Merry Christmas

Lita looked at the spotless kitchen and sighed deeply. She had been called last minute into the hotel where she worked to help put together a Christmas Eve dinner for a bunch of richy riches who couldn't be bothered to cook for themselves. Throughout the service, as she slaved away on sauces, proteins and pastries, she caught glimpses of the happy families through the open kitchen. They were dressed up, enjoying themselves – not a care in the world. Meanwhile, she lived in a grungy one bedroom apartment, scrimping and saving for the day she could open her own bakery. Extra shifts like this – double pay for holiday work – would go a long way towards the payments she would need to make once her loan was approved.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she calculated the time it would take her to walk home and realized she would arrive just in time for midnight. Alone. On Christmas. Maybe she would tune into A Christmas Story and fall asleep under the influence of some heavily spiked eggnog. Grateful at least that Los Angeles didn't get truly cold, she bundled her secondhand trench around her curvy figure, slipped on her headphones and began walking. Although the busy work had gone a long way towards distracting her, as she walked, dangerous thoughts crept into her head. This time of year always reminded her of him.

Nathan Voltaggio.

Her college sweetheart.

He was a transfer student from Italy, and when he hadn't been able to make it home their first Christmas together, they had come up with an elaborate celebration plan. On top of many crazy rituals, she still couldn't shake the habit of buying the necessary ingredients for the random drink, 'Reindeer Surprise,' they had concocted.

Where was he now?

After graduation, she had moved to Los Angeles and he had returned home, but not before promising to come back to her.

That had been five long years ago.

Friends told her to move on, but there was something that wouldn't let her go.

Trudging to the second floor, she paused at her door, finding it curious that it was unlocked. She'd been rushed to leave the house this afternoon, but she usually wasn't too busy to lock the door. Hesitant, she looked around. Her neighbors, a large family living in a too small place, were nowhere to be seen. Pulling the small can of mace from her bag, she palmed the canister and walked cautiously ahead.

Her small tree – which she definitely remembered unplugging – was lit up, putting a soft focus on the room.

"Ciao, bella."

She would recognize the accented voice anywhere.

"You still keep your key in the same spot."

Lita, who notoriously lost her keys on a regular and ongoing basis, kept a spare in a small frog statue in a flower pot by the door. Of course he would remember. The silly piece of ceramic had been a gift from him. 'You will not kiss him when you have me around.'

"Where are you?" her voice unsteady.

"In the bedroom, tesoro."

Looking at her reflection in mirror, she shook her head. Of course he would pick today to show up. She's got flour and parts of a carrot soup that went awry in her hair. Shrugging, she straightened her shoulders, and pulled out her ponytail holder, sending her mahogany curls flying and hopes for the best.

The sight that greeted her was a very happy one indeed.

"Merry Christmas."

AN: If you're on LJ, there is a very nice picture accompanying this short.