Christmas music played somewhere while Alec Hardy looked up from the file he was reading and frowned. He had agreed for the CID to decorate for Christmas and having music playing, but he didn't feel like celebrating.
Christmastime in the Hardy household was anything, but jolly.
His father would complain about the expense and would just place his presents, unopened, on the back of the couch.
His mother tried to make things jolly by making cookies and decorating the house, but she wasn't a good baker and the cookies ended up burnt then tossed into the rubbish bin.
He usually got clothes and had to watch his friends playing outside in the snow with their parents or siblings.
Sighing, he looked at the file when someone knocked on the door and he looked up, seeing Ellie Miller in the doorway. She had a Santa hat on as she smiled and walked in the office.
"Merry Christmas, Sir," she said with a grin and placed a paper plate with a gingerbread man on top. He knew he wasn't allowed to eat sweets due to his condition as he sighed and sat back in the chair.
"Bah," he grumbled and she frowned, pressing her lips together.
"Humbug to you, too," she said then left the office and closed the door. Sighing, he noticed the gingerbread man wasn't decorated and IT IS SUGARFREE was written in pen on the paper plate. Picking up the paper plate, Alec slid the paper plate and gingerbread man into the trashcan and got up. He walked to the door when he opened the door and looked at the others celebrating. Frowning, he looked up when he saw something taped over the doorway to his office and looked at Ellie.
"Miller, what is this?" he demanded as she walked closer and looked at what he was pointing to.
"That is mistletoe," she said then quickly kissed his lips and walked away. Turning, he reached up to take down the mistletoe and stormed in the office, closing the door. He walked to the desk when he tossed the mistletoe onto the desk then gently rubbed his finger over his lips and smiled.
"What the hell," he sighed then left the office and Miller smiled while she watched him walking closer and joined them in singing carols.