This story was contributed by druidrose
With only a week before the holidays, the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts was already covered in snow, making any travel other than on foot far more impossible than it should have been. That was evidently detrimental to those who still needed to complete their shopping, but since Eve wasn't going home for her holiday break from Harvard, she didn't see much point in trying to fight the crowds, spend the money, or invoke much holiday cheer in general.
She just wished she could have convinced her boyfriend, Professor Jonathan Moore, to adopt the same sentiment. Growing up Catholic, he insisted that they needed to have a Christmas tree, and a chocolate advent calendar, and attend Christmas Eve mass... and she had agreed to all but the latter. Her atheist soul appreciated the sentiment, but he'd be on his own for going to church.
In her twenty years, Evangeline Revere was not one for the holiday spirit. Though her mother had been a happy homemaker, her father always seemed to be away on business whenever they needed to be together to celebrate. This only having changed once Rosamund Revere had passed away and he had no choice but to remain at home and be responsible for his daughter.
A part of Eve wondered if her father's distance was due to her mother's past—especially the part where she was possessed by the spirit of a dead scholar hellbent on selling his soul to the devil and damned to battle the demon for the rest of existence. Eve and Jonathan had their own share of demonic possessions—Jonathan had been possessed by the same demon, after all— but if anything, it brought them closer together, not wishing to be further apart.
Though there were times she wondered if Jonathan even remembered being possessed by Mephistopheles in the first place. Occasionally, in the last year since they had left Faust University and established themselves back in Massachusetts, she would catch him gazing out a window, unbothered and oblivious to anything else around him until she had to physically touch him to regain his attention. Maybe he was missing his tenured position at the magical school or his home in Ireland, or maybe he was just missing the part of his life the demon took from him.
He was having one of those moments as they got ready to go out for the evening. It had started to snow—again—and Jonathan was insistent that they leave their small one-bedroom apartment to enjoy the city in December before the decorations and cheer dissipated. He even bought them tickets to the Boston Pops for a festive concert later that night, which meant they had no choice but to leave.
Eve had just finished buttoning up her wool black and white peacoat while Jonathan remained standing by the living room's large three-paneled window, looking as though he was watching the snow fall, but Eve knew better.
She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He was only a head taller than her, so in her heels she was still able to rest her chin on his shoulder.
"Contemplating the new year's lesson plans, Professor?" she mused as she followed his stare out the window.
Jonathan startled—she could feel him tense beneath her touch before he relaxed as if realizing it was only his girlfriend looking for his attention. His arms wrapped around her arms as he leaned his head against hers. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his accent once again making her stomach flutter and her skin tingle just like it had the first time she heard it.
"If you don't want to go out, we don't have to," she offered hopefully. "We can DoorDash ramen from Santouka and watch those dumb holiday movies you like."
"They are not dumb," he reminded her. "They are classics."
"Die Hard is a better Christmas movie than Love, Actually."
"How dare you," he murmured as he turned around to face her. Her arms remained around him as his hands came up to her cheeks. "I'm going to make sure there's nothing but coal in your stocking for that."
"You can stuff my stockings with whatever you like," she hummed suggestively, but still leaned into his touch. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself a moment to appreciate what they had after only a year of being together. Once she was expelled from Faust University for her inability to use magic and pass her trials without the assistance of her then-roommate and best friend, Grace Sheppard, and after Jonathan was fired from his teaching position for fraternizing with a student, they both decided that Eve returning home to Massachusetts may not have been such a bad idea. Especially since Jonathan was offered a job as an economics professor at Harvard and Eve wanted to get as far away from the cursed university as possible.
She was grateful the school still accepted her deferred application for the next semester, and she and Jonathan made sure their relationship wasn't made as public as it was at Faust University. So instead they established an apartment for themselves very much off-campus, made a point to not see each other while school was in session, and were particularly careful about public displays of affection while they were roaming anywhere near Harvard Square.
It was moments like the one being shared in the small living room of their apartment that made her appreciative that things turned out far better than they could have. At the end of the day, Eve was not the predestined vessel for Faust's spirit, and though Jonathan was the unfortunate source of demonic possession, his disposition once the demon was expelled was far more optimistic than others who had been possessed in the past.
As he held her, none of it mattered anymore. If anything, it's what brought them closer to one another, and not that she wanted to have to go through it all again, but she still considered herself the winner at the end. Even if it meant losing contact with Grace. Even if Grace hadn't spoken to her since she left, and it had nothing to do with Eve being expelled.
Jonathan leaned his brow against hers, the contact causing her to open her eyes and meet his gaze. "You're thinking about Faust again," he said softly.
Caught in her thoughts, Eve gave him a slight smile. "I just wish Grace would call," she admitted.
"You and I both know the university isn't exactly keen on contact with the outside world."
"But she could at least write."
"You mean, other than the Christmas card she sent you?"
That caused Eve to lean back and blink. "What Christmas card?"
"The one that arrived in today's mail. I told you it arrived earlier but you may have still been sleeping," he informed her with a knowing smirk.
Eve scowled at him for that and moved over to the small table by the apartment's main door. It was a catch-all for their keys and wallets and purses and junk mail, and there at the end, just as Jonathan had said, was a small, red envelope addressed to her.
"This is it?" she asked him as he approached, getting his jacket from the coat rack by the door.
"That's it," he confirmed, wrapping a scarf around his neck.
Frowning, she pried open the envelope and pulled out the card within. It looked homemade, especially with the picture of Faust University's campus gardens on the front. Even for a magical school in Savannah, Georgia, the picture managed to show the school grounds covered in a blanket of snow, so either they could control the weather as well, or Grace was amazing with Photoshop. Either way, the calligraphic 'Seasons Greetings' at the top told her Grace definitely personalized the card for her.
