Episode One Hundred and Forty-Eight: Arrivals
“Yes, that's how Lady Twilight joined the clan and started our line.”
The door rattled as someone knocked on it. Lord Bennit twisted around to peer out, his shoulders relaxed.
“Who’s that?” he asked.
I lurched around the counter toward the door and found a delivery guy on the other side. It wasn’t our usual one, but he held up a cardboard box with lots of takeout containers inside.
“I have an order for Sable?” He asked after I opened the door, with a confused look on his face. He glanced at the front window, then back at me.
“That’s me.” I grabbed the cardboard box from his hands, but found Lord Bennit right behind me.
“Let me grab that,” he said, taking it from me as the guy held out a phone for me to sign to confirm delivery.
I signed and added a tip before he hurried away. Once I closed the door, I turned to the front room to find the cardboard box already on the counter.
Both the Cat and Indigo sniffed at it.
“That’s not Chinese,” said the Cat in an accusatory voice.
“Nope, I went with something new, but tasty…” A knock behind me caused me to jump.
Alas stood on the other side of the door, wearing a grin and holding a bag over one shoulder, along with a basket in his other hand.
I opened the door to let him in, wondering about the bags.
“Happy Solstice!” he said in a cheerful voice.
“Same to you, welcome!”
“Where should I set my things down?” he asked, glancing around.
“We’re going to head upstairs, but we’re waiting for another to join us…”
The cardboard box on the counter slowly sank down into the wood, vanishing from sight.
I hoped Betty could rustle up a dining room table upstairs in the only room I’d decorated. I hadn’t thought of that before now, but I knew she had one from my birthday celebration. I hoped she was taking care of that for me.
There were so many tasks I hadn’t thought about, since someone else in my family was usually responsible for taking care of them.
Another knock came at the door behind me, and yet again I twisted around to see who stood there. This time, I recognized Lady Twilight’s form.
The door unlocked at my thought, and she opened it.
“I hope I’m not late,” she said with a bright smile, seeing everyone in the room.
“Grandma!” Indigo’s voice echoed through the pause in conversation.
Lady Twilight chuckled and stepped inside as the purple dragon streaked through the air toward her.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“I hope you don’t mind, I brought a guest.”
Behind her, a cloaked figure let down her hood, her tall ears pointing to the ceiling.
My eyes widened as Liluth stepped inside the warm shop.
The bag slipped from Alas’ hand and landed on the floor with a thud before it vanished.
“Alas?” she asked in a soft voice.
Then he moved. One moment, he still stood behind me, and the next his arms were wrapped around her and his face was buried in her neck.
He spoke in a soft language that I barely understood, and I twisted away as quickly as I could.
The Cat sat on the counter, staring at the sight, his eyes wide before he glanced in a different direction.
“We can all head upstairs to the living room,” I said, drawing attention away from the two by the door.
“The tree!” Indigo stopped her frantic circling around Lady Twilight and headed upward to the second story. Yet, after she vanished through the archway to the living room, a second doorway appeared on the first floor. The bookshelves on the right most wall faded as the opening sprang up.
“Fewer stairs, for the win!” I added, and motioned in the new direction.
Lord Bennit took the lead and headed in after Indigo, then Lady Twilight entered.
I followed, noticing the Cat had jumped off the counter. I hoped he would join us, but I wasn’t sure with Liluth’s appearance. Yet, as I entered, he sat on the back of the couch. His eyes met mine, and as usual I couldn’t read him. I hoped he was ok.
The room had shifted at some point. The giant windows overlooking the dark evergreen forest were to the right, but now the tree sat smack dab in the middle. Two large soft couches faced the tree, with an opening where the fireplace still stood to the left. Heat drifted from the golden opening from several large crystals resting within the stonework.
I resisted the urge to pause as I counted the stockings. Yesterday, I’d added one for Alas, but now there were two that looked the same. Somehow, we had enough for everyone to have a stocking, including Liluth.
Beyond the couches a round dining room table stood near even more windows, with just enough chairs for everyone. Plus two spaces without chairs, one for the Cat and one for Indigo. Dishes were laid out at each place setting, and several empty enormous platters sat in the center.
I sent all the thanks and praise to Betty, mentally, at the sight of the room. Somehow, they had pulled it off without me even asking. They just did all of this; expanding the room, adding new windows, and then pulling out the table.
Plus the stocking.
I couldn’t get over the stocking. It’d taken so much for me and the Cat to get it to work, and yet somehow a second one exactly like the first was hanging there, ready to go. Hopefully, the candy inside would be okay.
“This is an amazing room,” said Lady Twilight, drawing my attention away from the fireplace. “It feels like you.”
It took a moment for me to realize that she had spoken to me.
“Betty created it for me. I really wanted an actual living room. Somehow, they got it just perfect.”
Lady Twilight glanced at the Cat, then back at me and around the room. For a split second, her eyes darkened with what felt like confusion, before they cleared.
“It’s nice and cozy. All it needs are bookshelves lining the wall for a book dragon.”
I chuckled at that. Normally, the opening to the living room stood on the second floor, and the balcony had bookshelves on it. Yet, I understood what she meant. Bookcases could line the fireplace, taking it up another level.
Indigo chirped several times. “Just needs audiobooks.”
“You mean speakers,” I replied, trying really hard to not think about her gift that hid under the tree.
“Cookies!”
Indigo darted across the room and landed on the coffee table I’d missed. Several enormous platters of cookies, and one of brownies, covered it between the two couches.
My coffee mug sat near them, and I headed in that direction.
“So, what’s next?” asked the Cat as I approached.
“Well, we can share cookies and settle in, then stockings, then dinner. Unless people are hungry.”
Indigo picked up a cookie and started eating it rapidly, even though we’d recently eaten breakfast.
“What are stockings?” asked Lord Bennit, taking a seat close to Indigo and the fireplace.
I motioned toward the mantle. “Everyone has a stocking with some small gifts and treats inside.”
“Where did my gifts go?” asked Alas, as he and Liluth walked in the room holding hands. “My bag vanished at some point.”