Holly Garland on Santa's Lap [COMPLETE]

Chapter 21 ~The neverending day~

It's Wednesday, December 29th.

In four days, it'll be just another ordinary day, in an ordinary week, smack in the middle of an equally ordinary month.

If everything goes the way it does every year, my annual Christmas curse will finally lift once New Year's Day is over. And starting January 2nd, I'll be free again. My regular, uneventful and ordinary life will resume, and I'm guessing this whole thing between Nick and me will be well and truly over.

That's how it works. Always has.

First, there's some big event that completely ruins my mood and life a few days before my birthday. Then comes a string of minor disasters in the days that follow, usually hitting a high point on Christmas Day.

Usually, the days between December 25th and New Year's are calmer, almost like a break. A week spent nursing a flu in bed or dealing with a broken leg in the hospital...

But there's always a final punch at the end or start of the year. Always.

Trust me, the stats don't lie! I've tracked this for almost 27 years, and I can say with total confidence that I'm not in the clear until the clock strikes midnight on January 1st. And let me tell you, what happens next isn't some Cinderella story. It's more like the opposite. My pumpkin turns into a Prius, my fancy, uncomfortable heels end up back on my feet, and I head back to my desk.

Plain, drama-free life. End of story until next year.

I've always counted down the days to the end of this mess. Begged, prayed for it to come faster.

But today...? Today, I'm counting backward. I wish time would stop. I wish I could hit pause on life's remote control, maybe even rewind a few scenes. This time, I want to live that endless day, just like Bill Murray. I want to be stuck in an infinite time loop. But with Nick. Over and over. And over...

I know, impossible.

But it almost feels like I'm there.

First, a kiss to wake me up.

Then, a "Good morning, Gingerbread" to drag me out of bed.

Next, pancakes with maple syrup to put me in a good mood.

After that, it's the same as yesterday.

Gym. Cooking, eating, serving Tony four helpings, cleaning up. Watching Nick struggle with his laptop, overthinking God knows what. Losing it at the TV. Kissing. Ending up in bed. Pool. Kissing again. Playing Mortal Kombat on the Switch with Tony.

And if I were stuck reliving this day forever, would I at least get better at that damn game? Would I finally beat him just once?

"Block, Ginger!" Tony yells at me for the millionth time.

I screw up again, and he groans in frustration.

"Okay, that's it!" he announces. "Tomorrow at the gym, I'm giving you self-defense lessons. We're starting with the basics. That's the only way you're gonna get how this works. Look, it's simple—duck low and tuck your head between your forearms to protect yourself. Got it, kid?"

Before I can confirm or deny if his lesson clicked, the intercom buzzes. Tony sighs and heads to the door.

"I'll get it," he mutters.

We haven't had visitors in a while, practically living in social isolation. Curious—and stubborn—I follow him to the door.

It's the doorman, letting us know someone's on their way up.

"Hello," he says in his usual pompous tone. "Mr. Paxton's fiancée showed up downstairs demanding to see him. I couldn't stop her..."

What??? Did I hear that right?