Chapter 42
It was Christmas night. Her last night with Margo. The knowledge weighed heavily in her heart. When she’d first met her, she’d tried to banish the spirit from the store and now she couldn’t imagine the store without Margo in it.
It was usually a wrench to leave Nate and the kids when she worked Christmas, especially when all she wanted to do was snuggle with them on the sofa.
But this evening she hadn’t minded coming to work.
Tomorrow was her day off, and they would all head up to Nigel and Vern’s for the big Boxing Day buffet with Sylvie and Ken and Ajay, Tanzie, and Jared.
Tonight was about Margo, spending these last precious hours with her friend before she left.
There was no handover, since the store had been closed for the day—Easter Sunday and Christmas Day were the only days of the year that Coopers having so much to do would take her mind off her sadness at Margo’s departure. Melancholy was already creeping in.
“Let’s just hang out,” Margo said. “No shenanigans. Just you, me, and all the food we can eat. Pig in a blanket? Or devil on horseback?” she asked, offering up a tray of mini sausages and sticky dates wrapped in streaky bacon.
“One of each, I think,” Casey said, slipping her shoes off and grabbing two meaty morsels from the tray before plopping her feet up on the pouf shaped like a giant spring roll. When her heels snapped through the crisp pastry, she realized that it was an actual spring roll.
“Did you have a very merry Christmas?” Margo asked.
“I did, thank you. Conner and Ellory waited for me to get home this morning before they opened their stockings. Then I grabbed a few hours’ kip and got up in time for dinner.”
“And did you see the lovely Ajay?”
“No.” She found herself smiling at the mere mention of his name.
“He spent the day with Jared and Tanzie. I’ll see him tomorrow at Nigel and Vern’s.
” The mention of tomorrow reminded her again that Margo would soon be gone, and it tugged painfully at her heart.
“How about you?” she asked, swallowing down her sadness. “Did you enjoy your Christmas Day?”
Margo drizzled a roasted fig with honey and bit into it, looking thoughtful. “I did,” she said without conviction. “But I found myself missing Pam and Fliss. We usually spend Christmas Day together kicking back after saving some arsehole’s eternal soul. I didn’t think I’d miss it so much.”
“Pam and Felicity or saving arseholes?”
Margo seemed to be weighing the two and then finally answered, “Both.”
“Does that mean you’re going back into the family business of soul-saving?”
The spirit took another swig from her goblet. “When I came here, I honestly thought I was done with all that. But you’ve made me see things differently.”
“Me?” Casey asked, incredulous. “How?”
“In my line of work, I don’t mix with ordinary people. My role requires me to get up close and personal with obscenely privileged and wealthy degenerates. Even though what we do is for the greater good, I no longer gave a shit about the greater good because I’d forgotten what it stands for.”
“And what does it stand for?” Casey asked.
“Ordinary people,” Margo replied. “One transfigured billionaire turned philanthropist has the power to deliver hope, charity, and deliverance to countless ordinary people in need. Who am I to turn my back on the fates of thousands because my clients piss me off? When you decided not to get rid of the meme, you said, ‘It isn’t only about me.’ That struck home.
You chose to face your demons rather than risk a change for the worse in the fates of your loved ones.
Your choice forced me to check my privilege. ”
“So, you’re going to stay being the Spirit of Christmas Present?”
“I am.”
Casey was awash in relief. She beamed. “You just gave me the best Christmas present ever.”
“I never knew you were so invested in the souls of rich scumbags,” Margo said dryly.
Casey laughed. “I couldn’t give two shits about their souls! Although obviously I’m glad that someone will be holding the scumbags accountable. I’m happy because you’ve decided to stay in the universe. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”
“Oh, I doubt you’d notice if I disappeared. You didn’t know I existed a month ago,” Margo said, not unreasonably.
“I would notice,” Casey said, impassioned. “You are a massive pain in the arse, but I love you, Margo, and I am absolutely sure that I would feel it in my heart if you stopped existing.” She dashed her tears away; she didn’t want to waste her precious time with Margo crying.
Margo smiled. “Then I won’t ever stop. And tomorrow I will go back to saving the world one arsehole at a time.”
“Good.” Casey smiled back at her, feeling relieved. “Thank you on behalf of all the ordinary people.”
“And what will you do when you no longer have to babysit me?” Margo asked.
Casey looked around at the book department, which currently resembled Henry VIII’s banquet hall, marveling at how accustomed she had become to such absurdities.
She shrugged. “Go back to normal, I guess.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Margo laughed. “There is absolutely nothing normal about you. You are quite extraordinary, Casey Smith.”
“Did you know that Nigel can see you?” she asked.
“I had a hunch. He’s a good egg.”
“Huh, that’s what he said about you.”
Margo smiled enigmatically. “There is a mutual high regard between spirits and guardian angels.”
It took Casey a moment to digest Margo’s words. “What!” She sat up, inadvertently pushing her foot into the spring roll footstool.
But Margo refused to be drawn out.
They passed the evening talking and nibbling on crispy roast vegetables and hot mince pies.
At twenty-five minutes past eleven, her phone buzzed with a message from Ajay: Sorry it’s so late, it’s hard to get away once my sister starts talking, but I wanted to kiss you while it’s still Christmas Day.
I’m outside. Casey smiled at her phone as she replied, I’ll be right down.
“I’m just popping down to see Ajay,” she said to Margo, whose eyes were drooping closed as she sat in front of the fire. She’d never seen the spirit so relaxed. “I’ll be five minutes. Don’t go anywhere.”
“Righty-ho!” Margo gave her a languid wave and yawned loudly. “I might just have forty winks while you’re snogging the law.”
“Sweet dreams,” said Casey. She heaved herself out of her throne, grabbing her jumper and slipping back into her shoes, and kissed Margo’s cheek. The spirit was already snoring lightly as she made her way downstairs.
—
“Merry Christmas,” said Ajay, pulling her into his arms and planting a warm kiss on her lips.
“Merry Christmas,” she returned. “Have you had a lovely day with your sister and Jared?”