Chapter Last Chapter

Funnily enough the people I was least worried about were my parents. In the typical teenage movies it was always the father of the girl who interrogated her prospective boyfriend the harshest. My father on the other hand had a more laid-back attitude when it came to his children. As long as he felt we weren’t making any wrong decisions he usually let us handle our own things. My mother was also no problem, as she was rather soft-spoken and polite to everyone.

The rest of my family though …

It wasn’t any malicious intent on their part but simple, uncontrollable nosiness. It’s like they couldn’t help themselves.

So when I opened the door for Aiden, a good hour after our phone call, our little entry hall was crowded with people trying to be the first one to get a look at him. I think someone even climbed our small dresser.

Aiden silently surveyed the ridiculousness behind me.

“Hey,” I managed, sounding incredibly not at all lame.

His eyes focused on me and he smiled slightly. “Hey, Mags. Merry Christmas.”

Furious whispering started up behind me.

“To you, too. Sorry about all this …”

“Come inside, young man! It must be freezing outside.” My grandmother popped up at me side, interrupting me. She was one of the first ones to join forces with Aunt Patrizia, not that I was surprised. Though she looked quite cute and harmless at five foot nothing with her polka-dotted apron and flour covered cheeks she was probably one of the toughest opponents.

“Thank you.” Aiden left our doorstep but couldn’t go much farther into the house thanks to the packed space.

“Make some room,” Patrizia shouted, waving her hands as if she was shooing off a swarm of insects. “Come on people, I have a feeling he won’t be leaving for some time.”

After successfully stowing his shoes and formally greeting my aunt and grandmother, Aiden turned to me. “You have a big family. It’s nice.”

Let’s see if you won’t change your mind about that soon enough.

Jo fought to the front. “Aiden, hi. Just wanted to say sorry for using my magic on you.”

Aiden’s eyes got colder. “Your magic? When?”

“Just before, during the call. Anyway I apologized, so all is good. Do you want some hot punch?” She lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “It’s with alcohol. Believe me, you want a buzz for what’s coming next.”

“‘What’s coming next’?”

Before we had a chance to explain any further, my aunt had already linked her arm with Aiden’s and was towing him into the living room. “Time to introduce you. Everyone, this is Aiden, Maggie’s friend.”

Before the greeting was even finished the questions already started raining down.

“Aiden? That’s a nice name. Where are you from?”

“You go to school with Maggie? What year are you in?”

“What do you want to do for a living later on?”

“How long have you known Maggie?”

“Are your grades good?”

“How old are you?”

“Are you a witch? A shifter? Or something else?”

“Why are you spending your Christmas alone?”

And they continually got worse.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“How many relationships did you have until now?”

“Are you maybe interested in our Maggie?”

“Don’t you think she’s a very nice girl?”

Someone patted my arm, startling me out of my frozen state of horror. Glancing over I met my mother’s dark eyes, crinkling slightly because of her understanding smile.

“Don’t look so crestfallen. Just watch him, he’s handling them well.”

I glanced at Aiden. And true enough, he was neither hiding behind the Christmas tree nor flinching at each inappropriate question. Instead he looked calm and unbothered as usual, sometimes answering, sometimes simply waiting for the next question - which would surely come along.

“Let them have their fun, they’ll run out of steam soon enough. Why don’t you help me in the kitchen? I think I just saw Jo spike the punch some more, we should have a glass before someone notices and pours it down the drain.”

Feeling bad for abandoning Aiden to his fate but lured by the promise of sweet punch I followed my mother into the kitchen.

“While you’re here, help me find the potatoes. They’ve been in hiding ever since your aunt bewitched them.”

“As long as they don’t start screaming when you peel them …” I shuddered, recalling one very memorable evening at my Jo’s house involving a headless and plucked chicken.

My mother laughed. “Don’t worry, she didn’t go that overboard.”

The next half hour I spent crawling around on our kitchen floor, searching any crevice for animated potatoes while drinking way too strong punch and chatting with my mother.

“He seems nice.”

I checked a forgotten slipper. “Who?”

“Your Aiden. He looks like a good kid.”
I couldn’t keep the surprise from my face. Adults usually weren’t Aiden’s biggest fans, first and foremost because of his appearance but also because of his attitude. He didn’t give them lip but still, he treated them the same as almost everyone else: with polite disregard.

“Really?”

My mother nodded, plopping another one of the found potatoes into a pot with cold water. “Yes. He obviously likes you, so he can’t be that bad.”

A blush crept up my face. “Why do you think he likes me?”

“Hmm, a mother’s intuition? He looks at you differently, I noticed it the moment he first walked in.” She shot me a quick smile. “As do you.”

“Do what?”

“Behave differently around him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous just because the family is let loose on someone you know.”

I grabbed the potato that had tried to disappear beneath our cupboard and got up. My mother watched as I sat down next to her.

“I think I’ve liked him for a while now. I just didn’t know what to do about it.”

“And now?”

I rolled the twisting potato between my palms. “I know what I want to do.”

My mother smiled once more. “That’s good. The harpies should be about done by now. Why don’t you go rescue him before the big dinner starts? That way, he’ll have at least a short time to breathe.”

I gave her the potato and hesitated for a second, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Thanks, Mom.”

She nodded and started peeling. “I would hurry.”

I found Aiden still in a cluster of people, though the rush had waned considerably. Apparently it was now the kids turn to play with the newcomer, which usually involved them showing off all the magic tricks they had learned.

“Let me cut your hand,” Alice ordered my little brother, waving - of all things - a small butter knife through the air.

“I don’t want to!”

“But I can’t heal you if you’re not injured! Just let me make a small cut …”

I carefully grabbed her hand before she poked someone’s eye out. Immediately getting their attention I smiled at the kids. “How about you show Aiden after dinner?”

“Why not now?”

Yes, why indeed. “He’s needed in the kitchen.”

During a chorus of disappointed oohs I quickly took Aiden’s hand and marched him toward the - thankfully empty - hallway leading upstairs.

I turned only to find Aiden watching me with bright green eyes. “Why did the kitchen trick work so well?”

“Oh, it’s the only place the kids are not allowed. In theory so they won’t hinder the dinner preparations but actually it’s so the grown-ups can get tipsy in peace.”

He smiled.

“Aiden, I’m sorry about that ambush before …”

“Don’t be. I like it here.” He looked toward the door leading into the bustling living room. “It’s all very … warm.”

“You don’t regret coming over?”

“No. I’m glad the tall lady invited me.”

I laughed. “That’s my Aunt Patrizia. I can’t believe that they didn’t even introduce themselves but wanted you to basically recite your portfolio.”

“Your grandmother indicated that she’s the matriarch. Counts as introduction?”

I grinned and shook my head. “Seriously, I was nervous but now I’m really glad you came. It made my Christmas a lot better.”

“Oh?” He took a step closer. “Even though I don’t have a present for you?”

I stretched my arms, linking my fingers behind his neck. “I don’t have one either. Do you mind?”

He lowered his head, a stray curl tickling my forehead. I felt his warm breath on my skin when he whispered: “Not at all.”

“Hmm.”

I lifted my head until our lips brushed. Soft at first but steadily deepening, until it felt like I wouldn’t be able to take my next breath without him. My head was filled with sweet punch, cheesy Christmas music blasting from the living room and Aiden.

It was definitely the best Christmas ever.