Page 65 of Dryad, Try Again
Kovi waves me off while focusing on the pot like it’s no big deal. “That’s what aprons are for.” He continues to stir his culinary concoction and I try not to be frustrated. I remind myself that it’s Christmas, and that I love Kovi to bits and pieces. The aroma of his signature chicken noodle soup calms me down.
I’m not usually a nervous wreck, but I’ve never hosted Christmas before. This is our first holiday season post-college, so it’s kind of a big deal. I’m not trying to impress our guests, but I want the party to be a good time.
When Aunt Hannah approaches Kovi and takes over at the stove, warmth spreads across my chest. The two most important people in my life are standing in my childhood kitchen. They’re chatting animatedly about recipes, and I thank the monster god that Aunt Hannah’s been in tip-top health these past two years. I also thank the heavens that I decided to enroll at the infamous Creepin U.
Kovi and I moved back here after we graduated. While most wouldn’t be thrilled to be back in their childhood home, I was more than happy that Aunt Hannah invited us. Truthfully, I wanted to continue to look out for her, but I didn’t want Kovi to be away. I was nervous he’d feel weird about living with his boyfriend’s family, but after I asked him to move in with us on graduation day, his chest sagged in relief.
He actually wanted to move in with me. And now here we are, seven months later. I love this monster with every fiber of my being, and this is my family.
“Please?” Aunt Hannah asks.
Kovi grins at her with fondness. “For you, anything.” She takes over stirring duties and he ties his apron around her waist. It’s so domestic that I want to snapshot it forever. “Come on,” Kovi says, turning to me. “We’ve got a job to do.”
“What job?” I ask with a smile.
“Well, I have a job.” We get to the front door and pull on our coats “Your aunt just asked me.”
“To do what?” I hold open the door for my boyfriend.
“The trees are uneven.” He points to our front yard. While we don’t have a white Christmas, Kovi took the initiative to get six massive evergreens and plant them here for the season—with their permission, of course. They’re all decked out in red-and-gold garlands with various multicolored ornaments, but each tree is a different size. I guess they didn’t grow equally in the weeks since he’s planted them. “It’s no problem forsuper dryad,” he says in a radio announcer voice.
He walks backward and flexes his arms, and it’s too damn corny and attractive. I giggle at him and he winks at me, knowing how turned-on I am. When he turns around, he shifts in the blink of an eye. The therapy appointments have long since quelled my fears of tree monsters and forests. It’s a relief to say there haven’t been any more panic attacks. Now, when I seeKovi,myKovi, I only see the guy I love. Tree monster or human, he’s all I could ever want.
When he waves his branch arm, all the trees quiver. It’s a spectacle to behold, and I’m in awe of his supernatural powers. He truly is my own personal superhero. After a beat, the evergreens morph and end up in identical sizes.
I hold my hands together as I gaze in wonder at the flora in my front yard. When Kovi shifts down, he crowds my space. “Your aunt wanted everything to be perfect,” he murmurs. “You like?”
“I love.” I peck his lips. He’s just as perfect on my mouth in his human form as in his dryad form. I chuckle against his face. “Did Aunt Hannah really want this? Or was this for me?”
He coyly looks up in thought. “Shemayhave mentioned you’d like it…”
“Cocky monster,” I mutter.
He holds my hips and we laugh. “I know you want everything pristine because we’re hosting our first Christmas after college.”
“I’ve never done this before…” I bury my face in his chest. “I finally have friends, a degree, a kickass boyfriend. Childhood sucked, but I don’t want to mess up adulthood.”
“You won’t.” He rubs my back and I melt as I embrace him. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
“You mean that?” I ask, looking up.
“Yeah. Besides, the only people we’re inviting are—”
“What’s up, party monsters?!” We turn to see a familiar face hop out of the car. Seth strides up to us with multicolored party bags in hand. “Who’s ready to celebrate Christmas, sponsored by the face of Mummy Mocha?”
“More like the ego!” Kovi laughs and runs up to his best friend. He shifts when he grabs him and spins him around several feet in the air.
“What, no love for me? I brought the lasagnas!” Blake walks out from behind the car armed with aluminum trays.
“Blake!” Kovi rushes up to him while I go to greet Seth.
“My mummy!” I exclaim.
“My human!” He laughs and hugs me, and all feels right in the world. Our friends still live in the greater Creelin area, but despite the closeness, every get-together with this trio is an event.
“Tell me all about work!” Blake says. “You just got back from the Philippines?”
“Yup,” Kovi replies. His job at the OME as a liaison for other dryads requires a significant amount of travel. But my monster is helping ecosystems around the world, and if he’s happy, I’m happy. “It was blazing hot.”
