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The bells on the ends of her pointy green felt shoes jingled as Sabrina Spellman stormed up the stairs to the Macy’s management offices. She stomped past the secretary, flinging open the door that had the words “Assistant Manager” on the door, hands on her hips as it shut behind her.
“Lilith Marwood!” She said, drawing herself up to her whole five foot two inch height. She wanted to look as imposing as possible, which was difficult when you were dressed like a Christmas elf; red and green dress, striped stockings, and a green hat with bells that matched the one on the shoes. “I have a bone to pick with you!”
The imposing assistant manager pushed her glasses up her nose, looking annoyed, “Oh joy.”
“How could you fire James Bateman? That nice old man never hurt anyone and he was the perfect Santa! You never gave him a chance to prove himself! It’s unfair! He has a life too, bills to pay, rent to make- and maybe even a family to take care of. But no instead you dismiss him right after the parade? During the busiest time of year? The Gaul! I demand you reinstate James as Santa Claus immediately!” Sabrina cried, her face flush with passion.
“Sabrina, was it?” Lilith asked after Sabrina had finished her speech, “Do you know why I fired Mr. Bateman?”
Sabrina bit her lip, unused to the fixed stare of Lilith’s icy blue eyes. She shook her head, “No but-“
“No, I suspected not, because if you’d have known that Mr. Bateman showed up to work inebriated, that is totally smashed and still clinging to his bottle, you would have agreed with my decision to replace him with someone who I thoroughly vetted, performed detailed background checks on, and waits until after work to indulge,” Lilith said, taking off her glasses and leaning back in her chair. She could easily command the room with a single sharp look, one that Sabrina admired- when it wasn’t directed entirely at her.
“I- uh- I didn’t-“
“Will that be all Sabrina?” Lilith crossed her arms.
“Yeah,” Sabrina backed towards the door. Her face was red with anger and embarrassment and something else, something that twisted hot and heavy in her stomach and wasn’t totally unwelcome.
“And don’t think I won’t be docking five minutes from your pay,” said Lilith, turning back to her work, “I don’t pay you to complain.”
“I am on my break!” Sabrina snapped, slapping the door behind her as she left.
Macy’s department store was warm and bustling. Overnight it had been decorated with garlands in red and green and gold. Reminders of Christmas with Santas and wrapped gift boxes and bells hanging all across the store.
Sabrina loved it. She loved everything to do with Christmas from the snow to the carols to the mistletoe and holly jolly- which was why she’d applied for the job of one of the elves in the Santa photo station of the store. It was, of course, a bit commercial, with the store approved Santa usually recommending toys you could buy at Macy’s but it felt like she was going to work inside Miracle on 34th Street, which was a bonus.
But the Macy’s store assistant manager, Lilith Marwood, was sorely lacking in holiday cheer. In her week and a half of elf training, Sabrina hadn’t once seen her smile! She had asked around in case Lilith was Jewish or Muslim or Pagan or belonged to some other religion that didn’t celebrate raindeer and babies in mangers, but according to everyone she asked (literally everyone) Lilith had mentioned getting a Christmas tree once two years ago. But as she was incredibly private, that was the most information Sabrina could get.
“Ms. Marwood is a real witch,” Ben Button who worked at the cash registers said.
“She’s just focused on the good of the store,” Mrs. Meeks from women’s wear said.
“She yelled at me for getting the front floors wet,” said Theo Putnam, “And it was snowing outside! What else was I supposed to do?”
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, stepping into the chaotic expanse of the store, an idea hit Sabrina like a bolt of lightning.
She was going to bring Christmas cheer to Lilith and totally de-Grinch-ify her holiday season. Step one? Cookies.
That evening, Sabrina propped her phone up in a bowl of fruit, video chatting with her Aunt Hilda as she made her special peanut butter balls. The recipe was simple; peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter, mixed together, rolled into balls and dipped in chocolate. Last year Aunt Hilda had sent a tin of cookies so that’s what Sabrina was packing her gift for Lilith in.
“Make sure you make them all the same size,” said Hilda, “Each one the perfect bite.”
