Christmas Raven #3
I weigh the box in my hand and then bring it up to my forehead, just to give them all the cheesy show I know they expect. I know that Angel owns the sex toy shop and we all know that Easy is… well, easy. Even Miss Cleo could figure this one out.
“It’s a vibrator. Use it in good health and don’t lose it up your ass. Remember, there aren’t any doctors on this island.” I hand it back to him and he tears into the wrapping paper.
Sure enough, a sleek purple vibrator is nestled inside the elegant wrapping.
“I don’t know how you do it.” He shakes his head.
I tap my temple and wink.
Storm is next, handing me a soft gift with messy wrapping. It’s the same wrapping paper that Hennessey used to wrap his Secret Santa present to me last year.
“An apron with a cheeky saying,” I say almost immediately.
He opens it, and sure enough, it’s a black apron with a little pig on the front and the words rub my butt. Storm groans.
“I’m not wearing this.”
Hennessey cackles. “Aw, come on, Chef. Maybe a nice rub would relax you a little.”
“Hey, Storm, I think Hennessey wants to pull your pork,” Goose quips, and the chef growls.
“Dude, that’s my boss.” Hennessey elbows his friend.
The next one I’m handed doesn’t require a psychic, all it requires is a sniff test. “It’s that Devil’s Lettuce, boo,” I tell Goose, who cheers and thanks Lyric for the generous gift.
On and on it goes until I’ve guessed all of the presents I’ve been handed with near perfect accuracy, and the ones I’ve gotten wrong are quickly forgotten.
“One left,” Devil’s smooth voice rattles my insides as he places the final gift into my hand.
It’s small, just a little larger than my palm.
The square shape makes it obvious that whatever the present is, it’s tucked inside a small box.
My name is written across the top in black sharpie.
The wrapping paper is the same gold as the present from Angel to Easy, but this one is slightly less skillfully wrapped, and absent a bow.
“Thank you, Devil.” I manage to keep the tremble out of my voice.
“You don’t even know what it is yet,” he points out. “Or do you?” He taunts playfully, arching both of his bushy eyebrows.
My fingers quiver as I turn the box over in my hand, thinking about what Devil might think to buy me. We don’t know each other well. I know them less than anyone else on the island because I avoid them as often as I can.
Whatever it is, there’s a little bit of weight to it, shifting inside the box as I gently rattle it to give myself a clue. But nothing comes to me.
“No, I don’t,” I confess.
“Well, there’s one surefire way to find out,” Angel paraphrases my own words back to me.
I slide my index finger under the edge of the paper, tugging it loose and then unraveling it carefully. I fold the paper up and stuff it into my front pocket and then gently tug the lid off of the small, black box in my hand.
My breath catches as soon as I set my eyes on the beautiful, antique, silver locket inside.
The winding, bare limbs of a tree are etched into its surface, with Celtic knots surrounding it.
I drag my finger along the raised edges of the design, a fresh flood of hope and passion and lust ricocheting through me.
“This belong to Harold?” I guess, and Devil grins.
“How’d you know?” He asks, and I just give a wry smile in return. “It was in one of the desks that were in the attic of the house. I found it last week actually and thought…”
“I love it,” I tell him before he can worry that it was the wrong gift.
Before I can think better of it, I cross the space between us and wrap my arms around him in a hug. It feels like grabbing a live wire, every hair in my body standing on end, all of my cells vibrating at once. It’s too intense and completely addictive all at once.
I pull back quickly, gulping down a steadying breath. The way Devil looks back at me, it almost seems like he felt it too. But I know that’s impossible.
“Guys, look,” Bambi gasps.
I tear my eyes off of Devil and tilt my head to the sky. A snowflake lands on my cheek and I let out a startled laugh. I close my eyes and a few more fall, kissing me with their icy touch and melting quickly on my skin.
“It’s a Christmas miracle,” Ten declares.
Laughter rings out through the clearing as everyone holds out their hands or tongues, trying to catch the fleeting snowflakes while they can.
That’s one of the most beautiful things about this island, even things that are impermanent are still special and worth celebrating.
And the things that do last… they really last.
Out of the corner of my eye I catch a hint of movement in the trees.
My logic tells me it’s likely a bird or maybe even the island cat Mr. Tubbs coming to see what all the excitement is about.
But the subtle flutter of peace and affection that moves through my chest makes me wonder if it’s possible that Harold is just happy that his carousel and his island are as loved as he dreamed they would be.