Page 74 of The Neighborhood Witch

Yuletide Blessings

“Wake up,” Alice whispered into Hugo’s ear as he slept on the side of his body. The hairs on his arms stood up as the gush of wind and her warm breath washed over their ridges. “Hugo. Wake up.”

He stretched out his legs and tugged at the bedsheets before recalling them back to make himself into a ball. He grunted a refusal at her beckoning siren call.

“It’s Christmas morning,” she whispered before kissing his cheek.

He pulled the bedsheets over his head to ward off any further attempts to wake him from his winter slumber. Alice poked Hugo over the bedsheets.

“Wake up!” she pleaded as she shook his body. “It’s Christmas morning. It finally came. Wake up!” She rocked him back and forth with enough energy to wake the dead.

Maxine let out a soul piercing bark.

“Ahhh,” Hugo shouted as he flew off the covers to see Max’s head resting on the mattress. “Not so close to the ears.”

She wiggled her tail and spun around in circles with excitement.Galahad mimicked her every move, while circling around Alice’s bedroom. It stopped when Maxine stopped.

“I see how it is,” Hugo said to the excited pup. “Betrayed by my own dog. Traitor.”

He rolled over. The face of a purple haired witch gleamed down at him. Her eyes were wide with anticipation, and she had a giddy smile on her face. Her arms were tucked closely to her body as she was ready to spring up from the bed. She was a wound ball of energy ready to set loose on the goodies that awaited them downstairs. She could hardly restrain her excitement.

“I’m guessing it’s Christmas morning,” Hugo said.

“It’s Christmas morning!” Alice yelled as she rolled backward off the bed.

Alice made a mad dash for the bedroom door, nearly tripping on her purple pajama pant leg before she caught herself. The door flew open with a snap of her finger, and she disappeared into the hallway. Maxine and Galahad followed, leaving Hugo alone in the room.

“She really likes Christmas,” Alice’s reflection said from the bathroom. Hugo was mostly alone in the room. “I should have warned you.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” he replied.

“You’re welcome.”

Hugo grabbed his black onyx ring. He spun it around a few times. The ghosts of his Christmas past flew by in an instant.

He whispered in a hushed breath, “Merry Christmas, Elizabeth. I hope you’re having a good one. I know I am.”

He rolled out of bed. He stretched out his shoulders and neck, then entered the bathroom and turned on the lights. Alice’s mirror reflection stared back with a befuddled gaze.

“Merry Christmas,” Hugo said.

Alice’s reflection was at a loss for words, which was unusual for her. She broke the silence after a moment, “No one has ever wished me Merry Christmas before.”

“Glad I could be the first,” he replied. “Imeant it. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Hugo,” she replied. “She’s waiting for you.”

Hugo nodded with a smile and left the bathroom.

“Hugo!” Alice’s reflection beckoned him to return.

He popped his head back through the door.

“She loves you, you know?”

“Of course. I do too.”

“Then tell her.”

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