Sabrina glanced down at the irregular peanut butter balls she’d already dipped in chocolate, “I don’t know, I feel like diversity is important to have as well.”
“Whatever you say dear.”
Sabrina was sure to get to work bright and early the next day, yawning into her green felt hat as she rode the elevator up to the offices. She hummed along to the instrumental version of Wham’s Last Christmas that played, convinced that her tin of cookies would solve all of Lilith’s holiday woes.
She pushed open the door, thrusting out the tin with a big smile on her face, “Good morning! Merry Christmas! These are for you!”
Lilith, already fixed behind her desk, looked up in shock and surprise with a touch of horror. She blinked at Sabrina.
“I- what?”
Encouraged by not being immediately banished back to the ground floor, Sabrina opened the tin and pushed it towards her.
“It’s a gift! For you!” She said, “Homemade peanut butter balls, it’s my Aunt Hilda’s recipe which she claims is magic-“
“Take it away,” Lilith snapped, closing the tin and pushing it back to her, “Now!”
“What?” Sabrina clutched the tin of cookies to her chest.
“Take your cookies,” Lilith said, standing up, “And get out!”
Scrambling, Sabrina ran out the door and down the stairs and straight into Theo. Sabrina swiped at her eyes as the tin of cookies- thankfully still sealed- slid across the floor.
“Brina!” Theo said, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Sabrina took Theo’s hand, letting him help her to her feet.
“Here,” Theo offered her the tin, but Sabrina shook her head.
“You keep it, I made them for Lilith, but she flipped out and yelled at me!” she said, “For cookies!”
Opening the tin, Theo took a bite of a peanut butter ball, “Her loss, these are super good.”
“Thanks,” Sabrina said with a sigh, glancing back up at Lilith’s office door. Another idea dawned on her and she turned back to her friend, “Hey Theo, what are you doing after work?”
After changing back into their street clothes, Sabrina and Theo waited in the locker rooms until the store had closed and everyone had left. Then they took their boxes of leftover decorations and carefully crossed the saleroom floor.
“It’s kinda creepy in here in the dark,” Theo said, looking up at the now still animatronic Mrs. Claus.
Before they could make it to the stairs, the elevator dinged. Sabrina and Theo exchanged a frenzied look, “Hide!”
Theo crawled under the red tablecloth covering a display table, pulling the box under after him as Sabrina hid behind a pillar. She could hear the elevator doors open and footsteps approach.
“This is wholly unacceptable!” Sabrina recognized the nasally voice of George Hawthorne, Macy’s store manager and all around bad dude. “I expect this to be fixed immediately!”
“Of course Mr. Hawthorne,” Lilith replied, her voice taught, annoyance creeping in at the edges, “I will take care of it first thing in the morning.”
“You’d better!” he snapped and Sabrina flinched, “I am sick and tired of the incompetence in this store! It’s the busiest time of the year and we are the flagship of the Macy’s brand!”
“I understand completely,” Lilith continued as they talked away, his heavy footfalls and her high heeled clicks fading into the quiet.
“That was close,” Theo whispered, sticking his head out from under the table, “Mr. Hawthorne sounds like a dick.”
“Yeah,” Sabrina agreed, “No wonder Lilith is always so grumpy, having him as a boss.”
Carrying the excess decorations upstairs, they made quick work Christmasfying Lilith’s office. They hung garland and lights, set up a little tree on her desk, a stocking behind the desk chair, and a sprig of mistletoe above the doorway.. Soon everything was festive and full of light and charm.
Sabrina smiled as she surveyed their work, “This looks excellent Theo, thank you for your help with operation Christmas Tree.”
“Anytime,” Theo replied.
The next day, Sabrina started her day with an extra spring in her step. Dressed in her elf costume, she helped organize the line to see Santa, chatting with kids while they waited their turn to talk to Jeff- Lilith’s new and improved man in a big red jacket. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, he was definitely a better Santa, real bread and all. She’d been talking to him before their shift and learned that he was a retired baker who’d left his bakery to his granddaughter, Dorcas.
