Aot Christmas Novels & Stories

Forty-three: Mia Conner Winter Solstice at The Lodge was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Aunt Rachel and I had a small Christmas together, but most of the time we didn’t do anything extravagant. This was on a whole other level. Everything was covered in snow. Although it wasn’t Christmas the Crescent family celebrated, there was still all of the trappings of Christmas. They still had a tree that was decorated with presents under it. There were stockings hanging from the fire place. All of them had the family names embroidered on them.

My name was Giselle Sutton, and I had carried myself with a demure and refined demeanor ever since I was a child. No one knew the truth—that I desperately lusted after men. Although I was the campus belle, I only started dating my first boyfriend, Blake Finch, when I was about to graduate because of my parents' strict rules. The atmosphere during Christmas Eve was perfect. Blake brought me back to his rented apartment, wanting to give me an unforgettable first time. I pretended to be reserved, but in reality, I was already brimming with impatience.

Lifting his hand from my eyes, I open them and see the most glorious sight. "Oh my gosh Austin. I love it!" I scream jumping up and down taking in the giant Christmas tree before me. It's the biggest tree I have ever seen, littered with silver and gold bulbs, ornaments and white blinking lights. There are at least one hundred presents under the enormous thing and beside them is the best gift I have ever received. "Mommy, mommy, you see it?" Mason says jumping up and down, pointing up as if I hadn't noticed the fifteen foot tree in front of me.

The snow keeps falling, heavy and suffocating. When I finally gather enough courage to walk home, my nerves are shredded. My thoughts got tangled. My chest tightened I reach my doorstep, fumbling for my keys. And there,lying on my welcome mat—is something small, wooden, and dusted with snow. A Christmas ornament. Hand-carved. Shaped like a house.Burning. A single number etched into its back: 24 The countdown has begun.

Walking with Aurora holding my hand and Athena holding my other one, we make our way to the living room. “Mommy, look.” Aurora points to the window, and I pick her up to see the snow falling. It is nearly Christmas. I love this time of the year. We have a tradition that during the long winter nights we all dress in matching pyjamas, sitting around the fire, drinking hot chocolate and playing games or we watch movies and eat enough comfort food to put a family of six to shame.

“My friend Jen was talking about some private investor from Indianapolis who’s in town right now, trying to get a feel for how we do Christmas at Christmas Falls. She heard he’s considering buying a few properties and fixing them up. For what, she didn’t say, but he doesn’t seem like the sort of big, greedy corporate fair you’re trying to avoid. Maybe you should talk to him.” “Maybe you should worry about your own self,” Memory said back without turning her head, and Kirsten sighed loudly while Bryce told her to let it go, prompting Lorelei to break into the theme song from Frozen which had them all laughing, including Memory, despite her frustration at her sister’s suggestion. Memory watche

Just as Enzo promised Arieon, he tried his best to turn a new leaf and be happier. Honestly, he was actually happy with being depressed. It was already December which meant Christmas was near abd Arieon was so excited about it. She loved holidays because it was the time she spent with her family. This year, she's spending it with her new family. It'll be the first and last time, though. "Let's have a very big Christmas tree!", Arieon gushed in happiness. Agatha looked at her incredulously. "You love holidays", she said and Arieon nodded. "They're just so special and I love celebrating them", Arieon said.

I learned to be thankful and quiet. That acceptance made me hate Christmas. Love songs made my skin crawl. The lights under our tree looked like glass eyes. The ribbons on the presents were traps. Every year, the house tuned itself to cheer and I pretended to enjoy it. The twenty-fifth became the night when a new kind of cold touched my bones. It was the day the truth had crawled out at me like an animal. It was the day I had learned how much of my life had been decided by other hands.

I have no choice. "Yes, of course. I'll get this one to bed but be careful." her motherly auro warms my heart a little as I give them both a smile and hug before setting off on another night of hunting. I'm not sure how I'm going to manage getting what we need when there's just the two of us but I'll figure it out... I have to. I start heading down the busy sidewalk taking in my surroundings and all the people as they go about their day. Christmas is close and it's pretty easy to tell the difference between the people that are just enjoying this time of year and the people that are late with their shopping and are in panic mode. God, what I would give to be either of those people.

I looked at the wall clock, and she was right. Lory and I both stood up and walked toward the kids, while Dark carried Cally over to join us. Phoenix adjusted his camera for a family photoshoot, already wearing his Christmas hat. I noticed Zebbie holding handmade Christmas cards, while Athena was carefully unboxing her Christmas cookies. Zeus simply observed Athena, his attention fixed on her every move, while Zephyr moved closer to his father’s side. “Christmas here in the Philippines really is special,” Lory said softly, a smile spreading across her face.