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Enid's excitement was palpable as we sat on her bed, hand in hand and hip to hip, waiting for my parents to arrive. Enid had managed to convince her mother, a ghastly and repugnant excuse of a parent, to allow her to spend the winter holiday with me at my home.
Her mother was a living example of why the colloquialism ‘The apple does not fall far from the tree’ was patently false. Enid’s blistering intelligence, strong character, and prodigious kindness contrasted tremendously from her mother who was a feckless, spiteful imbecile. To treat her own daughter as an afterthought at best and detritus at worse at any point was abhorrent. To continue to do so despite Enid’s monthly transformations into her wolf form since the Hyde incident was ludicrous. In my estimation, despite Enid being a laudable example of a daughter one would want to raise, her mother would never truly be satisfied with her and would only continue to place unfair and unrealistic expectations upon my beloved.
I had at several points requested permission to end the reprobate’s existence, particularly over the Summer holiday, but Enid insisted that I was not allowed to murder her mother no matter how much she disliked her. We had a clear difference of opinion on this matter, but Enid continuing to be unapologetically herself despite her mother’s enmity was proof to me that she felt none of the shame that her mother was trying to force upon her. So despite my growing urge to verbally and physically assault the cretin, I took no actions to harm her. I had instead taken steps to ensure that my beloved would not suffer under her mother’s ire for the duration of the winter holiday, and had made plans to ensure her proper induction into the Addams Clan. We would cherish her in the manner that she deserved.
After completely unnecessary assurances of her safety from my parents, as I would never allow any more discomfort to befall my love let alone any harm, Enid had gained permission to stay with me.
Our luggage sat waiting on the floor by the door, as Enid’s so called Santa hat bounced on her head with her exuberance, and I reveled in her excited chatter. I had allowed myself to do my reveling freely in private, much to the delight of Enid, who chose that moment to point it out.
“You’re staring again.”
“You are mistaken. If I was staring at you, I would have long since been blinded by that horrific and garish abomination that you call a Christmas sweater.” I evaded, still not completely comfortable having my reveling pointed out.
She laughed. “Just admit you were staring Wends, I don't mind.” The luminous, knowing look in her eyes, disarmed me even further.
“I can not help that I am enamored by you. Even when you forsake your typically well thought out fashion choices for… whatever that is.” I conceded.
The lightest blush dusted her cheeks as her smile grew into a grin. “You’re such a sweetheart.”
“I resent that.”
“No you don’t Wends.”
I rolled my eyes, before facing forward and pointedly not staring at her, pretending to be annoyed.
She squeezed my hand in response. “Awww don’t pout darling.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek, which prematurely ended my ‘pouting’.
“For the record, I was not pouting, I was simply distancing myself from your nauseating accusation.”
She laughed, which she seemed to do a lot around me. I had learned with time she was not in fact laughing at me or at my expense; rather my social and emotional ineptitude led me to say things that, within her broader context in these fields, she found humorous.
“Well, I’m just telling you the truth Wednesday.” She said, pressing a kiss to my lips before I could respond.
I chased after her lips, after she broke the far too short kiss, which she clearly wasn’t expecting as she fell back onto the bed with me on top of her. I kissed her, fervid in my desire.
She broke from me, much to my chagrin, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Slow down there tiger, your parents will be here any minute, Pugsley just texted me they were coming through the main gate.”
I extricated myself from her and stood, not wishing to have our kissing on display.
As if on cue, there was an excited knock on our door. I opened it, and was almost bowled over by Pugsley lunging at me. I easily disarmed him of his knife and sent him tumbling to the floor, as my parents and Lurch entered behind him.
“I see you have not improved your pitiful ambush skills in my time away.” I said looking down on him.
He grinned up at me from the floor. “Still sharp as a dagger, sis.”
My father interrupted further corrections of my brother’s ineptitude, by smothering me in a hug. “My little Viper, oh how I’ve missed you. How I’ve missed our weekly fencing duels and games of Go.”
I extracted myself from his grip. “Sentimental as ever I see father. If you wish to be defeated regularly at Go, I am certain my paramour can instruct me on a dastardly application in which we can play Go, and I can pulverize you despite our distance.”
