Nita went downstairs to talk to the tree.
Good evening, Nita said in the Speech as she walked into the living room. In a corner of the room, a tall blue spruce shook its branches in greeting; the tinkling of ornaments mingled with the swish of swaying tinsel.
Is it evening? the spruce asked. I can't tell, as dark as it is in here.
Easy fix, Nita said. She pulled the curtains aside to let in the fading light of day.
The spruce rustled in satisfaction.That's much better, it said. Thank you.
You're welcome, Nita said.
She knelt down next to the tree. With a few whispered words, she released the spellwork that held the canvas bag and earthen tub in stasis.
Do you mind? she asked, looking back up the tree.
Go ahead, replied the blue spruce.
Nita carefully handled the roots of the still-living evergreen tree. She sniffed the water, wrinkling her nose in thought. Do you need more nutrients?
Later, perhaps, the blue spruce answered.
Nita nodded. Any other problems?
No, the spruce replied. None other than the strange feeling of wearing all these things on me. I like what I look like, I just feel as though I may fall over at any second.
Nita smiled. I feel like that whenever I have to dress up for a presentation, she sympathized. She rose to her feet. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to grab my coffee and get back to work.
And I need a nap, the spruce said. Enjoy.
You as well, said Nita.
Nita went into the kitchen. A slinky black Siamese wound around her feet. Feed me, the cat demanded. Nita looked down at her and the cat amended her request with a haughty please.
The cat was obviously in a worse mood than usual. What's the matter Sorcha? Nita asked as she opened the cabinet and took out a can of wet food. Still mad because Ronan caught you trying to stow away?
Sorcha sat down and stared at Nita in annoyance.
We've been over this, Nita reminded the cat. Cats are not allowed in schools. What if someone there was allergic to you?
Sorcha sniffed. Apparently neither of you understand my need for intellectual stimulation.
Nita set the cat dish down on the floor. Apparently not, Nita agreed drily. Sorcha did not deign to reply, instead setting into her food like a princess at a fine meal.
Thank goodness I made coffee more at two, she said out loud to Sorcha or Whoever might be listening. Tonight is going to be a long night. Now where is that sugar spoon?
A little squeak came from the counter beside her. Nita turned her head to see a ferret with a sugar spoon in his mouth sitting on the counter top. Inigo, she scolded. The ferret had hold of the spoon longways with his little mouth wrapped around the handle. He scrabbled after the spoon as soon as Nita took it from him.
Shiny, shiny, shiny, the ferret said rapidly. Need the shiny, give the shiny, shiny pleeeeeeease.
No, Nita answered firmly. I need the shiny... I mean the spoon. She chucked the ferret under the chin affectionately. And you need to knock it off with the shiny, okay? I'm going to spend hours returning all the jewelry you snatched on our walk last night.
The ferret blew a raspberry at her and skittered down the kitchen cabinet and out of the kitchen. Nita shook her head, then took her coffee to her office.
A large dog laid beneath Nita's desk. At the sound of the door opening, his ears perked up.
Fenris, she called. The dog didn't move. Nita sighed. Alright then, we're sharing. And you will share.
She sat down carefully in her chair. With careful maneuvering she managed to find space between her dog and the walls of the desk. The dog shifted. The great Irish Wolfhound laid his head on Nita's lap. A lolling grin pulled at his shaggy face. Nita scratched him between his ears.
All right boy, she said. Her free hand booted up her computer. Let's see what They've got for us now.
"Nita?"
Nita saved the changes to her Word document then clicked off on it. She leaned back in her chair, raising her arms above her head to stretch out the kinks in her back. Pushing herself out, she turned herself and the chair around to say hello to her husband.
Kit leaned against the frame as he smiled at her. She smiled back.
"How was work?" Nita asked.
"Busy," Kit said. "But busy is good."
"And the intervention afterwards? Did it go smoothly?"
Kit nodded. "As well as can be expected," he said. "It's not a permanent fix, but it's a good patch until we can think of a better solution."
Nita nodded. "Sometimes that's the best we can hope for."
"What about you?" Kit asked. "How was your day?"
"I was busy too," Nita said. "I'm glad I took a personal day, but I have to admit there's been a fair amount of wizardy mixed in with data from wetlands surveys."
