Briallen Bevin and the Clocktower Guard

Chapter 17: A Blue Christmas

"Mom, this place smells bad and it's boring," whined Briallen in a strange, nasally voice because she had pinched her nose shut with her fingers. Normally, Briallen would have found the smell of cranberries, plums, and cheese appealing but in Briar's Winery, where those delicious scents mingled with that of alcohol, Briallen found them revolting. The smell reminded her of a hospital gift shop, which made her uncomfortable. Itching with energy, she shifted from one foot to the other several times in the span of seconds.

"Would you like some cheese with your whine?" joked Norah Briar, who the Briar in charge of running the family's Winery. The Briar matriarch giggled at her own joke as she set a platter of individual cheese cubes on a display near the front counter.

"Oh, ha-ha-ha, you're just so funny!" said Briallen sarcastically.

"Watch your sass," said Meda Bevin warningly as she looked over a green wine bottle. Briallen rolled her eyes and then helped herself to one of the cheese samples Norah had just put out.

Briallen had woken up that morning excited because her grandfather had convinced Meda to take Briallen Christmas shopping in The Village - even though Christmas was only a week away and Meda had finished all her shopping for the season. This had made Briallen hope that she and her mother would have a relaxing day window shopping and going to lunch, and so she had bounded out the door to the carriage in glee, excited for a distraction from her thoughts about Hayden. However, the moment she and her mother reached the shopping district in the center of town, Meda had insisted on browsing inside all the adult stores Briallen found boring, leaving Briallen to stare glumly out the windows at all the people having a good time that morning.

"I'm really beginning to enjoy visiting this little town, you know," mentioned Meda absent-mindedly as she looked over yet another bottle of wine she'd just picked up. "I think I'm going to get this for the Macalisters..."

"Yay," said Briallen, unenthused. While she was happy her mother was growing more comfortable with the wizarding world, she didn't want to spend the whole morning in a wine shop. The gold and purple walls were starting to turn her stomach in an unpleasant way, as was the shop's strange smell. "Can we please go to the toy store after this? Or go get some lunch or something?"

"I want to visit that talisman store you were talking about the other day. I want to pick up something for Oka. And we should get something a little extra for our mailman for putting up with those strange letters your friends sometimes send."

"Maybe another bottle of wine? Or a gift basket?" suggested Norah hopefully. She squeezed out from behind her counter and from a nearby shelf she grabbed a reed-weaved basket wrapped in plastic and tied with red and green ribbons. Inside the basket was an assortment of wine-related items. "Here, this is the perfect gift for Muggles! Nothing enchanted is included so it's Ministry approved - see, there's a selection of our five most popular cheeses, two hand-carved wine stoppers, a hand-made wine opener, two boxes of imported crackers, and a bottle of our 1980 Holiday Shiraz... it has a lovely taste of black-currents and a bit of elderberry, along with a slight tinge of toffee from being aged in some of our finest oak barrels. It's the perfect wine for a Christmas dinner."

Briallen couldn't imagine anyone being interested in a gift as boring as the basket Norah just described but her mother asked, "How much?"

"Our seasonal pricing is seven galleons, four sickles," said Norah.

"Really? That's... what, about thirty dollars?" mused Meda, a hand on her hip. Norah, for some reason, looked to Briallen to confirm or deny Meda's conversion rate. Briallen shrugged, knowing nothing about the rate between galleons and dollars, and so Norah just continued smiling at Meda. "Well, I think that's reasonable, especially since none of this can be found in our shops!"

Meda paid for the gift basket and an extra bottle of wine and then finally, to Briallen's relief, they left Briar's Winery.

"Oh, wow, has it gotten colder out?" said Meda, shivering, as the door to the winery shut behind them and the door's bell jingled merrily. Meda put her bags down on the sidewalk for a moment to readjust her scarf and hat.

Briallen waited patiently next to her mother and looked around snow-covered Trice Cross, hoping to see a few friends. Everything in the town was covered in green garlands or plaid ribbons or dried cranberries, and draped in rainbow colored lights that twinkled brightly even though it was mid-day and Briallen could see no wires or plugs anywhere. Rectangular banners hung from all the lamp posts wished everybody a 'Happy Holidays!' and then cycled between 'Merry Christmas!' and 'Happy Chanukah!'