“Right this way,” Sabrina said, swinging open the candy cane gate that led the children into Santa’s workshop, “Mr. Claus will see you now.”
The little boy laughed nervously, taking hesitant steps towards Jeff as his mom urged him on.
“Sabrina Spellman!” Lilith’s voice broke through the holiday music, making everyone jump, “My office. Now!”
“Oh no Elf Sabrina,” Jeff chuckled in his Santa voice, “Sounds like someone isn’t too happy with the work you’ve done on this years’ toys!”
Sabrina shot him an unamused look before excusing herself and taking the stairs two at a time- jingle belled shoes jingling with each step. Lilith watched with her arms crossed, but didn’t say a word, merely waited for Sabrina to catch up with her before turning on her heel and matching them back to her office.
“I assume this is your doing?” she asked, swinging open the door to Sabrina’s Christmas display, lights and all.
“Oooh it looks so nice in here!” Sabrina pretended to not know what Lilith was talking about, “I love how you decorated the place- very festive.”
“Sabrina,” Lilith growled, a noise that sent a shiver down her spine but that Sabrina didn’t find unpleasant in the slightest, “I am going to lunch and while I’m gone, you will clean this up immediately and if I find even one piece of tinsel or pine needle when I get back, you’ll be fired. Understood?”
Sabrina’s shoulders slumped, “Understood.”
“Good,” Lilith said and stalked out, leaving Sabrina.
It was depressing, really, taking down the decorations. All the hard work Sabrina and Theo had put into it the night before was now being neatly tucked away into boxes.
“She’s such a Grinch,” Sabrina muttered to herself as she gently laid the tiny Christmas tree back in its box, “And I don’t know what the big deal is, who doesn’t like Christmas! And cheer!”
She finished before Lilith returned, her anger fueling her, and stormed back down stairs. She took her place at Santa’s workshop, knowing full well her smile was less perky than normal and didn’t totally meet her eyes.
Christmas was a time for happiness however, Sabrina was feeling frustrated and sad that she couldn’t spread the joy she usually felt to everyone. As her shift ended, Sabrina didn’t even bother changing out of her costume, instead dejectedly grabbing her backpack and dragging herself back across the main floor.
At the main entrance to the store stood a giant Christmas tree, made entirely out of bright and shiny glass balls or all sizes stuck together at almost two stories high. It was the panicle of the store decorator’s holiday display, tall and glittering.
As Sabrina made her way towards the entrance, she saw it happen in slow motion. The store manager, Mr. Hawthorne was trying to placate an irate shopper, a woman arguing with him as she aggressively pointed at his chest, poking him in this boring gray tie. With each jarring poke, Mr. Hawthorne stepped back, hands up, closer and closer to the tree. On the other side of the tree was a girl, dark brown hair in twin braids, no more than ten. She was staring up at the display with the same awe Sabrina had the day it had gone up.
That’s when it happened. Mr. Hawthorne stepped back again, stumbling, falling backwards into the tree. The giant glass Christmas tree teetered, swaying dangerously as it tipped over- towards the girl.
Sabrina didn’t even think, dropping her backpack she just ran forward, towards the girl, pulling her out of the way of the falling tree and onto the floor. Someone screamed. Just as they fell, Sabrina cushioning the girl, the tree toppled over, shattering exactly where the girl had been standing only seconds before.
“Eden!” A voice rang out through the din and suddenly, Lilith was there, a terrified look on her face. Sabrina and the girl both sat up, unhurt but dazed.
“I’m fine mom,” said the girl- Eden- said, even as Lilith threw her arms around her, hugging her close.
Sabrina couldn’t help but gape, she’d never seen Lilith display any other emotion than aloof indifference or barely concealed rage but here she was, hugging her daughter and checking to make sure she wasn’t hurt. Also, Lilith had a daughter?? All she could do was stare.
“Sabrina, thank you,” Lilith leaned over and hugged Sabrina, bone crushingly tight. Sabrina froze, overwhelmed with warmth and the sharp smell of cloves and plum. She never wanted the hug to end, but soon it was, Lilith pulling back and getting up, the cool rush of air flooding between them.
