Thanks to everyone for their feedback on the previous chapters, with a special thank-you to my real-life editor. Remaining errors, if any, are mine. Reading the chapters of this story in order is highly recommended. All geek culture references are properties of their original copyright holders.
*****
Michael Thomas Evans looked at himself in the mirror. It had taken a fair bit of focus to get to sleep after the argument he had with Jenny. Even so, it didn't feel very restful: even his dream thoughts were racing rapidly. Usually he could recall his dreams, and today only brought flashes and blurs.
He'd learned how to deal with times like this as early as high school. When he found that he had woken up an hour before his alarm, he lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, letting his thoughts continue to sort themselves out as they did when he slept. It helped, but not much.
Maybe he'd been too hard on Jenny. She did seem like she was just trying to help. But after the last time she tried to push him, and what it took to sort that out, was she stubborn enough to try again? Or just arrogant? He shook his head. Arrogance wasn't her style. That sounded more like... Rick.
Mike groaned at the realization. Memory clicking into place, he recalled that Rick orchestrated time alone with Jenny before heading out two evenings before. That was the last time they'd seen each other before the argument. He must have put her up to it.
Still, she should have known better. And regardless of the reasons they both had, it wasn't worth it. He'd have to hash it out and settle the issue.
As if on cue, the second after Mike came to this conclusion, his alarm went off.
"I don't want clever... conversation," Billy Joel sang, "I never want to work that hard.... Mmmm... I just want someone... that I can talk to... I want you just the way you are..."
Click.
Mike turned it off. He had to face the day sometime. Getting up, he did his usual morning routine, with only a few changes. He took more time shaving, so touch-ups before the hearing wouldn't be too tasking. And the clothes he put on were very casual and loose-fitting, easier to take off for more formal attire later. He'd shower later, too.
Boxers? Check. Jeans? Check. T-shirt? Check. He reminded himself to buy a fez.
Still trying to think of what to say to Jenny, he headed downstairs to face the music. What he found himself instead facing was a bow, like from a wrapped present, stuck to the inside of the second-floor door to his bedroom. He unstuck it, and palmed it, planning on asking about it at breakfast.
When Mike opened the door, his mouth dropped open. Someone had decorated his entire house with his Christmas decorations. The lights, the garlands... everything, it looked like.
Walking into the foyer, Veronica turned and spotted him.
"Hey, everybody! He's up!" she called.
Christmas music sprang from Mike's stereo in the living room, from what sounded like Rick's Magical iPod. People started pouring into the foyer from the kitchen. Nate joined Veronica and put his arm around her. Rick and Cassie followed, and then...
"Dave? Stan? And Tina?!" Mike gaped further.
"Merry Christmas, Mike!" everybody chorused.
"But it's nearly February!" was all Mike could think of to say.
"Always winter, never Christmas," said a voice on Mike's right. Jenny had not been with the others; she was in the library when Mike came down. Cassie hurried back into the kitchen to keep something from burning, and the others followed.
"Don't stay too long, you two," said Veronica. "Wouldn't want Mike to miss his own party."
When they were alone, Jenny continued. Her voice was guarded, not sure how he'd feel since the previous day's argument. "You reminded me of Narnia, when we first see it in the book. Wonderful and amazing, but also a little sad. When I saw all these decorations covered in dust in the basement that first day, that got me thinking. You were always here only in the winter, but you never let it be Christmas."
"And we know exactly who the White Witch was," Mike said.
"Heh. Really. I just wanted to-"
"I know," said Mike, wanting to spare her from apologizing again when she didn't need to, not to him. "You've been a better friend to me than I deserve. And don't bother denying it, I know my faults. On that note, I wanted to apologize. Whatever my opinions and feelings are, there's a right way and wrong ways to express them. I crossed a lot of lines yesterday that I'm not happy about. I hope you can forgive me."
"Of course, Mike, why wouldn't I? I... I like you, I think you know, and don't want to stop being friends just 'cause we argue. If that were the case, Vee, Cass, and I wouldn't have made it this far."
"Steve Harrison?"
"No, look, I really liked the guy, but then Veronica... oh, you know what? Ancient history. But you see? It's just history. We're cool."
"You were right about one thing, Jenny."
