The Librarians And the Advent List

Dec 3

It was well after 10pm the next day before they finally wrapped their mission. Baird and Stone had managed to get covered in some sort of green slime and had gone straight to the locker rooms to get cleaned up. Cassandra had gone to help Jenkins secure the object that had been behind everything.

It was just about 11pm and Cassandra was contemplating either going home or making herself a cup of herbal tea and just crashing on one of the cots they kept in the Library. Jenkins had disappeared into his rooms, Jones had gone home almost right away and Baird had left soon after showering.

Cassandra had assumed Stone had gone home as well since she hadn't seen him. Until she wandered into the kitchen to find him sitting at the table, more staring at then eating the sandwich in front of him.

"Hey," she said softly, walking over to the electric kettle.

"Hey," he replied, going back to his picking at his sandwich.

She busied herself with making her tea, but he was still sitting there when she'd finished. So she took the seat across from him.

"Jacob . . ." she bit her lip as he looked up at her. "You know if there's something wrong, you can tell me right?"

He nodded. "I'm fine, Cassandra."

"Okay then," she said, sipping her tea.

A few more moments passed in silence, when he cleared his throat. "It's just this season, you know?"

"Well . . .I mean . . ." Cassandra laughed. "I love Christmas. But it wasn't always . . . .I didn't love it until I left my family's house and I was able to celebrate it the way I always wanted to. But last year . . .you seemed to enjoy Christmas, bar brawls and all."

He nodded, contemplating her. This was Cassandra. Cassandra who knew him. Who knew all his faults and yet somehow still liked him anyway.

"Things were bad at Thanksgiving."

Cassandra winced. "Your dad?"

He nodded and she returned the nod. Nothing more needed to be said about that.

She took a deep breath. "And you don't think Christmas . . . ."

"I don't think. I know. I'm no longer welcome. I actually used to love Christmas, Cassie. And now I kinda want to dig a hole and hide until after New Year's. I'm sorry, I know you love the season. I'm sorry I was so rude to you yesterday. It was the song and the whole . . . ." he gestured with his hands indicating her outfit which wasn't actually Christmasy at all today. But she nodded sadly.

"I'm sorry, Stone. I'll try to tone it down."

He shook his head. "Don't. I don't wanna ruin your Christmas too."

He sounded truly dejected. Like he'd ruined everyone's Christmas by the act of finally standing up to his father after decades of abuse.

"I wish I could . . . ."Cassandra trailed off.

"There's nothing you can do. I think I'm gonna go home. Night Cassandra."

"Night Stone."

After he'd left, she sat pondering, her tea growing cold in front of her. Then she pulled her notebook out of her pocket. She turned to her bucket list and then looked toward the door.

Maybe there was something she could do. She could bring Christmas back to Jacob Stone.