Author's Note: I finally wrote happy fanfiction (I'm just beside myself with giddy -- I'm becoming a little disenchanted with my extremely angsty fanfiction). Major thanks has to go out to NCCJFAN for her Christmas story (Mistletoe Kisses -- awesome story you all should read it) that inspired me to write this. Hope you all like it! -Jac
The wind is frigid. The black sky is a stark contrast against the fluffy white snow adorning the road. The stars sparkle like silver against the richest, black velvet I had ever seen. I pull my wool coat tighter to my body. My hands are shoved deep into my pockets. I lost my mittens somewhere between the chaos in the morgue, the chaos at the Pogue, and the chaos at my apartment. I was juggling so many balls that I often felt disoriented. I couldn't leave the Pogue in the hands of another; my father loved that bar more than anything else. He put his entire life into the upkeep of a dank, dark bar that I loved almost as much as my childhood home. The morgue was my life; it had been for years. My apartment fell victim to my other commitments.
I watched the stars. This had become a Christmas Eve ritual that I looked forward to. It was the only tradition that I would have this year. Tomorrow I would be at the Pogue. I had three turkeys and two hams waiting in the kitchen. The side dishes were being donated by my coworkers. I was going to feed the homeless; it was the least I could do to honor my father and honor the memory of my mother. I wanted to give back; so many people had helped me without thinking. It was my turn to start repaying my debts. I felt good about it. I wanted to fill my home with something tomorrow. I really wanted to fill my home with family, but my father was somewhere trying to find himself. I missed him. I hoped he knew that.
"Jordan, can you help me?" Bug yelled as he worked to carry the telescope, lawn chairs, and thermos. I hurried over to him. He smiled. He wished me a merry Christmas. I wished him the same.
We set up silently. We were both alone. He wasn't going to go visit his family in England this year; it was Nigel's turn to be overseas for the holidays. Bug would be on call tomorrow – death might take a holiday, but it would never take Christmas off; he would be in my bar helping me feed all the other lonely souls. Nigel would be gone this year; Devan would be gone for every year. I missed her; I hoped that she was getting a view of the stars that would make us envious. I wished that she had the chance to participate in this ritual. I wished that she would have had the rest of her life to experience all the things I took for granted.
"Merry Christmas, guys," Lily said as she hustled up the stairs to the cold that wrapped around Bug and I. She brought cookies; she always made little gingerbread men. Lily said that she was the only one who could make me the perfect man. Sometimes I thought that she was right. Lily always filled small stockings full of various gifts for us. Last year, she stitched our names on the cuff of the stocking. I knew she spent hours trying to figure the perfect gift for each of us. I just bought a crate of wine; this year it was from the Napa Valley. It was the good stuff.
"Do you have my man?" I asked. It made her laugh. I loved her laugh; it made me feel happy. It was musical against the monotonous hum of the cars several stories below.
"Still nice and warm," Lily said as she helped us finish setting up.
"Why don't you ever make me a woman?" Bug asked. I saw Lily jab him in the side of the rib cage; I was obviously watching something that I wasn't supposed. It took them long enough.
"Merry Christmas," Garrett said as he joined us on the roof. He always brought cheese. Wine, cheese, and cookie-men. Garrett had told me about the cheese he bought to go with the crate of wine. He put a lot of thought into the perfect wine and cheese tasting experience. Garrett and Abby would be joining me in my bar tomorrow. "Everyone here?"
"Still waiting on Woody. What was he supposed to bring?" Bug asked as he took a set next to the telescope. I was sure that he had the telescope perfectly aligned with whatever it was that he would teach us about tonight.
"Woody said something about making his grandmother's fudge," Lily said. It would be the first time that Woody would join us on the roof of the morgue. Normally, he flew home to be with his brother, but this year Cal would be with his girlfriend and her family. Woody would also be in my bar tomorrow; my impromptu family would all be there tomorrow.
"Jordan, crack open a bottle. I'm freezing," Garrett said as he started to unpack his cooler.
"We should wait," I replied as I pulled out a bottle of wine and shoved it into the snow on the ground. Garrett commended my creativity. Lily told us to be patient.
"Sorry, I'm late . . . I had to drop some fudge off at the office," Woody said as he carried two huge Tupperware containers over to where we were set up.
"Should I bring on the men?" Lily asked smiling.
"What men?" Woody asked. He looked at me suspiciously.
"Lily makes Jordan a perfect man each year . . . he doesn't talk . . . he smells good. What else, Bug?" Garrett said as he pulled the wine glasses out of the box next to my crate of wine.
"They always bite the heads off the cookie. Each year . . . Lily didn't make us women. Isn't that some form of harassment?" Bug joked as Lily handed me my cookie. It had little blue candy eyes. Lily had thought of everything this year. I was beginning to believe my perfect man did have blue eyes.
"A little gruesome," Woody commented as he handed me my mittens, "You left these at my apartment." Woody whispered it so quietly. He looked at my 'perfect man.' He smiled.
"I'll take what I can get. Jordan, how's your man?" Lily kidded as she helped Garrett pour the wine.
"You guys think of everything," Woody commented as he sat down in a lawn chair next to me.
"The telescope is ready to go. Polaris is up first," Bug said as he helped Lily find 'true north.' I watch the way his hands gently rest of her hips. I watched the way that he leaned close to her as Bug began to tell us stories about the North Star. The evening would be fully of different stories. My favorite was always the story of Orion in the sky; placed there to evade the scorpion. I chose to think of my mother like Orion. She was in sky to evade her illness that threaten to make her life on Earth miserable. I thought of Devan; I wondered if she was also placed in the stars to evade something on Earth. Nevertheless, it was my favorite story.
We stayed on the frozen roof for over an hour. We drank wine and ate cheese. I was impressed with Woody's fudge. He knew that chocolate was my most potent weakness. I was impressed with his culinary skill; he had made me supper many times. I had never been disappointed.
I distributed my wine to everyone. Lily handed out the stockings; she made one for Woody this year. There was also one for Devan. I put on the highest place on the roof; it was closer to Devan. Woody would ask me about that later in the night. I would tell him about Orion . . . Devan . . . Mom. Woody said that he hoped his parents were placed in the sky for the same reason.
We all parted ways. We would all be back together in the early afternoon; we would help those that needed the most help.
Woody and I went to his apartment. We cuddled under blankets and watched the Grinch. It was my favorite Christmas movie; Woody called me a juvenile. After making love, he admitted he too had a penchant for the furry, green cartoon character. Before those moments, he handed me a small box. I could feel my heart pounding against my chest wall. The earrings were perfect; tiny diamonds nestled against silver prongs.
"Now you'll always have a little bit of those stars with you not matter what time of the year it is," Woody whispered. At that moment, I knew that I wouldn't need a confectionary man next year. My perfect man was in bed next to me; I hoped he would stay in bed next to me no matter what time of year it was.