Jeremiah briefly closed his
eyes in an unsuccessful attempt to drown out the hubbub going on around them.
He questioned, not for the first time, if he’d make a mistake by having a
change of heart and allowing his partner to talk him into this excursion. In
all honesty, he had to admit to being intrigued by whatever Micah was so eager
to show him.
He opened his eyes and followed
the insistent tugging on his arm. Moments later they were standing in front of
an array of Christmas decorations, the likes of which he’d never seen before.
“Wait until you hear this
one, Jer,” Micah announced excitedly as he squeezed the red and white spot on a
small tree’s limb. The stuffed green tree began to move in time to the tune of ‘Dancing
Around the Christmas Tree’. “Isn’t it grand?”
“Oh, it’s grand all right.”
Jeremiah sounded like he had some misgivings about just how grand it really was.
Fortunately, Micah didn’t pick up on them.
“This Santa talks. He’s
reading his ‘naughty or nice’ list,” Micah explained as he pinched the two-foot
tall Santa’s hand. “Of course he can only read a few names, but I’m pretty sure
I’m on the ‘good’ list even if it doesn’t get read on this decoration.” The
younger man studied the stuffed figure in front of him. “Hmm, I wonder if you
can special order different ones. Folks could then get the one that has all the
names they want on it.”
“I have no idea, love.”
Jeremiah worked at keeping up the façade that he was enjoying himself.
“Watch this one, Jer.”
Once again, the older man
responded to the request by feigning interest in the fake Rudolph with a nose
that flashed on and off to the tune of ‘Rudolph, The Red Nose Reindeer’.
However, it wasn’t the decorations that held most his attention, it was the
beautifully animated face of his adorable partner.
‘Yes,’ Jeremiah rethought his
earlier doubts. ‘His happiness is what counts.’ He smiled as Micah merrily chattered
on while activating one ‘toy’ after another. Gone from Jeremiah’s mind was the
confusion of sounds and the pressure of bodies bumping into his, as he
relinquished himself to the joy his lover was experiencing in sharing this
marvelous treasure-trove of Christmas magic with him.
Both Ghosts’ pleasure was
interrupted by a shout of discord assailing them from the far end of the aisle.
“Hey, Don. It’s happening
again. All the decorations are playing and there’s no one near them. You better
get the manager.”
Jeremiah grabbed for Micah’s
hand. “I guess that’s our cue to leave, my pet. But thank you for this
wonderful escapade.” He soundly kissed
the younger man before they stole away. “I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it for
the world.”
The End
