© 2024 Debra Anastasia. All rights reserved. This material is the intellectual property of the author and cannot be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without express written permission. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author. (Best read on a desktop)
CHAPTER 7
Smoking Ice
Lila
I didn’t even know women Mrs. Fargone’s age even understood what vapes were, nevermind know how to become addicted to them. But as the huge cloud engulfed her, I knew that was exactly what was happening.
Or maybe she was trying to make enough smoke that I wouldn’t see her as she tried to get away. I hustled in front of her and blocked her way as she pocketed the vape. I saw an iridescent color glisten just before it was completely tucked away.
“Oh no you don’t. You don’t get to hoodwink me into signing some weird ass magic contract and then haul off to Alaska and leave me to deal with it.” She wasn’t getting around me even if I had to put her in a giant bear hug. Sonnet and I had fought like we earned money from it when we were younger. I could throw down. I briefly imagined how wrestling an old woman to the sidewalk would look to bystanders-- but shook it off.
The large sigh Mrs. Fargone had resulted in a huge puff of smoke coming out of her nostrils like she was a dragon. At the very edge of the cloud, I saw the smoke dissipate into snowflakes. Her shoulders fell at the same time, and although her body language seemed to signal defeat, I stayed on edge. I didn’t trust her not to bolt. She was old, but also had a sinewy kind of strength to her. I don't think she had to ask her son to open her jars and bottles--but that was just a hunch.
Out of my peripheral vision I watched Sonnet’s wildly-colored car pull away from the drop off point at the airport. I was alone now. I patted my pants, knowing damn well my phone was not weighing them down.
“When I was your age we dressed for the airport. Men wore suits, ladies wore heels. It was an event.” Mrs. Fargone skimmed my outfit with her gaze.
“I bet they did. I also bet your airplane seats didn’t have you smashed up next to your seatmates like you were in a torture device.” I kept my hands up, palms facing her, ready to grab her.
“My plane leaves soon. I don’t have time for this.” She looked at the gold watch on her wrist.
“Planes depart all the damn time. You can take another one --if I let you leave.” I stayed on the balls of my feet like I was getting ready to play a sport. I was anticipating everything.
“I feel like the police lady over there would not take too kindly to you keeping me here against my will.” Mrs. Fargone seemed more like she was trying to see if I would scare easily than getting ready to call the cops on me.
“Are you going to tell me why I had to rip a necklace off my sister’s neck at Bailey’s tonight so she would act like herself? Is that part of the contract I signed?” I tilted my head remembering how scary that had been--seeing my sister turn on me easily.
“He came so soon?” Mrs. Fargone rescued her vape from her pocket and started it back up. Now that I was so close I could see that it wasn’t in fact a vape that she was putting to her lips. It was a small, vape-shaped block of ice.
“Glacius? I’m assuming you know who he is?” I stayed next to her. The ice block that was part of her routine was an obvious tell that she knew the frozen guy.
“Yes. Glacius. How’d he look?” Her eyes glazed over briefly as she peered into the distance.
“A little older than me. Tattooed. Dangerous.” I wanted to see what she would say about the cold that followed him around without my prompting.
“He’s more than a little older than you, my dear. He’s way older than me.” She put her ice vape away again and wrapped her hand around the handle of her small suitcase..
“Well, he tried to take my sister out on a date-- and that’s freaking creepy. She’s only 21.” I glanced toward the road in time to see Kris taking another lap of the airport.
“I bet he was aiming for you though.” Mrs. Fargone pointed to a bench and after she sat on it, I sat next to her. I wanted her in arms’ reach in case she bolted.
“He may have been. I feel like this has been too much. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that a stranger who has difficulty wearing clothes and a dude that can make frost appear would be part of my day.” I turned so I was facing her. She had some explaining to do.
“If I had told you what was going to happen, would you have believed me?” She matched my gaze.
“Of course not.” I shook my head.
“So that’s why I did it the way I did it. It was my hope that you would help Kris out of the kindness of your heart. I didn’t anticipate that very act starting a chain of events that would put this whole thing into motion.” She fiddled with the thumb of her white glove.
