Page 15 of Oh Christmas Tree
I pull her in and kiss her deeply. “That is very kind of your family.” A blush decorates her cheeks, so I kiss her again.
A heap of snow lands on us before we go too far, though, and someone yells, “GET A ROOM!” Chloe throws a snowball at them, launching a proper snowball fight. What a way to wake up.
We play in the snow until we are all breathless. Only her Grandma and her uncle stay inside, but her parents are just as vicious as her nephews. It’s the most fun I have had in decades.
Sadness rises up, and Chloe looks at me. “What’s wrong, Ced?”
“Today is my last day,” I croak.
“No,” she shakes her head. “We have at least three more days. MOM! What day is it?”
“New Year’s Eve, honey!”
Tears form in her eyes. “No…” I cannot stand her tears and pull her in. “I thought we had more time,” she whispers, and I kiss the top of her head, holding her close.
“Me too…”
The evening passes quickly. They eat together, and everybody plays games. We try Twister, but they say I cannot use my vines because that is cheating, and as revenge, I cage everybody in. It’s all good fun, but I want to spend more time alone with Chloe before the magic fades.
“THE NORTHERN LIGHTS ARE HERE!” One of theboys shouts, and everybody rushes to grab their jackets and stand outside.
Chloe’s mom comes from around the corner of the shed and beckons us. “Over here, I made a quiet place just for you, you can see the Northern Lights and spend some time alone.”
Tears shimmer in Chloe’s eyes—again as she hugs her mom. “Thank you!”
17
CHLOE
My mom is the best. We are sitting on a blanket, propped up by pillows. Sheltered from the wind by the shed and a portable fence she put up, watching the Northern lights together. Ced holds me in their arms, and their branches make for a comfortable cocoon, keeping me even warmer.
“I wish you didn’t have to go,” I whisper.
“Me too,” they say. “I’m not human and don’t have feelings like you do, but when I’m with you. I feel like my leaves are all basking in the sunniest of sunny days. You are light and sunshine, and I cannot bear to be away from you. These six days have been the happiest I have ever had, and since I have lived a very long time, that says something.”
“How… how does it feel?” I can’t even respond to their declaration of what can only be called love.
“I feel the magic that strengthens me, leave. I can’t move as fluidly as I would like, and then I retreat to my one-legged form and become nearly a spirit that slumbers inside of a tree.”
“That sounds terrible.” My heart breaks for them.
“It’s not that bad,” they reassure me.
“How… how long does it take?”
“It usually starts before midnight.”
I swallow. It’s 5 minutes to New Year’s.
“I love you.” I can’t let them leave without telling him that. “Will you, will you stay close? Maybe we can see if you can return to me next year?”
They gently kiss me. “I would like that very much.”
We kiss until my family starts yelling out their Happy New Year’s, and then we just hold each other.
“Does it usually take long?”
“No…” They sound thoughtful. “It’s strange. Instead of the magic fading, I feel incredible. Like the best I have ever had since I was alive.”