Briallen opened her arms and took in a deep breath with a large smile. Happily, she could breath normally again and enjoy the scent of pine, sugar cookies, molasses, and pumpkin that seemed to hover permanently above the town. She could feel her spirits lifting greatly after being weighed down by the heavy atmosphere of the winery, even though there were a great many people shopping and dining in The Village that day.

"I love this time of year," Briallen said to her mother who was picking up her bags already.

Even though she held bags in both hands, Meda wrapped an arm around her daughter. "We can visit the other shops later - let's get something to eat now."

"Yes, please!" cried Briallen happily. Then she realized where her mother was guiding her - The Yellow Room. Her least favorite restaurant in the whole town, with its pastel walls and cutesy décor. "No... Mom, anywhere but there!"

"Aw, come on, pumpkin. Mrs Briar said it was nice."

"It's all... gooey," explained Briallen, wrinkling her nose. She gazed warily through the snow-sprinkled boxed window panes and at the crowd inside. Couples cuddled in the booths while families with small children laughed and chatted merrily at overcrowded tables in the center of the restaurant.

"Let's just give it a shot, okay?"

They were already at the door and Briallen knew fighting anymore would be pointless. And she didn't want her mother getting on her case about having a bad attitude or Meda wouldn't buy her the BowderBall she so desperately wanted.

And I'm the only kid at school without a BowderBall! thought Briallen, her lips pursed. I just have to put up with this puke-ugly place for a little while and then I'll have one...

"How cute!" said Meda as they walked in. The restaurant looked just as it had the last time Briallen had been there, with its yellow walls and pale pink daisy-printed booths and tables, but now it was also overdone in holiday decorations. Tinsel, metallic multi-colored garlands, twinkling lights, mini puffy-paper Christmas trees, and holly and mistletoe were everywhere. Briallen couldn't keep herself from gagging as she stared in horror at the restaurant's interior.

Meda shook her head at her daughter and said, "Don't start. No sass, remember?"

"Hello! Table for two?" asked a waitress wearing a red uniform with a green apron. The Yellow Room was usually self-seating but it seemed that because of the holiday crowd, customers were being seated by the seasonal wait staff. "Inside or outside?"

"Oh, inside," said Meda, slightly confused since she thought it was too cold outside for outdoor dining.

The waitress seemed to recognize the look on Meda's face as she added, "We've put warming charms on the chairs and tables outside and had a specialist come in and put a Weather-Block Charm over the patio."

"That's nice but we still prefer to sit inside," said Briallen abruptly, sitting down at the little round table the waitress had led them to.

"Okay, of course," said the waitress with a smile that contradicted the tone of her voice. "Our lunch special today is our home-made pumpkin soup. For ten sickles you get a bowl of soup, a bread basket, and a fountain drink, milk, or tea."

"I want a turkey cranberry sandwich and a pecan salad." Briallen pushed away the menu the waitress had just put down without even looking at it. She really was trying to be nice but The Yellow Room brought back memories of Hayden and had put her in an unavoidably foul mood.

Meda gave Briallen a warning glance and then smiled at the waitress and said, "I'll have the special, thanks. With two glasses of milk, please."

Once the waitress had left their table Meda leaned across the table and said in a whisper, "Keep it up Briallen Nashoba Bevin and you'll be staying in your room tomorrow, you understand me?" Meda smiled as she warned Briallen so as to draw less attention from the many people around them.

Briallen kept herself from rolling her eyes but her lips were pursed as she nodded. She removed her winter cloak and hung it over the back of her chair. She'd been abnormally ill-tempered for the last week and she knew everybody noticed but no matter how hard she tried, her memory of Pilot Mountain kept popping up in her memory and renewing her anger. She scowled as she stared blankly out the window and her mother said nothing else.

The bell above the restaurant door jingled again and a familiar voice drew Briallen's attention.

"I'm glad you like this place! My last girlfriend hated it," chuckled Hayden as he walked in with a girl Briallen had never seen before. The girl clung to his arm as if she were afraid he'd try to run off without her.

Briallen examined the girl with disgust. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail with her sparse bangs that only high-lighted the hugeness of her forehead and the fact that her eyebrows seemed more pencil than hair. She wore thick blue eyeliner and a gaudy pink and blue sequined winter cloak. All in all Briallen thought the girl looked hideous.

"Merlin, did she hate everything?" asked the girl with a high-pitched giggle.