“I would like nothing better.” My father remarked, placing a hand over his heart. I could see the sheen of tears in his eyes. I felt a mild tug at my heart, which I shoved down. Spending so much time with Enid had made me sentimental too it seems.
“I see your time away has treated you well.” My mother interjected, her knowing smile annoying me.
“As you well know from my previous year here, your attempt to mold me to fit your vision has failed. I have trod my own path at this school.” I attempted.
In truth, I had long since realized that my parents’ decision to send me here was never about them attempting to make me into a version of them; I understood that after the Hyde incident last year, and further still after being ensnared by my love for Enid. It had always been about forging my own path. Even still, despite the plethora of differences between my mother and I, there were some striking similarities in our journeys, including finding our life partners at Nevermore. I, of course, would never admit any of this to my mother. I could not allow her to hear me admit defeat. I still had some pride left, even if being with and learning from Enid had disabused me of much of my unnecessary and harmful hubris.
I was saved from her reply by the whirlwind of color and energy that I loved so; Enid exploded from her seat on the bed and wrapped an arm around my waist.
“Hello Mr. And Mrs. Addams, thank you so much for letting me stay with you for Christmas break!” Enid chimed in chipper as ever.
My father took the opportunity to smother us in another hug, which I could not escape due to Enid entangling me. “Of course my dear! We are more than happy to have you stay with us. Please, Please! Gomez and Tish! None of this Mister and Missus formality! We are making you part of the family after all!”
I internally facepalmed, knowing that I should have waited to tell the old fool; I should have expected him to be unable to contain his excitement.
My father released us, and I squeezed Enid's hand twice in an effort to indicate that I would explain later. Thankfully, she picked up on my gesture, returning the squeeze.
“Maybe we should continue our proper introduction in the car? Wednesday said that it was like a 6 hour drive?” Enid asked brightly, to my relief. Her ability to manage social situations to the benefit of her and those around her was always magnificent.
“Ah yes of course, we shall have time to bandy words to excess, while Lurch takes us home. How fortunate we are to have such a faithful and sentinel steward to chauffeur us such long distances with ease.” It seemed my father was teeming with sentimentality today.
Lurch grunted his appreciation for my father's well deserved, but cloying words, as he moved to pick up the heavier items of luggage. Thing scrambled from the bathroom to join us, the Prima Donna having spent all morning doing some farcical skin care routine for traveling. He catapulted towards my mother, who picked him up, as she said “Well hello Thing, how wonderful it is to see you in wellness.”
He took residence on her shoulder and began to tap out a response, which I promptly ignored, in favor of picking up additional bags to head down to the car.
We were easily able to get everything to the vehicle in one trip, and we piled into the car. Pugsley took the front seat next to Lurch, while Enid and I took our place across from my parents. I did not resist as she wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me flush to her.
“I just wanted to say thank you again for allowing me to stay with you for the whole break.”
“It’s our pleasure Enid.” My mother said graciously, “It is such a shame how your mother treats you, Wednesday told us a significant amount. More than I've ever heard from her about her opinion on another person in fact.” The knowing look that continued to occupy her eyes made me want to remove them from her skull.
Enid laughed. “I'm sure she wasn't very charitable in her description, but my mom is… challenging to deal with at times.” Despite the subject, her positivity didn't fade.
“Tell us about yourself Enid. I must know more about the person who has so brightened mi tormenta’s sky!” My father pivoted.
Enid laughed again, squeezing me a bit, before launching into her interests and hobbies and backstory.
Approximately 20 minutes into the drive I was completely checked out of the conversation that everyone else was involved in, and on the verge of jumping out of the car. Enid recognized my plight, placing her noise canceling headphones on my head without breaking her conversation. She squeezed my left hand while she started her custom playlist for me, allowing Chopin to overtake me. I was eternally grateful to her for informing me that I had what she termed a “small social battery”, and for her helping me to maintain it. It was a helpful metaphor to describe my need for frequent solitude, though Enid's presence rarely seemed to drain it at all. I closed my eyes, relishing in the musical composition as well as Enid’s love.
That small moment completely vindicated to me, my decision to get her a promise ring. While I thought the idea was frivolous and redundant, as I had already made my intentions clear to her that I wanted to take her as my wife, I recognized that properly proposing engagement to her while we were still in high school would shatter social etiquette and decorum. I believed that a promise ring was a reasonable compromise.
