Home for the Holidays
Sarah stepped over the threshold to her recently purchased condo and tossed her keys on the entry table. Glancing over the top of her grocery bags she could see her ever faithful goblin sidekicks curled together on her couch. All except timid Eep. The little dear was curled up with a washcloth on the floor.
Smiling she walked to the kitchen and placed her bags on the table. Reaching into her cupboard to place her soup and pasta away she heard the soft shuffling sound of little feet. Turning she saw Eep coming into the kitchen for what she assumed was for some holiday sugar cookies she'd made with them the night before.
"Eep, my goblin friend. How are you?" a gentle voice asked.
Pausing long enough to rub the last bit of sleep from his eyes, he noticed she was standing before him. Instantly grinning ear to ear he began to jump up and down.
"Lady! Lady Sarah!" he shouted, jumping up and down.
"Yes, Eep," she reached down and placed him on her left shoulder so she could finish her task.
"Erm, lady, cans I has a cookie? Pwease?" he asked.
Sarah shook her head and answered, "Not until we've finished dinner and cleaned up for the day. You remember we talked about this last night after we made them."
"I knows. But I hoped you'd ferget."
"Hmm, were you guys good today? Did you get into any trouble?"
His eyes widened to the size of saucers and pointed at himself.
"M-m-m-m-me? Get into trouble?" he said nervously pointing at himself.
"Eep, tell me the truth. Has anything happened I need to know about?"
He hopped from her shoulder to the table. "Hmm, is that the same as something that might happen?"
"Maybe, if your friends or you did something which would make something happen."
Eep jumped from her shoulder on to the counter and she could tell he was trying to decide if he should tell her something – what it was, she didn't know. So she tried another tactic to get the information from him.
"Let me try to explain with a story to help you understand. Last month when I bought this condo I knew I wouldn't be able to go home and see my family. Now, me not being at home hadn't happened yet, but I knew it would. What did I do? I told my dad and Karen as soon as I knew so they weren't planning on me being at home. Essentially, I told them something that was going to happen because they needed to know because it affected their life. Does that make sense?"
"Uh huh. What you want to know is what we's did today because when his –"
Eep was cut off by his friends running into the room shouting for cookies. With a final look at the littlest goblin she kissed his head and picked up the others and placed them atop a cat tree perfect for them to stay nearby and out of trouble while she watched over them. With their seeming unending pleas for cookies she gave in by handing them each one while she made herself a sandwich.
"Be good, you guys. I have to make a phone call and I don't want them to think I'm having some kind of party over here."
"Yes, Sarah. We be quiet," Chub said eating another cookie he took from the cookie jar.
Grabbing the phone she called home to send some holiday cheer to her father, step-mother, and brother.
Her father answered the phone and happily chatted with his oldest child mentioning how proud he was for all she accomplished this year – successfully publishing her first children's book, landing a new teaching job at a prestigious school, and ending with her purchasing her first home. She rattled on how she planned to have the home ready for New Year's so they could come down and visit.
Robert hesitated before answering, "We won't be able to make it for New Year's, sweetie. Karen's sister is expecting us at her home and as we skipped to help you move during Thanksgiving we'll not hear the end of it if we miss New Year's, too."
Suppressing the sigh, she lightly answered spring break was nearing and that would give them more than just a couple days of togetherness. Thanking her for understanding he passed the phone over to Karen.
"Sarah! Oh my goodness, you will never believe what Mrs. Jones told me the other day? Her nephew – remember the good looking doctor from San Diego – he's in town. She mentioned how he was asking about a lovely dark-haired beauty he saw last time he was in town! You have to visit while he is in town, and we'll even pay for the plane ticket. Tell me you'll be on the plane tomorrow and we can have them over for dinner," Karen rattled on with her latest attempt at matching Sarah up with any man who mentioned and attraction, or was available.
"Karen, relax. You make it sound like any man who shows an interest is one I should set my eyes on and grab up before he passes me by."
"Reality check, dear – you aren't getting any younger. Soon you won't be getting any looks from anyone."
Before responding, Sarah did a quick count to ten and replied, "Ask her how long this trip will be. If you can pay for the plane ticket I'd be happy to come down."
And while she thinks I'm there for the oh-so-wondrous-good-looking doctor I'll simply be spending time with Toby. Whatever it takes, and as long as I appear to make an effort with him they'll be appeased and I can steal away some time to see my brother.
"Really, Sarah? That's wonderful. I'll have Robert call the airlines as soon as you talk with Toby and we can have you here tomorrow?"
"I have a deadline due in a couple days. How about I get there in three days?"
"Excellent. Can't wait to see you, and for you two to start dating. Oh, I can just see the wedding invidations. 'Mr and Mrs Robert Williams are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Sarah to Dr Hampton'. Of course there will be doves and ribbons on it."
"Let's start with having him over for dinner, and then we can see how it goes."
In the background Sarah could hear her brother asking his mom to talk to his sister.
"Toby, I miss you!"
"I miss you, too, Sarah. Mom said you're going to be here for Christmas?" he asked.
"That's right, I'll be there to see you."
"You can't be here on Christmas though."
"Why not? Do you have a secret you are trying to keep from me? Did you move into my old bedroom and not tell me about it?"
"Me, have a secret from you?" he laughed. "Sarah, I tell you everything. But you have your new house you can't come here! Promise me you won't."
Never before had he not wanted her to come home to see him before, so her curiously had peaked at this point.
"I promise I won't be there until after Christmas. But you have to tell me why I can't be there for Christmas when I get there. Will that work for you?"
"Uh-huh. That's perfect. And don't worry about that guy mom is trying to set you up with. I don't lke him."
"Toby, that's not nice. You have to be nice for Santa to stop by, remember? You do want what you asked for, right?"
"OH! I forgot. I'm sorry, I am really sorry. I didn't mean it, Santa!"
"Eh, what's said is said little one. You might have to go to bed early tonight to make up for saying that."
"That might work. 'kay, night, Sarah," he said, slamming the phone down before she could say anything more.
Turning to her goblin friends she cheerfully offered the remainder of the cookies, to which Kap, Chub, and Fritzle happy accepted. Eep, however, was nowhere in sight.
Meanwhile, in the Underground . . .