The Ghosts of GingerBread Castle and the Twelve Days of Christmas

23

After lunch I quietly withdrew to the quiet of my room intending to continue my studies, thereby shutting out the merry chatter outside. I'd informed no one of my impending exams and imagined everyone must think that I sought a quiet snail-like retreat to perhaps wallow in my depressiveness, like Jada thought, or to merely call upon slumber.

The first few minutes I surprisingly found focus, until my nieces came scurrying into my room, searching out my dresser table which they threatened to transform into a pile of disarray had I not risen abruptly intending to stop them. It was too late. Both girls had spilled the contents of an old jewelry box onto the table, and a few broken pieces lay discarded on the floor.

Shaking my head I bent down and scooped the broken pieces off the floor, mostly costume, save one. It was a Swarovski crystal necklace, and though the clasp and chain were broken and blackened, I'd intended to reuse the crystals. Perhaps, I could make a bracelet with it!

"Oh! Diamonds!" Emma commented.

"You've got diamonds? Will you play dress up with us like you used to?" Dora asked.

I honestly didn't feel like playing dress-up. Luckily, I didn't have to, for Ma came into my room, with a comment not only saved me but shocked me as well.

"Blaze is here to see you," she said.

My eyes opened wide. Blaze! Silently, I followed her through the living room, into the porch.

His van was parked on the road, with the glass up, which he rolled down as I approached with curiosity.

"Thought you were too shy to come over, so I decided to come get you."

What! Too shy to come over! I froze, not knowing what to say as I stared at him.

"If you get in an early evening of studying, perhaps later I can interest you in a nice walk at the seaside?"

"Oh, a walk!" I said, still speechless.

"Yes, a walk, by the sea," he said, his eyes stuck on me.

Still frozen, I was shocked to find myself nodding. "Okay," I replied. "I'll go get my things." In a flash, I was back inside. Strangely, everyone but my Ma, had abandoned the living room and I imagined they must all be in the backyard.

"Everything alright?" Ma asked.

"Yes," I remarked, walking up to her. "I'm going out to Blaze's house to study."

"Study?" she asked, eying me suspiciously.

"Yes. I've got two makeup exams to study for."

"Oh." She shook her head. "Well, go on then. But, how long will you be —?"

I anticipated her question. "I should be back before it's too late. Perhaps before 10:00 p.m.," I replied awkwardly.

She shook her head at me. "Oh! It's not what I meant! You're a grown woman now, Adelaide. I just wanted to know if I should wait up for you."

"No. I'll be back before—."

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "What I meant to say was that you can take this with you." On tiptoes, she reached over the refrigerator and felt around on top of it for a while until she seemed to have found what she was looking for—a jingle of keys soon filled the air. "Here, you can let yourself in with this! That way, I don't need to wait up for you."