Conform or Suffer: The Darkness of Beauty

Chapter 38 Christmas Inside the Brownstone

Odin and Avery-Joy were asleep in their separate guest bedrooms.

Paul, Karen, and Betsy left to leave Christmas stockings on neighbors' porches for fourteen minutes. They came back and opened the front door, but didn't walk inside.

Quig and Grew-Ella rushed out of a hall closet.

"What are you doing in there?" Paul asked.

"They were kissing." Betsy broke off into kissing noises and rushed into her designated room.

Karen walked in.

Grew-Ella blushed and covered her lipstick-smeared mouth with her palm. "It's a Christmas tradition for married couples to kiss in the closet."

Her father's belly raised up and down in laughter, and he almost bumped his head in the doorway, while walking in. "I'm glad you're both not sleeping on the floor anymore. Make sure you lock the door. You're my little girl, and I don't want to see anything."

Grew-Ella smiled. "Mom, why did you tell Dad about the floor thing?" She stood closer to Quig. "But you're right, I'm Quig's one, and he is mine."

He squeezed her hand. "I love you too and always."

She snuggled into Quig, her wings expanded, and they lifted each other a foot off the ground.

His wings fluttered with hers, but not in a broken and sad flight. "Wow, this is the first time I've flown since Trent attacked me."

Madd-Ox walked in from the hall.

"You're not going to work on Christmas?" Paul asked.

"Dad, I'm off hours, but I don't feel comfortable leaving my sister if Zill might show. She has spiked Grew-Ella's drinks. Junior won't come upstairs until she leaves."

Paul's smile collapsed.

An hour later, Odin and Avery-Joy woke to a breakfast of sausage burgers.

They opened one gift each. Karen handed the adults large stockings.

Betsy chased Quig and Grew-Ella with a toy rat before opening the rest of her gifts.

"I'm clearing out my home later today because I'm selling it," Odin said.

Avery-Joy kissed Odin goodbye for five minutes.

Karen and Paul giggled.

Odin blushed and covered his hands over his eyes. "We're dating." He exited the den and passed Yoleta and her guards hidden behind a guest bedroom door.

Hours passed. Grew-Ella, Quig, and Avery-Joy dragged the table and set mismatched porcelain dinnerware on top.

"Do you think Zill will come?" Paul asked.

"I hope she takes our offer, but she is late," Quig said.

"Are your sons coming?" Avery-Joy asked Karen.

"I exchanged gifts with their mother last week over hummus. They're going to meet me at the community pool section with their entire family at the aquarium tomorrow. Betsy is invited, and Dot and her nephew will be there."

They all sat at the dining table, covered with chicken nuggets and mounds of fresh salad.

Yoleta and her guards ran in, yelling at Zill and Chase, who stood off to the side.

"You didn't think we wouldn't be waiting for you. Will you sign Quig's contract?" Madd-Ox asked.

"I'm not signing anything." Zill held her laser gun to another guard's throat. She waved her weapon around, firing into a plate, shattering the rose-colored porcelain.