I dozed off at some point, and was awoken by Enid who I was heavily leaning on.
Her eyes told me she wanted to squeal and call me adorable or some such despicable thing, but she refrained to my gratitude.
I straightened up and moved to leave the vehicle, pointedly ignoring my mother's mirthful gaze.
Dinner was ready when we arrived, courtesy of Grandmama. She had made a tremendous quantity of food including some of her dishes that I enjoyed the most such as her Squid Ink Paella and her unparalleled Spaghetti and Eyeballs.
It seemed that my social battery had recharged somewhat, and I was able to engage with my family’s plethora of questions, though Enid took the liberty of answering some things for me which I did not mind.
The banter and chronically of events was dare I say enjoyable, while we feasted upon Grandmama’s excellent preparations. Enid enjoyed the food to my delight, even taking seconds of the spaghetti and eyeballs, after being informed the eyeballs were not actual animal sight organs.
I felt a bit emotional as dinner came to a close, hearing of my family’s time without me. I made a mental note to explore what this emotion was at a later time as I was uncertain if I liked it.
Enid and I took our leave to unpack, the sharing of my room not even being a subject of conversation. It was not as if we had not shared my bed in our dorm for several months at that point.
She seized my hand as we approached the stairs, bounding up them and dragging me behind her. She was relaxed and seemingly in her element despite never having been in my home before. I wondered if I could one day acquire the secret to her seemingly boundless energy both physical and social.
I directed her to my door, and we began to unpack our luggage that had been placed inside by the ever obliging Lurch. Enid showered after me in my connected bathroom, as I began to reread one of the novels that I had left at home. When she was dry and redressed in pink pajamas with reindeer and Christmas trees on them, she sat on my bed letting out a long yawn and contorting herself into an untamed stretch.
She smiled wide, with a bit of fatigue finally being noticeable, and patted the spot next to her. I obliged her, taking a seat next to her so that we were again touching like this morning. I wondered to myself how I had gone so long without access to the affection that Enid so readily lavished upon me.
“You were soooo cute in the car when you fell asleep on my shoulder.” Her grin was wild, as if her mirth was barely controllable.
I felt a bit embarrassed. We had of course cuddled before, every night in fact since we made the determination that sharing my bed in our dorm was desirable to both of us. But I was not particularly happy with displaying that level of affection in front of others.
“I would have preferred that you had woken me sooner. I believe that level of intimacy should not be shared in the view of others. I wish for those moments to be ours. Yours.”
Her smile threatened to fracture her face, “You want me all to yourself huh? If it happens again I will wake you up, so you can pretend that everyone doesn’t know you're a big softie for me.”
Her light teasing had also been something to get used to, it seemed clear to me this was one of those instances, so I played along. “Your accusations are unfounded, I treat you the same as anyone else.”
It earned me a chance to hear her golden laugh and a peck on the cheek. “If you say so Wednesday. Like I said I’ll wake you up, but you should know your parents didn’t say a word.”
“They may not have said anything, but I am certain that it implanted all sorts of vile thoughts into their minds.”
“I’m sure some of them were already there. I mean Gomez said you guys wanted to make me part of the family. That’s news to me!”
“I wish my father did not mention it. I know that you enjoy astonishment by unexpected positive events.”
“Surprises are fun, but that was really surprising. You were serious about making me your wife weren’t you?”
“I would not have told you that if it was not my intention.”
“Hmmm, I mean I knew you were serious, but this feels different. More real, I guess?” Her reticence was clear.
“Is that an issue?” I managed to keep the worry and anxiety I felt from seeping into my words, but only barely.
She shook her head vigorously, her brief reticence disappearing in a flash. “Absolutely not! It just kind of has felt like a distant dream before now. I… I don’t know a lot of things about my future, but I absolutely want you in it Wednesday. You are the most important person in the world to me!”
Relief washed over me. “Your reassurances are heartening. I too cannot picture my future without you; you are indispensable to me.”
Her smile changed into something sweeter, more reserved. She kissed me slow and languid, to which I took great pleasure. We were both breathless, by the time we separated.
“Well what do I have to do to join the family? Slay a bear and bring it back as an offering?”
