[Christmas Special 2023.] I'll go with Scarlet and see what she wants to do.

When Scarlet sees your ****, you watch her eyes soften. “I promise I’ll help you find a good gift for your girlfriend. Come with me, please.”

“You don’t have to,” your face felt a little red now.

“I want to,” she tells you. “Could be your one and only chance,” the tone she selects when she tells you this leaves you wondering if it was a threat or not, but you follow her anyway.

Scarlet leads you to a little shop that you’ve never seen before. It was a little way in the direction of the entrance. Unlike most other places in town, the owner took the time to decorate with paper snowflakes, plush Santa Clauses, and even a real tree with all the bulbs you’d expect in a household. The owner is an older woman with a little girl with brown braided hair. The woman looks like she’s in her mid-70s, whilst the girl seems to be 10 or 12. They greet you with smiles and holiday wishes.

The interior isn’t just warm and smells of gingerbread and wild pine. The little girl, after the pleasantries, introduces you to hot cider. Before you can answer, Scarlet smiles cheerfully and takes a cup. You’re next, of course, and then a light conversation unfolds. You wouldn’t have thought this to be strange, but this was undoubtedly the most normal interaction you’ve had with anyone here in town.

After indulging the owner and the person you assume is her granddaughter, Scarlet gestures to you and explains that you’re here for a gift. The old looks at you with her eyebrows raised. “You’re in here awfully late to be buying a gift.”

You let a laugh come out of your lungs. “I didn’t think I needed to, but then…”

The old lady nods slowly, perhaps not understanding the whole story, but understands enough to gesture to the glass display she’s leaning up against. Under her elbows are bracelets, watches, necklaces, and rings. They all have simple designs, but the material used is reflective of careful craftsmanship. Your eyes drift over the jewelry, admiring them individually. Still, nothing sticks out to you until you spot a chain bracelet with a gold and silver piano model on the clasp. Scarlet slid beside you, drinking her cider, lazily browsing with you as you reviewed the details of what you were positive you would buy for Delilah.

“How much is that?” You try pointing at the bracelet, and at first, you think it is pointless, but the old lady chuckles, confirming that she knows exactly what you are looking at. She tells you it’s over 500 local currency, or double the stuff used everywhere. The bracelet is much more than you thought it would be, but it's well within your limits.

“You think your girl wouldn’t mind you spent that much money on her?”

“Of course not,” you look at it. “It’s from me.”

You buy it with some wrapping paper with reflective penguins and a silver bow with long strings. Scarlet takes it from you when the exchange is done, explaining she’ll wrap it for you. She jokingly suggests that you’d butcher the job, but she hits closer to reality than she thinks by saying this.

Scarlet takes you back to Tiny’s Tavern, but you must go inside first. Miranda perks up when she sees you, but her positive expression quickly fades when she sees Scarlet come in a second behind you. She rolls her eyes and turns her back, pretending not to have noticed you. Neither of the girls seems keen on talking to each other, so you’re left alone in your own bubble of secrets.

After watching Scarlet artistically wrap Delilah’s bracelet, you know you made the correct call, letting her take control. She’s humble about it, but you can see the pride in the smirk she gives you when it’s slid in your direction.

“I’m not sure what to say,” you examine the gift. “I guess thank you for encouraging this.”

Scarlet guffaws. “Tradition,” she waves her hand. “Tell me what she thinks of it.”

“You get a contract wrapping gifts for an elf or something?”

“Experience outside of work,” she says solemnly, exhaling. “I’ll leave you alone now. Thanks for hanging out for as long as you did, though. And... seriously, Merry Christmas."

“Thanks, Scarlet. Seriously. I’ll see you around, I’m sure.”

…

…

You wait inside your room with your own thoughts since it seems Arabella is off with the twins. After taking a rather cold shower, you find the sun gone and the forest frozen from all the melt. All the melt had hardened in the complete abstinence of the Earth’s star.

You wear a button-up shirt and walk down to the lobby, gift in hand. No one is there, not even behind the bar. You sit down close to the piano and wait for Delilah.

You’ve just now noticed how little holiday spirit here was in the lobby. Unlike that store, there wasn’t a single tree, snowflake, or bulb that carried the “American Tradition” Scarlet had talked about. You look down at the gift and suddenly feel embarrassed. Was this really a good idea?

Before a plan can be crafted to discard or hide the present, Delilah comes in with a shiver. You shoot up, greeting her like you hadn’t just spent the night prior with her. Delilah’s expression lights up. She hurries over to hug you.

She’s wearing a skirt with leggings and a dark green sweater. Her hair is as it always is, and her makeup is as light as it typically is, maybe a little heavier on the eyeliner, but it makes the color of her eyes glow.

Her eyes dance all over your face, her smile small but genuine. Soon, you’ll also be looking at her, finding every imperfection and dent on her face cute. She stands slightly straighter and leans in with her eyes closed to kiss you. Your bodies press against one another, and soon, you’re trapped in an embrace of love. Your heart pounded a little quicker as your core heated.

“What do you have in your hands?” She asked when she stepped back.

“Oh,” you looked down, the gift Scarlet had wrapped as there. “I…I bought this for you after I left your house.”

“You really didn’t need to,” she laughed, taking it. “I didn’t get you anything, so now…” she trails off for a second. “Did you wrap this?”

“No,” you laughed, too. “I had a little help.”

Her fingers tapped the paper, and she made a weird noise. “I forgot the last time I got a Christmas present,” her lips became lopsided. “Thank you, baby. I…”

She hugged you again, this time tighter. It isn’t as long as the first one you shared with her, but there was more emotion there. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” you rolled your eyes. “I saw this and knew it was perfect for you. The least I could do for my baby girl.”

“Stop it,” she whines jokingly. “You’re going to make me cry.”

“Open it,” you say, pulling out a chair and guiding her down. Delilah falls into place and smiles as the paper is torn. The bracelet in the clear plastic bag shines even before bringing brought it. Delilah gasps.

“Warren...” Delilah takes it out and puts it on. She twists her wrist in observation. “I love it.”

Hearing Delilah say this about her gift makes your heart flip. You smiled widely and leaned into the table, watching her eyes move to every link as if she were reading a secret message on it. However, the message was clear enough for anyone to read. This was an act of love. Nothing less.

Delilah fidgets. “I really wish I bought you something now,” she laughs, but you can tell she’s serious.

“You could just wrap yourself up and make me unravel you instead,” you suggest jokingly.

She rolls her eyes and sticks the bow from her present on top of her hand. “Ta-da~!!”

You both laugh, but soon you’re both looking at each other somewhat hungerly. “Do you want to…?”

Delilah looks around. “I feel empty without you,” she admits. “I was honestly just coming here in hopes we could…fool around a little bit?”