( The promised sequel to Instability, set at Christmas. I hope you like it! )
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The tiny house was filled with the smell of baking, the scents of cinnamon and orange peel mingling with the aroma of pine. In a corner of the disorganised living room, a small tree stood, it's spiny branches decorated with tinsel, brightly coloured baubles, and foil-wrapped chocolates (placed on higher branches out of the reach of little fingers). Twinkling lights and a silvery star completed the arrangement, as well as several carefully-made paper and card contraptions made by the oldest child. Holly-trimmed candles sat on the coffee table, almost swamped by a mass of paperwork and books. In the kitchen of this house, an auburn-haired woman stood with a bowl in her arms, mixing together spices, citrus peels and mincemeat. Pastry shells already stood waiting for the mixture to be added, then topped with more pastry, which a young girl was sitting at a table making. Another little girl was sitting on the table itself, a glass of juice beside her. Her attention, however, was focused on a card the family had recieved that morning. It showed a typical Christmas scene, a rosy-cheeked child walking through snow, carrying a brightly wrapped gift. But although the little girl understood the context of the scene, there was still one mystery. "Mommy?"
The woman turned from her work, setting down the bowl. "What is it, sweetie?" The girl pointed to the card. "What's that white stuff?"
Her older sister leaned over to peer at the card, and nodded. "That's snow, right Mommy? I saw it in a book at school.." Their mother nodded with a smile, though her marigold eyes were troubled. That's right. Rin and Amber have never seen snow. And here...they never will...
Sitting down on a chair, lifting the toddler Amber to sit on her lap, Murrue began to tell her children stories of when she herself was a child, her soft voice recounting the time a snowstorm hit her home town, and the fun she and her friends had making snowmen and snow angels. Rin's eyes grew as wide as saucers at the tale, and when her mother finished speaking, she dipped her little hand in the icing sugar on the table, letting it trickle through her fingers. Amber beamed. "When will it snow, Mommy?" Rin reached over and ruffled her little sister's strawberry-blonde curls, a wistful smile on her face. "It can't snow here...it's too hot.." Amber's face fell, and she turned in her mother's arms to gaze out of the window...at the cloudless blue sky and bright sunshine of a sub-tropical afternoon.
Later that evening, Murrue lay stretched out on the pale blue sofa, her head cradled in her husband's lap. Her lips curved into a small smile as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. "Did you have a good day at work?" she asked quietly, and he nodded, leaning back against the sofa, blue eyes closed. "It wasn't bad," he replied, fingers working through her hair and wisping across her cheek. "Yours?" She closed her own eyes, smile growing. "I had fun," she answered, reaching back to take his other hand. "The girls and I made mince pies.." Mwu chuckled softly. "Very festive..." He gazed around the room, at the lit-up tree, the cards on the mantelpiece and coffee table. The setting was perfect, only a roaring fire missing to complete the effect. But then again...he looked out of the window, at the beautiful tropical sunset, and sighed.
"You think so too?" she asked, her smile a little rueful. "It's almost Christmas, but here we are in sunny paradise. It always bothered me, just a little, but now...You know, Rin and Amber have never seen snow except in pictures, and here, the worst weather we have is during the monsoon season. Rain, yes, and wind, but never snow..."
Mwu grinned, shifting so he was lying with her on the sofa, her cradled in his arms. "Well, there is a way around that. I know a place where it's definitely snowing right now. How 'bout we go there..and take the kids?" Murrue turned around in his arms, one eyebrow raised. "Oh? And where would that be?"
He closed his eyes, leaning back. "Home." he replied. "Well, sort of. I have a buddy who owns a place he rents out, usually over the summer, and he owes me a favour. And as for snow..." He opened one eye, reaching out to trail a hand across her cheek. "Quebec gets a lot of it this time of year.." Her face lit up, and she hugged him tightly. "We can go there?" she asked, amber eyes bright with happiness. "To where you grew up?"
"It's nothing that special," he replied with a laugh. "Or has it really been that long since you've been out in the snow?" She rested her head on his shoulder. "It has been a long time," she admitted. "But it's not just that. I...always wanted to see the place you grew up. To see where you came from. And now...I can," Mwu looked down at her, a soft smile to his scarred face at her obvious delight. "And so can the girls. Thank you.." she finished.
"You're welcome," he replied, stroking her hair. It'll be the first time...I've ever been back home since I was a kid. I wonder if it's changed?
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( Well, here we have part one of the sequel. Hope it's okay! And for the part about Mwu being from Quebec...well, Wiki says he's French-Canadian. I don't know if it's true or not:sweatdrops: but anything's better than nothing, right?
Please read and review! )