“While I am certain of your abilities to easily dispatch any beast, it is not a test of martial prowess, nor indeed a test at all. It is a simple ritual, an invitation really. Grandmama will perform the rites, and you will be welcomed into the family if that is what you wish. The rites have been around for centuries, they grew out of my ancestors having taken in many of those who had been shunned by wider outcast society. It is not a binding spell of any nature; rather it is a willing association with my family which we will reciprocate.”
“I would love nothing more Wednesday.”
“It will occur tomorrow then.”
She pulled me into a near suffocating hug, the ones I loved the most, where her joy and love and passion were all directed at me.
We slipped under the covers and slept well, wrapped in each other.
~~~~
The following morning the rites took place with much jubilation from all involved, including me. I kept it muted, but I could see in Enid’s eyes that she knew the warmth that her being accepted into my family brought me. Her beaming, in equal measure, told me her feelings. I was fond of the fact that I had become moderately adept at deciphering her emotions, even if this one was obvious.
It was a quick process as Grandmama had administered the rites dozens of times, and we had a lunch I would have at any other time considered far too lavish.
To my great fortune Pugsley was able to capture Enid's attention after lunch by showing her one of his video games or some such. I took the time to follow Grandmama down to her chambers in the basement.
As I walked through her workshop I recognized things that I remembered fondly. A salamander encased in glass that I had helped her with, various alchemical equipment that she had taught me to use, countless thick opuses on herbalism and enchantments that I had read cover to cover many times. The air was thick, almost soupy with incense and formaldehyde. I navigated through the rows of shelves filled with vials and samples and ingredients, all spotlessly maintained and meticulously organized.
I found Grandmama at her desk, a mahogany colossus that must have taken an entire forest to make. She was bent over a tome with runes and glyphs I did not recognize.
“I see you are still frolicking through ancient tomes looking for the secrets to immortality, as is appropriate for a feeble old crone.”
Grandmama's laugh came boisterous and wispy, as she turned to me. “My precious Wednesday you should be careful, for if I do discover that secret it will not be shared with you should you continue your insolence.” she sparred back.
“If it exists, I doubt your senile mind could comprehend it.”
“Well this senile mind still has one or two tricks on yours, child. You could not even do an elementary enchantment that even the magically incompetent werewolves can do.”
“It is a failure that I will not repeat.”
She laughed again, constricting me in a hug that I did not resist. Grandmama had long been the only person I would willingly receive physical affection from, though she only offered it sparingly.
She reached into one of the many drawers of her desk and pulled out a black velvet ring box, handing it to me.“The ring for your paramour. What a darling girl you have chosen to romance.”
I opened the ring box. Inside was a plain platinum band recessed in black cloth, with the banal and mawkish – but truthful – inscription: ‘Forever Yours - Wednesday’. To the untrained eye that was all that it would appear to be, but Grandmama had in the days previous done me a great service. She enchanted it with a spell that allowed it to expand when my beloved transformed into her wolf state. Despite her teasing statement it was known to be a complex spell practiced among the werewolf clans, and kept secret from most other outcasts. Grandmama’s arcane skill and knowledge however cared not for such typical limitations.
I wished that I had learned the trade of jewelry smithing much sooner and made my beloved a bespoke ring worthy of her that I enchanted myself. I hoped this one would at least suffice as a token of my love for Enid Sinclair for the time being. I would provide her a much better one when I was more adept at jewelry smithing and enchantment, and when we had moved into the next stage of our lives when a proper engagement would be more appropriate.
“I cannot overstate my appreciation for your acquisition and enchantment of this item on such short notice.”
“Nonsense, anything more would be redundant! Your joy with your dear Enid is gratitude enough. To think you told me you would never get married. Repeatedly in fact.”
“That was based on incomplete information, namely not knowing that Enid Sinclair existed.”
She guffawed, “It certainly seems like you have chosen more wisely that I did with any of mine.” Her sly smile betraying the rumors that she had poisoned all three of her husbands. Whether it was true or not she would never tell, despite my numerous attempts to ascertain the facts as a child.
“It seems so.” I said as I would never let harm come to my beloved, let alone by my own hands. I’d sooner cut them off than use them to harm her.
Grandmama changed the subject to her book, which according to her was about the rituals of an ancient Indus Valley civilization. The script and runes in the book were transcriptions of the ones carved into the stone of the ruins. I took a seat next to her, and listened with rapt attention as I had many times before.
~~~~
A few days before Christmas, Enid had gone with Thing after breakfast to view his glove and music collection. While her time away from me would typically vex me, it presented me with another opportunity to plan a ceremony worthy of her, under the guise of writing time. I had in the previous weeks spent every free moment I had away from her attempting and failing to devise an adequate plan. Worse still, my time to practice the execution of any plan I could conceive was short.
I sat at my desk for another three hours, flittering away on my typewriter and filling my wastebasket with yet another round of ideas that were inadequate and moronic.
I heard the door open behind me as I tossed away another pathetic idea.
“Having trouble writing?” Enid asked.
I nodded, managing to keep my frustration at bay, though it seemed to take more effort than usual.
“I'm sure you'll get to a place that you like. You always do.” She wrapped an arm around my front and placed a kiss on my head. I simultaneously felt a sense of relief mixed in equal parts with dread. Her reassurance made me feel better of course, but also underlined to me the importance of planning a perfect ceremony. Enid deserved nothing less for all she had done for me.
“I believe it would be best for me to take some time away from this, what would you like to do this afternoon?”
“I was coming to ask you that actually! Your family wanted to go to the Christmas Bazaar for a play, but they said you’ve never gone with them. I thought I could convince you otherwise.” Her wolfish grin betrayed her well earned confidence in this ability. “I thought we could do some Christmas shopping while they do that?”
I wondered if she was clairvoyant, or if my demand to separate from them was that predictable.
“I will agree to this endeavor, separate from my family.”
She clapped her hands, and leveled a devastating kiss on me. I still had not recovered after dressing appropriately and making my way to the car.
Having my family's typical caroling accompanied by Enid's angelic and enthusiastic voice made listening to them almost bearable, as we made the drive into the city. We separated upon arrival, my family along with Lurch made haste to the play.
As I followed Enid into the shopping portion of the Bazaar, I found myself just as enraptured by her as I had been six weeks previous at the Halloween store. Her energy was electric, uninhibited. It seemed to me that her zeal for Halloween paled in comparison to her unrivaled devotion to Christmas. Her head moved frantically taking in every item in every display, which only seemed to increase her frenzy.
In her frenzy she detected a desirable display, snatching my hand and pulling me through the crowd. She released me to pick up supposed reindeer antlers from the display of head adornments, and turned to me as she put them on. “What do you think? I think it's cuter than my Santa hat, but then the hat is more classic.”
My first instinct was to call them cute for some strange reason, perhaps it was because it was Enid wearing them. My second was to snark about the pointlessness of this endeavor, but I had long since learned that even though I viewed this as pointless Enid did not. I did not need to understand why she enjoyed it, I simply had to understand that she did. I would not rain on her proverbial parade, as seeing her in such ecstasy about holidays brought me such joy.
I went with a reasoned answer instead. “Your knowledge about Christmas and Christmas apparel far exceeds mine, I do not believe my opinion on this matter is constructive. I however will state that you will continue to be exceedingly beautiful regardless of your choice.”
She blushed and even among the noisy throngs of other shoppers, her laugh was crystal clear. “You’re such a flatterer.”
“You know I only tell you the truth.”
“Well I think I’ll go with the santa- OMG!” She interrupted her own thought, her grin widening.
I instantly saw the cause of the interruption. A black Santa Hat. “Absolutely not.” I tried in vain, knowing that I would capitulate in the coming moments.
She didn’t say a word and just turned to me with the look of a forlorn puppy. A completely beguiling action, and a sure way to get me to fold. I took the hat without another protest, wondering to myself if her wolf nature made that look particularly effective or if I simply was too in love with her to care about her transparent manipulation.
The return of her smile hit me as if it were a rainstorm rolling through drought-addled farmland, even though it had only been absent briefly.
We paid for my newly acquired accessory, and I allowed myself to be dragged along through the crowds and the stalls savoring Enid’s ebullience.
Many stalls and shops later, we stopped in the food court area where Enid procured us mediocre hot chocolate. As we occupied a small standing table, placing the bags of trinkets and ornaments at our feet, I made a note to make her Grandmama’s spiced hot chocolate during this break.
A performance at a stage in front of the large central Christmas tree commenced, with a mediocre vocalist dressed in a reindeer costume and poor quality speakers spewing out a sad excuse for music to accompany him. I did not pay it any more mind than acknowledging it as part of being vigilant of my surroundings, placing my almost complete attention on my querida as she chatted about the many items that we purchased. Her animation brought me a warmth and fullness in my chest, that I had initially mistaken for heart palpitations, but quickly realized was a psychosomatic reaction to a wholly positive emotion. It was a strange feeling, but not at all unpleasant; I had even begun to seek it out.
Enid squealed, breaking me from my thoughts. “I love this song! I love it, I love it!”
She grasped my hands before I could react and spun us around in an approximation of a dance, singing along to the generic song performed by the poor vocalist. “I don't care about the presents! Underneath the Christmas tree! I just want you for my own! More than you could ever know!”
I had of course heard the song many times; it was inescapable during the holiday season. I however, had always felt incredible disdain for it before that moment. Being manhandled as she sang along with her seraphic vocals forced a heinous expression to my face, which she of course took notice of. She pressed a kiss to both of my dimples and crushed me in a hug before serenading me with the song's climax. “All I want for Christmaaaaaaaaaasss is Yooooooooooooooouuuuu.”
It was then, as I looked into her loving eyes, that I decided that I must recreate this song for my promise ring presentation. Despite its absurdity and cliche nature, it seemed to encapsulate my feelings for Enid. I did in fact only need her, any material gift her or anyone else could provide me was nothing compared to being loved by Enid Sinclair. Better still her love for this piece made it the perfect delivery vessel. It was strange that many hours of dedicated effort yielded no results, but happenstance had dropped this into my lap.
She let me go to my chagrin, a bit sweaty, but joyful. “Sorry Wends, I got carried away!” Her grin was marvelous. “I just love that song, what do ya think of it?”
“Your enthusiasm was not a problem. As for the song, the performance of the vocalist was mediocre and the message of the song is muddled by its mass market and consumerist appeal, perhaps being the most genericized Christmas song. I however am pleased that you like it, and your vocal performance was sublime.”
I was simply swept into another crushing hug, as she kissed me ferociously. I was in a daze as we picked up our bags and discarded our refuse.
We made our way outside to meet my family, where it had begun to flurry. Enid spun in excitement, sticking her tongue out in an attempt to capture a falling ice crystal. Her otherwise juvenile behavior enthralled me. Her ability to take such joy in simple acts was fascinating.
She chattered happily about the potential of experiencing real snow for the first time; constructing snowmen and participating in snowball fights. She seemed over the moon about the possibility of a white Christmas in the coming days.
The drive home was filled with questions about our shopping and about the play my family saw; the highlight of the event apparently had been when a drunk ex-boyfriend of one of the main actors interrupted the performance, and had to be tackled by security.
When we arrived home, I snuck off to the library, where a pristine and mostly unused desktop computer sat in a corner. It took some effort, because of my general inexperience with the soul-sucking box, but I was able to find and print sheet music for the piece.
I took the sheet music and my Cello to an unused room in the basement to practice covertly. After quickly getting the basic structure of the song memorized, I attempted to vocalize as I played. I quickly concluded that my vocal performance went beyond simply being insufficient, and was detestable and atrocious. I could not even match the mediocre vocal quality of the mall performer. I decided my best course of action was to simply play the instrumental of the piece.
I spent every moment I could practicing the song and was able to write a short but hopefully meaningful speech to recite to her at the appropriate moment.
~~~~
Christmas morning was a whirlwind. Enid woke early and was absolutely ecstatic about the falling snow. It genuinely surprised me that she woke me up with a kiss, instead of jumping on my bed as I had expected her too. She insisted that I wear the black Santa hat as well as the pajamas patterned with black cats that she had previously gifted me downstairs to open presents. I obliged her tradition.
My parents said nothing, though the look in my mother’s eyes told me everything I needed to know.
We all took turns opening presents, the items were largely acceptable for their recipients. Among the gifts I received were a new bow for my cello and a book on medieval torture methods. They however were mere hors d'oeuvres to the main treasure: Enid’s gift.
