I dedicate this chapter to @Alwyn_Knighton She's as sweet as her books 😊 I was so happy to see your many comments in my notifs, I hope you'll like this story as much as I'm enjoying reading yours! Thank you and I love you 😘❤
"I think Santa will never bring me my present..."
This small voice isn't the one inside my head, even if it sounds a lot like it, but from the little princess beside me.
"I promise you he will. I'll make sure of it." I turn to Lilly, who has changed her pink tutu for a pair of pants in the same shade, and a glittery, of course, pink, sweater that makes her look still as precious and angelic.
"But almost everyone has already their request," she sighs, pointing at the black Christmas tree, snowman-shaped pinatas ready to be filled with sweets, and the many more various items laying around the room.
"The best presents always take more time." I smile, trying to convince Lilly and my internal doubtful voice at the same time.
She pulls her lip under her two front teeth, apparently reflecting on my words as she throws a glance around the room before she turns back to her paintbrush.
Seeing the way she carefully follows the outlines, her tongue poking out to make sure the red paint is exactly covering the piece of cardboard I've given her, I know I'll make sure that her request will be perfectly answered, and I can almost feel the tickles of nervousness in hope that she'll like it.
Actually, all the kids are really diligent, and thanks to them, in just a few hours, the empty, cold function room is already full of life. It must be the soft laughs echoing around, and all these little hands busying themselves with paint or collage that are making the Christmas spirit float around. Even with all the boxes and various objects lying around, it already feels more magical, and it only lacks one thing that I can't pinpoint, well except of course, for most of the decoration that needs to be done for the party.
"Here's the chocolate fountain!" Theone announces loudly, making all the heads turn to him.
I mean, who wouldn't? It's almost as great as Santa Claus himself. Though it isn't this that is lacking right now.
A series of 'Wow!' echoes around the room, and my gaze follows the direction where all the shining eyes are looking. Theone has opened a large box to pull out a tall chocolate fountain that looks straight out of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, and his green eyes are sparkling as much as all the kids around, maybe even more as he grins proudly.
"Don't you think it's a little too much?" I can't fight my smile as I come closer to the machine that, instead of having one tower to make the chocolate waterfall, has two.
"No, I've promised a chocolate fountain, and here it is. And it's a double one, so it suits all taste!" He grins, knowing his arguments are easily convincing the whole room.
"Can we try it?" Roman, one of the young teens, asks with a smile as wide.
"No, sorry, but we won't have the chocolate until Friday."
Loud sighs resonate around the room this time, and one actually comes from me. Quickly all the heads turn back to their previous activities, leaving Theone with his empty chocolate fountain.
"You should've expected it! A chocolate fountain with no chocolate has no interest!" I laugh lightly in front of his disappointed pout.
"Friday, they'll be at my feet!" He shakes his head as we both look at the shiny machine. "Don't worry, it was on sale, and with your DIY decorations, we've spent way less than the other years," he adds, as if reading my thoughts in front of the tall fountain.
"I'm the pro at decoration, right? And you see that my lists are useful!" I grin proudly before throwing a glance around the room that I'm already picturing fully decorated for a Christmas around the world. "And I think they're having fun." I nod to the most important in all of this and the reason why we're doing this: the kids.
"I have to agree." Theone smiles as we hear giggles arise from a group of kids now covered with red and green dots, and I thank my mom for reminding me to cover up the floor. "But it lacks something..." he adds, his eyebrows slightly furrowing as his green gaze scans the surroundings.
I'm about to check my list when he exclaims, "I know!" And a few seconds later, cheerful notes echo around the room.
Luckily, the speakers are already integrated into the new walls, so it's one less thing to worry about for the organization. Though I forget all these logistics problems when I feel a tug on my hand, and my heart can't resist the pair of blue eyes inviting me to dance.
I grab Lilly's tiny hands, and I let the cheery tune that I know by heart leads my feet as we dance, or more exactly mess around with our arms and legs. Soon we're joined by almost everyone, well, actually, everyone because Theone makes sure to pull everyone to dance.
Lilly and I go help him to finally drag her sister, Alexis, who tries to hide behind her black Christmas tree. When I look at the two sisters dancing together, their smiles filling my chest with a warm coziness that is the Christmas spirit, I know that Theone has been right: that's exactly what has been missing.
Decorating without Christmas songs isn't the same, and time passes even faster with music.
In a blink, which is in fact a few hours, we find ourselves, Theone and I, standing alone in the function room that now resembles Santa's workshop.
Our little helpers have left to get a well-deserved lunch, and I can hear my own stomach growling in protest, especially since I haven't been able to eat much this morning.
I shake the dreadful memories of this morning that come back with that thought, though my sore muscles are already starting to be a painful reminder with every move I make.
I have to keep the Christmas magic that all the little elves have brought me for the rest of the day because it's time for another list to check.
"Can you drop me at the Christmas market? I'm supposed to meet everyone there."