Briallen just managed to choke back a roar of anger but she inadvertently shook the table as she gripped its edge tightly. Hayden noticed her and paled. The waitress that seated Briallen and Meda approached Hayden and his date and repeated what she'd said to Briallen. Hayden stammered, "Outside, please."

"Aw, Honey-Hayden, look at these pretty decorations! I want to sit inside!" whined the girl on his arm. She had a heavy Appalachian accent and put emphasis on every other word as she spoke.

"Honey-Hayden!" snorted Briallen, louder than she intended.

The girl looked at her and sneered but then it dawned on her that Briallen was Hayden's ex-girlfriend and she glared. "Outside is just fine, Honey-Hayden," said the girl, turning her little nose up at Briallen.

Briallen glared at the new couple as they were led outside by the oblivious waitress. She turned to her mouth once they were out of earshot and spat, "One week since he dumped me and he's already got a new girlfriend! And did you hear what he said about me? I do not hate everything! I just didn't like most of what he liked!"

"One week since he dumped you?" asked Meda, her brows raised and a stern look in her eyes.

"Ah-I-I meant-" stuttered Briallen, realizing she had just confirmed that she'd broken her mother's 'no-dating-until-fifteen' rule.

Their waitress dropped their food at their table. Meda softened her look and thanked the waitress before turning back to Briallen. But she didn't look sternly at Briallen again - in fact, she now wore a look of sympathy. "How long did you two date?"

"Technically... about two months, but really... we didn't really spend that much time together, because I was so busy this semester, you know," mumbled Briallen, turning pink. She hadn't planned on telling her parents about Hayden for another couple of years.

"Why'd he break up with you?"

"He didn't really say. It just sort of happened at the game last week."

"What a jerk!" said Meda, falling back in her chair and shaking her head. "Breaking up with my little girl after taken advantage of her generosity!"

Briallen wiped her eyes and laughed a little. "That's what Toby said, but without the 'little girl' part. He was always complaining about us never going out on real dates or hanging out much and he kept getting angry at me when I'd tell him not to kiss me with his mouth open - because it's disgusting - and then he'd go off and pout like a baby about it..."

After taking a sip of her soup, Meda said, "That's a good girl, turning him down like you did. Don't ever let a boy pressure you into doing something you don't want to do. That's why I wanted you to wait until you were a little older to date, Briallen. Until I felt sure you could take care of yourself."

"Momma, you know how stubborn I am! And I'm not afraid to smack a bit of sense into someone. I'll never be taken advantage of," said Briallen confidently before taking a large bite of her turkey cranberry sandwich.

Meda smiled at her daughter and then reached across the table to take hold Briallen's hand. "Don't go thinking too highly of yourself, now. But I'd like it if from now on you told me about these boys you're dating. I know you and your grandfather already don't tell Will and I all what goes on at Bergamot and after last year... I need you to be honest with me, Briallen. If only to keep from worrying silly about what you're up to."

Rolling her eyes playfully, Briallen groaned. "I will, I promise... but what about dad?"

"We'll find a way to tell your dad about the whole boy thing. It's about time we realized we've got a teenager on our hands now, no matter how hard it is to accept it."

Briallen grinned and squeezed her mother's hand. When Meda and Briallen walked into Cal Bevin's foyer later that afternoon they were both smiling, laughing, and singing jovially, if off-key.

"Silver bells, silver bells! It's Christmas time in the city," sang Meda as she removed her coat and hung it on the rack next to Briallen's. She then wrapped her arms around her daughter and began swaying back and forth while Briallen laughed. "Ring-a-ling, hear them sing, soon it will be Christmas day!"

"Someone's in a good mood," said Will, standing in the parlor doorway. "And you're just in time for dinner."

"I got a BowderBall!" said Briallen excitedly. "You and me can play catch with it tomorrow!"

Will groaned. Briallen had told him all about BowderBalls numerous times and the idea of a ball with a mind of its own made him nervous. But he smiled at his daughter anyway. "Sounds like a plan," he said. "Now let's eat!"

Meda and Briallen followed Will into the dining room where Cal was already waiting at his place at the head of the table. Will and Meda sat on one side next to Cal, while Briallen sat on the other. Meda had already begun to tell Will and Cal about their day when Miss Whibbles, who was Mrs Whibbles sister-in-law, brought out their dinner.

