World of If

Holiday Blues

For Danny, the holidays passed in a blur. His impromptu Thanksgiving with Dahlia was a success even by Elsie's stoic, no nonsense standards. Meanwhile he continued doggedly at his temporary retail job in an effort to save enough money to rent an apartment. He had little joy looking forward to Christmas, he didn't have his family and he didn't have Beth and he felt weird imposing on someone else's holiday. All he had was work and looming Black Friday sales.

"You look like a zombie." Dahlia commented conversationally when he came in from his shift late Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving.

"Gee thanks." Danny returned with a wry smile. "Just the look I was going for slightly dead."

Dahlia laughed. Danny liked that she was always laughing, it brightened his mood.

"You want to go shopping sometime?" She asked.

"You're asking the wrong guy," Danny chuckled, "I've had about as much of holiday shoppers as I can stand right now. Give it a few weeks."

Dahlia considered.

"Okay, but you're missing out... At least let's go see the lights if I can find the display around here."

"Fair enough." Danny replied. "It's a date."

Dahlia giggled.

"By the way, I should get after Elsie to start decorating, you should see this house during the holidays... It's fantastic!"

"I'll have to take your word for that." Danny replied.

The following weekend Dahlia talked Danny into going Christmas shopping. By then, he had some money to spare, but not be extravagant. Still, if it made her happy.

The area was beginning to look festive lights were going up and strains of Christmas music could be heard in the local shopping centers.

"This is so cliché." Danny muttered as he pulled up his collar and shoved his hat a little further down on his head.

"That's the fun of it!" Dahlia squealed. "Besides, Elsie never likes to go shopping with me."

"Oh I see how it is." Danny replied with a smirk. "I'm the victim now."

In response, Dahlia only laughed.

The trip was about would Danny expected turning him into the bag toter and as they crisscrossed various stores cashiers and other men were giving him sympathetic glances.

"You ready to see lights tonight?" Dahlia asked as they crammed the shopping bags into the back of Elsie's car.

"After this?" Danny asked, "I think I need to recover first."

"What about tomorrow?" She pressed.

"Let me see if I have to work, if not, I'm all yours."

Danny was relieved when the manager let him off on Sunday earlier than normal. Then he made plans to go out with Dahlia later that evening.

"Are you monopolizing my car again?" Elsie asked. She sounded annoyed, but in a halfhearted sort of way.

"Yep!" Dahlia replied.

"How old are you, six?" Elsie asked. "No wonder most of your boyfriends walked."

Dahlia made a face.

"Ouch." Danny responded sympathetically, "come on, Elsie was that really necessary?"

"Just facts." Elsie replied in a no nonsense voice. "I just be careful what you're getting into Danny."

"Who says I'm getting into anything." Though Danny was unconvinced that was true.

Over the next few weeks Christmas was in full swing. Out came the decorations and Danny even heard Elsie laughing and smiling as she and Dahlia, along with Elsie's new boyfriend wrestled with the tree and lights. Afterwards they took turns putting on the ornaments while Dahlia told stories of why each ornament was significant.

"Your parents coming in?" Danny asked conversationally.

"Yeah, before Christmas." Dahlia answered.

"Don't forget my mom's coming too." Elsie reminded her, "There's not room for everybody here." She glanced at Danny with a clearly apologetic look.

"I can go..." Danny interjected.

"No, no," Elsie replied hastily, "everyone's staying at a hotel anyway otherwise arguments breakout about when bedtime is."

Danny chuckled.

"Really?"

"Seriously." Elsie continued, "These are grown adults we're talking about."

"Well I guess everyone likes their space." Danny conceded.

"Exactly." Elsie finished, "which was why my mother and Aunt Eileen agreed a hotel was best."

After the tree had been trimmed and before Danny went to work there was once again discussion about going to see the lights.

"You owe me." Dahlia reminded him.

"I told you Sunday." Danny reminded her, "The stores are a madhouse right now."

Dahlia sighed.

"Fair enough, but I promise you won't want to miss it!"

"So you keep telling me." Danny replied with a laugh.

I decided to split the next few scenes into three chapters. One was too long, two didn't break the scenes the way I wanted and some of the scenes were better in chapters by themselves. I knew where I wanted Danny to be by the beginning of what will be chapter 12, so this worked best.

Happy reading!