"What's that?"
"You've thawed me out. This
has
been the warmest winter I've ever had." Jenny had to wipe a tear out of her eye.
"Either join us in here or get a room!" hollered Rick from the kitchen, "We're tired of straining our ears!"
"To be continued?" offered Mike.
"Yeah," said Jenny softly, "I'd like that."
Once downstairs with Jenny and everyone else, Mike heard that song from the beer commercial with the dancing lights. Rick was most definitely behind the playlist.
"So how did you pull this off?" Mike asked Jenny. She beamed. Not only had he liked the surprise, but he was letting her show off her plan. Validation, for the win!
"As soon as I heard about the court date and the stakes, I told Cassie and Veronica my idea. We called Nate and through him got ahold of Rick. After that, it was just a matter of spreading the word. Rick called Dave, Dave called Stan and Tina. Knowing your routine after two weeks, and that the master bedroom suite was sound-dampened, we could put everything up while you slept. Rick and Nate spent the night in the basement, having borrowed some stuff from the closets. Remember those extra blankets you offered us? Dave, Stan, and Tina arrived only about half an hour ago."
"We carpooled," explained Dave. "I'm also their ride to the courthouse." Mike noticed their attire. Dave had on his ranger uniform, and the mechanic shop couple had a warm version of their Sunday best.
"I feel so bad," said Mike, "I don't have anything to give you, Jenny. Oh, wait, yes, I do. Close your eyes."
She did, and like a kid, held out her hands with a huge grin on her face. Mike put something in her hair.
"Now you're decorated, too," Mike said. Jenny opened her eyes and found her reflection in the microwave door. The bow from the door was now in her hair. She turned back to Mike and smiled.
The bow stayed in her hair for the rest of the party. Since the party had been planned long before Rick arrived, he had thought to bring a party game called Cards Against Humanity, for which he also bought as many Christmas expansion packs as he could. Mike had never played the game, and what it amounted to was a person reading a prompt, and everyone else answering the question or filling in the blank with a card from their hand, to hilarious effect. This was made more interesting by the fact that more than half of the cards were of an overtly sexual, pornographic, or just plain graphic nature.
"That's horrible!" said Stan after reading one of the cards. Tina looked over.
"It's not that bad," she shrugged.
"But it's one of the hand-written cards!"
Finally, after a small brunch, the carpooled guests left to go to the courthouse early. Rick and Nate, too, left, to swing by their hotel for anything they missed, and to tidy up their appearance for court. This left Mike and the three ladies to get ready to go.
After a short shower, which the other three also took in succession after him, Mike turned his attention to what to wear.
Mike went for what he thought of as "respectful but just shy of complete formality." What it amounted to was a suit where he didn't wear a tie. He chose a plain black suit and white button-up shirt, and then pulled out a long black overcoat, for the cold, along with a Kangol cap and a pair of gloves.
Downstairs, he sat in his armchair, openly appreciating the job everyone did decorating the Christmas tree. It looked beautiful. He went to the kitchen and pulled out his digital camera from a supply drawer.
"That for us?" asked Cassie from the hallway. Mike turned. She was stunning. Understated yet bold, sexy but not wanton, assured but not diva, the outfit was Cassie in every way.
"You look great," Mike said honestly. Cassie smiled.
Veronica was next, looking how Mike could only think of as a "sexy, kick-ass, professional." He told her so.
"Ha! I
like
it!"
Jenny turned the corner, and Mike nearly dropped the camera. Before, when he had seen her in the same dress, there were all sorts of distractions. Now, he could only stare, dumbstruck. Jenny looked uncharacteristically abashed at his attention, but recovered quickly.
"Someone close his mouth before a bird lands in it."
"What, no reactions to how I'm dressed?" he countered.
"Yeah, lookin' sharp!" commented Veronica.
"Makes me look forward to what Rick's wearing," Cassie said.
"Not much different," said Mike. "We have the same measurements. And we keep it that way, by accident. We're gym buddies, too, and you know how competitive we are. Ever wonder how I got my physique? Now you know."
Cassie was smiling to herself, presumably walking down memory lane.
"Well, let's just rip the Band-Aid off, there's nothing else to do here," said Jenny.
