"Christina!" Stacy smiled, "And Juliet, come in out of the cold"
"Hello, Mrs, Rogers, thank you for having us," Christina followed the older woman inside.
"Thank you for coming," Stacy returned, "Now, there won't be so many leftovers"
"We brought sugar cookies," Juliet held up the snowflake-shaped tin, "I frosted them myself!" she added excitedly.
"Then these are sure to be the most beautiful cookies I've ever seen," Stacy smiled, hugging Juliet, "Come into the dining room"
The dining room smelt amazing. Roast, potatoes, and baked beans were but a few of the beautifully presented dishes laid out on the sleek wood table. Christina took the empty seat across from Shaggy while Juliet sat beside her.
"Now that our guests have arrived, we can dig in," Sam grinned, "Shaggy here was about ready to combust," he laughed heartily, filling his plate.
"Scooby looked ready to wither away," Sugie laughed in return.
Scooby slunk under the table while Shaggy eyed his family, silently begging them to stop this humiliation.
"We had to feed the animals before we left," Juliet explained with a grin.
"You have pets?" Shaggy asked, curious.
"We live on a farm"
"It's just outside of town," Christina elaborated while her daughter chowed down on potatoes and roast.
"Are you going to host the Christmas festival, Christina?" Sugie demanded to know, " I heard Last year was awesome!"
"Prep work starts in two days"
"Yippee!"
Shaggy racked his brain. This sounded familiar to him but having already been embarrassed he didn't want to dig himself any deeper. It took a moment but watching Sugie chatter on about the activities he recalled their phone calls from this time the year prior shortly before they'd flown into the city for Christmas. The festival was an annual tradition with all the timings of a small-town event, hayrides, sack races, games, and contests. Shopping stalls with homemade goods and treats for the children.
"Like something out of a movie," Sugie had said, "I'm sad we're going to miss it," she added.
Hence her excitement now. An excitement shared by everyone at the table.
"If you need any help," Stacy smiled.
"Oh, trust me, we'll need plenty,"
…...
That night, Shaggy was curled up in a festively made bed with a roaring fire across from him as he contemplated how different, how easy the day had been. As if on cue, his phone began to ring, Googie was calling. With a slow contented sigh, he answered:
"Hey, how was work today?"
"Utterly awful!" Googie huffed, he could just see her throwing her purse down as soon as she entered the apartment.
"Tell me like, what was so awful?"
"Where do I even begin?"
"The beginning?" Shaggy suggested with a laugh.
"I'm serious!" Googie whined.
"Like, relax and tell me what happened"
As Googie droned on and on and on, Shaggy realized he wasn't going to get a word in edgewise. So, putting his end of the conversation on mute he turned on the TV, finding comfort in the holiday specials that were airing. Googie always, always had some sort of problem with her work despite his urging to find something she enjoyed doing.
The suggestion was always dismissed.
He was always dismissed.
…...
Meanwhile, Christina sat with a book in her hand, Ace purring on her lap as she read. Juliet sat beside her with a book of her own, staring in concentration at the illustration on the page.
"Mom?"
"Yeah?" Christina turned her attention to Juliet.
"Are we going to build a gingerbread castle?"
"Of course we are, it's going to be the festival centerpiece!"
"Are you sure you can do it all by yourself?"
"Well, I won't be by myself, I have you, remember?"
"I remember"
"My sweet girl"
"Don't get all mushy, Mom," Juliet pleaded.
"Okay, okay, no mush, I promise"
"But maybe you could tell me the story again?"
"Okay, snuggle close," Christina held an arm out, "It was just after Thanksgiving and it was wicked cold"
…...
Christina stared out her balcony doors at the sleet that was coating everything. Inside, however it was nice and toasty, turning her back on the doors, Christina waddled back to her bed.
"Christina?" Draculaura poked her head inside, "Do you feel any better?"
"Back's killing me," Christina replied.
"Still?" Draculaura asked with mounting concern, "I think it's time you go to the doctor"
"Laura, I'm fine"
"You are not!"
"You worry too much"
"You don't worry enough!" Draculaura turned on her heel, running downstairs to Dracula's study, "Daddy!"