With food in front of her, Briallen suddenly found she was starving. She downed her corn chowder and her chicken and was in the process of trying to fit a large spoonful of mashed potatoes in her mouth when she heard her mother say, "Briallen?"

She put down the spoonful of mashed potatoes and mumbled, "Huh?"

"I was just telling your dad and grandpa how we discovered the reason you've been so grumpy lately," explained Meda as she looked pointedly at Briallen.

Clearing her throat, Briallen nodded. "Um," she began. She looked up at her father who was watching her carefully, and then looked back down at her plate. "Because my boyfriend dumped me."

Meda and Cal looked to Will, gauging his reaction and ready to calm him should he overreact. But Will was surprisingly calm as he asked, "Who was this boyfriend? Your friend Toby? I thought he was a good kid - Midwestern raised, mother's an attorney, normal family-"

"Not Toby," corrected Briallen quickly and with a nervous chuckle. "Hayden - you know, that boy who was writing me all summer..."

Will's eyes narrowed. "That kid? I knew he was a little creep just from the fact he wrote you every damn day. Obsessive too, and possessive to boot I bet... and from a wizard family," he rambled angrily.

"Yeah..." said Briallen, shocked by her father's seemingly careless attitude. She looked to her mother who shook her head and shrugged.

"You shouldn't be dating!" said Will suddenly. "Barely thirteen! And dating wizard boys! I'd prefer that Toby boy, he's from a normal family like you. Or just a normal, non-magical boy."

"Briallen, dear, I see you're already done with your dinner. Why don't you go into the kitchen and have Miss Whibbles get you a slice of hot apple pie a la mode," suggested Cal cheerfully.

With a deep breath, Briallen nodded and went through the swinging door that led to the kitchen. But she didn't go to Miss Whibbles - she stood with her ear pressed against the door to try and hear why her grandfather had sent her out of the room.

"William," said Cal in a hard tone. "You really need to come to terms with the fact your daughter is a witch and is a part of the magical world, and will be so for the rest of her life. She will very likely marry a wizard eventually, whether you like it or not, so if you don't want to drive away your only child I suggest you put aside your unreasonable prejudices about our world immediately and start behaving like a rational adult!"

Briallen yanked her ear away from the door and gasped. She'd never heard her grandfather speak in such a way and it jolted her. But she agreed with everything Cal had said and she realized how hurt she felt whenever her father was snappish about wizarding life - about her life.

"Miss Bevin! Pie?" asked Miss Whibbles, tugging at the back of her sweater.

"Sure," replied Briallen, sniffling. She followed the tiny house-elf to the kitchen island, where the house-elf began preparing a slice of apple pie with ice cream on top for Briallen.

What's wrong with my dad? Briallen thought sadly. She stabbed at her pie with her spoon and sniffled again. Grandpa's trying to teach him about the wizarding world - buying him all those stupid history books and magazines and trying to talk to him. And mom's just as scared as he is but she's still trying to be a part of my new life and trying to get dad to be a part of it too... no wonder Benjamin never accepted mom's dinner invites last summer! Dad probably said something stupid to him. He really needs, like, a therapist or something. Or to talk with the Muggle Relations people at the Ministry...

Abruptly she dropped her spoon - the Ministry was exactly where she had to go for the next clue in the scavenger hunt, according to her secret helper. Miss Whibbles spun around, surprised by the noise and asked, "Miss, you alright?"

Briallen ignored the house-elf and ran into the dining room and said breathlessly, "I have an idea! We should visit the Ministry of Magic!"

Her parents stared at her but her grandfather smiled and nodded. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Briallen. What better place to learn more about the wizarding world than our government's headquarters?"

"Where exactly is your government's headquarters?" asked Will, already sounding as if he were looking for a way out.

"Philadelphia. We can travel by Portkey, which is instantaneous... for the most part," said Cal, chuckling. "I'll call the Minister and see if we can even arrange a little - what's the term? Meet and greet?"

"Yeah! You'd like him dad, he's a war hero! And we can go to the Muggle Relations department and - and you can meet some Aurors! They're like police officers," explained Briallen eagerly.

Will grumbled but he nodded and Briallen squealed with delight. "Sometime after Christmas, then."

"I'll go owl the Minister right away," Cal said while he stood up. "He's a very busy man but he's a friend of mine so I'll try to pull a few strings for us, shall I?"