"Sounds messy," Kit said lightly. "Are you hungry?"
Nita got out of her chair. "I made something earlier," she said as she stepped out into the hallway. Kit followed her, shutting the door behind them. "I didn't know when you'd be back, so I left it in the oven."
"Thanks," he said. "Have you and Ronan eaten?"
Nita shook her head. "Ronan's not home yet. He called me earlier. Apparently his university computer lost the grades he entered into it. Last I heard, he was threatening it with Dairine."
Kit laughed. He was about to say something when a streak of furry blur raced through the door and scrambled up his pant leg. Knock it off, Inigo, Kit said. He shook his legs shake the ferret loose. Inigo was undeterred by Kit's actions and scrambled up Kit's chest. The ferret's sleek head popped out of the collar of Kit's shirt.
Kit, the ferret babbled happily. Hello, where have you been Kit, where, where, where...ohhh silverware on the table!
The ferret climbed down Kit's shirt and made a mad dash for the door. On the way out, he bumped into Sorcha. The cat brushed past him with disdain obvious in the curl of her tail.
Sorcha stuck her pointed head in the door and looked around. Neither of you are Ronan, she informed Kit and Nita. With that pronouncement, Sorcha backed up and walked out of the kitchen.
Kit shook his head. "Honestly, I'll never understand cats."
"I don't think we're meant to," Nita said. "At least this one isn't reciting Irish myth and legend at you."
"Yet," Kit replied. He took a plate out of the cabinet. "Let's eat, I'm starving."
After dinner, Nita went to check on the tree.
Ready for those nutrients now? she asked.
Yes, I think I am, the blue spruce replied.
Nita went to the fireplace and removed a small, red velvet bag off the mantlepiece. She crossed the room to the tree. A few soft words removed the spells around the roots. Nita opened the bag with great care and dumped the powdery contents into the water the roots laid submerged in. An earthy smell hit her nose, a smell like the woods after a summer's rain.
Ahhhh, said the spruce in relief. That's much better. Whoever made that formula is a genius. It's wonderful.
I'll tell my friend Elsa you said so, Nita said. She worked hard to invent a way to take your family all over the universe without drying out. I'm glad she did; it's more than enough to keep you healthy until we transplant you after Christmas.
Hmmmm, the blue spruce murmured in agreement.
Do you mind if I do some work in here? Nita asked.
Not at all.
Nita went to her office and grabbed her laptop. She returned to the living room and settled down by the tree. The colors of the Christmas tree lights reflected in her monitor. Nita smiled at them.
Then she saw another reflection on her monitor. Come in, she called out to her dog. The wolfhound lopped into the room. He sat two feet away from her in a position of protection.
A moment later, Nita heard the front door click open. A small, furry streak ran past the door and down the hallway. The dog looked back at Nita, as if exasperated. Nita laughed and set her laptop aside.
Ronan appeared in the doorway with Sorcha curled up in his arms. The cat wore a satisfied look that only a Siamese could muster. The pair came and sat down across from Nita on the floor.
"Did you find the grades?" Nita asked.
Ronan snorted. "Only by the grace of God and Dairine," he said.
Nita laughed. "I'm glad Dairine can still intimidate silicone," she said. "She doesn't get much of a chance to use that particular skill lately."
Ronan made a noise that passed for agreement. "She says I owe her," he said.
Nita smiled. "Be afraid. Be very afraid."
"I'm terrified," Ronan said with a straight face.
Nita laughed. "Sounds like an exciting day."
Ronan shook his head. "The glamorous life of a teaching assistant is non-stop excitement," he said drily.
"It will all be worth it once you've gotten your masters degree," Nita reminded him.
"I'll keep that in mind," Ronan said. His dark eyes swept over Nita. "You look tired," he observed.
"That's because I am tired," Nita said. "Like I told Kit, I had a personal day that wasn't very personal. I did a fair amount of regular work and a fair amount of wizardry." She ran a hand through her hair. "I got a little frazzled. It was one of those days where I wondered how Irina always seemed so calm."
"She was older than you during the time you knew her," Ronan said. "Not everyone becomes the Planetary for Earth at your age."
"No one has ever become the Planetary for Earth at my age," Nita countered. "When Irina burnt out during that awful intervention, that left me to finish my aprenticeship in a hurry and take over. It was destined, apparently." She frowned. "Funny thing, destiny."
Ronan's mouth twisted in a wry smile. "Don't we both know it."
Nita reached out and squeezed his hand. He didn't say a word but he did hold onto her hand. That was how Kit found them.
"I thought I heard you come in," Kit said to Ronan. He came into the room, closing the door behind him. He rubbed the dog's massive head as he passed him by. "Hello Fenric."
"Oh Lord, Kit,"Nita groaned. "His name is Fenris, not Fenric."
"Evil," Ronan intoned beside her, putting a melodramatic stress on his words. "Evil from the dawn of tiiiiime."
Kit snickered at Ronan's poor imitation of the Seventh Doctor. Fenris lifted hishead and said in his deep growl, I could take that jumped up fog cloud.
Nita shook her head. "Ronan, I understand that your enthusiasm for Doctor Who. I even understand your reasons for introducing it to Kit," she said. "But my dog, too?"
I appreciate good television when I see it, Fenris said.
Good boy, Ronan said with obvious pride.
Nita rolled her eyes at them all. Nerds, she said. I'm living with nerds. Both men and dog appeared completely unapologetic about their nerdiness. Nita tried not to smile and failed.
"Dinner's in the oven," she told Ronan. "We weren't sure when you'd be back so Kit and I ate already."
Ronan got to his feet. A displaced and disgruntled Sorcha slinked off under the couch. "Outstanding," he said. He bent down and gave Nita a quick peck on the mouth. Then he straightened up and headed for the door to the kitchen.
The dog perked up. Time for food? Fenris asked hopefully
No table scraps, Nita told her dog sternly.
Kit patted Fenris on the side. The wolfhound leaned against him. If someone happens to be eating and you happen to be there when food falls on the floor, Kit said in a conspiratorial tone, who'd blame you for eating it?
Well put, the wolfhound said.
Seriously? Nita said in good-natured disbelief.
Ronan stopped at the door. It's my dinner, I'll be deciding who eats it, thanks, he said to the dog. He looked at Kit. "We need to talk."
"I was just kidding about the food," Kit said.
"I'm not referring to the food," Ronan said. "We need to discuss the plan."
"You mean the secret Christmas plan," Kit realized.
"That very one," Ronan said.
Nita looked from one man to the other. "You two have been discussing this plan for weeks," she said. "Care to share with the rest of us?"
"Nope," Kit said as he smiled.
"You'll find out soon enough," Ronan added.
Kit and Ronan left before Nita could ask more questions. The dog followed the two men out of the room. Nita could hear the three of them talking excitedly about the mysterious "plan". She listened to the sound of their muffled words until the door shut in the kitchen and cut off the sound.
"I don't even want to know," Nita she said aloud.
That's quite a pair of grove-mates you have there, the blue spruce noted suddenly.
It took Nita a moment to realize what the tree meant. You mean my husbands, she said in realization. You're right about that. You should hear them when they really get going. They're a regular double act.
You must love them very much, said the spruce.
Nita nodded. I do, she said. Very, very much. I'm glad every day that we could work this situation out between the three of us. It's not always easy, but it's more than worth any effort we have to put into it.
You're quite lucky, the spruce said. Nita heard wistfulness in the rustle of needles.
You could be lucky too, she teased the tree. The blue spruce we have in the back yard was last year's Christmas tree. He's a very handsome tree.
A soft ornament fell in Nita's lap. Hush child, said the tree with good humor.
Nita stretched up to put the ornament back on the tree. I'm just saying...she trailed off. She sank back to a sitting position. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more information to try and cram in my brain this evening.
Good luck, the spruce said.
Thanks, Nita said. But can I ask you a favor?
Of course, the spruce replied immediately.
Nita looked towards the kitchen thoughtfully. A door opened. Familiar laughter spilled out into the hallway. That settled her thoughts. Would you give me a shake if I'm still sitting here in half an hour? Nita asked.
I'll drop more ornaments on you if I have to, the spruce promised.
Smiling, Nita opened her laptop and went to work.
fin