Whatever It Takes {Two | Alaric Saltzman}

The Next Time I Hurt Somebody, It Could Be You

Two figures snooped around the lit-up Christmas tree decorated with a combination of bought and homemade ornaments. They were whispering to each other, pointing their counterpart toward different bags and boxes with a slowness. It was that sound combined with muffled giggles that pulled Abigail and Alaric out of the kitchen.

Alaric laughed. "Hey!"

Lizzie and Josie jumped.

Abigail put her hands on her hips. "What are you two doing?"

Lizzie held up a box. "We want to open presents."

"We'll open all of the presents under the tree tomorrow." Gently, she took the present from Lizzie and put it back to where it was before. She sat down between them, smiling in hopes of bringing ones back to their faces. Pulling them into her lap, she said, "On Christmas."

"Can we open just one?" Josie looked wide-eyed from Abigail to Alaric. "Please?"

Alaric shook his head. "No, honey."

Josie walked toward him. "Why not?"

"Because we have to wait for Santa to come."

Lizzie's silence was the opposite of Josie's. It teetered on angry and was accompanied by an expression that they knew as she stood up. So, before it took over completely, Abigail took one of her hands into both of hers.

"I still need help wrapping Daddy's present." The words drew Lizzie back to her. "Will you help me?"

"Can I pick out the bow?" Lizzie asked. "And put it on too?"

"Of course!" Abigail led her to the stairs, taking Josie's hand along the way. "Josie, will you help us?"

Josie nodded. "Can I pick out and put on the gift tag?"

"Yes, you can." Abigail looked over her shoulder at Alaric who had slumped onto the couch. "Now, you, stay here. We will see you at naptime."

Josie and Lizzie's room had not missed out on Christmas decorations. A little tree sat in the corner, bought on a whim their first Christmas and the first of the decorations always put up. Mini stockings, stuffed with a stash of candy Abigail and Alaric were not supposed to know about, hung with as much care as the ones on the mantle. There was even a snowy village of dolls living on top of their dresser. The rest of them were either made by them or were picked out by them, and almost none of them matched. But, still, the way everything came together was perfect.

"'But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.'" Alaric closed the book he'd had since childhood before placing a kiss on their foreheads. "Alright, girls. Sweet dreams."

Josie smiled. "One more story."

"And Mommy reads it this time," Lizzie requested.

"Okay. One more." Abigail scanned the books readily available. "But then a nap because we're going to Christmas Eve dinner at Aunt Caroline and Uncle Stefan's."

"Uncle Stefan says the palace is the safest place in the whole world."

"And Uncle Stefan's right," Alaric said. "But remember, never open the palace doors for anyone but Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Caroline, and Uncle Stefan, okay?"

"And Seline."

Looking from the girls to Alaric, Abigail pressed her lips together. "Let's read 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'"

Although Abigail and Alaric had only been assigned to bring two sides, one dessert, and the presents from their family to the other guest for Christmas Eve dinner, the kitchen had been taken over by their task. She finished the last of it all while he watched, moving things in and out of the oven and on and off the stove and into a cooler that would get it all to the boarding house.