Who is Nicolas Claus

Short Story

Chapter One

Scrape scratch scrape scratch

Tanner's bleary eyes popped open, and she grabbed for her Glock, tucked safely away but with easy access, in her nightstand. In precisely two seconds, she registered several things. One, Juliet was not lying next to her in their bed, and two, a strange, possibly dangerous noise came from the living room.

Juliet. The woman she loved with all her heart was in danger again.

Tanner carefully rolled out of bed with her gun held by her side. There wasn't time to put on clothes, and she didn't give two shits what the burglar, or whatever nasty character was out there, thought of her in her birthday suit. She would put a bullet in their head if one single hair on Juliet's head was harmed.

She crept over the carpeted floor, cognizant of the squeaky part of the wood covering the flooring just outside the bedroom. Tilting her head to listen for the menacing sound, she finally heard the telltale signs and straightened her body to her full five-foot-nine-inch frame. She stalked into the living room.

"Jesus Christ, Juliet." Tanner slammed the gun on the table and stood naked before her singing fiancé. "I almost shot you."

Juliet stopped singing Let It Snow and looked up at Tanner. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor with a string of lights over her lap. Next to her were three boxes, perfectly lined up, with typed labels on the outside: Christmas Tree Lights, Christmas Tree Balls, and Special Christmas Tree Decorations.

"Oh, good morning, honey. Did I wake you up? Um, your headlights are showing. Do you want me to make a fire to warm the place since you insist on parading around in your birthday suit? Not that I mind or anything. I'm definitely enjoying the view."

"Funny. What are you doing? It's like 6 a.m.," Tanner grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"As soon as the stores open, we have to go out and find replacement bulbs."

Tanner narrowed her eyes and spied the small Christmas bowl on the coffee table with at least ten bulbs inside.

"What are those for?"

"We're out of green ones."

"So. Use one of the red, yellow, or blue lights."

"We can't have two of the same color next to each other." Juliet looked at her with a horrified expression.

"Oh no, we certainly cannot have that because that would surely end Christmas."

Juliet's hurt expression had Tanner quickly apologizing.

"I'm sorry. I'll make coffee." Over the last several months, Tanner had learned which teasing comments were okay and which made Juliet feel bad. Unfortunately, she didn't always guess correctly. Christmas was a bit of a sore subject and one to tread on lightly. She hoped her peace offering of coffee would help dig her out of the hole she'd gotten into. It was barely 6 a.m. Not a good way to start the day.

Over the loud noise the grinder made, Tanner heard Juliet say something. She shut off the grinder.

"What was that, honey?"

"I forgot. We can't go until later this afternoon."

"Why?"

"I told Margie we would watch little Harold this morning while she does her open house."

"Great, a perfectly good morning, and we'll be up to our eyeballs in baby poop and milky spit wads." Tanner groaned. She walked back into the living room. "Why'd you have to go agree to that? You know how ill-prepared I am to deal with a tiny human."