“O-of course,” Sabrina said, getting to her feet.
“What do you say Eden?” Lilith said, hand on her daughter’s shoulder.
“Do you want to come over? We’re gonna build a gingerbread house!” Eden said, beaming.
“Eden!”
“Oh I mean thank you,” said Eden, “For saving my life.”
Taking off her pointy elf hat, Sabrina performed an elaborate bow, “Of course! Saving lives is my side job- but being an excellent gingerbread house builder is my hobby.”
Lilith rolled her eyes, but the smallest smile tugged at her lips, “We wouldn’t want to impose but I suppose if you’re free you could join us for dinner as a thank you for saving Eden.”
That’s how Sabrina ended up taking the subway, still dressed as an elf, with Lilith and Eden to their little apartment. Unlike her serious quiet mother, Eden talked Sabrina’s ear off, which was fine with the blonde.
“I’m nine years old,” said Eden, “and in fourth grade. How old are you?”
“Eden, it’s not polite to ask someone their age,” said Lilith.
“It’s fine,” said Sabrina, “I’m nineteen.”
“Mom’s forty seven,” Eden offered helpfully and Sabrina smirked up at Lilith, who was pointedly not looking at her.
“Oh yeah?”
“Mom found a gingerbread house kit without any trace nuts,” she said as the subway pulled away from the stop, “I’m allergic to peanuts.”
Sabrina blinked at her, glancing up at Lilith for a moment as the pieces fell into place, “Oh.”
Overtop Eden’s head, as the girl chattered on already on a different topic, Lilith met Sabrina’s gaze. She gently smoothed Eden’s hair.
It had begun to snow by the time they made it to Lilith’s apartment, big fluffy flakes settling in their hair and eyelashes as it covered the street. Sabrina shivered on the sidewalk as Lilith unlocked the door and led them up the dark wood stairs to their apartment.
It was small but cozy, decorated with soft white lights, cranberry garlands, and a little tree in the corner by the television. Lilith turned on the radiator, the little metal box shuttering to life as Eden shed her coat, hanging it up on a hook before taking Sabrina’s coat.
“Uh,” Sabrina hugged her backpack to her chest, “Is there somewhere I could change?”
“I’ll show you the bathroom!” Eden volunteered, immediately leading Sabrina down a short hallway to a bathroom. Shivering slightly as she changed, Sabrina shoved her elf costume into her bag, and stepped out of the bathroom clad in her coziest red sweater and jeans.
Lilith was putting a frozen pizza in the oven as Eden carefully unboxed the gingerbread house kit.
“Are you and Sabrina friends, mom?” Eden asked, unaware that Sabrina was hovering.
“Mm I suppose you could say that,” said Lilith, “She did try to decorate my office for Christmas.”
“That was nice of her,” Eden laid out the gingerbread house pieces before warming up the frosting bag between her hands. Looking up, she smiled when Sabrina entered the kitchen, “Sabrina!”
“Hey there,” Sabrina said, “Have you got everything ready to build the house?”
“Yeah! Okay these two pieces are the front,” Eden explained.
Together, they assembled the house, Sabrina holding up the walls as Eden used the frosting to stick them to one another. Outlining the roof with frosting, Sabrina took one side and Eden took the other carefully placing them on top of the four walls.
“Okay don’t let go,” said Sabrina, “The frosting has to set.”
“This looks so good!” Eden said, “I can’t wait to decorate it!”
“Ready to let go and see if it holds? One, two, three…”
They both slowly pulled away, watching the house quaver, but stay standing.
“Yes!” Sabrina cried, “We did it! High five!”
Giggling, Eden clapped her hand to Sabrina’s careful not to hit the newly constructed cookie home, “Now we just have to decorate it.”
Lilith sat the hot pizza on the table beside them, taking a seat next to Eden, rubbing her back, “Why don’t you go wash up darling?”
As Eden scampered out of the room, Sabrina reached for a slice of pizza. Looking up, she caught Lilith watching her.
