It was Christmas Eve and Olivia, Mr. Flaversham, and Fidget were invited to Basil's Christmas party as well as other parties. They were dressed in red and green. Fidget dressed in a dashing green elf suit, just to represent a Santa's little helper because Dr. Dawson and Basil of Baker Street were wearing Santa Claus suits. Olivia wore a light green shirt with a dark red bow tie and a plaid dark green skirt with red lines. Hiram Flaversham showed off in a green jacket with a dark red breast shirt. As usual, Fidget had fun with the Flavershams and the mouse detectives.
"Fidget, you look really cute in that elf costume," Olivia giggled.
"Thanks, Livy," Fidget said.
"Do you want to dash through the snow with me, kids?" Mr. Flaversham asked.
"Yeah!" Olivia and Fidget shouted.
…
On their way to Basil's, they sang "Jingle Bells".
"Hey, how about we climb up to the chimney?" Fidget suggested.
"Like Santa Claus?" Mr. Flaversham inquired.
"Yeah," Fidget replied.
"You and Olivia can, I'll head inside waiting for you." With that, Hiram knocked and Basil, Dawson, and Mrs. Judson let him inside.
"Flaversham, where are Olivia and Fidget?" Basil asked.
"They're on their way."
"Did they get left behind?" Dawson suggested.
"No."
Basil gasped. "Oh, my!" He facepalmed. "Don't tell me they're up the roof!"
Flaversham said nothing. He was terrified for both of them.
…
"Hmm…how about I fly you up there since I can fly," Fidget offered.
"That sounds convenient," Olivia agreed and climbed onto his back.
"Ready?" asked Fidget.
"Ready," Olivia replied and Fidget flew her to the roof.
Once they made it to the roof, Olivia climbed off the bat. In case the girl fell, he carefully picked her up in case she slipped. "Be careful, Fidget and don't slip," she warned.
Fidget didn't say anything, yet he took small steps on the slippery roof, making sure neither one of them fall until they'd come to a chimney.
"Olivia, hug me," Fidget ordered.
Olivia hugged him tightly like she was a baby bat in his wings. Then, Fidget discreetly climbed down the chimney. Every now and then while he was going down, he got himself stuck. She couldn't help but giggle, but felt guilty knowing they were trapped. Thankfully, he took it to the next level by climbing at a much faster, but sure pace. When they finally made it down, Fidget stuck his head out in the fireplace.
"Fidget?" Basil, Dawson, and Flaversham gasped.
"I brought Livy," Fidget assured them as he steadily scrambled downward to land on the hunk of wood and he and Olivia stepped out of the fireplace. As soon as they were out, Fidget set her on the floor.
"Who wants to help bake gingerbread men?" Mrs. Judson asked.
"I do!" Olivia and Fidget beamed with their hands raised.
"Very well," Mrs. Judson said, "Let's get started."
…
The process of baking gingerbread men went well until Fidget started sneezing uncontrollably, but he was wise enough not to sneeze into the dough so he sneezed away from it.
Recognizing this, Basil guided him to the living room and Fidget climbed onto Basil's chair.
"I want to help, Basil," Fidget complained.
"I know you do, but I don't want you sneezing when you're trying to help bake cookies," Basil said, "It must be the fireplace, wasn't it?"
"Is there something you can do to get me back to baking cookies?" Fidget asked hopefully.
Basil took the bat's question into consideration. He wants to continue to help bake cookies, he thought, But how am I going to have him do it without him sneezing or getting anyone else sick?
Finally, he decided, "Bingo! Would you like hot chocolate?"
Fidget nodded. That was easy because he liked hot chocolate.
"I think you'll feel much better after you drink it. Would you like marshmallows?"
"Yeah, I like marshmallows," said Fidget.
Basil walked out of the living room to fix him a cup of hot cocoa.
While this was happening, Fidget kept sneezing. The soot must've taken control of his itchy nose.
"Here, lad, blow," Dr. Dawson said, offering him a tissue.
Fidget blew his nose.
Basil returned to the living room with a cup of hot cocoa just for Fidget.
"Thank you," Fidget said.
"Enjoy," Basil said, scratching him behind the ears, careful not to knock over his elf hat.
As Fidget drank his hot chocolate, he watched Olivia and Mrs. Judson cut out the cookies by using cookie cutters.
With his mug empty, he sat down, waiting for his stomach to settle because that hot cocoa was rich.
"Do you feel better, Fidget?" Dr. Dawson inquired.
Fidget nodded. "I think so." He came to the kitchen to wash his hands and help, hoping he wouldn't get sick again.
"Hey, Fidget," Olivia said, "Are you feeling better?"
"I believe so, Livy," Fidget said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"You can help cut out the cookies, but try not to sneeze on them," Olivia warned.
"We don't want any germs, do we?" Mrs. Judson said. She and Olivia showed him how it was done.
"Thanks," Fidget said, "This is easy."
"You're welcome," Olivia said, "And look, you're not sneezing."
