Holiday Tradition PG-13 Champagne Challenge #133
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:06 pm
I do not own any recognizable characters, no copyright infringement is intended.
Josef and Mick were enjoying drinks at The Billiard Club.
Josef raised his glass to Mick. “You had a good night.”
Mick laughed. “I’m good with my hands.”
Josef smiled. “Beth would know better than me. Let’s meet next Sunday so I can win my money back.”
“I can’t on Sunday. It’s Christmas.”
“Christmas, since when do you celebrate Christmas?”
“Since Beth moved in. She wants to pick out a tree tomorrow.”
“A live tree?” Josef asked
“Yes.”
“Bah Humbug! Does she know the smell is going to be overwhelming?”
“I don’t hate Christmas trees as much as you do Josef.”
“I don’t hate trees. I just insist that the freshies don’t try to kill me with pine smell. I’ve had a fake tree every year for the last few decades.”
“I don’t mind having a real tree. It reminds me of when I was a kid.” Mick said. “Do you have any plans for Christmas?”
“You know I go to Norway every year. The freshies have the week off and I’m back for my New Year’s Eve Party.”
“Do you have to go to Norway this year? Beth was hoping you would come for Christmas Dinner.
“Is she on the menu? Josef said lightly
“Not your menu. Mick said firmly. She’s willing to go freshie shopping. We would like you to be there.”
“I’m sorry Mick It’s a long standing commitment. Some of us old timers go, run naked in the snow, hunt.”
“Hunt?” Mick asked.
“Well, it’s more hide and seek in this civilized age. The freshies are released with a ten minute headstart. When we catch them we do whatever we want for 24 hours. It’s a wonderful way to spend the holiday.
“How come you never invited me? Mick asked. We had some wild times back in the day.
“You’re too young.” Josef said quickly. “You have to be two hundred and by then Beth will have you so domesticated even I can’t bring your fangs out.”
“If you change your mind, you’re always welcome at our place.”
“That’s very kind but the boys would miss me terribly.”
Josef had a party with the freshies later in the week and gave them all their presents. The ones who had family far from LA were piling into the limo to go to the airport. Tangie packed her suitcase to visit her sister and brother-in-law across town.
“Josef are you sure you don’t want me to come to Norway with you?”
“Yes, Tangie. I told you exclusivity rules are not followed on the hunt. I couldn’t stop another vampire if he caught you first. Stay here with Plum and Charles.”
“If you change your mind.”
“I won’t Tangie and I’ll be out of touch for the first few days. We all relinquish our phones for the hunt.”
Tangie shrugged. “I guess I don’t understand vampire bonding. Has Charles ever gone to one of these things?”
“No. He’s too young.”
Tangie’s eyes widened. “Charles is a 175.”
“He has to be two hundred. Josef said “And we’ve never had an American. I’m not sure he would be accepted.”
Tangie laughed. “Plum would stake him if he left her alone for Christmas anyway.
Josef rode to the airport with the girls and went on his private plane. The limo met him at White Plains airport. When he stepped out of the car the driver handed him an umbrella . The rain was heavy, New York City was rarely cold enough to snow on Christmas Eve. He opened the door on Waverly Place and dismissed the nurse till the day after Christmas.
He walked into Sarah’s room at the stroke of Midnight.
“Merry Christmas Baby. He said gently. “I have your present.” He took a small box out of his jacket.
“The gift wrap is a candy cane pattern, just like our first Christmas.” He opened the paper and took out a diamond necklace. He held it in front of the light so the diamonds would shimmer on her skin. He replaced last year’s necklace and put the new one on.
He smiled. “What did you get me? He picked up a heavy box in the corner. The tag said. “To my Darling Charles. Love always Sarah.
He opened the box and found three books published this year. Robopocalypse, The Litigator and Steve Jobs.
He kissed her gently on her unmoving lips. “Thank you Darling. They are just what I wanted. I’ll put them in the library.” He picked them up and walked into the library that had exactly 171 books. 3 books for each year since 1955. Sarah had bought him The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit because he was such a cranky business man. The Return of the King so he could escape into fantasy and A Night To Remember since he told her so many stories about The Titanic. Every year he tried to get three books in the same spirit and he read them with Sarah before New Year’s Eve.