“I wanted to apologize,” Lilith said stiffly, “For earlier, with the cookies. I know you were just trying to be kind and I… overreacted.”
“You were just worried about Eden,” said Sabrina, taking a bite of pizza, “Peanut allergies are no joke. But thank you, I appreciate it.”
“You have pizza sauce on your face,” Lilith said with a smile, leaning in, she swiped a thumb across Sabrina’s lower lip. Sabrina froze, suddenly flooded with warmth. With a smirk, Lilith sat back, licking the sauce from her thumb as she watched Sabrina flush.
“I- uh,” Sabrina stammered.
“Pizza time!” Eden cheered, reaching between them for her own slice.
They ate dinner while decorating the gingerbread house together. Lilith put on Christmas music, an old record of Nat King Cole, and sang along off key. Sabrina couldn’t help but smile. This Lilith was totally different from the one she saw everyday at work. Instead of killing everyone’s Christmas joy, she was making her daughter laugh and stealing a finger-full of frosting. The little apartment was warm and full of love and laughter, it was all the Christmas spirit Sabrina had tried to give Lilith, and here Lilith was, sharing it with her.
“How long have you been an elf?” Eden asked.
“I’ve always been an elf,” Sabrina replied, quickly glancing at Lilith, who was watching them with curiosity.
Eden leveled Sabrina an unimpressed look that made her look like a mini Lilith, “I know Santa isn’t real, Sabrina.”
“Oh,” Sabrina took another bite of pizza, “I started at Macy’s the week after Thanksgiving, your mom hired me.”
“She’s a good judge of character,” said Eden, “But it’s a good thing you didn’t start until after Black Friday; mom says it’s hell.”
“Eden, language,” Lilith warned.
“It’s a direct quote,” said Eden before turning back to Sabrina, “I’m going to be in the Nutcracker this year, as a mouse and as a snow sprite.”
“Wow, that sounds like fun.”
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Eden said very seriously, “Mademoiselle Marie LeFleur says that perhaps next year if I work hard, I can dance en pointe like the big girls do.”
“You must be a really good dancer,” said Sabrina, “I wanted to learn ballet but we didn’t have a dance studio in Greendale where I grew up.”
“Do you want to see my snow sprite costume?”
“Okay!”
Eden ran off to her room and Lilith stood, putting the kettle on the stove, “Tea?”
Sabrina nodded, “Yes please.”
“You’re going to be her new favorite person,” said Lilith, “She started at a new school this fall and hasn’t had the easiest time making friends.”
“She’s so sweet,” Sabrina said, “But it’s hard being the new kid, and making friends.”
Sitting down on the couch, Sabrina tucked her feet under her as Lilith handed her a steaming mug of chamomile tea saying, “Careful, it’s hot.”
“Ta da!” Eden reappeared, dressed in a white dress with a poofy skirt that came down to her knees. She also wore white tights and white ballet slippers, pulling her long dark hair into a messy bun.
“The snow sprites get to dance with the snow maidens,” Eden explained, pirouetting around the living room.
As she told them the story of the Nutcracker, adding in her side stories about the dancers who’d been cast in the show, Sabrina felt her eyes growing heavy. Beside her on the couch, Lilith was warm, and oddly comforting despite how scary Sabrina had found her just that morning. She could hear the snow hit the windows as Eden talked, the record still playing Christmas music in the background.
“Sshh, let her be,” Lilith murmured, “Why don’t you get ready for bed.”
More sounds, softer now, the feeling of someone stroking her hair. Sabrina struggled to open her eyes, realizing she’d dozed off and was laying with her head in Lilith’s lap. Lilith was wearing a pair of reading glasses, reading a copy of a magazine while she gently stroked Sabrina’s hair. Sabrina stared up at her, overwhelmed with the tenderness of it all.
“M sorry,” she said softly, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“Think nothing of it,” said Lilith as Sabrina sat up, “It’s getting quite late; you’re welcome to stay the night if you’d like-”
“No! No, I mean, I should get home,” Sabrina pushed up off the couch. If she stayed there any longer she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from closing the gap between Lilith’s red lips and her own. She wanted to crawl back into her lap and stay there until New Year's Day. But clearly Lilith didn’t see her like that, she probably saw her akin to the way she saw Eden.
