Folly & Agendas & Talulah

58 - [𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍]

One Year Before:

As soon as the cold breeze blew into the city, the lights were already being built. When the sky darkened, the world seemed to move slower, the clouds shedding their thick tears hung loosely above the once barren land.

Hands from the heart extended themselves to others, each one holding a present; each present uniquely different from the other. A token of gratitude, or a hug and a kiss, colored their cheeks a rosy pink. Noses were red from the snow freezing their faces, but they didn't care. A newly knitted scarf, or a simple touch wrap of the hands, was enough to warm them up.

"Dadee~ let's play! Where' iz Mamee~?"

She reached three years of age, growing skinny long legs and bigger cheeks for a pretty smile. Marzanna ran around her dad's legs as if she was chasing a sibling in front of her. Her dad, Kaiser Rye, tapped her on her shoulders creating: "AH!"'s every time.

"Hang on, Marzanna. Mom has to do something first, then she'll come back to play, okay?"

Every word was choked with laughter. The heat from a lantern, hooked onto a belt, emitted a soothing aura for the father and daughter at play: Kaiser Rye held Marzanna by her fingers and watched as she fidgeted in place, barely containing her excitement. Both of them wore thick clothes, except for Kaiser Rye as he wore a thin coat and a thin scarf. He lifted her up and carried her with one arm, earning him some playful cheers.

"Where? Where Dadee?" Marzanna asked grabbing a fistful of her dad's head.

"Ow, ow, ow! Stop it! Stop it sweetie!" Kaiser Rye yelled, but he couldn't stop the laughs climbing up his chest. He put his other arm around his daughter and planted a kiss on her forehead before he placed her on his shoulders. He eyed the horizon which was all dark from the sky down. He caught a glimpse of stars shimmering in the night.

"Go! Go! Go!" Marzanna giggled with a boundless delight, the unfettered joy resonated through her body. She raised her arms into the air and patted her dad's head with her mittens. "Go! Come on –Go Dadee–Go!"

"Hold on tight, Marzanna! Off we go!" He tied his scarf and went on their merry way.

From there they traveled all the way to inner city, the one they inhabited, the place they called home. There was lights set up at every corner, shining the night in a hue of gold. The weather was perfect for the time of day; the snow granted from the clouds dressed the city in a soft blanket of white. The festivities planned ahead couldn't be concealed by rags and tarps; mouths would spoil the surprises in an instant, and gossip lingered at every corner.

Marzanna shivered on top of her dad's shoulders, so she tugged on his hair to get down.

"Feeling cold sweetie?" Kaiser Rye knelt down and lowered her back to the ground. He took of his scarf and wrapped it around Marzanna's head, covering her mouth and ears.

"Waaaah! Dadee!" Marzanna flailed her arms before holding them together and shivering like a stick in the wind.

"What? What? Still cold?"

Then he started taking off his jacket and wrapped it around her like a blanket. The jacket was too long; the hemline touched the snow, sullied with slush, but Marzanna was nice and warm –nice and cozy.

"There! Come on. Let's go see Haley!"

"Auntie Haaaaa–leeee~?" Marzanna beamed, her eyes sparkled in the night. She tugged on her dad's hand. "Where? Where Auntie Haaaaa–leeee?"

Kaiser Rye erupted into laughter before he picked her up into his arms. "She should be nearby. She might be with the other kids." He said.

"Where Sasaaaaa? Eeeeno?"