Interlude - Easy Holidays

  Delilah never knew when to expect Catherine showing up. What she did know, was that Catherine would show up at the most inopportune moments.

  For example, right that very moment.

  There was a ring, and Delilah started, instantly pulling back and away and somehow managing to slide almost all the way across the couch even as a hand went up and touched her lips.

  Her lips which tasted of Franny.

  The woman in question was sitting across the same couch and was looking exceptionally stunning today. She was in a soft, comfortable green sweater, one decorated with little reindeer, and she had a pair of very festive ears on. Her face was flushed red, making the smattering of freckles across her cheeks stand out.

  Delilah wanted to kiss each and every one of them. There were eighty six. She'd counted.

  Was that weird? She hoped it wasn't weird. "Ah, someone must be here," she said as she slowly regained her mental faculties.

  She considered going back to what they'd been doing, but... well, if they had guests, it might be best not to. It wasn't exactly un-chaste. It had only been some kissing, some whispering of sweet nothings, some light conversation that was barely louder than the sound of the crackling fireplace in her living-room hearth, but it had been nice. Very nice.

  "Yeah. I mean, yes. I'll, uh, put on that hot cocoa I mentioned," Franny said.

  Delilah stood, adjusted her skirts, then walked out of the living room and into the main lobby. She was a little miffed. That had been some nice kissing they had been engaged in, and she wasn't pleased with whomever had interrupted it. Franny had even whispered something about a present that had set her imagination aflame.

  She arrived at the door, then linked up to the house's security network. "Of course," she muttered as she saw who was standing just outside. Only a split second later, she found herself frowning.

  It was Cat, of course, but with her was Lucy, and behind them a gaggle of children.

  She opened the door rather cautiously. "Hello?" she started.

  "Oh, thank fuck, you're here," Cat said. "I was worried you might be... I don't know, doing arts and crafts with Franny."

  Lucy giggled. "That's a new one."

  "I mean, I was thinking about scissors, and there's scissors in crafting, right?" Cat said.

  "Hello, Catherine," Delilah said before any blushing might be noticed. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company at... seven thirty at night on Christmas day?"

  "Yeah, that's it," Cat said, which didn't answer anything. "So, I need to call in a massive favour."

  Alarm bells started to blare in Delilah's mind. "A favour?" she asked.

  "Yeah. See, me and Lucy need to head out for a few minutes."

  "Right now?" Delilah asked.

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  "Mhm. We need to go buy the K-I-D-S's uh, Christmas P-R-E-S-A-N-T-S."

  Delilah blinked. "First of all, there are two Es in... that word. Second, do none of them know how to spell? I find that very concerning. Third, to answer your implied question; no."

  "Please?" Cat asked. "I know that you were planning on having fun-time with Franny, playing Hide the Bible or whatever you nuns do, but I really need this."

  "It'll only be an hour or two, tops," Lucy said.

  "Did you not think of this before Christmas day?" Delilah asked. How irresponsible could these two be?

  Cat shrugged. "Forgot."

  "Same," Lucy said with an innocent little smile that didn't fool... well, actually, it fooled too many people, that was the problem. "Anyway, I made things easy. We have a go-bag! All the meds they need to take are in there. Don't worry if any look expired, best before doesn't mean bad-after, and there's a list of allergies and another, longer one, for stuff they don't like to eat. That's only if you feel like feeding them. It's fine if you don't, but they're easier to handle when they're full."

  And before Delilah could say anything productive, the two were off and a flood of children were pushing past her and into her home.

  She was going to make Cat pay for this... but later. She didn't fail to realize that Christmas day was perhaps one of the more important days for extending good hospitality and good cheer. "Okay then," she muttered. "God help me... Franny! We have... guests."

  Wait, how many children had there been? She'd lost count almost immediately, and they weren't making an easy job of it as they immediately spread out across her home.

  Then she heard a crash across the house and was running before she knew it. She discovered a painting on the floor. That didn't bother her too much, it wasn't something precious to her, just something bought to liven up the place, only the culprit was nowhere in sight.

  "Delilah!" Franny called out, and there was a certain note of desperation in her voice.

  She found herself running back to the kitchen only to discover Franny, with her face redder than she had ever seen, holding a child in a very ineffectual chokehold, while about four more children were crowding in the kitchen and cheering.

  The boy Franny was holding--some vague memory surfaced with her name, Bargain? Maybe--was holding onto something moderately scrunched in his hands.

  "L-let go, please," Franny said.

  "Fine, lady, but we could have made a deal out of this!" the boy said.

  He dropped what he had been holding onto, and the incriminating item fell to the ground.

  Delilah's eyes went wide.

  Lacy.

  "Delilah, who are these devil children?" Franny asked.

  Oh, yes, that was exactly right. And speaking of devils... Cat was going to see hell once she returned.

  ***

  Entirely unrelated to the chapter above... Got some art of Cat and Motoko, from my favourite cyberpunk story on RR, Ghost in the City! You should read it: