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Wishing you a Nevermore Christmas
Wednesday lays in bed, her arms across her chest as usual, looking up at the ceiling illuminated in early morning light. She wonders if Enid is awake yet, she cannot hear her moving on the other side of the room. If she listens carefully, she should be able to hear her breathing in the quiet of the morning. She snaps her eyes wide open as she is shocked to discover that she is thinking about Enid. Again.
She turns her head to one side and can see the line stretching past her as it divides the room up. Once it was the impassable barrier of the Line, deserving of its capitalization. A barrier that neither of them would cross it no matter the circumstances. She smiles to herself as she thinks of how often they have crossed it, it has become just a marking on the floor, nothing more.
She thinks about Enid sneaking across the room in the dark to slip into bed with her, her footsteps quiet on the floor, the sudden chill as the covers are lifted up. Then the movement as the mattress adjusts to the additional weight, before everything is still and she can feel Enid’s arms around her, holding her tight.
She remembers Enid’s arms wrapped around her, the feeling of her fingertips as they explore her skin. There is something about having Enid’s warmth at her side, feeling her breath on her neck. Then there is the happiness she feels when she wakes up with Enid asleep next to her.
She is thinking about Enid again.
She goes still, closes her eyes and holds her breath as she hears movement from across the room. There is the rustle of sheets and then two soft noises as something lands on the floor. There are soft footsteps getting closer to her, they pause momentarily and then begin again, Enid has crossed the line. Then she opens her eyes as Enid’s lips meet hers.
“Time to get up sleepy head.” Enid giggles as she looks down at her, a bright glorious sight in the early morning gloom. Then she is gone, she can hear her footsteps as she skips across the room to their bathroom. She turns her head to catch a glimpse of Enid as she vanishes through the doorway, the ridiculously colorful pajama top she is wearing and the flash of her bare legs.
She is thinking about Enid again.
Wednesday closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. It was going to be a hard day. Across the room she hears the bathroom door shut and then the sound of running water.
As she enters the bathroom Wednesday can hear the shower start up, Enid must be in the cubicle. As she stands in front of the sink with her toothbrush in hand, a skein of steam loops over her shoulder.
She wipes some of the condensation off the mirror, stares into the glass and reaches for the toothpaste.
Behind her the running water is cut off and the shower door opens. “Wends, can you pass me a towel?” Enid asks.
Reaching for a towel, Wednesday turns to find Enid stepping out of the shower and standing before her naked and pink from the hot shower, dripping water softly on the mat.
Wednesday holds out the towel and helps Enid to dry herself, reaching for another towel for her hair.
Enid thanks her with a kiss before skipping off to get dressed, with just the towel wrapped around her.
Clutching her toothbrush tightly with whitened knuckles Wednesday glares at her refection and realizes that she will be thinking about Enid all day now.
###
Wednesday sits at her desk gathering the books she will need for her classes today, her course work is neatly stacked in folders under her books. It is part of her daily ritual to get everything ready before breakfast.
“Bye Wends” Enid blows her a kiss as she stands next to the door her bag over her shoulder ready for her classes.
They had decided just after they had crossed the line in their room not to tell anyone else. Enid wanted to wait to see how this fledgling relationship would develop, Wednesday didn’t think it was anyone else's business. This morning as usual they will leave their room at slightly different times to head for breakfast separately. They take their meals to different tables, Enid sits in the gloom with Yoko, Divina, and the other vampires Wednesday has a sunlit table to herself.
Wednesday looks up as if she can sense Enid get up across the room, she waves to her before dashing off to her first class on the far side of the school. Wednesday’s class is closer, so she takes the opportunity to go to the library and avail herself of a short book on the history of the thumbscrew. With illustrations. In color. It should help her focus throughout the day should she find her mind drifting to the blond werewolf that shares her room.
She finds a seat in the classroom and sits; she is early and lays out everything she will need in front of her. She opens her book and begins to read about thumbscrews and wonders if they have any back at the mansion that would fit Pugsley. Yes, that would be educational, except that she is sure that Enid would object.
Before she can start another chapter, her classmates begin to file into the room. Despite seating not being allocated they all head to the places they have occupied since the first day of term. She is in the same seat she sat on that first day. She will conduct an experiment in the next lesson and sit somewhere else and observe the effect on the other students. She is confident that no one will ask her to move.
She sits up straight and plans her little project, mentally selecting the most disruptive seat to sit in before the next class begins.
###
Between classes Wednesday takes a seat in the corner of the common room and pulls out her book to read up on thumbkins and pilnie-winks. It provides her with the distraction she needs.
