Christmas Eve Somewhere in the Austrian Alps
1935
Two disheveled figures sat quietly on the cold stone floor. Back to back for support, neither said a word. It was uncomfortable enough to breath, much less talk. Bruises were slowly healing, torn muscles were still throbbing. The cold was helping to ease the pain, but was taking its toll in another way.
"This is not how I pictured spending Christmas this year," Alexander finally said, wincing with each word.
His partner smiled weakly.
"Who was to have the pleasure of your company this year?" Bill asked.
Waverly smiled and sighed.
"Evangeline."
Willie's face suddenly twisted slightly. It was an expression of complete surprise.
"I wouldn't have thought…."
"That she was my type," Alexander said, "She and I are old friends. Every Christmas for as long as I can remember we would dress up, go caroling, then back to her parents home for Christmas toast."
"What did you toast to?"
Alexander Waverly made a small but still painful laugh.
"Not a toast….Christmas toast. Her mother would spend the entire day baking fresh bread. Then she would set out a large flat dish of butter and let it reach room temperature. Made it very soft.."
"Makes my mouth water just thinking about it….Then what?"
Waverly smiled as he thought about those wonderful days of his youth. So dapper in his chestnut cut-away, hair usually in disarray from his topper, moving the dainty footstool next to the fire place. He would hold Evangeline's arm and help her sit on the foot stool. He could still see her coquettish smile as her hand would reach up to brush his thick hair back into place.
"There were always two loaves of bread. One, sliced, for the ladies, the other was solid. The men would tear it by hand, taking big chunks instead of uniformed slices…."
Bill Del Floria felt his partner's back relax as he continued with his story.
"The only time of the year there were ever two long forks at the fireplace...So we would spear the bread and hold it close to the fire until it was lightly tanned, take it from the fork and carefully lay it one side down in the butter…" Alex sighed as the thought made his stomach rumble, "Christmas tea and toast."
"Sounds great," Bill said.
They sat quietly again watching the snow fall thru the dirty window of the old shack. The only refuge they could find at the moment. Their mission completed, the missing microdot recovered and the information intact, the 2 agents had made it out alive. Well only just.
They had found the deserted shack and made it inside as the storm moved in. Within minutes the snow had piled up. Visibility was near zero, as well as was the temperature. The rips in their winter garb did nothing to hold out the cold. Even with no tears, the thermal technology was not all that adequate for this severe weather at this altitude. Their communications radios useless. But they had activated the homing beacons just in case.
After a few minutes, Del Floria heard his partners breathing pattern change.
Alex was asleep.
Painful as it was to move, Willie eased away letting his partner slip down onto the floor. He managed to stand up with some help from the wobbly table nearby. Del Floria looked around for something to build a fire with.
After checking that the flue was clear, the American quickly made matchsticks out of the few pieces of furniture he was able to find. In no time a nice warm fire was blazing in the hearth. He carefully moved his sleeping partner closer to the heat then sat down to warm himself. He yawned and folded his arms across his chest, resting his chin gently on his tired limbs.
Willie Del Floria felt something tickle his nose. He reached up and gave it a gentle rub. He yawned again and instinctively pulled the blanket back over his shoulders. He yawned once more and hunched back down in the warmth of the down filled coverlet.
His eyes opened wide. His cold fingers ran around the edge of the blanket and he held the corner out to look at it. It was a beautiful handcrafted quilt, very old and worn but still warm. He looked over at his sleeping partner.
Waverly was covered with the same type of blanket. Snoring contently, he stirred slightly and tugged the blanket under his chin. The older agent opened one eye and looked at the covering. He looked at Willie.
"Where did you find these?" Alex asked.
"I didn't," Del Floria said.
Waverly sat up slowly, keeping the warm blanket over him. He glanced at his watch.
Almost midnight.
"Where did that come from?" they both asked puzzled.
Between them on the floor was a small basket made of neatly woven tree branches. A bright blue folded cloth was embroidered along the edge with tiny Edelweiss flowers. The aroma of fresh bread and butter drifted from beneath the fabric.
Alex unfolded the cloth. The two men looked at one another and smiled. If this was a dream they would be content to let it be so.
Inside was an assortment of goodies to delight a child of any age. A loaf of freshly baked bread, a small pot of fresh churned butter. There were a few small ginger cakes and two handmade chocolate bars. Two corked bottles were quickly opened to find the freshest milk that Bill Del Floria had ever had in his life.
The two men asked no more question. They rationed out the food and began to eat. Alex found a couple of old twigs and after using his knife to whittle away some of the dead bark, he showed Willie how to make fireplace toast without burning the bread.
It was a feast like none other. They were nibbling on the chocolate bars when something else in the basket caught Alexander's eye. He picked up the paper and looked at it a smile crossed his face.
"What's that?" Willie asked taking a drink from the bottle.
"Frohe Weihnachten an die zwei netten Männer, die unser Dorf vor dem Übel gespeichert, die auf uns gekommen war. Bitte nehmen Sie das ein ein kleines Zeichen unserer Dankbarkeit. Sie beide können gesegnet sein," Alex read aloud. (Merry Christmas to the two nice men who saved our village from the evil that had come upon us. Please take this as a small token of our gratitude. May you both be blessed.)
"Someone must have seen the smoke from the fireplace," Will said with a heavy sigh as he eyed the inside of the empty milk bottle.
"You know Willie," Alexander said, "There are times when everyone wonders why they do what they do with their lives," he held up the note, "Then there are times they know!"
Willie Del Floria nodded as Waverly folded the note and slipped it into his pocket. As he tucked it away he glanced once more at his watch.
"It's midnight.."
The older agent attached another chunk you bread to his stick and held it towards the flames. He sighed.
"Merry Christmas William," Alex said.
Del Floria followed his lead and held the last of the bread near the flames.
"Merry Christmas Alexander," he said, "Sorry I'm not what you wanted for Christmas company." He smiled.
Alexander gave a sly nod and smile.
"True…You're not as pretty as Evangeline….But you're all I've got!"
The two men fell into fits of laughter.
Their pain almost gone.
Their spirits high.