I'm going to finish this contract without getting distracted...

“I can’t,” you tell Marcelina. You have a feeling it wasn’t for your enveloped relationship with Delilah, you might have taken up the offer, but the more you saw of Marcelina, the less attracted you were to her. “Thanks for the drink, but I’m turning in for the day.”

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Enjoy your contract.”

You regroup with Thalia, and she asks if you’re ready to turn in for the day. You’re a little surprised by this, but the choice is ultimately hers. When she yawns, you figure that you’re probably going to sleep.

“Yeah,” she yawns. “I’m tired, and the idea of sleep sounds amazing. But, we still got a little bit of a day ahead of us.”

“It’ll be easy,” you assure. “Everyone seemed pretty impressed with you.”

She laughs, waving her hand. “With me? Everyone I talked to sounded equally impressed with your guitar.”

“Oh, come on,” you laugh. “That was easy. Anyone can do that. You got a good voice, and don’t tell me otherwise.”

“Sounds like a survey to me,” Thalia walks over to the rooms with you behind her. “Do you listen to music for the vocals or the instruments?”

“I listen to music because the instruments sound nice,” she pauses and turns back. “What about you?”

“Vocals, I guess? Instruments are nice, but if someone is going to sing, it better be good for me to continue listening to it.”

“So, you’re telling me that our version of the song we’re playing would be just as good if it were just me?”

“I think we got a good thing going on. But I think people liked you more than they liked me. Hands-down.”

You step into the hallway before she laughs. “You’re just saying that.”

“Am not.”

“Huh-uh…”

When you’re back in your room, Thalia steps into the bathroom, leaving you alone in the room to undress and get ready for bed. When she steps out, she’s wearing pajamas and has her hair down. “We need to be back in the lobby around 10 o’clock. We’re listed towards the end, but when we’re finished, you can go back to Tiny’s Tavern.”

“You sure?”

Thalia goes to her bag and throws you a roll of money. “Yeah, I’m sure. I’d keep you around for company, but I really shouldn’t keep you from Delilah. She adores you, you know?”

“I’m aware,” you fall into one of the beds and sigh. “She would’ve liked seeing all this.”

Thalia turns off the light and falls into the bed adjacent to yours. “Never **** a girl into doing something she’s unsure about. If anything like this comes up again, though, I will bet my last dollar she’d go.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Just a guess. I’m sure she’s regretting not going either.”

You roll to your back, trying to imagine Delilah brooding about not being here, and smile. “I’ll take her when she’s ready.”

…

…

In the morning, there’s no rush to get ready. Both of you had rough nights getting rest, but once you showered, you dressed and went to the lobby. Unlike Tiny’s Tavern, there are no offerings for breakfast. This gives you an excuse to go out in search of food. Nothing heavy, but something to fill your stomach sounds nice.

Eventually, you find a little cafe and eat there. You go light and have black coffee– the flavor is much more inviting than what you used at Tiny’s Tavern. Thalia doesn’t partake of coffee but opts for hot chocolate instead. While it isn’t snowing, everything in Highlight somehow seems much more…civilized. Peace on earth and goodwill to men…

Times go on, and the rest of the morning is spent in a friendly matter, with Thalia being silent and you being nearby. But, unlike Delilah, Thalia wasn’t keen on going around sightseeing; instead, she chose to stay at the Betrunkener Wolf, soaking in the warmth that was lacking outdoors to wait for the event to start.

Amazingly, the event goes on without hiccups. The less-than-talented was weeded out from yesterdays recruiting, and the show features the best of the bunch, with violinists, pianists, and singers of both genders.

When it’s your turn to be called up, you take your places and do the same thing you did yesterday, and the first time you met Thalia. You felt a little strange this time, performing in front of not just the people running the event and the other entertainers but also the local townsfolk– there were kids, wives, husbands, grandmothers, and fathers, watching with wondrous eyes and smiles that spoke of holiday bliss. They were, without a doubt, entertained by your guitar playing and Thalia’s gentle singing.

Your eyes drift to Thalia to watch her. She no longer needed the guidance of the text to tell which words to sing or what words to say, she was on her own now, and she looked natural doing it. Your eyes meet briefly, and she smiles brightly at you.

You smile in return and nearly miss a chord. That smile she used without effort now fit her fine. You glance down, regaining your place in the song, desperately trying to hide the panic you suddenly gained while looking up at your partner.

When it’s all over, you find your seats and watch the remainder of the show, which is only about 15 minutes. First, there’s a small get-together for a photo. Then a quick “thank you speech” for everyone that attended, both as visitors and as performers. Though you feel out of place with the rest, you suppose it is not to be recognized as someone that wasn’t just a contractor for once.

You regroup with Thalia just as you are served pastries and hot cider. Thalia’s personality has changed a lot since you first spoke to her. She’s almost always smiling now and has life in her eyes, there’s no hollowness or shame. This is a picture of happiness at its best.

She places down her treats and hugs you. “Thank you, Warren. No one else could have filled in that gap better than you did.”

“I only try,” you say. “Anytime you need an understudy, you can look for me.”

Thalia steps away to get a better look at you. “I’ll try to remember that. And hey, I’ll try to get Delilah’s name shot out there too. I haven’t heard her play yet, but I know she’s just being modest.”

“I don’t mean to blow her trumpet here, but Delilah undersells herself by a million. I’d appreciate it, Thalia. Honestly.”

Her smile widens. “If you ever come back to Highlight, search for me. I’ll be here until the weather allows caravans to come in again. I’d love to sing in a more casual environment with you. You’re not so bad yourself.”

“Noted,” you look outside as the sun starts to punch through the overcast. “Uh, Merry Christmas, by the way.”

Thalia picks up her treats, her smile still vaguely occupying her lips. “Merry Christmas, Warren.”