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Fiona wasn’t ready to embrace the Christmas that was coming soon. Her life and mind were consumed with the killer. Tonight, she had intended to visit Dr. Kaufman, but her mother had called and intercepted her. She needed help with Christmas decorations, so Fiona changed direction. Besides, she hadn’t seen her mother for a long time; her weekly visits abruptly stopped with her busy schedule. Her mother didn’t complain or press guilt on her, and she was grateful. Sometimes though, she detected her desires in the tone of her voice.
The task took more than a couple hours, and afraid she might miss any new developments, she called Sophie and invited her over. Probably, she unconsciously desired to introduce her love interest to her mother, since her previous attempt to bring her mother and her girlfriend together had to be aborted. She carried all the boxes labeled Christmas decorations from the basement to the first floor and then retreated to the garage. She left her mother and Joe in the coziness created by the fireplace. They would probably argue a bit before she was finished. She was convinced that if she stayed, she would be forced to become more involved than she wished to be, so in a quick decision before they settled down, she slipped out the back door to the stillness of the garage. She grabbed the containers with the lights without even using the ladder. She uncovered them and spent thirty minutes untangling them, cursing the careless way she had stored them the year before. She gathered the supplies she thought she might need and crossed the driveway. It did not feel as cold today as the day before. Fiona took few breaths, filling her lungs with the chilly air before she started her task.
Sophie arrived as Fiona was stretching the cords, and hearing her voice caused Fiona to do the unthinkable ... she stepped on the lights and crushed them. Sophie laughed, and although Fiona was pissed, she still hugged and kissed her, forgetting all about the Christmas decorations and melting into Sophie’s arms. Fiona wanted to stop time and remain in her lover’s warm embrace. She stayed long enough to fill her mind with images that made her blush. She let Sophie go when her mother reached the front door.
“Let me introduce you to my mother,” she whispered in her ear and pulled Sophie with her.
“Mother, this is Sophie, my girlfriend,” she uttered it like a simple fact, and she felt as if a weight was lifted from her shoulders.
“Please, come in. It’s too cold to stand by the door.”
“You are on your own,” she murmured. “I need to finish the outside lights.”
Sophie’s gaze told her what she thought of that, but Fiona was sure her girlfriend could handle an old couple fussing over ornaments and Santa Claus. She picked up the lights she had crushed to inspect the damage. She knew that going to the store in the month of December would be the worst possible scenario; the lines were vast, causing people to lose humor and display their nasty natures. She stretched out the strings of lights, minus the one she stepped on, and began the arduous task of placing them on the railings. She attempted to lengthen them by stretching the cord, hoping it would do the trick and allow her to avoid a trip to the store. Thankfully, it worked.
When Sophie came out to bring her a hot chocolate, she was all done and ready to plug the lights in. It was not a spectacular show, since she had only placed Christmas lights around the door and railings, but it worked in a simplistic way. They were magical, as they had always been for as long as she could remember. Christmas was Fiona’s favorite holiday, and this year, she thought it would be even better with Sophie in her life.
“So, how did the interview go?”
“Which one? The one I finished few seconds ago or the one with the witness?”
“Both.”
“In the first interview, I was interrogated about every aspect of my life.” The sound of her laughter filled the air. “The second interview went a bit better. Mr. Perkins, who lives across from Kelly–”
“Our first victim, you mean?” Sophie had to disassociate herself and stop using their names. One day, Fiona would tell her why. She gazed at her girlfriend, and her heartbeat increased. Sophie looked lovable holding her mug with two hands and trying to generate heat.
“Okay, our first victim. Anyway, Mr. Perkins was traveling to Florida. He had a late-night flight out, and he was waiting for a cab to take him to LaGuardia Airport. He was looking out his window when he spotted a woman approaching at a fast pace. She was carrying some type of equipment that appeared to be heavy. He expected her to stop, take a break, lift the equipment again, and resume walking. However, the woman kept her fast pace until she reached our first victim’s home. Then, she looked around and knocked at the door.”
“Did he notice any of her characteristics?”
“He couldn’t really make out the details of her face. It was well after eight, and she entered the house as soon as the door opened. He thought the woman looked older, was heavier at the bottom, and had short hair.”
“So, our killer may be that woman, and even if she isn’t, she’s still a person of interest. What are you doing tonight?” Fiona casually inquired.
“I’m going back to the office. Phil is waiting for me. Then, I’m going home because I’m totally beat.”
“I was hoping you were coming to the city.”
“Not tonight. I’m exhausted.” Sophie leaned toward Fiona, seeking her mouth, and briefly kissing her. She then headed to the house to say her adieus, and when she appeared at the door again, she had a perplexed look on her face.
“What’s the matter?” Fiona wished to decipher her lover’s look.
“Nothing,” she whispered as she walked to her car. She opened the door, inserted her keys, and lowered the window. “They are cute.”
“Yes, they are,” Fiona’s short reply came out forced. She was still uncomfortable with her mother’s relationship. “Bye, my beautiful girl. See you tomorrow.” She pressed into her mouth, delving and probing intensely, conscious of her mother’s gaze behind her back. Nevertheless, she felt brave and happy at the same time. She was glad she had a girlfriend. Finally, she wasn’t afraid to tell the world. Was she ready to settle down? Was she even the type? One thing was certain, Sophie made her want to scream her happiness to everyone.