“What whole thing?” I was getting somewhere with her, maybe.
“The reversion. I wasn’t sure it would ever happen. The reversal is so well-funded, so ingrained in society. I couldn’t imagine a change. But then I met you. And I had hope. I knew I had to get out of your way so we could see if this was your destiny. And I believe it is.” She reached over and patted my knee.
“With all due respect, Mrs. Fargone, what the hot hell are you talking about?” I needed clear answers, not trips down memory lane.
“I think I need to reschedule my plane tickets.” She pulled out her phone and held it out to me. “Can you do that from the app? Use your young eyes and your computer stuff for me.”
I regarded her for a minute. She was the only contact I had to explain what was going on with Kris. I was going to have to help her. I took the phone and pointed the screen at her face to open it. After I toggled through to the airline app. Her font and icons were huge. I found her flight and mashed a few buttons to get her on a different flight-- tomorrow evening. It would give me time to talk to her. And maybe make some sense of this whole thing. I needed to know why she was vaping ice as well. I had a feeling it was all connected.
~ ~
Kris
After I had made my fourth trip around the airport, I spotted Lila and Mrs. Fargone waiting at the curb for pick up. The policewoman shot me a dirty look as I parked, but didn’t blow her whistle at me. This whole thing would have been easier with my reindeer.
My reindeer?
As I slid the car in park, I wondered if thinking these Christmas thoughts would ever stop being jarring. Would I eventually only think about trees and presents?
Lila knocked on the car and I searched until I found the trunk release button. She took Mrs. Fargone’s small suitcase and hefted it into the car. When she closed the trunk, I met her eyes in the rear view mirror. Gorgeous. She was so beautiful.
I felt my cheeks heat up. Mrs. Fargone opened the back door and slid inside as Lila made her way to the passenger side. I felt guilty not helping with the bag, but the traffic was so crushed here at passenger pick up, I didn’t want to make it even worse by having yet another person in the road helping with bags. Sonnet grumbled a bit before falling back asleep.
Once Lila was belted in, I started out. The police woman narrowed her eyes at me as we pulled away.
“Look at that, he’s already getting the ruby cheeks.”
I glanced in the rearview to see Mrs. Fargone nodding like she was proving her thesis.
“We have to find a place to go close by.” Lila grabbed her phone and started navigating on the maps app.
“Any direction in particular you want me to head?” I knew I had to get out of the airport, but I could also loop around a few more times so that Lila could get settled in.
“I’ve got it. This hotel--my dad has a rewards card there and they have availability. We’re going to have to stay the night.” She propped her phone up again on the cell phone holder so I could see the map of where to go. “I have a feeling we are going to need some privacy with her.” She tilted her head towards the backseat.
I felt anxiety claw up my chest. Having answers felt scary. It felt like it might come with responsibility as well. My dilemma might be more than just keeping clothes on and remembering who I was or am. I focused on the robotic navigation voice and followed her directions.
~ ~
Lila
Snooze and Booze was a hotel chain that had a very generous reward package. Dad had used the hotel many times for contracting, so I used the points on the card to secure the last two adjoining rooms the hotel had on hand. Two rooms, each with a king size bed. We’d address the sleeping options later. Sonnet rested her head on my shoulder and almost seemed drunk with sleepiness.
Mrs. Fargone looked exhausted now too, so I ordered some coffee and the room came with free wine as well. Kris looked like he could use a glass. Or maybe he looked like he was drinking too many glasses all together. His sparkling eyes and red cheeks were making him look appear he had already partaken in some spirits.
He carried Mrs. Fargone’s bag and ignored her when she snuck her ice vape in the elevator. I helped Sonnet stay standing.
We got to our rooms and after we were inside, we opened the adjoining doors. I propped a chair in front of Fargone’s door. I wasn’t about to let her get away again. Kris answered our door after we heard the knocking and got the refreshments I'd ordered.
