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You want to come to Plattsboro and meet my folks?

They were startled by a familiar sizzling sound. They turned around to find Meirhe standing behind them.

“Good, yer awake. Ye saw the news.”

“Bryce told me.” Veronica said.

“What happened? I thought he was over here somewhere.” Luz let go of Veronica.

“This fellow is quite mobile. Detective Masi is furious.” Meirhe said.

“I don’t doubt it. She swore she was going to catch him this year.”

“Might be more than she can deliver. Krampus is fiendishly unpredictable en he holds te a tight schedule.”

“She said they almost got him last year when he was tossing milk.” Veronica said, wrapping a blanket from the sofa around her shoulders.

“Tis wishful thinkin’. They were nowhere near it. I read the files.”

“Bryce noticed that he was drawing a pattern over the city. Have they figured out what he’s drawing this year?”

“I’m no privy te that, Dear Veronica. Seems te me that ye ought te think about returnin’ te Plattsboro fer the holidays. As far as I know, Krampus stays in the city. If yer well upstate, he may be forced te leave ye be. I believe it would interfere with his crime spree te go that far afield in search o’ ye.”

“I guess it would be nice to visit Mom and Dad for Christmas.” Veronica said.

“En fer New Years if ye can.”

“You’re probably right.”

“I usually am.”

Luz couldn’t help laughing at that. Meirhe looked at her quizzically which only made her laugh harder.

“She’s sleep deprived.” Veronica said.

“Ah.” Meirhe said dubiously. “Let me know when yer ready te depart.” She vanished in a sizzling torrent of golden sparks.

“She’s really abrupt.”

That made Luz laugh, too.

“You’d better go back to bed before you give yourself a concussion.”

“Alright, Miss Smartypants, but only because I’m tired and it’s Monday. Not because you say so.”

Veronica grabbed her cousin and gave her the hug to end all hugs. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’m going to miss you, too. Don’t forget to leave my Christmas present here. I’m not waiting until next year.”

“Go back to bed.” Veronica laughed and pushed her cousin toward the stairs.

“Alright, alright, I’m going. I’m going.”

Meirhe said I ought to go home for the holidays

She sat down on the couch and started surfing channels.

Want some company?

“Company?”

You want to come to Plattsboro and meet my folks?

“He’s gotta be crazy.”

If you’ll have me

She held the phone like a newborn baby, reading the reply over and over again. She began laughing and crying and laughing some more.

“Hey, keep it down there! I’m trying to sleep!” Luz yelled from upstairs.

“He loves me! He loves me, Luz! He loves me!”

“Good for him. Shaddap and let me sleep!”

His phone buzzed.

Yes, please

He was elated. He kissed the phone and began packing a gym bag with clothes and sundries. He texted back.

Meet me at Pennswald Station?
I’ll get the train tickets

“Let’s get some tickets. Hmm, departing 8:15AM? Good thing I got up early.” His phone rattled on the desk.

What time?
So I can tell Meirhe

“What the heck do you take on a week’s vacation to someone else’s house?”

Her pocket vibrated.

Train leaves 8:15AM
Let’s be there for 7:45?

“Okay. I can do that. There’s plenty of time. I don’t really need to pack because I left a bunch of stuff home.” Veronica said.

“Oh, I need to tell Meirhe.” She clicked the alert button that the Sentinel had given her.

“I’m here, child. What do ye need?” Meirhe appeared as abruptly as usual.

“Bryce and I are going to my parents until after New Year’s. We’re going to take the train to Plattsboro from Pennswald Station this morning.”

“When?”

“He said to meet him there at 7:45AM.”

“Are ye packed?”

“I don’t really need to bring anything. Most of my stuff is still at home.”

“Excellent. I shall return fer ye at 7:40.” Meirhe said before vanishing in an explosion of golden glitter.

“I don’t think I’m going to miss that.” Veronica said as she headed upstairs to get the present she’d bought for Luz.

He was eyeballing the gift basket he’d gotten from Carla. It had gotten him into hot water the first time around. He figured he’d better leave it here but he felt like he needed to bring something. His phone buzzed.

Meirhe will drop me off at 7:40

“Alright, that will be plenty of time for us to pick up our tickets and get safely aboard.”

c u then
❤ u

He wondered if that was overstepping but it was too late now. He’d sent it.

❤ u 2

He sat there staring at the response for entirely too long. He printed out his receipt, put on his coat and grabbed his gym bag. He looked around the place a moment before locking up and heading out. It was still dark at 6:30. The clock app told him sunrise wasn’t until 7:17AM. He was so excited that he couldn’t think straight.

The hair on the back of his neck began to stand up. He looked upward. He could be leading that maniac right to her and they’d never see it coming. He dashed back into his building. He looked up the number for the Sentinels and clicked the link to call.

“You have reached Sentinels Station. I am HEARTH. How may I direct your call?”

“I need to speak with Mary Christmas in regard to Veronica Montes.”

“Connecting…” The computer voice changed to the familiar elfin tone. “Bryce?”

“Yes, I was going to Pennswald Station and it occurred to me that Krampus might be tracking me to try to get to Veronica. I don’t want to lead him right to her.”

“Tis a notion. What are yer plans?”

“I’m going to go to the ticket counter and pick up our tickets for the train. When you bring Veronica, we’ll get on the train and go to Plattsboro until after the holidays are over.”

“Agreed. HEARTH will give me yer location so I can get ye te the station afore I bring Veronica. Send an email te HEARTH when ye get safely te Plattsboro. Twill be a weight off o’ me mind te know she’s safe.”

“We should be there by 3:20 this afternoon. Thanks, Meirhe. I was really worried about screwing this up when she’s so close to being out of danger.”

“Yev been her lucky charm thus far. Stick close te her en keep her safe.”