just starting at Scotland Yard.”
Aziraphale admits, “He knows how to pick a friend.”, then gets in the passenger seat.
“Right. Where to next?” he asks, not caring if Crowley sees the smile on his face as they pull out of the parking lot.
“Oh tell me it isn’t so.” Crowley complains, seeing the “Out of Order” sign on the elevator.
Aziraphale recalls, “And it’s on one of the higher floors. Couldn’t you just miracle it to work? Or miracle us and the tree up to the door?”
Crowley shakes his head, pointing behind him, “Not with this crowded lobby.”, then starts lugging it towards the stairs.
“If I can carry two trees with no miracles up to a penthouse, there’s no way I can’t do this. I won’t have my Christmas season ruined by some stairs.”
Aziraphale goes to help lift up the tree, “You truly care about these trees, don’t you?”
Crowley guides them towards the door to the stairs, “I always have.”, then pushes the door open.
“Almost since I Fell, I’ve always felt drawn to them. I didn’t know anything about them or why, but as soon as I saw one, I just knew I had to.”
They slowly make their way up the stairs, as Crowley continues, “And as luck would have it, my Fall couldn’t have been timed more perfectly. By the time I’d learned everything there was to know about growing them, that’s right when their popularity as a decoration grew, and trees were all in high demand.”
Aziraphale’s trying to not let on how close to home the story is hitting, but just stays quiet as the demon finishes,
“Didn’t remember anything about who I was or the Earth, but that one thing. Trees. Specifically Christmas trees. I loved them even before they took on their meaning as a non-symbol symbol for Christmas.”
Now Aziraphale does say something, “And you never thought that was a part of your old self trying to stay alive?”
Crowley says testily, “And you clearly know nothing about how Falling works.”
Aziraphale fires back, “You just admitted that was the only thing you remembered after you Fell!”
Crowley leaves no room for argument, “All demons Fall with a clean slate. Whatever you were Before, that’s gone and you can never get it back. Better to focus on the now and what’s right in front of you, than ache for what was and what will never be again.”
YOU ARE READING
The Christmas Tree
RomanceAziraphale plans to avoid any holiday traditions that bring back memories of his late husband until he receives a gift from a handsome shop owner. To move on from his loss, Aziraphale works for a balance between his memories and finding a future.