It was a small box similar in size and shape to a Rubik’s cube, with considerable heft to it. I meticulously opened the wrapping paper. I was shocked to find a Shrunken Head encased in a glass cube, with documents of authenticity. My shock did not go unnoticed by anyone.
“Where did you acquire this item?” I demanded of her.
“I take it you like it?” Her luminous smile was quite possibly on par with the gift I held.
“Indeed. How did you obtain this item.”
“I have my ways.” She teased, grinning wide.
“Enid I-” I began, before being rudely interrupted by my father.
“Wednesday do not interrogate the poor girl! Just enjoy your gift! We must allow Enid her opportunity to open presents.”
Despite my annoyance I nodded, conceding that it was Enid’s turn. She glanced at me with a wide smile, as she purposely avoided the small black envelope that contained my public gift. I felt more nervous than I should have, knowing that the tickets contained therein would almost certainly be an acceptable gift. It however was not my real gift to her; that was hidden away in the concealed compartment in my desk that I constructed when I was 4 years old.
She continued to avoid picking the present that I had obviously procured for her, in favor of her gifts from others, including a knit scarf from Lurch and a plushie which was branded with her favorite shark themed hockey team. It was torturous in the best possible way, to feel the anticipation building as she finished with the last gift before mine, lavishing effusive praise upon Pugsley for the shark plushie. As she picked up my gift she looked at me intently, her smile luminous. I wondered if she was feeling the same level of anticipation as she used a claw to open the wax seal.
Her eyes lit up at the recognition of tickets, then shock occupied her features. “YOU GOT US BACKSTAGE PASSES TO THE SEVENTEEN TOUR?” She shouted.
I nodded, pleased with her reaction. She bowled me over ending up on top of me as she clutched me tightly.
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! OMG I can’t believe I’m going to get to meet them this summer.” She let out an excited noise. “And I get to take my favorite person with me!” She beamed at me.
I briefly allowed myself to smile, before forcing my face to neutral. Enid did not miss it.
After presents and a substantial breakfast, Enid insisted on a snowball fight. She, to my chagrin, stopped me from inserting throwing knives into the balls of snow that I made, despite my assertion that they would assist in building the character of Pugsley. We of course dominated the battle, which had started as loose teams and quickly devolved into pandemonium.
Several snowmen and a snow fort later, we returned to the warmth of our home chilled to the bone. I allowed Enid to shower before I, as we waited for the impending Christmas Feast.
Grandmama, with the help of Lurch, had provided an incredibly extravagant meal including tamales, several types of mole and salsas, and Conchas for dessert. The centerpiece was a whole roasted wild boar she had apparently trapped. The culinary expertise of Grandmama and Lurch received profuse praise, which was well deserved.
Enid and I shared a glass of mulled wine as the after feast conversation with my family occurred. As it tapered, I began to feel antsy. The ring box loomed heavily in my jacket pocket, the minuscule item carrying the weight of the enigma that was love. It felt as if an entire menagerie of feral beasts had been unleashed into my torso, a wild fluttery nervousness inundating me.
It was unusual to not feel confident in my planning, let alone not feel confident in my own musical abilities. Despite my practice of the piece in private and my great prowess with a cello, what I feared most of all was that even a technically perfect performance would fail to deliver the sentiment that I wished to convey. Worst still, I had been completely unhappy with the speech I prepared to accompany the presentation of the promise ring to her.
It seemed at every turn that Enid forced me out of my comfort zone, and it always ended with me learning and experiencing things that I would have otherwise been oblivious to. This would be another thing added to that list, but I refused to allow my anxieties to control me. I refused to not wholly give myself to Enid. I would show her how much she meant to me or I would die trying.
Nothing could truly repay the debt that I owed to Enid, but I wished to at least convey a modicum of her importance to me.
I could feel my palms perspiring as a comfortable silence took hold. I stilled my rapidly racing mind to focus on Enid. “My dear, it is time that we take our leave.”
Enid enthusiastically hugged my family members as well as Lurch, profusely thanking them for their hospitality. I was thankful for the moment of respite to collect myself.
I took her hand and she followed me up the stairs to my room. Every step I could feel the ring box against my heart.
I led her to my balcony where I had cleared the snow and set up the space for the recital. The setting sun further festooned the moment with cliche.
She looked at me curious as I motioned to the chair opposite of my stool. “What's all this Wednesday?”
