The Clearing: Origins

Chapter 24

The genie touched her lips, remembering his kiss. Her voice wobbled. "Victor!"

Clutching the keepsake, Kristy burst into tears.

For the first time in history, the Dueling Duo decorated the large pine with minimal fuss. The usual name-calling, tinsel fights, and tree toppling hadn't occurred with Kristy and Dr. Mason joining the festivities. Victor hadn't rushed out once to replace broken Christmas decorations due to the Duo's antics. The decorated tree, the blinking lights, and gaily wrapped presents did not contribute to the mood as much as Dr. Mason sitting in the chair nicknamed the throne as they talked, drank piping hot cocoa, and feasted on mince pies.

Victor marveled at the growing relationship between Dr. Mason and Lovedae. Several times he'd come home late from teaching at the studio to the smell of burnt Christmas cookies and love wafting through the air. 

His senses were extra sharp due to the modified magic, and that particular day, he groaned at what he felt. It bothered Victor to open the living room door and disrupt the embrace between the doctor and his mother, but he had no choice. A giggling Lovedae stepped away from Dr. Mason, her lipstick gone. Red touched her cheeks as she looked at him awkwardly. "Victor, we... uh, didn't expect you back so soon."

He only smiled. "I need to retrieve something." Victor walked behind the elegant sofa and nabbed the spying little girl before she could protest. He tucked an angry Rosetta under his arm and said, "So sorry," to the surprised couple. He closed the door behind them before admonishing his nosy sister.

To the surprise of the younger Grants, Lovedae invited Kristy to spend the holidays with them, assigning the girl to a guest room with implicit instructions of no 'physical' rendezvous during the night. An embarrassed Victor swore he'd never disrespect his mother or Kristy as such, but the directive hadn't stopped him from obtaining something dear to him.

The beginnings of a real relationship. The interest was there on both sides, Victor knew it. He'd be the one to address the elephant in the room.

Victor, Kristy, and the Duo sat in the den before a crackling fire on Christmas eve, watching a holiday special on television while feasting on chesnuts. Afterward, he'd sent the Duo to their beds. Jason hugged them both and left, but Rosetta paused at the door.

"Vic, if you see Santa, tell him I was perfect this year, okay?"

"I will, poppet."

The child beamed at him. "And if I got any marks on the naughty list, tell him it was Jason's fault, okay?"

Victor rolled his eyes. "You'll waffle on about this if I say no, right?"

His sister nodded.

Victor sighed. "Of course."

"Thanks! Merry Christmas." Rosetta ran out of the room as Kristy giggled.

"She's adorable, Vic. And she still believes in Santa?"

"She started questioning last year. But either way, this gives me one last year to play Old Saint Nick after she's gone to sleep." He turned off the television, thinking how cute the genie looked in his Beatles t-shirt. He joined her before the fire, pretending a calmness he didn't feel. "Kristy, can I ask you something?"

Kristy lay back against the large cushions near the hearth. "Sure."

Victor took a deep breath. "Would you ever consider going steady with me?"

"Sure, what needs stabilizing?"

He frowned. Didn't expect that. Maybe I am old-fashioned. "I mean steady as a state of being."