She is disturbed by the noisy chatter of students and glares at them and sees behind them a poster at the front of the common room advertising the upcoming end of term party. Enid has talked about that party often, although she has zoned out and so missed the details Enid may have raised. She must be planning on attending. Wednesday shrugs thinking that the room will be quiet that night.
Then it hits her, the party marks the end of term, everyone in the school will disperse to their various lairs and homes. She will be going home, going home for the holidays without Enid. She will be at home with Father, Mother, Pugsley but not Enid. She will be without Enid. She will have to spend the holidays at home without Enid, all that time in the Addams mansion without Enid, it will feel empty.
She tries to imagine being without Enid for all that time, but everything she imagines dissolves into a mental image of Enid. Enid sitting in bed, Enid skipping across their room, Enid, Enid, Enid.
She cannot think of life without Enid. She sits and stares at the cover of her book, her thoughts elsewhere.
Then it hits her. The end of term is getting closer and then she will be going home without Enid.
Alone.
She shudders and reaches for a particularly gruesome colored illustration of a thumbscrew in action.
###
Wednesday is disturbed by raised voices from the other side of the room. Enid looks angry as she talks into her cell, her words are snapped out. The loud voice of the other person is just a high-pitched squeal, she cannot make out what is being said, except that it is upsetting Enid. This cannot be good, Enid rarely raises her voice when using her cell, not even to the obtuse Ajax. She suspects she knows who has upset her wolf.
Enid sits on her bed and cries, She drops her phone and it bounces off the bed and lands heavily on the floor. Wednesday is not sure how to react; she moves across the line and sits next to her. She holds Enid anyway as she cries. She will deal with the color reaction later.
Enid cries and cries.
Wednesday holds her unsure of what else to do. People who cry near her are usually inconsequential, but Enid is different. She does not want Enid to cry. She does not want Enid to be upset. Enid should not be sad. So, she waits holding her until Enid’s crying slows.
“Thank you” Enid whispers and clutches Wednesday tightly, burying her face in Wednesday’s neck. Wednesday stays still as Enid holds her, she is unsure what to do with her hands, so she holds them away from Enid.
Enid sits up and takes hold of her hands and kisses them. Wednesday relaxes as she sees Enid’s recovery and is glad that Enid is not crying as much now. She hopes that Enid will stop crying soon and that she can get to the bottom of whatever has caused her this upset.
She is jolted out of her reverie when Enid lets out a shriek, “your hands!” Wednesday holds up her hands to examine the rashes that have developed, Enid looks at them in horror.
“It is nothing my wolf, just a minor reaction to coming into contact with something colorful.” Wednesday dismisses the expanding rash as something minor.
“I’m hurting you!” Enid exclaims and jumps back.
“You aren’t my wolf,” Wednesday says softly “I know that you would never hurt me. You are upset, please stay here.”
“Your hands!” Enid points at the rash.
“I have a cream for it; it is just some minor discomfort and will be alright. Now what is wrong with you? Was it something your mother said?” Wednesday tries to distract Enid away from her color reaction.
Enid bows her head and whispers almost too quietly for Wednesday to hear, “yes.”
Wednesday strokes her back ignoring the pain in her hand. “What did she say?”
“The usual, she wants to sell me off to some old wolf for some stupid clan reasons. I think she means it this time.” Enid begins to cry again.
Even Wednesday is shocked by the barbarity of the situation and is unable, for once, to say anything and just holds Enid tightly.
Enid sits up and looks at her and says firmly as she can, her voice breaking only slightly. “I said no. Again. I said I wasn’t going back.”
“I will visit such a punishment down upon that woman.” Wednesday spits out the words.
“Don’t Wends” Enid clutches her crying again. “Don’t please. I will deal with her.”
Wednesday holds her as she cries, occasionally rocking her until the tears subside. “I promise you my wolf that you will not do it alone.”
###
Wednesday looks at herself in the mirror, the color reaction rash on her face has begun to fade, her hands still ache and itch. The angry red rash still covers them; she has to steel herself against the jabs of screaming agony as she tries to hold the jar of cream that will ease the pain. Her fingers spasm and she loses her grip on the jar, and it clatters onto the counter.
Beside her Enid stops repairing her make up and moves to stand behind Wednesday. In the mirror her red eyes still look sad, she puts her hand on Wednesday’s shoulder and turns her around.
“Let me help, it is my fault that you need to do this.” Enid picks up the small jar and dips her fingertips into the bilious yellow cream. She gently applies the cream to the palm of Wednesday’s hand trying to put as little pressure as possible on the angry red inflamed skin. Then just as carefully she starts work on Wednesday’s other hand spreading out the healing cream with gentle movements of her fingertips.
Wednesday looks at her in amazement, never has anyone been so nice to her. She holds up her hands, they are beginning to feel better already, The red patches look smaller and less vivid.
“One moment, Wends.” Enid dabs some more cream on to Wednesday’s neck. “You have to be more careful.”
“I will be, thank you.” Wednesday looks up to face Enid. “What are you going to do over Christmas break?”
Enid shrugs “Stay here, work on my term paper”
Wednesday is shocked at the thought of her werewolf stranded alone in this grim institution. "Enid! You can’t stay here alone.”
“I won’t be alone. Lots of students stay at school over Christmas.” She tries to reassure Wednesday.
“Really!”
“Well, a few this year. I’ll speak to Mrs. Hawthorne, there should be some staff on campus over the break, I will be OK.”
“Enid, really.”
“I’ll be fine Wends. I promise.”
For some reason Wednesday feels compelled to hold her, keeping her hands free of Enid’s colorful clothing she hugs her werewolf.
###
At Thing’s insistence Wednesday is sitting at her desk glaring at the crystal ball. Her mother’s face smiles back at her. She shudders.
“Wednesday, I am concerned, as is your father. Thing says you haven’t made any friends.” Her mother scolds her in a manner she has become accustomed to. She turns to glare at the traitorous Thing before addressing her Mother.
“I was under the impression that I was banished to this place to learn.” She huffs back at the glass ball.
“Wednesday, school is about more than just learning in classrooms. I have such happy memories of my schooldays with your father.” Her mother sighs happily at the memories.
Wednesday sighs loudly. “Please keep them to yourself.”
“Very well, Wednesday.” Morticia sighs.
“Well, you have met Enid. She is a friend.” She turns to look at Enid who is lounging on her bed casually scrolling through her phone.
“I have, but you have to share a room with her. Have you made any other friends?” Morticia gets closer to the glass at her end.
“I tolerate the siren and the vampire.” Wednesday sniffs.
“Surely, they are Enid’s friends.” Morticia gloats.
There is silence from both women for a moment as they consider the next steps in their conflict.
Wednesday blinks first. “Enid is more than a friend and the sex is excellent!”
Across the room there is a faint noise as Enid’s blush appears explosively on her face and she drops her phone in astonishment.
Morticia gasps. “Wednesday really!”
“Well, you wanted to know about my social life.” Wednesday says smugly.
“There are somethings a mother does not need to know.”
###
“Wends why did you have to say that to your mother, your mother of all people? Your mother!” Enid rants at Wednesday. “It’s nothing.” Wednesday counters still feeling smug at having shut her mother up.
“It’s not nothing. I thought you loved me? Why did you tell her about us?” Enid looks tearfully at her.
“I do love you. I’m sorry but I had to say something to shut her up.”
“But that?”
“It was true.”
“What? what?”
“What I said to Mother.”
“I wish you hadn't told her anything, you haven’t told anyone else.”
Wednesday looks downcast and stares at the floor, she immediately feels Enid stand closer to her and wrap her arms carefully around her. She can feel Enid’s breath on her neck and the warmth from her body; Enid is very close when she whispers. “I’m sorry Wends. But you telling your mother about us upset me.”
In a very small voice Wednesday says, “I’m sorry.”
Enid leans close and kisses her. “I’m sorry too. But we need to take those sort of decisions together.”
###
Wednesday breathes a sigh of relief when they get back to their room, the party had been more of an ordeal than she had been prepared for. Behind her Enid closes the door and engages the lock.
“I wish I could dance with you, but not with everyone watching us.” Enid grumbles as she leans against the door, her black dress fluffed up around her. Subconsciously Wednesday smooths imaginary wrinkles in her suit and straightens her tie as she looks at Enid.
“I don’t care what anyone else thinks.” Wednesday growls before adding softly. “But one day, when you are ready, we will dance together in front of everyone.”
Enid pulls out her cell from her purse and concentrates for a moment before she selects something. Light classical music begins playing from the device.
“May I have this dance, Miss Addams?” she giggles holding out her hands.
“You may.” Wednesday holds out her hands to take Enid’s.
Enid wraps her in her arms and Wednesday is enveloped in the voluminous black fabric of Enid’s dress. She lets herself be led by Enid in what she recognizes as a waltz and loses herself in the music.
“You didn’t enjoy the party did you, so why did you go?” Enid asks softly.
“It was a travesty of a midwinter celebration. The twee Christmas theme, the infestation of colored balloons, there was far too much red and green.” Wednesday grumbles.
“So why did you go?”
Wednesday thinks for a moment before answering. “It was expected of me to attend.”
“Succumbing to peer pressure, who are you and what have you done with my Wednesday Addams.” Enid laughs softly steering them back to the center of the room.
“Your Wednesday Addams?”
“Yes, you are mine Wednesday. You make me so happy.” She leans in to kiss Wednesday. “So really, why did you go to the party.”
Wednesday looks down before she answers. “I wanted to see you and be near you.”
Enid tightens her grip and spins them a bit faster. “And I wanted to see you in that suit; you look spectacular in it. So, I am glad you came.”
The music changes to something at a slower pace and Enid pulls her closer, Wednesday holds her and moves along with Enid. Wednesday confesses. “You are beautiful in that dress; you looked spectacular under those lights. I was jealous of the attention you were getting.”
Enid laughs, “There is only you. You have no reason to be jealous. What did Bianca say to you, I saw you two in a deep discussion at the back of the room?”
Wednesday scoffs, “strangely the siren has come over all maternal. She warned me against breaking your heart and threatened dire retribution. As if I would do such a thing.”
Enid swirls them in time to the music grinning broadly. “And Yoko, did she warn you as well?”
Wednesday shrugs. “The vampire would not dare; she was complaining about how much you talk about me. She thinks you would be in love if you were talking about anyone but me.”
“Rude, if only she knew.” Enid giggles and pulls Wednesday in for a kiss.
###
It is the last day of the term, which has arrived far too quickly for Wednesday, classes are over until after the vacation. Wednesday can hear the excited chatter of the other students as they hurry back to their dorms and rooms to prepare to go home. Wednesday is dreading, actually dreading, going back to their room, so with trepidation she approaches the door, ignoring the happy laughter behind her in the hall. Setting her face in a neutral expression she reaches for the door.
She has been preparing slowly and surreptitiously for the end of term, secretly adding items to her trunk when Enid is not in the room. There are only her essentials to pack, which should not take long. Mother has been very persistent, contacting her, or more accurately contacting Thing, every day to remind her that she is expected back at the mansion.
Stepping quietly into the room and closing the door behind her, Wednesday is almost overcome by the waves of sadness and unhappiness emanating from Enid. Her glorious wolf is laying on her back lifelessly staring at the ceiling, her phone abandoned by her side. Thing signs to her from her desktop.
‘Yes, I am aware Thing.’ She signs back. ‘I don’t know what to do.’ In response Thing signs back and ends his message by pointing at Enid.
Wednesday puts her bag away under her desk and slowly approaches the line, she looks back and can see Thing urging her on. Carefully she sits on the bed next to Enid and gently takes hold of her hand.
“Enid” she whispers giving her hand a squeeze.
Slowly Enid turns to face her. “I’m alright Wends.”
“You really are not; your sadness can be felt all the way down the hall.”
Enid struggles to sit up on the bed. “I am alright, I am not happy at being marooned here alone, but I will cope with it. It will only be for a few days.” She gives Wednesday a very forced and artificial smile, before sliding off the bed.
“Come on, let’s get dinner, then I can help you pack.” She tugs Wednesday to her feet and then pulls her towards the door; her game show hosts smile still on her face worrying Wednesday more than anything else.
###
After a very stilted dinner, Enid helps Wednesday pack for the holidays despite her sadness. Robotically, she packs Wednesday’s folded clothes into her trunk, parting with each item only reluctantly, and patting them as if saying goodbye forever. She removes as many items as she adds to the trunk. Wednesday can tell that she is upset but is putting on a brave face.
Finally, Wednesday can stand it no longer and takes Enid by the hands and leads her away from the trunk. “Enough Enid, I will finish packing in the morning. I really do appreciate the assistance, but not at the cost of your happiness. Come to bed, I need you beside me one more time.”
Enid wraps her in a hug and sniffs back her tears.
###
Leaving Enid asleep in bed, Wednesday gets up early to get dressed and to finish packing. She completes the final packing quickly and is sitting on her trunk watching her wolf sleep. She sits still watching and waiting until the sleeping girl wakes up. Enid sits up, the sheets falling from her body, rubbing her eyes and smiles at Wednesday.
“Good you’re awake. We have just enough time for breakfast before Lurch arrives. It would not do for him to find you naked in my bed, so unfortunately you will have to get dressed.”
She hops to her feet and leans over the bed to kiss Enid, who takes hold of the back of her head to return the kiss.
###
They are both standing by the trunk when Lurch arrives, he knocks once on the door before clomping in and crossing the room in huge strides. He takes hold of her bags and with one hand slips her trunk under his arm, then silently turns to leave the room.
Looking at one another Wednesday and Enid close for one final kiss goodbye. When they break Enid looks down and says. “I have to stay.”
“I know.” Whispers Wednesday backing slowly away from her, not letting her out of her sight until she is out of the room.
Holding back her tears she follows Lurch as he silently clumps through the school’s corridors until he reaches the Addams’ family limousine parked outside the front of the school. Wednesday forces herself to watch him pack her things, not wanting to risk looking for Enid among the school’s myriad windows.
Unaware of the emotional turmoil his passenger is suffering Lurch closes the trunk and holds a door open for Wednesday. Wednesday quickly gets in and stares at the seat in front of her and waits for Lurch to start the vehicle.
As Lurch puts the large vehicle into gear and begins to pull away from the school, Wednesday gives in and turns to look out of the rear window. She can see Enid skidding to a halt in the main doorway and waving wildly at the departing limousine.
Wednesday raises her hand to wave back at her, and watches Enid from the window of the limousine. She stays watching Enid getting smaller and smaller as the car drives away. Keeping her head turned away from Lurch she wipes away her tears.
###
Wednesday wakes up next morning and looks in vain for Enid before flopping back onto her bed. She is at home, far, far away from Enid. She has grown used to being with Enid, so it feels unnatural to be without her. Eventually she decides to get up and get dressed, Enid would not like it if she stayed in bed.
She mopes about the mansion during the day, ignoring Pugsley when he tries to send an electric bolt towards her feet. She just continues walking slowly towards the dining room paying the small smoking crater no heed. She is glad that Enid is not here to witness Pugsley’s antics.
“En garde!” booms Gomez Addams, flourishing his epee towards Wednesday, which she ignores. “What is it my little storm cloud?” He asks swishing the sword with an extravagant flourish. Wednesday waves away his questions and walks past him leaving him disappointed in the corridor.
After dinner her mother stops her in the corridor, “Wednesday, join me in the sitting room.” Morticia commands and waits for Wednesday to follow her. She shakes her head as her daughter mopes into the sitting room without complaint. She is relieved as she was expecting an argument.
“Take a seat, we need to talk.” She gestures towards a couch before folding herself into the chair.
“Now, Wednesday there is something amiss with you. Do not attempt to deny it, I have been watching you. You have refused to fence with your father, not reacted to any of your brother’s attempted pranks. I am worried about you Wednesday.”
Wednesday does not say anything and looks down at the carpet following the Escher inspired pattern with her eyes.
Morticia looks sadly at her. “I think I know what the problem is.” She reaches for the small ornate table that sits next to her chair and pulls the dark red silk cover off the crystal ball with an extravagant gesture. “Let us see what your little friend, Enid, is up to. Come closer Wednesday.”
Morticia moves her hand over the top of the ball, the ball fills with a white cloud before suddenly clearing to reveal Enid sitting on a black covered bed. She looks sad, lifeless and colorless as she sits still staring at the far side of the room.
Wednesday gasps in shock and reaches out to touch Enid through the crystal ball. Morticia hugs her gently, “I’m glad you have found a friend, I have seen her in your future Wednesday. You are in love Wednesday; I am so happy for you.”
“I am not” Wednesday whispers not looking at her mother.
“Don’t deny it, a mother knows these things.” Morticia coos.
“I have to do something.” Wednesday declares.
“I know, and I know that you will do the right thing, Wednesday.” Morticia smiles happily.
###
It is Christmas day, and Enid slouches around school. She had opened the small gift she had bought herself as well as the much nicer gift Wednesday had left for her. She had resisted examining it until this morning. Now she was wearing with pride the pendant that shone with all the colors of the rainbow.
She shuffles into the dining room for dinner and searches for the empty table she has used every day since Wednesday’s departure. The other students are gathered around a single table chatting happily, ignoring her as she has ignored them.
Slumping down in a chair she does not acknowledge them or their Christmas greetings. She just sits patiently waiting for dinner.
Looking up she sees that plates of roast turkey with lots of trimmings are being placed in front of the other students. Together with platters loaded with extra potatoes, sprouts, dishes of sauces and a long gravy boat.
She rips off the colorful paper hat that someone has placed on her head and drops it to the floor, then she slumps into her chair and stares absentmindedly at the tabletop. She cannot wait for this ordeal to be over.
There is a metallic clang as someone puts a large silver cloche in front of her and with a flourish removes it to reveal a large plate with a very large, very rare steak waiting underneath.
She looks up for the first time since entering the room to see Wednesday sitting opposite her.
“Merry Christmas Enid”