Christina sat down sighing with defeat, "Your auntie is very hard-headed"
In the span of five minutes, Christina was loaded into the car and taken to the clinic. Though the next several hours were a blur. Hearing the first cries of her baby brought a tired smile to her face.
"It's a girl," Vivika exclaimed, wrapping the babe in a warm blanket before setting her on Christina's chest.
"Hi," Christina whispered, "Hi, Juliet"
…...
"-Then you grabbed onto my finger and you've never let go"
Of course, there were details intentionally left out. Christina smiled down at the sleeping eight-year-old recalling the nurse who insisted she was ruining her life by keeping Juliet or how labor was a long and painful blur that ended with an emergency c-section.
"My Miracle girl,"
"Yeah, Mom?"
"You want hot chocolate?"
"Please"
Christina stood from the couch, heading to the kitchen which was just as festively decorated as everywhere else in her house. Opening the cabinet she paused to inhale the smell of coffee and cocoa powder before turning the stove on.
Tap Tap Tap.
"Shade," Christina opened the kitchen window, "I was wondering where you were"
The raven dove into the kitchen happily settling on Christina's shoulder where it could shake off the outside chill.
"Mom, can we get a reindeer?" Juliet suddenly asked skipping into the kitchen.
"A reindeer?" Christina repeated.
"Like Santa's?"
"I don't think we can, Jules, Santa only has the eight, remember?"
"Plus Rudolph"
"Yes, I remember Rudolph"
Christina ladled the hot chocolate into mugs as Juliet brought her the whipped cream, "What do you think of sleigh rides for the festival?"
"Magical, Mom, like always"
"Perfect"
…...
The bakery was bustling the next morning, coffee flowing faster than it could be brewed while all manner of early morning breakfast treats were snatched up by the townspeople. Shaggy, Scooby and, Sugie could barely see the front counter.
"Good morning, Sugie!" Juliet popped up beside them, "You want your usual?
"Please," Sugie smiled, handing her the money.
"Be ready in five minutes," Juliet skipped away, ponytail bouncing against her back as she went.
"Mom, like, let's you come every day?" Shaggy questioned Sugie.
"More like every other day but yes," Sugie readjusted her scarf, "Especially when I have a test or a big presentation"
Shaggy wanted to ask why but didn't get the chance because the line was moving, Juliet zipping all over the shop taking orders. When they arrived at the counter, Christina handed Sugie a coffee and a muffin.
"Extra confidence like every day," the hybrid promised, "Though you don't need it"
"Thank you, Christina,"
"You're welcome, Sugie, come see me after school, okay?"
"Promise, did you put the sign-up sheet up yet?"
"Right over there," Christina indicated the bulletin board near the shop window.
"Great, come on you two!" Sugie pulled Shaggy and Scooby away by their collars.
Sugie scrawled her name on the volunteer sheet before hauling the duo out of the madhouse.
"What did she mean by extra confidence?"
"Christina's magic, she puts pick-me-ups in everything she makes"
"I'm not sure I understand"
"That's okay, you will," Sugie replied mysteriously, "I heard you talking to Googie last night"
"You mean you heard me listening to Googie?"
"That too. Does she, does she really make you happy, Shaggy?"
"Yes, she does"
But Sugie didn't believe her brother. Still, she plastered on a smile, letting the snowfall distract from the unwanted, somber conversation. Instead, she people-watched. The town was waking up, window displays were lit with Christmas lights, snow was falling and greetings were called.
"I think you'd like it better here, Shaggy,"
"Sugie, like, we've had this talk-"
"But I don't believe you, you'd love it here!"
"Can you prove that?"
"Not right now but...OH, I got it!"
"What?"
"You saw how long the sign-up sheet was at the bakery?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, Deputy Bronson usually helps Christina oversee everything but he can't this year, he flew back to Crystal Cove to see his mother so Christina needs an assistant and I want you to do it!"
"Why me, Sugie? Why not someone who lives in town?"
"Because you LOVE Christmas, Shaggy and so does Christina!"
"I only met her yesterday"
"That won't matter to Christina," Sugie swore, "So when I get home from school we're heading right to the bakery so you can volunteer!"
"Like, you aren't going to let this go, are you?"
"Not a chance,"
"After school then but I'm like telling you, she'll say no"
"We'll see, Shaggy, we'll see"