Willow in the Woods: Guarding the Willow

Chapter 34

Willow

Well... She was back. Willow stood in the long driveway looking up at the house set out before her.

This. This is what it should feel like when you come home.

Willow had taken a long walk this morning to get her blood flowing. She was out of coffee and tea. She had forgotten to grab some yesterday when the stores were still open. On Christmas day this little town took a day of rest. Willow could respect that.

Willow made her way up to the house, her shoes crunching in the little bit of snow that had fallen last night. It was barely a quarter of an inch but it still left a beautiful white dusting on all of the evergreens, and the sound when you walked on it was pleasing to hear.

Up ahead Marcus stepped out in brown coveralls and a green flannel shirt underneath. Dorian stepped out beside him wearing old jeans and an ugly reindeer sweater. One of them had done his chores this morning, the other was slacking. Willow chuckled and quickened her step. She hastened her steps when she realized they were holding warm thermal containers and there was steam rising out of them.

"Hey!" Willow called out. "Where did you find coffee?"

"Oh. I just went back to my old cabin and grabbed some." Marcus shrugged his shoulders.

Willow picked up a wad of snow and formed a ball, then threw it at him. She missed, of course.

"Darlin if you don't behave, you ain't getting any." He said laughing as he finally handed over the hot beverage.

Willow about chocked. There was a lack of sugar in this coffee that made it unacceptable. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"You forgot your sugar." She said, knowing she was making one hell of a face.

"I didn't forget nothin." He said leaning down giving her a kiss and then handed her a present he had been holding behind his back.

It was cute. It had brown paper wrapping and a thin twine wrapped around it made into a bow at the top. It wasn't too big. She was able to hold it in both hands.

Excited, Willow began tearing open the wrapping paper and pulling off the string. She opened up the black box beneath it and found a note and two presents with a bow on each. One present was a cell phone. It looked like a newer model. Willow knew it would have been a little pricey. He didn't have to do that... The second item in the box was a black can of pepper spray. Willow giggled as she looked it over in front of the two men standing before her.

Willow opened the note last. In a beautiful handwriting, that made Willow wondered Marcus had actually written it himself,  it said:

My girl

One is for when
We are apart

The other is for when
He gets too close

Merry Christmas Darlin,
Marcus

Willow chuckled and did her best to hold back the tears. She gave Marcus a kiss and a big hug. "Thank you Marcus. This means a lot."