A Winter Night's Repose

Gil looked out his bedroom window.  Grimacing, he hastily dropped the curtain he held.  Snowflakes fell fast and furious littering the front lawn and side yard faster than he could count.  By morning the accumulation would be several inches deep with more on the way.   Christmas was less than a week away.  

Rachel’s where bouts remained a mystery.  No one knew how to reach her.  Her desk looked empty and strangely dank with her gone.  Gil hoped she returned soon.  He missed her. 

Gil turned back to his bed where Blackie lay curled up in a mound of blankets.  Her golden eyes watched him as he strode around the room tidying.  Not ready for bed or sleep, Gil puttered around his portion of the mayor mansion wondering if he would seek re-election come spring.   Maybe another road trip with Phil and the boys fishing might come about.  Gil wondered how stir crazy he would get before he morphed racing through the trees under the light of the full moon chasing some female squirrel he had no other interest in than sex.

Sighing, Gil picked up a book from the shelf near where Rachel last sat before she left on vacation.  The title puzzled him.  He started leafing through the pages yesterday.  He opened to a page and read.  The story told of a young prince named Tyburn who longed to see his kingdom.  His father held him at bay from all outside of an elite group of advisors and servants.  Gil shook his head as he placed the book back where he found it.  Too much flight of fantasy for him.  He liked his fiction full of adventure and action.  His favorite author’s last release compelled him to crawl between the pages and loose himself within the words and characters.  

A short trip to the kitchen later, Gil trotted back into his bedroom carrying a tray laden with snacks, a sandwich, and a mug of mixed nut tea.  Two pieces of peppermint candy lay next to the steaming mug.  Their tangy essence mixed with the tea would ease the craving his taste buds had for items he didn’t have in stock.  Blackie rose from her place on the bed, mewing and pawing him.  He reached down, scratched her ears, and petted her.  

Two plaintiff mews later, Gil rose from the bed.  He re-entered the kitchen, rummaged in the cabinet closet to the door.  He found the box of kitty treats.  Back in bed with the covers around him, he lay propped up with his book open resting on his knees.  Blackie lay close by crunching and purring.  A half empty box of treats lay next to her.

T'was days before Christmas and through the mayoral mansion, shifter and animal settled down for a winter night’s repose. 

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Merry Christmas Gang!  Happy Holidays and Merry Meet!  Blessed Be!  Yule and Solstice are upon us.  May your yule logs burn bright and blessing abound for you and yours!  From the Spice Homestead to all of you, we wish you a merriest holiday season and a bright new year.

Until next week,

Solara