Dear Eve,
A lot has happened since you left Faust University, and I know a Christmas card isn't exactly the ideal time to tell you all about it, but I didn't know when else to write to you so here we are...
The school itself hasn't changed much, though there has been plenty of rumors and speculation about what happened to you and Professor Moore and why you weren't allowed to come back for your second semester. Many of them thought you had killed him for being possessed by Phylis and therefore no longer allowed to attend, while others assumed the two of you ran away with one another to get married and live a life of summoning and demonic possession.
None of them know the true events of what occurred, and no one wants to listen when I try to tell them otherwise. Professor Blade has continued being aloof and discrediting towards what you did, and the faculty are trying to pretend Professor Moore never existed.
But this isn't what holiday cards are supposed to be for. They're supposed to be a time for well-wishes and good tidings and catching-up on the positive things that have happened over the last year. I just wish I had more to tell you and could show you how much you're missed.
I did want to tell you about one thing, though.
I've met someone.
Her name is Lily. Ironically, she's an Herbalist at the top of the rankings who loves Lauryn Hill as much as I do. And she remembers you and wishes you all the best and understands when I sometimes need to vent about how unfair it was that they forced you to leave. But she's smart and funny and I know you'd like her, too.
I'd like to try to get us all to meet— maybe in the summer when classes are finished? We've never been to Boston, if you'd like to have some company.
But anyway, I think I've rambled long enough. I hope you and Jonathan had a great holiday, and tell him I say Merry Christmas (and to try not to get possessed by any more demons while he's at it).
Love always,
Grace
Eve stood there with the card in her hands, not even realizing the tears had begun to form until they fell down her cheek.
"Hey," Jonathan said as he moved to her, having given her space to read the card. "Everything okay?"
She quickly wiped at her cheeks and forced a reassuring smile as she looked up to him. "Yeah, of course. Grace says hi."
His brows furrowed as if he didn't believe her, and she shoved the card back into its envelope to keep herself distracted. She wasn't bothered that Grace has found someone else— for that, she was more than happy for her friend. She just didn't realize how much she missed her, or the school, until reading about it through her updates.
"I can order that ramen?" he offered. "Watch Die Hard?"
"No," she said quickly. She put the card aside and looked to him. "If anything else, I want to go out even more now."
"You didn't want to go out before?" he asked, feigning offense.
She jabbed him in the arm. "Let's go. Please."
He chuckled softly as he rubbed at his arm, but he watched her for a moment longer. "How's Grace?"
"She's fine. Great actually."
"But?"
Eve shook her head. "I miss her. I miss Faust."
With an understanding sigh, Jonathan gathered her into his arms. She wrapped her own arms around him and nuzzled against his neck while she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"We could try to visit," he said softly, though they both knew what wouldn't be possible. Without a portal, there'd be no way to enter the magical realm that housed the campus.
She hugged his tighter for the effort. "She offered to come here to see us—"
"That's great!"
"She wants to bring her new girlfriend."
Jonathan leaned back to look at her. "That's not a problem."
"No, it's not. In fact, I'm happy she found someone else. I just feel—"
"Guilty."
"Guilty," she confirmed. "I never meant to hurt her when we—"
"Well, in your defense, it was more or less my fault."
"It was Mephistopheles who made it worse."
"And I never thought I'd thank a demon for bringing us together."
Eve rolled her eyes and stepped out of his grip. Not because she didn't want to remain in his arms, but if they didn't start to move, they'd remain there all night and undoubtedly miss their concert. So she grabbed her purse and tossed it over her shoulder.
"This is what the holiday season is all about," he said as she finished getting ready. "It gives you time to reflect on the year, and think about those who have come into your life or those who may not be around as they once were. To reach out when the sentiment is joyful and festive."
"Sometimes it makes me think about everything we don't have anymore, which seems entirely counterproductive."
"But what about what you do have?"
She looked up to him, and he looked almost sad. Immediately she regretted her comment, for it was from what they had lost that gave them all they currently were.
"Not you," she assured him, closing the small distance between him to give him a deep, reassuring kiss. "And because I'm happy with what I have, we'll go out and watch the Pops tonight, and then tomorrow you can get me my ramen while we watch Die Hard. And then I can show you how truly appreciative I really am."
He hummed against her lips, grinning in agreement. "After we look into travel arrangements from Georgie and try to figure out how we'll get two more people to sleep comfortably in our apartment."
Her heart lifted at his offer. "I just assumed you'd sleep on the couch. Or the floor. Being the Irish gentleman you are."
"Last I checked, being Irish does not make one a gentleman," he reminded her, though he opened the door for her just the same.
Eve couldn't help but smile at her point being proven."You're right, but open that mouth of yours, say anything you want, and you can definitely distract people into thinking you are."
A smack on her rear proved her point, and with a giggle, she made her way through the door.
Jonathan locked up the apartment and they made their way down the three flights of stairs that brought them back to the ground floor before emerging out onto the cold and snow-covered sidewalk. Eve took his hands in hers and remained close as they walked down the street together, joining the crowds venturing into the wintery evening.
Buildings were aglow with holiday lights and trees were adorned with holiday decorations. In the distance, she swore she could hear Christmas music and there was just a different feeling in the atmosphere that had nothing to do with the falling snow.
And for the evening, with Jonathan not only beside her but also in her life, Eve decided that having the holiday spirit wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.
MB, also known as M. Dalto, is a writer of adventurous romantic fantasy stories. Her debut novel, Two Thousand Years, won a Watty Awards in 2016 and she continues to volunteer her time as an Ambassador. She spends her days as a full-time real estate paralegal, and when she's not writing, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, playing video games, and drinking coffee. Read more from MB here.