Mrs. Fargone pointed at the bathroom. “Do you mind if I spend some time in there?”
I pursed my lips at her-- trying to think like a cop who didn’t want their perp to escape. “Yeah. Just leave your phone out here with me and also--that ice vape thing that you keep smoking.”
She easily set her phone down on the dresser by the TV remote, but was much slower to put the vape down. “Just don’t touch this, okay? No matter what.”
Mrs. Fargone looked back at the ice block three times before finally closing the bathroom door.
I layed Sonnet on the couch in the room and as soon as I had the extra blanket over her, she was sleeping again.
Kris came into her room with the tray of glass and cups.
“Should I just mix the coffee and wine together and really get us going?” He winked at me.
I smiled at the lightening of the mood. “I think I’ll go with the coffee.”
Kris poured a coffee from the carafe for me and another for Mrs. Fargone before opening the cheap wine and pouring himself a glass.
I offered, “To finding her.”
“And finding answers,” Kris replied.
We toasted our different cups.
“So what’s going on with the ice that won’t melt?” Kris pointed at the forbidden cold chunk with his pinkie.
“That’s one of my first questions. It doesn't melt, but it does smoke.” I felt a pull towards it. Like I should hold it. “Reminds me of the pendant we melted.”
I pictured it melting on the dresser. And then I wanted to try to touch it. Kris grabbed my hand that I didn’t even realize was reaching for it.
“Maybe let’s wait on that.” His touch was warmth.
I looked into his eyes. “Thanks.”
I wasn’t sure what I was thanking him for, other than the feeling he was giving me.
Mrs. Fargone came out of the bathroom and eyed the ice vape again. “Good. You didn’t touch it. Your sister passed out because of the effects of Glasius--it’s exhausting and I recognize it.”
“Is it going to hurt her?” It hadn’t occurred to me that Sonnet could be experiencing something medical or magical or whatever was going on.
Mrs. Fargone shook her head. “She just needs rest. She’s going to be fine.”
I went to Sonnet and felt her head. She did seem fine- just tired.
Kris grabbed the extra coffee and handed it to Mrs. Fargone. “Do you need some of this?”
She took the cup gratefully and had a seat on the edge of the king size bed. Kris motioned to the chair by the desk and I sat down. He sat on the little bench along the wall so the three of us were set up like a triangle.
I set my sights on Mrs. Fargone. “Maybe start from the beginning. Because this has to make sense soon or he and I are going to lose our minds.” I pointed at Kris and then myself.
Mrs. Fargone took a sip of the coffee before nodding, looking off unfocused out the window. “When you’re right, you’re right.”
CHAPTER 8
My Santa
Lila
Mrs. Fargone tented her fingers. “In 1971, I filled out the paperwork for the realtor office in hopes of becoming a receptionist. I could type really fast and there were some new houses being built behind the church. I carefully printed “Annie Bannie Slammie” where it asked for my name.
What did I want? Back then, way back then, I wanted a car more than anything. I could only independently go as far as my bike could take me. And back then? Well now Tivioloi is out of the way. But then? Tivoili had more cows than people. I wanted to explore. I wanted to get out. I wanted to meet people that were different than me.
Mrs. Fargone started to rub her knees and look at the ice vape on the dresser before she continued, “I signed the contract with Mr. Fargone. He was an old man then, handled the real estate for all the surrounding towns. I initialled the Holiday Extra Duties without a second thought. I missed his delight when I saw the words instead of glossing over them. When I looked back on it later, I knew he was in on it.”
I glanced at Kris and he was listening intently to her words.
Mrs. Fargone lifted up her index finger, “What was it, you wonder? Well, it was a change of heart. A change in society. A change in direction.
The holidays, it turns out, do have magic in them. A lot of magic. It feels different at that time of year, doesn’t it? It makes you want to do cozy things, share your good times. Be generous. Help others in need? I hope you can still feel it. I know it’s been diluted. They worked slowly. It started back before I was signed as the WereSecretary. The Santas--and there were a lot of them, kept the good tidings flowing. There were enough that there were not any gaps. The Santa for Tivoli, he was the Joy enforcer of New York.