"Can I invite a friend?" Briallen asked quickly, while her grandfather was still in the room.

"That's a great idea! Your dad and I can finally meet one of your friends," chirped Meda happily.

"Can I go over to his house and ask him in person?"

"Pumpkin, it's dark out already..."

"Please! I won't be gone long, I promise," Briallen begged while making her best puppy-dog eyes at her mother. Meda sighed and waved her away.

As she ran out of the room, Briallen heard her father say, "His house?" Will's question was followed by the sound of Meda groaning and Briallen could imagine her mother was likely rolling her eyes as well.

Briallen threw on her winter cloak, hat, and scarf and hopped to the door as she pulled on her boots. From an umbrella holder near the front door, Briallen pulled out her broom. The door hadn't even shut behind her before she was in the air, flying over the trees of the north wood that separated her grandfather's manor from the rest of The Village.

She flew south to Rower's Road. Lucan had told her that he and his little sister were staying with their uncle in a big house in a field just outside The Village, but when Briallen flew over Seedy Alley she saw two houses. She paused to hover over the vineyard below her, which looked strangely untouched by the winter weather.

The house to her left looked much like her own back in Dustum. It was an old country house with a barn, stables, and silo. Even in the dark she could see its faded painted siding, broken shutters, and backyard full of old, rusted Muggle cars and appliances half-buried in snow. It was covered in so many twinkling Christmas decorations that its light spread in a large circumference all around it. The house on her right was cleaner and looked more posh but seemed to be just as old as the country house. It was made of the same yellow stone that Bergamot was built with and was twice as large as the country house.

Briallen flew right and began to circle the house and looking in all the windows. All of the old manor's second floor windows were dark or blocked off with drapes. On one side of the ground floor she saw an old fashioned kitchen, a dusty formal dining room, and a dim parlor stuffed with furniture and papers and strange gadgets. On the other side of the manor's ground floor was a large, darkened library, an office packed full of more junk than the parlor, and an astonishingly bright and tidy living room with a roaring fireplace and a large evergreen tree - which was currently being dressed by a middle-aged man, a little girl, and Lucan.

Eager to speak with Lucan about her new plan, Briallen forgot all her landing training and excitedly aimed for the ground. Her broom handle hit the snow-covered bushes lining the sidewalk in front of the manor's front door. The handle stuck in the bush, flipping her over onto her back where she fell through the side of the bush and onto the icy sidewalk which she then slid down until a large, thick snow bank broke her acceleration.

"That was amazing!" screeched a high pitched voice before breaking into equally high-pitched laughter.

"Shut up, Livia! She might be hurt!" snapped Lucan. He began to run over to the snow bank he saw Briallen land in but ended up slipping on the icy walkway himself and landed on his knees next to Briallen. He cursed and winced before he began to dig Briallen out from the snow. "Ow... we saw you through the window, Briallen. I came out to get you just in time to see you land."

"I think that was one of my worst," mumbled Briallen. She'd started kicking the snow off of her.

Lucan pulled her into a sitting position where he started wiping her head and shoulders free of snow. His hand accidentally brushed her cheek. He pulled away his hand and seemed to grimace. "Are you alright? That looked really painful."

He stood up and as he pulled her up she responded, "It was painful, but I'll live."

"You should be in front of the fire. And my uncle Marc is a Healer," said Lucan as he put an arm around Briallen and helped her into the house. "You're so stupid sometimes, you know that? Why did you land in the bushes?"

She was limping. Her ankle hurt but she ignored the pain and Lucan as he helped her into his uncle Marc's house. It didn't look much like the sort of house she would expect a member of his family to live in. The foyer was completely devoid of any gaudy furniture - in fact, it was practically bare. The living room she'd seen through the window looked much emptier up close as well. Aside from the Christmas tree, there was a fireplace, an upright piano, two couches and a coffee table, and nothing else; there weren't even any pictures on the wallpapered walls.

A tiny little girl sat on one of the couches, smiling at Briallen. Her black hair was in two thick, curly pigtails, and her black eyes were big and round and curiously examining Briallen. She looked like a miniature, and female, Lucan. "Do you go to school with my brother?" she asked politely.

"We don't interrogate our guests, Livia. Just because mom and dad aren't here, we don't forget our manners," muttered Lucan as he dropped Briallen in front of the fireplace.

