Good evening! It's day 20! Thank you very much to 2NYwLove, Lizbet2008, Hawk, ChibiDawn23 and SmackedCaskett for your reviews :D
The sky promised snow. Standing with Holly, waving Mac and Stella off for their weekend away, Flack hoped they'd reach their destination before it began to fall. As soon as their car was out of sight, Holly and he rushed back into the building.
'It's cold, Uncle Flack!' Holly jumped up and down in the elevator with a loud, 'brrrrr!'
'How about a hot chocolate to warm you up?' Flack grinned down at the little girl, who clapped her hands and shouted.
'Yes! Then can we decorate your tree?'
'Sure we can, pumpkin.' Flack smoothed Holly's curls and she promptly ruffled them back to a wild halo again.
'Awesome!'
Back in his apartment, Flack pulled out the box of Christmas decorations he'd retrieved from the closet earlier. Admittedly rather threadbare now, his Christmas tree stood ready on an upturned bucket in the living room
'How 'bout you sort through them all first? Make sure they're all in one piece,' he suggested to Holly, who agreed eagerly and set to work while he headed to the kitchen to make their hot drinks.
Musing while he stirred the hot chocolate, he realised how long it had been since he'd actually decorated his tree with any enthusiasm. Having Holly to stay for the weekend (while Mac and Stella took a rare holiday by themselves) had brought him cheer.
Holly had brought with her two bags full of plush toys, a backpack full of other essentials, and her kit box filled with art supplies. Flack had noted with amusement how she was far more relaxed about being away from her parents for the weekend than they were. But after many promises to call if even the slightest thing arose, they had departed, reassured. Flack grinned to himself, wondering when he'd receive the first text from Mac and Stella to check how Holly and he were.
As he carried through their drinks (Holly's loaded with mini marshmallows) he found Holly engrossed in her task.
'They all OK?' he asked, setting the mugs down by a plate of cookies and looking at the eclectic mix of ornaments surrounding Holly.
'Nope,' she said, and turned a stern face to him that reminded him so much of Mac he had to bite his lip to stop smiling. 'They are super messy and stuck and tangly – look!' She held out a ball of knotted baubles.
Flack looked. 'Sorry, sweetie,' he said, with a guilty grin. 'Let me see what I can do. Why don't you start putting the others on the tree?'
'Sure thing.' Holly bounced over to the tree and began to decorate carefully and meticulously while Flack attempted to detangle the baubles.
The mallows melted, the hot chocolate cooled and vanished, and the cookies shrank to crumbs before Holly decided the tree was ready.
'Looking good, pumpkin,' Flack said, nodding in admiration as he gazed at the tree and its haphazard ornaments. 'Great job.'
Holly stepped back to admire her work but frowned. 'Huh… Uncle Flack, you don't have an angel,' she said, shocked, and Flack's breath caught in his throat.
'Uh, no, I don't,' he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
'Everyone has to have an angel,' she said and Flack managed a smile.
'I guess they should. But… I, uh, I lost mine.'
Sympathy came over the little girl's face. 'Poor Uncle Flack.' She hugged him and he hugged her back, taking comfort from the little girl's love, along with the pang of wishing Jess could have got to meet her.
Making the excuse that he had to go and heat their pizza for dinner, he escaped through to the kitchen and breathed deeply, wiping his eyes.
By the time the pizza was ready, Flack felt calmer. Holly had spent the time busy at his coffee table with her art supplies, hiding away her creations when he brought the pizza through. Only when he returned after taking away the empty plates did she reveal it.
'Here, Uncle Flack,' she said, holding her hands out, pride beaming in her face. 'I maded her for you. Now you got an angel again.'
Swallowing hard, his eyes prickling Flack picked up a little paper angel with silvery wings, dark hair and dark eyes, a broad red smile and a golden halo.
'Thank you,' he whispered. 'I love her.'
Thank you for reading :D Do leave me a review, please, they make me very happy :D Lily x