“I wish to give you a proper gift.”
“Wends, I loved the tickets, they were more than enough!”
“We have a difference of opinion on the matter. Will you allow me to play you this piece?”
“Oh gosh, Wednesday of course!”
I took my seat and prepared to play. A discordant note shrieked from my cello as I attempted to begin. I bit the inside of my lip hard to stop the anger at myself that I felt bubble inside of me. I made another attempt, this time making a few reasonable notes before once again blundering. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, despair at my ineptitude threatening to swallow me whole.
“Wends look at me.” Enid demanded kindly but firm.
I opened my eyes to meet hers, soft and understanding.
“It's just me Wednesday. You will do great.”
I nodded and focused on her brilliant blue-grey eyes, as I let go of the tension that had suffocated me and focused on my beloved.
My hands moved of their own accord beginning the piece and making it through notes with the expertise I would expect of myself. I watched her eyes widen a bit as recognition began to set in for her. She covered her mouth with both her hands. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to get lost in the piece, allowed myself to turn off my rationality and tap into the emotions that I felt. The love that I felt. The cello reverberated with all of the passion and love and thoughtfulness I could muster.
I opened my eyes as I finished the piece to find Enid still covering her mouth with her hands and tears streaking down her cheeks.
I looked away as I placed my cello on its stand, rather than throwing it off the balcony as I wished to for it failing me. I wished to follow it off the balcony, but resisted that urge as well. I set the bow in its place precisely in a vain attempt to forestall the emotional calamity about to befall me.
I turned back to her and I nodded my understanding, “I apologize that my efforts were inadequate.” I said quietly, trying to stop the emotional knife sinking into my heart.
“INADEQUATE?!” Enid yelled, “Wednesday that was incredible.”
She tackled me, which seemed to be a theme today, sending us sprawling onto the balcony. I could feel her tears on my neck as she squeezed me, her love vise-like in every possible way. The emotional knife evaporated in her arms but was replaced by confusion.
“I must voice my confusion at this turn of events. If you enjoyed the performance, why are you crying?”
“I — Wednesday, how are you so perfect for me?”
“I do not understand. My performance had several flaws.”
She sat us up, grasping both of my hands in hers. “I’m not talking about the performance! I’m talking about you! You are so amazing! I love you so much!”
“I appreciate your praise, and I love you deeply as well. To this end I wish to present you with a token of my love.”
Her eyes widened, as I let go of her hands and reached into my jacket’s pocket. I opened the box towards her, and her hands again covered her mouth as her tears started flowing freely again.
I discarded my planned speech in favor of speaking from my heart, once again tapping into my emotions. “I understand that at this juncture a proper engagement would be inappropriate, I however believe that a promise ring would be suitable to indicate my long term commitment to you. If you will have me, I vow to one day in the future wed you.”
She nodded excitedly. “Yes! Yes! A million times yes!” She was nearly vibrating with joy, the untamed energy crackling from her was intense.
I took the ring from its velvet enclosure and slid it on to her left ring finger. I was pleased that the clandestine measurements I had taken were accurate. “You need not take it off before you shift, it has been enchanted.”
"HOW!? That’s a werewolf secret.”
“I have my ways.” I teased as a call back to that morning.
She laughed, tackling me into another smothering hug which I returned full force. She repeatedly told me that she loved me while she suffocated me in her love and attention.
When the cold began to seep into us we collected ourselves and made our way back into my room. I lit the fireplace and fetched a bottle of warm mulled wine and mugs from the kitchen, while Enid prepared a blanket for the couch and the film she demanded we watch. She assured me that I would enjoy Home Alone and insisted it was not only a Christmas classic but a masterpiece.
When I returned, I settled on to the couch cuddling into her and laying my head on her shoulder as the beginning orchestral of the film played. She covered our lower halves with the blanket and placed her right arm around me, tangling her fingers on top of mine
I watched the platinum band in awe as the light from the fire and from the computer screen danced across its surface. To think that Enid Sinclair was one step closer to being my wife was exhilarating; She was wearing a ring meaning that she wanted to be my wife, on her ring finger whose nail she painted black as an homage to me.
In that moment my happiness was boundless, and I reveled in the love and warmth of Enid Sinclair.