Reindeer
It seemed all of Halifax were getting into the Christmas spirit as it grew nearer, all except Anne who wasn’t one to get festive, she had lived through far too many disappointments around Christmas for that. Every single person she had met with all day had talked about it or wished her a happy Christmas. Anne thought Christmas important in the terms of theology but other than that; The festiveness, and decorations, that was all too much for her. It reminded her too much of her uncle which hurt her, and it reminded her too much of the sorrows of heart that were closely linked with the holiday. It was in all a difficult time for her. But Ann adored Christmas. She had woken up every morning to look out the window to see if any snow had fallen, and Anne had to admit – it was pretty endearing, and she was happy that her wife was glowing with excitement and merriment. She wouldn’t take that away from her, but if anyone tried to bring in one twig of holly, she would have to put her foot down.
Anne pulled her collar up and proceeded to walk faster, it was cold and dark outside, and she wanted to get home in time for dinner. When she did come through the gates of Shibden she sighed happily at the light coming from the house, knowing that her family was inside – well her wife.
“Anne – you’re back!” Aunt Anne cried gleefully, and Anne kissed her cheek,
“Yes, yes – terribly busy day, lots of meetings, but I’m here now, and on time.”
“Sometime had to be the first.” Marian muttered and Anne’s head turned thither as she gave her sister a pointed look, but then she turned around completely, eying Ann’s empty chair with worried eyes,
“Where’s Ann? Is she unwell?!”
“She’s outside in the stables I think.” Marian told her sister with a shrug of the shoulder,
“You think? You mean you don’t care to keep an eye on her?”
“Keep an eye on her? Ann is an adult; in fact, she is probably more so than you most of the time.”
“But she’s… she might get lost or get abducted or… you said she was out in the stables?” Anne rambled and Marian rolled her eyes, nodding,
“Yes.”
“I’ll go get her then, tell her dinner is ready.” Anne told the room before turning on her heel to go find her wife.
“Ann!?” Anne called into the stables that were dimly lit, and Ann popped her head out of Jack’s stall,
“Yes?”
“Dinner’s ready.” Anne smiled,
“Oh, I got a bit caught up…” Ann flustered, and Anne laughed as she raised an eyebrow,
“What? Why are you all red in the face?”
“Um, I prepared something for Jack to wear on Christmas morning when we go to church…” Ann bit her lip not to laugh as she spoke and Anne was even more intrigued,
“What have you done now?”
“Promise me, you won’t be cross!” Ann told her, and Anne began to walk over to have a look. Ann was completely red in the face and trying so hard not to laugh. Anne eyed her suspiciously but then her eyes found the chestnut horse and her mouth fell open and Ann burst out laughing, trying to muffle it with her hand, but the look on Anne’s face was priceless.
“Do you like it?” Ann managed to pant out through her laughter, and Anne’s eyes went from the horse to her wife, mouth still open,
“Ann, no!”
“Yes!”
“No way in… we are not taking Jack to church!” Anne said quietly closing her eyes trying to reel her emotions in and argue softly.
“We are! We promised Marian we’d take the sleigh – if there’s any snow, and Jack can pull it.” Ann touched Anne’s arm, and she frowned at her,
“Ann! I’m not going to be… He has antlers on!”
“I made those, thank you very much!” Ann slapped her over the chest and Anne still looked at the horse, in disbelief, this was not happening,
“He looks like a very disappointing reindeer, or a mix-breed that went terribly wrong.”
“I think he looks handsome, and he thinks so too, don’t you boy?” Ann gave Jack a pat on the nose and Jack snorted against her, seemingly content. Anne just shook her head,
“Ann! People will talk… I mean we are already odd enough in people’s eyes. This is just adding fuel to the fire.”
“People will think it’s sweet and comical, and a lovely Christmas addition.” Ann argued but could still just barely keep her chuckles at bay.
“Is there anything I can do to persuade you to not use the antlers? To not dress Jack up as a reindeer for Christmas?” Anne pleaded and Ann smirked at her, scratching Jack under his chin,
“Well, there is one thing that would make me change my mind…”
“Tell me, anything, I’ll do anything!”
“Wear the antlers during dinner.” Ann snorted and Anne groaned,
“Seriously!?”
“It’s the only thing that will persuade me for I was determined to have him wear them.” Ann crossed her arms, eying Anne amused,
“There must be something else I can do!?”
“Hm, No, I think this is all I want.” Ann pulled the antlers off from Jack’s head and held them out to Anne who didn’t take them immediately, and Ann smiled innocently,
“I guess we will have ourselves a reindeer at Christmas…”
“Oh fine then!” Anne snatched the antlers and eyed them with contempt,
“You put them on your head like this.” Ann took them from her and placed them on her head, and then backed a step to look at her, only to laugh more.
“Very funny… ha, ha. Let’s go inside now so dinner can be over – quickly!”
They sat down to dinner and all the while Marian, aunt Anne and Ann kept choking on their food from trying to not laugh out loud at Anne’s antlers. Anne stared into her plate with a glum look, eating as fast as she possibly could to end her humiliation, swallowing bits whole. When she did finish, she stood up quickly, leaving for her room, to get rid of the ridiculous antlers but Ann tagged along.
When they were alone, Ann stepped nearer, holding her at the arms. Anne stared at her wearing a frown and Ann smiled,
“You don’t have to look like it’s going to rain…dear.”
“I hate you.” Anne growled and then tried to wring her wrists free to remove the antlers, but Ann held her as best she could and then kissed her, making Anne forget about fighting to get the antlers off for a few seconds,
“Don’t. think. You. Can make me. Forget. About the. Stupid antlers.” Anne told her in-between kisses, and Ann let go of her lips for a second, touching her cheek,
“I’m not, but if the antlers go – everything else has to go.”
“That’s completely fine with me!” Anne smirked, and Ann threw the thing off before she began working on untying Anne’s cravat, and turning her humiliation of needing to wear the antlers for dinner into something quite pleasant.