The Wheel Turns

Mother smiles, then looks bemusedly at Nul. "Yes, you have. Come in, silly. You were just out visiting family. Come on. we're having some cocoa before we head to bed. You want to be asleep before Santa gets here, right?"

 

"What's a Santa?" Mutt asks.

 

"What's a Santa?" Mutt asks.

 

"A fat old man who's going to bring you gifts tonight," She smiles warmly.

 

"Okay." They're not going to refuse gifts.

 

Mutt and Nul are led in and given hot cocoa.

Ethan and Arie are staring in confusion.

 

That's right! Mica said they have a brother! "Mica didn't tell me your name," they say. "I'm Mutt."

 

"E...ethan.. who... who are you?"

 

"I'm the other half of Mica," Mutt explains. "He's gone now, but Nul is here"

 

"....g...gone?" His eyes start to water.

 

"Yes," Nul says diplomatically. "I'm sorry. I used to be him, but I'm...I'm not. He's gone."

 

Ethan starts to sob, looking at Arie. "B..but.. but. Y..you said. You said Mica said he'd come back-"

Arie's face scrunches up, and her hands tighten into fists. "....the woman. She.. she lied to both of us. She said he'd be safe-"

Mother and Father don't seem to notice any of the turmoil, with Mother happily getting cocoa for Mutt and Nul as Father approaches. "Let me get your stockings out of your bags and put your bags into your new bedroom."

 

Nul looks down, not sure how to fix the situation. It would be better if he weren't here; seeing him is just causing them pain. His face is always going to be a reminder of Mica.

"Arie -" he starts, then stops as he tries to make sure he's not going to make anything worse that wasn't going to happen anyway. "Were they like this before? Why do they know us? Something's wrong here. Um....other than me."

 

"No. I. They weren't. They've been acting weird since Mica left-" her eyes go a bit bigger, and her face pales, as their father grabs their suitcases.

"Come on. The renovations finished yesterday."

"...renovations-"

"What, did you think our growing kids needed to share rooms with Ethan or you, Arie?" Father laughs. "They've got a room, just for them."

He points to a door upstairs that Arie and Ethan don't recognize, and Arie starts to tremble. "...something is very, very wrong, here-"

 

Mutt looks up from their cocoa at the door. "That's our room?" When Father nods, they run up the stairs to see.

 

The room is cozy, made for two, and... there's a gift wrapped on each bed, with a gemstone stuck to the tag.

 

Mutt scoops them up and takes them back downstairs, setting them on the table.

 

"....who are those from?" Arie frowns. "I... how did our second floor get BIGGER?!"

Their parents seem to pay her concerns no mind. "Now now, don't open your presents until Christmas, Mutt!"

 

"It's Christmas in less than an hour," Nul objects, looking at the clock. "It can't possibly cause any trouble."

 

"Then you'd better get to bed so Santa can do his work," Mother enthuses, ushering them upstairs. "Go on, go on-"