Then we had a Santa go rouge. He was from Southern Maryland. They say he got tangled up in some bad Old Bay-- but whatever the reason, he got political. Didn’t want to go back to his day job after the Holidays, he wanted more. Started selling the Santa Secrets.
The powers that were in charge of all the merchandise for the Holidays saw an in. If they could play the long game, they could get the kids and people focused on material things. Make them believe it was the amount of money that you spent that proved you loved someone, not just spending time and having good wishes.
Sure, being Santa was always about presents, but if you look back, the present encouraged family time. Playing ball with your kid, making a train set together. Now? It’s a video game that they can play alone for hours. They don’t even have to look at you.”
Mrs. Fargone stood and started to pace.
“That rogue Santa was Glacius. My Santa? The Tivoli Joy Enforcer? He was the last of the best of them. I found out that Glacius was tapping into his Santa powers to spread joy and change the feelings of warmth to ice.
That was years ago. Now he got so good at it, he can make jewelry to help speed up the process of focusing on material things. Especially during the Holidays-- it’s more potent.”
“What happened to your Santa?” I was very interested in her story, but I was dying to know how it related to the here and now.
Mrs. Fargone sat back down on the bed and it creaked. “I lost him just before you came to work for Darren.”
A shadow passed over her face before she shook her head.
Kris offered his condolences, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
She shrugged. “Well, we hadn’t spoken in years and years. When Glacius came to visit my Santa, I wouldn’t let him have the meeting he so desperately wanted. Instead, Glacius was forced to leave a package with that vape and a dicey note--attached to the promise of money. But my Santa? He was too pure for all that. Too good for all that. I struck out and researched what was going on with a few other WereSecretaries-- Glacius would only know when the ice was smoked--not by who. So I did it. I inhaled the ice and let it fill me. The ice inside dissipated most of my Holiday Spirit-- but it kept my Santa pure. Kept him full of the right intentions.”
My respect grew for Mrs. Fargone with her words. She had taken what Glacius left and saved her Santa. “I’m guessing the fact that he’s the Joy Enforcer for New York was really important.”
“He was the only thing that was keeping the Holidays on track. He was the magic still. But now that’s on you. You and Kris. I was able to work with another WereSecretary to remove a lot of the memories, so Kris could start with a clean slate. But I can be tracked now. The whole reason I was headed out of town. I should’ve known Glacius would be one step ahead of me.” She sighed.
Kris put his hand under his chin, before adding, “But why run without telling us anything?”
It was a good point. This conversation would have been much better to have before we even got Kris dressed for the first time.
“I wanted Glacius to follow me. I’m sorry. The grief of losing my Santa slowed me down.” She wiped at a glistening tear.
Getting Kris to wear clothes was somehow the least of our problems now. Now the fate of Christmas rested squarely on our brand newly informed shoulders.
I changed the topic, thinking of our current predicament. “What happens if you don’t smoke the ice?”
Her eyes darted to the dresser. “I have to. I have to do it so no one else has to.”
I considered the block as it sat on the furniture, looking harmless. If I could melt my sister’s jewelry-- maybe I could do the same for this thing that somehow tied Fargone to Glacius.
I stood, moving before I could second guess myself. I wrapped my hand around the ice and squeezed. This time I thought about Christmas. The holidays with my family. I looked at my sister laying on the bed in my room and pictured her in her pajamas.I smiled, thinking about the fact that she woke up so, so early in Christmas morning. She would scream and yell and drag me down to the tree. I remembered her putting a stuffed Grover on a riding toy and fist pumping in her footie pajamas. I loved her so much.
I looked at my hands and not only had the ice melted, it had evaporated. I turned when I heard Mrs. Fargone gasp.
She scratched at her throat and had frantic eyes.
Kris stood and rushed to her side, kneeling down.
What had I done? Did I just kill Mrs. Fargone?
______
Author's Note: Huge thanks to Carol Sonnet for her eyes.