"Where are your parents?" Briallen asked as she began removing her coat, hat, and scarf.

Lucan didn't answer but Livia did. "They're in Greece. Some friends invited them to spend Christmas on some island."

"Shut up, Livia," said Lucan harshly. Livia scowled at him and stuck out her tongue. "Why don't you go to your room?"

"You're not daddy! You can't boss me around!" said Livia matter-of-factly. "And we're not even done decorating the tree. I want to put the star on!"

"Domi!" shouted Lucan. An old house-elf with hairy ears in an over-sized red sweater appeared next Lucan. "Take Livia into the kitchen, please, and make her some ginger molasses cookies."

"I don't want cookies!" argued Livia. "I want to stay here and talk to your friend! I never get to meet any of your friends!"

"Because I don't have any friends!" snapped Lucan. He calmed down and cleared his throat. Domi the house-elf took little Livia, who seemed quite disgruntled, by the hand and led her out the living room.

Briallen had removed her boots and now sat on the floor with her injured ankle cross over her leg. "That's not true," she said once Livia had gone. Lucan turned to her, flustered, and leaned over to get a look at her ankle. Briallen bent her head down by her ankle so that she could look Lucan in the eyes. "I'm your friend."

Lucan stared at her and Briallen stared back. He had a look on his face that Briallen had never seen before and she wasn't sure what it meant. His brow was furrowed and he was biting his bottom lip as if he were in the middle of making a difficult decision.

Suddenly a man rushed into the room and said, "I found my wand! I'd left it in my work cloak."

"She hurt her ankle," said Lucan quietly, leaning back from Briallen now.

Uncle Marc tended to her ankle and then helped her onto the couch and said, "I'll owl your grandfather and let him know you'll be here for about an hour while your ankle heals. I'll have Domi bring you something to drink to help with the pain and warm you up."

"I'm fine, really," said Briallen as kindly as possible. "Thanks for your help."

"It's my job. I'll get your broom from the bush for you." Lucan's uncle Marc left Lucan and Briallen alone in the living room.

"So..." began Lucan, raising a brow. "Why'd you fly here in the first place?"

"My grandpa is taking me and my parents to the Ministry sometime after Christmas. My mom said I could bring a friend," whispered Briallen with a mischievous grin.

"Why didn't you invite your boyfriend? Isn't that the sort of thing he'd be into?" asked Lucan, sounding almost bitter to Briallen.

"Not really. Hayden's into journalism, divination, and - more recently - other girls." Lucan's eyes snapped to Briallen, who shrugged. "He dumped me last week. He's already got a new girlfriend too. I saw them at The Yellow Room today."

Again, Lucan had a strange look on his face, though Briallen recognized this look: e was tense and perhaps a little confused. He muttered, "I've never liked him. I told you he was a loser."

"I know," groaned Briallen, annoyed. She looked at the hallway, checking to make sure there was no one there listening in on them. "Look, you remember that letter I got - the one that said we should check out the Library of Firsts, at the Ministry of Magic..."

Realization dawned over Lucan and his eyes widened in a rare show of excitement. "And now we can go! But won't your grandfather be suspicious if we ask to see the Library of Firsts?"

"We're not telling him," warned Briallen. "We'll make some excuse to go visit another department on our own... oh! Marisol's dad is an Obliviator - we can just say we want to go say hi to him and go to the library instead!"

"I thought you said Marisol and her family went to Puerto Rico for Christmas?"

"My grandpa doesn't know that," said Briallen confidently.

Lucan nodded and the corner of his mouth turned up in a half-grin. "Sounds like a plan, then. I'm sure my uncle will be alright with it."

Just then Domi appeared with a tray. On the tray were two crystal glasses filled with warm, frothy eggnog. Lucan and Briallen took their drinks from the tray and Domi disappeared with a pop.

Briallen held the glass with both hands and brought it under her nose where she sniffed it and smiled happily. She took a sip then, made a face, and choked, "Whoa, what's in this eggnog?"

"Yours might have some brandy in it... for the pain, you know. And to warm you up," snickered Lucan.

Briallen gasped in fake abhorrence and then broke out laughing. She raised her glass to Lucan, who in turn raised his own glass. "Well, a very Merry Christmas indeed! As my grandpa would say."

"Indeed," added Lucan with anoted crooked smile.

They clinked their glasses together and laughed again.