Page 3 of Hensley Manor
“I’ll have someone pick it up tomorrow,” he told her, handing over his debit card.
While they finished the transaction, I wandered over to a shelf on the wall. Unlike some of the other items in the shop that looked like junk at best, there were actually some nice things on the shelf; one of those old cuckoo clocks, an ornate medieval looking broach, and an assortment of snow globes.
One snow globe in particular caught my eye.
The base was gold—if not real gold, then brushed to look that way—and the orb was clear instead of cloudy like some older snow globes tended to be. The scene inside wasn’t anything extraordinary, but I found myself examining it closer. Unable to look away. The house inside it resembled an old Victorian manor with a multitude of long oval windows and an arched doorway. When I tilted the globe upside down, it looked like a blizzard as white flakes scattered everywhere, raining down on the manor and the trees surrounding it.
Lance and the woman talked behind me, but I couldn’t make out their words. Not that I tried to. My mind was elsewhere.
As I focused on the manor, an indescribable feeling came over me. I felt warm, as if I was standing beside a crackling fireplace and feeling the heat coming off the burning wood. I tasted wine on my lips, like perhaps I was having a drink while enjoying the fire on a cold winter’s night. And there was a whisper of a man’s voice, nothing intelligible, but I felt…at home. Goosebumps formed on my neck as I imagined the man ghosting his mouth along my throat, still whispering.
As the fake snow began to calm, I could’ve sworn a light flickered on in one of the windows.
The feeling passed when a hand touched my shoulder.
“Whoa, didn’t mean to scare you,” Lance said, eyebrows raised. “Oh, what’s that?”
“Just a silly trinket.” I placed the globe back on the shelf and turned away from it. I wasn’t sure what just happened. Maybe I was delusional as well as depressed. “You ready to go?”
Lance nodded but his expression remained skeptical.
Later that night, I lay in bed wide awake. Snow had started to fall outside the window, and I watched it a moment before closing my eyes.
I couldn’t get that damn snow globe out of my head. More specifically, the feelings that had stirred when holding it. And the man’s voice…I didn’t know what he’d been saying, but remembering the smooth cadence of his voice and the sensation of lips gliding along my neck made my heart pick up speed. My dick hardened, and I reached under the blanket to take hold of it.
Maybe jerking off would help me go to sleep.
I started an easy glide with my hand before moving faster. I breathed heavily in and out of my nose before opening my mouth to release a small groan. My release came quick, a brief moment of bliss that ended way too soon. And then I was left there afterward, a bit disappointed and still not tired. If anything, I felt worse.
The sad excuse for a jerkoff session brought to light even more how alone I was.
I wanted a warm body next to mine, someone to cuddle against. I didn’t want some random guy, either. Maybe that’s why I hadn’t hooked up with anyone in a while. I was sick of meaningless sex.
Christmas was a reminder of what I didn’t have. Family. Someone to love. Lance was my best friend and helped ease some of the loneliness, but it wasn’t the same as having someone to spend every night beside me. Someone to hold who would hold me back.
“We’re all looking for something,”the lady had said.
But what I was looking for couldn’t be found in an overpriced antique store.
***
I awoke to a banging on the door. Cracking open my eyelids, I checked my phone and saw it was barely after nine. Anyone waking me before ten on a weekend better have a damn good reason. Or at least have coffee to make it worth my while. Another knock sounded, and I sat up before finding my sweater from the night before and slipping it on over my head.
“Coming,” I called out, my voice croaky from sleep.
Lance stood on the other side of the door holding a gift bag and a coffee. Snow was still falling, harder now than it had been last night, and it covered his winter coat and gathered in his blond hair. Every bit of grass was covered, as were the roads.
“Morning,” he said, before walking inside.
He handed me a coffee as he passed, and I inhaled the aroma before taking a drink. Dark, just how I liked it. I guess he could live.
“I have to meet Dad for brunch at ten, so I can’t stay long. But I wanted to drop this off.” Lance handed me the bag. “I know Christmas isn’t for another week or so, but there you go.”
“What is it?”
“Open it. Duh.”
I placed my coffee on the table before taking the bag from him. I pulled out the blue and green paper he’d stuffed inside and stopped when I saw what was under it all. The snow globe from last night. Carefully, I picked it up and turned it slowly in my hands.