Offering a smile, Sabrina pulled on her coat and boots, Lilith following her to the door.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call you a cab?” Lilith asked, taking Sabrina’s scarf and looping it around her neck. Sabrina swallowed.
“No, I’m fine, I swear!” Her face felt as red as the ornaments that hung on the tree.
“Alright, I’ll see you on Monday then.”
“Bye!” Sabrina whispered, slipping out the door and down the hall.
On Monday, Sabrina arrived at work bright and early, getting changed into costume and heading to Santa’s village before Lilith could spot her. She definitely hadn’t spent the weekend thinking of her boss, and she totally had not done most of that thinking in bed, with the door shut, and her hand between her legs.
Theo joined her after a few minutes, dressed in his matching elf costume, “Did you hear what happened to Mr. Hawthorne?”
“No, what happened?”
“After the ornament tree in the front fell over some big wigs from Macy’s came and fired him!” said Theo excitedly, “It turns out he’s been embezzling money from the store for months and Ms. Marwood discovered it and sent Mr. Hawthorne’s bosses the evidence!”
“Wow,” said Sabrina, looking up towards the offices.
To her surprise, Lilith stood on the level above them looking down. She was looking directly at Sabrina. Their eyes met across the distance and Sabrina smiled, giving a little wave, but Lilith didn’t wave back, she merely turned and walked back into her office.
“I guess saving her daughter couldn't even get her to be nicer,” said Theo.
But moments later, the intercom system crackled to life, cutting through the dulcet tones of Bing Crosby wishing everyone a White Christmas.
“Sabrina Spellman, please report to the assistant manager’s office,” the voice said.
Theo and Sabrina exchanged a look.
“I wonder what’s up,” said Theo.
“I don’t know,” Sabrina replied, and made her way upstairs.
“You wanted to see me Lilith- I mean, Ms. Marwood?” she said, pushing through the door. Lilith was on the same side of the desk as the door, leaning against it with her arms crossed.
“Ms. Spellman,” she said, rather stern and formally, “I thought I told you to clean up every piece of holiday decor that you took it upon yourself to defile my office with.”
“I did!” Sabrina cried, confused. Only two days again Lilith was petting her hair and helping her with her scarf, and now she was mad at her?
Pushing up off the desk, Lilith closed the space between them, pressing Sabrina back against the closed door. Her eyes flicked up, looking above their heads.
“Then what,” Lilith asked, “Is that?”
Sabrina looked up to see a sprig of mistletoe hanging above their heads.
“I am if nothing else,” said Lilith, stepping even closer, a finger under Sabrina’s chin, “A stickler for the rules.”
“Well we can’t break the rules,” whispered Sabrina, stretching up onto her tiptoes and wrapping her arms around Lilith’s neck.
Lilith kissed her, warm and soft, her hands spanning Sabrina waist and pulling their bodies flush together. Lilith’s mouth was warm, her lipstick slick as it smeared across Sabrina’s mouth, her tongue slipping inside Sabrina’s waiting lips, deepening the kiss. Her elf hat fell to the floor with a jingle, but neither of them cared, surrendering to their passions.
When they finally broke apart they were breathless, Sabrina’s lungs screaming for air as she panted.
“That was,” she couldn’t keep the smile from her face, “Wow.”
Lilith stepped back, wiping her smudged lipstick, “Indeed.”
Her chest also rose and fell as she caught her breath, “Do you have plans for Christmas, Sabrina?”
The younger woman shook her head, “No, not really. My aunts live in Maine and I don’t really have time to take the train there and back.”
“In that case,” Lilith extended a hand, pulling Sabrina back in, “You’re welcome to join Eden and I.”
Sabrina tipped her head back, smiling up at Lilith, the older woman’s hand wrapped firmly around her waist, “I’d like that, I’d like that a lot,” she said, and leaned in for another kiss.