"That hot chocolate must've made you feel better," Mrs. Judson mused.
Fidget smiled inwardly as his cheeks turned rosy red. "Well, I guess it has."
"I gave him a cup," Basil confessed.
Fidget then helped Olivia and Mrs. Judson put gingerbread men in the oven.
While the cookies sat in the oven to cook, Olivia, and Mr. Flaversham decorated the tree with candy canes, popcorn, ornaments, and mesh that surrounded the tree. Fidget, on the other hand, glided up the tree to set the star topper on top of the tree, making the star shine.
Everyone oohed at awed at the glistening star. Even, Fidget's heart began to glow. He felt right about doing a good deed.
Suddenly, they heard the timer ding. The cookies were done; they just needed to cool and ready to decorate and eat.
Fidget was about to grab one when Olivia shouted, "Fidget! Those need to cool off! And don't you want to decorate them with frosting?"
"Mmm…frosting!" Fidget said licking his lips. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"Don't you worry," Olivia encouraged, patting him on the shoulder, "They'll cool down sooner than you think."
Minutes later, the cookies cooled off and the Flavershams, Fidget, and Mrs. Judson frosted and decorated with itty bitty chocolate and white chips and mints.
Toby, the basset hound, who lived on the other side of Basil's was enthralled by the smell of gingerbread cookies. So he stuck his head in Basil's flat.
"Basil, it's Rudolph!" Dr. Dawson cried.
"Hey, Toby," Fidget said, "What's up?"
Toby sniffed him. Fidget smells like gingerbread man, he thought. Naturally, Fidget laughed at that.
"Do you want a gingerbread man, Toby?" Olivia asked.
Toby nodded as he panted and licked the gingerbread man right out of her hand. Olivia and Fidget stood awestruck as he licked the cookie out of her hand and ate it.
"Toby, why stick your head in here on short notice?" Basil wanted to know. Then, he stroke his head, "Is it because Mrs. Judson, Olivia, and Fidget baked cookies?"
Toby nodded rapidly and cheerfully.
"So who dressed you up as Rudolph? Was it Sherlock and Watson?"
Toby nodded blissfully once more.
"I thought so. Elementary, my dear Toby." The great mouse detective patted the dog's nose, causing it to glow.
"Oh, and they used a fake red shiny nose to cover up your real one," Basil continued.
Toby barked and everyone admired the sight of Toby's bright and shiny nose.
"Why don't you light your way to your house?" Dr. Dawson suggested the dog and Toby did. He led them to his tree filled with sparkling decorations and gifts underneath the tree. Toby picked up one of his toys to chew on from under the tree.
Basil found a little ball from a stocking and dropped it down to the floor for Toby to play with. Toby bounded towards it and put it in his mouth, then spat it back out because he didn't want to swallow it whole.
"Here, boy!" Fidget called, tossing a squeaky toy in Fidget's direction, "Fetch!"
"Be careful, Toby!" Olivia warned. "You don't want to break anything."
"Toby, stop!" Basil called.
Toby obeyed his command.
"Now, come," Basil said.
Toby only stood perplexed as if he hadn't understood English.
"Toby, come," Basil said a little more forcefully.
"Walk, Toby," Fidget and Olivia said gently and Toby listened. It only worked whenever someone, including kids spoke to him gently and calmly.
Basil rolled his eyes and said, "Good boy. I must be going." He started to walk away when Olivia said, "But Basil, it's Christmas Eve, remember?"
"Don't you want to continue celebrating Christmas with us?" Fidget put in.
Basil halted, hearing those words. He couldn't walk out on anyone. At least not on Christmas. He had to remember that.
"Perhaps, you're right," he admitted, "I was being a pushover. Let's continue playing."
This brought a smile upon Fidget's and Olivia's faces and they all continued playing with Toby.
…
The next day, on Christmas morning, Olivia rushed into Fidget's room. "Wake up, Fidget!" she yelled, "It's Christmas!"
"Livy, just a few more minutes," Fidget replied, half-asleep.
"You're probably right," she relented, "You need a little more rest, don't you think? Mind if I join you?"
"Sure." Fidget yawned and drifted back to slumber land.
…
When the two were fully rested, they dashed down the stairs as if through the snow and found presents beneath the tree.
"Merry Christmas," a voice said behind them.
"Merry Christmas, Basil!" they replied.
"I brought you something, Olivia," Basil said, handing her a box topped with a bow.
Olivia opened it. It was a violin! Since he taught her how to play the violin a while back, he decided to buy her one himself. "Thank you, Basil!" she cried.
"Oh, and I also have something for you, Fidget," Basil said, turning to Fidget, giving him a gift.
With an eager gleam in his eye, Fidget unwrapped it. It was a magnifying glass that Basil bought him! He glanced at it as if he were a professional detective. "Thanks, Basil," he said with a smile.
"My pleasure. You and Olivia can solve mysteries."
Olivia started to play her little violin, playing a merry tune for everyone to hear, including Toby, who listened in.
The End