All About Your Heart

Entry 17: Holly and Mistletoe

December 3, 2018

We've started decorating for Christmas! I love this time of year. Ever since I was a little girl I've loved it. Once I got past the fact that Christmas eve also marked the anniversary of the deal, I began to love it just the same as always, if not more. I know this year will be different because I've let Erik know how I feel about him to his face. We always have a giant Christmas tree in the corner of the common area and everyone gets to help decorate it if they want. They put a wreath on every door in the entire place which, let me tell you, putting up that many wreaths is a pain! I feel bad for Nadir who has to do it each year. There are at least a hundred doors in this place!

Normally, that's the full extent of the Christmas decorations with the exception of the lights strung around the perimeter of the common area. That's my favorite room at this time of year and I think I spend more time in there than in any other room in the asylum. This year, however, I found out that Erik put up one more decoration located in his office. I found out about it when I went down for a lesson on December 1st. Another thing I love about this time of year is that Erik lets me work on Christmas songs instead of our usual arias.

My favorite song to sing is Grownup Christmas List with The Christmas Song as a close second. I'm humming both non stop every day. Anyway, I came down after getting dressed in a slightly more festive outfit to find Erik sitting at the piano already playing Grownup Christmas List. I noticed his little extra decoration hanging from the ceiling above where I was supposed to stand, but didn't say anything about it. Walking over to my spot, I hummed the tune he was playing for a moment and he stopped playing.

"Are you ready?" he inquired.

"Don't you want to do something first?" I shot back.

I saw the corner of his mouth curl upward slightly as he turned to face me.

"Oh, yes. I believe you are standing underneath the holly and mistletoe, my dear."

"Oh really? I didn't notice it when-"

I was interrupted by his lips crashing against mine. I closed my eyes and too soon felt him pull away.

"Now then, shall we begin?"

I nodded my head, licking my lips as he played the first few measures to Grownup Christmas List. After we sang through the entire song, he switched and played the beginning measures of The Christmas Song. We sang through a few other Christmas tunes after that before he called it a night. Yesterday when I came down for another session, the holly and mistletoe was still up and we repeated the beginning exchange before singing some more. I think Nadir went down yesterday afternoon, but he didn't say anything about the new decoration that hasn't been there the past two years.

I don't think anyone around here makes as much of a big deal about Christmas as I do. The only reason why we've decorated the past few years is because Erik found out how much I love the holiday and he wanted to make me feel at home despite the fact that the holiday also means one more year has passed since the deal was made. The first year that Christmas rolled around, one year after the deal, Erik bought all the decorations and that was pretty much my present for that year even though I didn't feel much like celebrating.

Last year for Christmas he got me new snow boots so I could go out into the garden and play in the snow during the winter. I don't know what he'll do this year with everything that's been happening over the past few months. I feel like I need to do something for him, though I know me admitting to him that I love him is probably the only present he wants and I bet if I asked him if he wants anything he'll tell me that the knowledge that I love him is the only present he needs or something to that effect.

We'll just have to see what happens this year. Sorry the entry is a bit short this time around, I promise I'll try to write more next time. There just wasn't a lot I wanted to talk about this time around. It really is getting kind of late at this point and I should start getting ready for bed. I'll see you around!

-Jessica Snow