He briefly wondered if Mick suspected that there was no hunt in Norway. It didn’t matter this was his holiday tradition.
Josef and Mick were enjoying drinks at The Billiard Club.
Josef raised his glass to Mick. “You had a good night.”
Mick laughed. “I’m good with my hands.”
Josef smiled. “Beth would know better than me. Let’s meet next Sunday so I can win my money back.”
“I can’t on Sunday. It’s Christmas.”
“Christmas, since when do you celebrate Christmas?”
“Since Beth moved in. She wants to pick out a tree tomorrow.”
“A live tree?” Josef asked
“Yes.”
“Bah Humbug! Does she know the smell is going to be overwhelming?”
“I don’t hate Christmas trees as much as you do Josef.”
“I don’t hate trees. I just insist that the freshies don’t try to kill me with pine smell. I’ve had a fake tree every year for the last few decades.”
“I don’t mind having a real tree. It reminds me of when I was a kid.” Mick said. “Do you have any plans for Christmas?”
“You know I go to Norway every year. The freshies have the week off and I’m back for my New Year’s Eve Party.”
“Do you have to go to Norway this year? Beth was hoping you would come for Christmas Dinner.
“Is she on the menu? Josef said lightly
“Not your menu. Mick said firmly. She’s willing to go freshie shopping. We would like you to be there.”
“I’m sorry Mick It’s a long standing commitment. Some of us old timers go, run naked in the snow, hunt.”
“Hunt?” Mick asked.
“Well, it’s more hide and seek in this civilized age. The freshies are released with a ten minute headstart. When we catch them we do whatever we want for 24 hours. It’s a wonderful way to spend the holiday.
“How come you never invited me? Mick asked. We had some wild times back in the day.
“You’re too young.” Josef said quickly. “You have to be two hundred and by then Beth will have you so domesticated even I can’t bring your fangs out.”
“If you change your mind, you’re always welcome at our place.”
“That’s very kind but the boys would miss me terribly.”
Josef had a party with the freshies later in the week and gave them all their presents. The ones who had family far from LA were piling into the limo to go to the airport. Tangie packed her suitcase to visit her sister and brother-in-law across town.
“Josef are you sure you don’t want me to come to Norway with you?”
“Yes, Tangie. I told you exclusivity rules are not followed on the hunt. I couldn’t stop another vampire if he caught you first. Stay here with Plum and Charles.”
“If you change your mind.”
“I won’t Tangie and I’ll be out of touch for the first few days. We all relinquish our phones for the hunt.”
Tangie shrugged. “I guess I don’t understand vampire bonding. Has Charles ever gone to one of these things?”
“No. He’s too young.”
Tangie’s eyes widened. “Charles is a 175.”
“He has to be two hundred. Josef said “And we’ve never had an American. I’m not sure he would be accepted.”
Tangie laughed. “Plum would stake him if he left her alone for Christmas anyway.
Josef rode to the airport with the girls and went on his private plane. The limo met him at White Plains airport. When he stepped out of the car the driver handed him an umbrella . The rain was heavy, New York City was rarely cold enough to snow on Christmas Eve. He opened the door on Waverly Place and dismissed the nurse till the day after Christmas.
He walked into Sarah’s room at the stroke of Midnight.
“Merry Christmas Baby. He said gently. “I have your present.” He took a small box out of his jacket.
“The gift wrap is a candy cane pattern, just like our first Christmas.” He opened the paper and took out a diamond necklace. He held it in front of the light so the diamonds would shimmer on her skin. He replaced last year’s necklace and put the new one on.
He smiled. “What did you get me? He picked up a heavy box in the corner. The tag said. “To my Darling Charles. Love always Sarah.
He opened the box and found three books published this year. Robopocalypse, The Litigator and Steve Jobs.
He kissed her gently on her unmoving lips. “Thank you Darling. They are just what I wanted. I’ll put them in the library.” He picked them up and walked into the library that had exactly 171 books. 3 books for each year since 1955. Sarah had bought him The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit because he was such a cranky business man. The Return of the King so he could escape into fantasy and A Night To Remember since he told her so many stories about The Titanic. Every year he tried to get three books in the same spirit and he read them with Sarah before New Year’s Eve.
He briefly wondered if Mick suspected that there was no hunt in Norway. It didn’t matter this was his holiday tradition.