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“Well…” Strong sighed and shook his head. “I still think she’s far out of our league, as the humans say, but all right—I’ll come.”
“Do you promise?” Clear asked, frowning.
Strong nodded. “Promise, Brother. I’m almost done with these reports and then I’ll jump in the shower and put on my best dress uniform.”
“All right then.” Clear nodded, satisfied. His twin could be incredibly stubborn and hard to persuade but once he gave his word to do something, he would do it.
“You go on ahead,” Strong told him. “Oh, did you get the Secretive Santa gift for Melanie?”
“I’ve got it right here.” Clear held up a plain white cardboard box. “Do you want to see what it is?”
“Sure.” Strong shrugged. “Show me what you got.”
“Behold!” Clear pulled the lid off the box to display the contents. “It’s perfect—don’t you think?”
Strong frowned.
“An oven mitt? You got her an oven mitt?”
“Not just any oven mitt!” Clear protested. “This is a flexible silconian alloy that’s tested to withstand up to five thousand degrees of heat! It’s perfect—don’t you think? If Melanie had been wearing something like this when I came to teach her how to use her wave, she never would have gotten a hole burned in her hand. The mitt would have protected her.”
“And then I wouldn’t have met her and made a fool of myself by being too aggressive,” Strong growled.
“Will you let that go?” Clear said, exasperated. “Melanie is a wonderful, kind female. I’m sure if you just back things off a little bit tonight, she’ll give you another chance.”
“I still say the two of us have very little chance with a lovely, mature Elite,” Strong growled. “So I don’t want you to be upset when she’s coolly polite and disinterested tonight.”
“Stop being so negative,” Clear told him. “And remember that you promised to come.”
“Yes, yes—I’ll be there.” Strong waved him off. “But not unless you let me finish these reports. You go on to the party and I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon,” Clear echoed his Brother. And putting the lid back on his present, he left their suite and headed for the reception hall where the Mother Ship’s Administration Department Christmas Party was being held. It included the Marketing, Accounting, and PR departments and their families, so one of the larger halls had been chosen for it.
As he walked down the hallway, he saw his friend, Sahran heading in the same direction. Sahran was a tall Blood Kindred with white-blonde hair and pale blue eyes. He was carrying a white cardboard gift box like the one Clear held, but he also had a roll of long, shiny, silver paper in one hand.
“Sahran, going to the party?” Clear greeted him.
“Oh, hello, Clear. Yes, but first I have to stop by my cubical and get some tape to wrap this present.” Sahran brandished the box and the roll of silver paper.
“You’re supposed to wrap them?” Clear felt his stomach drop.
“Oh, yes. I learned that the hard way,” Sahran said grimly. “During Sonja’s birthday celebration when I gave her an unwrapped present. Apparently a gift isn’t acceptable unless it’s wrapped in some kind of festive paper that your female can tear open before she opens the box.”
“But…that seems to add an unnecessary extra step in getting to the gift,” Clear protested. “Wouldn’t it seem that the one who receives the gift would rather get to open it sooner?”
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Sahran shook his head. “But I’ve learned that some things about humans—especially human females—just don’t make logical sense.” He smiled fondly. “But my Sonja is so lovely that I don’t really mind.”
“Well, I don’t want to give an inappropriate gift,” Clear said, frowning. “Where can I get some of this shiny paper you’re using?”
“Oh, you can use some of mine—I’ve got plenty,” Sahran assured him. “Come with me and we’ll get both gifts wrapped in no time.”
“Thank you.” Clear smiled at his friend. “I appreciate it, Sahran.”
“No trouble at all. Who did you get in the gift giving exchange, anyway?” the Blood Kindred asked as they walked.
“I don’t think we’re supposed to tell, but I confess I drew Melanie’s name.” Clear tried not to smile.
“You look pleased about it,” Sahran noted. “I take it you wanted her name?”
“Very much. I have been what the humans call ‘crushing her’ for some time,” Clear admitted.
His friend frowned.
“I think you mean crushing on her. Or else you can say you ‘have a crush’ on her. Anyway, you’re lucky you got her name with no problems. I had to trade five times in order to get Sonja’s name.”
“Are you supposed to do that?” Clear asked doubtfully.
“Probably not.” Sahran shrugged and grinned. “But I knew it would make her happy.”
“I hope my gift to Melanie will make her happy,” Clear said, eyeing his cardboard box. “Maybe it will convince her to take myself and my brother seriously.”
