Page 9 of A Beastly Christmas Cheerful
Belle laughs a little as she wipes away a stray tear. “Maybe we can bring my snowman out here so it’s a bit more festive.” She glances at my living room, and I can see the edge of disappointment that I don’t have any decorations.
“I wasn’t expecting company over Christmas,” I admit. “I always spend it alone, working.”
“Your home is beautiful. I was just thinking about all my Christmas decorations that I won’t get to enjoy. But it’s fine, I can look at them when I get back.”
She’s already thinking about leaving, so I have to do something to stop her. Looking at the sparsely decorated living room, I wish it was more festive. Then maybe she’d never want to leave. I keep my home clean, but it’s only ever been me, so I never bothered to decorate any time of year, let alone Christmas.
“I can come up with something,” I tell her, already trying to think about what I have around the house I can use.
“Oh! I forgot! The ladies in town sent some stuff for you. It’s in my car. It looked like decorations.”
“What?”
My brow furrows as I think about why they would do something like that. Did they know I would be up here all alone over Christmas? Any time I’ve gone into town, they try to stop me to get me to join in on their celebrations. I’m not much of a joiner. I’m more like the person that walks by and sees something happening and thinks, Oh that looks like fun, and then keeps on walking.
“Yeah, I didn’t get to see what it was, but maybe something in there could work.” She says this and then immediately backtracks. “You know what? Never mind. It’s not a big deal. This is your house, and I shouldn’t get to dictate what you do or don’t do.”
“If a dancing snowman will make you happy, then that’s what you’ll get,” I tell her as I stomp into the bedroom and grab it for her. I feel a rush of anger at everyone that has made this beauty cower in fear of things she loves and made her hide what she enjoys.
When I get back to the living room, I put the snowman on the coffee table and step back. “Better?”
“Um, are you mad at me?” She bites her bottom lip nervously, and I turn around to see if she’s talking to someone else.
“Mad at you?” I want to tell her I’m besotted, not angry. “No, I’m mad that someone made you feel like you couldn’t have nice things.”
I tap the button on the top of the snowman, and the room fills with holiday music while he starts dancing. Then I go over to the door and grab my coat.
“Where are you going?” she asks, turning on the couch.
“I’m going to get the rest of the decorations. Don’t move.”
With that, she slumps down on the couch, but I see the smile that stretches across her face and how happy I’ve made her. Right then and there I make a vow to do that as much as possible.
Chapter Seven
BELLE
I bounce in my seat excitedly as I wait for Marley to bring in whatever was in the car. I can’t believe he’s doing this for me, but I’m not going to stop him.
“Holy Christmas balls,” I say when Marley brings in the first load.
As soon as he sets it down, he turns around and heads right back out. I jump up, thinking I should help him because I can’t make him do all the work. He already carried me inside, and I’m not exactly a small woman.
When I step outside under the covered porch, the cold breeze blows under my shirt. That’s when I remember I don’t have any pants on. The snow is falling heavier than I have ever seen, and I wonder if that’s because we’re kind of on a mountain.
“Belle, it’s cold. Get inside.” Marley nods toward the house before reaching in my car to grab more items.
I should go back in, but I’m too excited to see what else he has in there. I’m guessing there isn’t a tree. One of my roommates put up a tree, but it’s not the kind you put decorations on. Or so she said. It was made of feathers and reminded me of Big Bird from Sesame Street, only it was a weird blue-ish color.
“I’m just watching,” I tell him when he brings in another armful of items. Then I remember the bakery boxes and my popcorn balls. "There’s food out there too."
"I'll get it all if you go inside." He gives my ass a little pat as he comes up behind me.
"Marley!" My laughter comes out as I squeal and go toward the door. He winks at me and then once again goes down the stairs to the car.
As quietly as I can, I creep over to the edge of the porch and bend down to make a couple of snowballs. While he has his back to me, I throw a snowball at his ass, only to miss by a mile.
He must hear it land near him because he straightens and turns around. "Did you just throw a snowball at me?"