Theone and I have come here with his rented car because Bill hasn't been back from the repair shop yet, so now I kinda depend on Theone for my next step; that's why I add a nice 'please'.
"Yeah, sure," he replies, closing the last can of paint, and I have to do a double-take because it almost sounds too easy.
"But can I come with you?"
That's what I've been saying! It's never as easy. Though right now, he doesn't seem evil; his left dimple isn't popping, and he's actually giving me the hint of a real smile. "It's been so long since I haven't been there..."
"Um..." I take my time to think it through and be sure this won't lead me to my doom again. "Okay, you've been nice, and I don't want to leave you alone here to ruin everything we've done."
"Thanks for the trust!" He rolls his eyes, putting his beanie on and letting a few curls poke out perfectly, and it's almost unfair how it fits him perfectly without even trying, while my hair always ends up flying around everywhere with electricity.
"I speak from experience." I lift an eyebrow, although he doesn't see me as he's already heading out of the room.
Surprisingly, he doesn't raise, surely because he knows it's true.
"Do you think we'll have enough time to finish everything tomorrow and on Friday morning?"
I realize that's why he's been so quiet as we walk to his car. His eyebrows are pulled together, and his gaze is faraway, lost in his thoughts.
"Of course! We've done a lot today, and with all the help we have, I'm sure everything will be perfect!"
I would have never imagined that he would take this so seriously and be worried; actually, I would have never pictured he could take anything seriously or be worried. Yet I understand why it's so important to him. He does this for his parents in a way, to honor them; at least, that's what I can guess as his clear gaze comes back to me.
When he doesn't have this devious sparkle in his eyes, which almost every time comes along with his dimples, the green shades appear even lighter and so easy to read.
"Don't worry, thanks to my lists everything will be perfect!" I grin to reassure him, but unfortunately, it also brings his dimples back as he shakes his head and gets in the car.
"By the way, speaking of this." He starts gesticulating and turning half of his body to the back of the car at the same time that he starts the engine, and I wonder if it's been a good idea to ask him to drive me. I mean, I've said it myself that he's a walking disaster, and I'm going in a car with him, when I don't know since when he hasn't traveled by something else than plane.
"You can check my camera if you want. I've taken pics of the function room and decorations."
This brings my gaze back to him instead of anxiously checking the surroundings of the car. "What?"
He finally manages to grab his bag and put it on my thighs before focusing on the road again.
"Emily told me you have a blog about decoration and all, so I thought if you want to post about your work for the party." He shrugs, while my big eyes travel from the bag to Theone.
"Really?! Yes, that's a great idea. Thank you," I tell him honestly as he flashes me his dimples for a second.
I haven't thought about it because I'm doing this selflessly, for the kids, but it could be great and fun. Besides, it's a content that I've never posted before. I smile to myself as my fingers eagerly search for Theone's camera in the mess of his bag.
The ride passes quickly as my mind is buzzing with ideas and my fingers are scribbling ideas on another list, and I barely notice Theone's amused glances at me, and even less if he's transgressing the Driver's Manual.
My smile only gets wider and my mood more cheerful as we enter the small candy-shaped gates. My big eyes are everywhere, taking in all these details that I already know and that are the same in any Christmas market, yet I'll never get tired of the sensations they bring me.
The background noise of chatters and stallholders promoting their products that are common to every fair, coupled with the catchy tunes and children's laughs that are typical of this magical season, along with a few 'oh oh oh' echoing somewhere, fill my ears and clear my mind of any worry.
My heart lights up with all the fairy lights flashing around, which will look even more bewitching by the night. The small and bigger wooden booths lined up around us and covered with various Winter-themed items and some fake snow make me feel like a curious kid again, and my eyes shine at every little piece of decoration whether it's fluffy snowmen, poinsettias arrangements, or delicate baubles.
Finally, the detail that adds to it all perfectly is that warm smell of cinnamon, sweets, and chocolate, along with the roasted scent of chestnuts. My nose is taking in all these delicious sweet smells as my stomach is excitedly jumping up and down like the kids around looking for waffles, gingerbreads, and hot chocolate.
I glance at my right, and I can tell Theone is thinking the same, our twinkling gazes already picturing what we're gonna eat first after too many hours of hard work.
"What have you put in the cookies?!" My mom's voice behind freezes us in our tracks, and we keep our sideways glances at each other, still thinking the same, yet it's another childish emotion and way less fun.
Cliffhanger!! Do you think the Christmas cookies made with colorful chemical love will be liked by everyone? 😋🍪😏 There's much more to come at the Christmas market, and I promise it'll be fun... 😉😏😈
In the meantime, what do you think so far? Tell me in the comments and vote ⭐ if you liked this chapter 😉❤
Also, have you already put your decorations? I hope so! We're one week away from Christmas!! And you better listen to Christmas songs too! It's more fun this way, trust me, Penny, and Theone 😉🎶🎄
I love you, my little elves ❤🎄