Page 38 of Trapped in the Christmas Cabin

Hedidn’t want to go seeKelliempty-handed.Hejust hoped that she would be willing to talk to him and let him explain.

24

KELLI

Itwas shaping up to be the saddestChristmasever.Kellididn’t like to admit it—she did her best to shake off the unpleasantness withKlausand to have fun.Sheattended severalChristmasparties, both aboard theMotherShipand down onEarthin the week after she came back from theChristmasVillage.Butthough she usually loved hanging out with family and friends, this time her heart just wasn’t in it.

Shethrew herself into volunteering too.Shehelped with two toy drives and a food giveaway…but nothing seemed to help.Thoughit warmed her heart to see people in need get food and toys for their kids’Christmas, she simply couldn’t be her usual, cheerful self.

Itdidn’t help that this was her firstChristmasaboard theMotherShipand she had no family around.Usuallyshe had a family get-together to look forward to, but this year her son was spendingChristmaswith his boyfriend’s family and her daughter was going on a skiing trip with her best friend.Andof course,Mitchwas off with his new, younger wife, no doubt disappointing her with his mushroom dick.Soit was going to be a very lonely holiday,Kelliadmitted to herself as she stirred the homemade eggnog she whipped up every year.

Itwas a family favorite and it was usually gone by the end ofChristmasEvenight.Kellididn’t even know why she was making it—there was way too much and since she was the only one drinking it, it was probably going to sit in the fridge for days.Witha sigh, she added more rum.Herkids always joked that she added too much but this year there was no one to tell her not to overdo it.Soshe might as well make it as boozy as she wanted.

Shewas about to add even more when she heard her suite’s front entrance door chime.

“Nowwho could that be?”she muttered, putting down the bottle of rum and wiping her hands on the red and whiteChristmasapron she was wearing.

Sheknew who shewished itwas…but she had pretty much given up hope thatKlauswas going to show up at her door.Hehad made it pretty clear that things were over between them and she never expected to see him again, except maybe if they happened to pass each other in one of the corridors.ButtheMotherShipwas a big place—about a fourth the size of theMoon, which it orbited.Sothere wasn’t much chance of that…

Thedoor chime rang again, andKellipushed the sad thoughts out of her head and hurried to get it.

“Allright!”she said.“I’mcoming,I’mcom?—”

Thewords died in her mouth as the door slid to one side revealingKlaus.

ThebigKindredwas wearing tight black leather trousers and a red shirt, which somehow went well with his green skin.Hewas holding a beautiful bouquet of huge white flowers that looked a little likeMagnoliablossoms.Theywere exuding the most heavenly scentKellihad ever smelled—it was like honeysuckle and lilac put together, she thought.

Butit wasn’t the flowers she was focused on—it was the male holding them.

“Klaus?”she asked, making his name a question.“Whatare you doing here?”

Toher surprise, he dropped to his knees right there in her doorway.

“Beggingyour forgiveness, sunshine,” he said and held out the flowers to her.“PleasecanIcome in and talk…just for a minute?”

“Well, sure…”Kellifelt flustered.She’dspent some time thinking how she would tell him off if she saw the bigKindredagain.Buthis abject display dispelled any lingering anger she had towards him—well, most of it, anyway.

Klausgot off the floor, after handing her the flowers, and came into her suit.

“Youcan have a seat on the couch,”Kellitold him.“I’llgo put these in some water.Whatare they, anyway?I’venever smelled anything like them.”

“Theycame from theSacredGrove.”Heseemed slightly subdued, as though something had changed him somehow.Thoughas yet,Kellicouldn’t tell if the change was for the better or not.“TheGoddessgave them to me,” he added.

“Okay,I’lljust—what?”Shestared at him, not sure if she’d heard him correctly.

“I’lltell you when you come back,” he said mysteriously.“Er, do you have anything to drink?Icould use something strong if you have it.”

“Youcame at the right time,”Kellitold him.Shetook the bouquet of big white blossoms into the kitchen—or the “food prep area” as theKindredcalled it—and found a tall crystal vase that had been a gift from her children onMother’sDaywhen they bought her a dozen red roses.

Oncethe blossoms were settled and happily drinking water, she got two mugs—one much larger than the other—and filled them both with the boozy eggnog.Shehad a feeling she might need a drink to hear whatKlaushad to say almost as much as he needed a drink to say it.

Shecarried the mugs out to the living room and handed him one.Hewas already seated on the couch beside the firewall where green and blue and gold flames were dancing.Hetook it gratefully and nodded his thanks before taking a big drink.

“Whew!”Hiseyes went wide and he stared into the mug as he licked his lips.“What’sin this stuff?Fireflowerliquor?”

“No, just rum—a lot of it.”Kellisettled beside him and took a dainty sip from her own mug.Theeggnog was just like she liked it—plenty of nutmeg and enough rum to make your eyes cross.Shelooked up atKlaus.“Yousaid you have something to say?”

“Yes,Ido.”Hetook a deep breath and then set the mug of eggnog down on the side table beside the couch.TurningtoKelli, he leaned forward and clasped his hands between his knees.“Icame to say how sorryIam…and to try and explain whyIwas such a massive shaft the last time we were together.”

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