Holiday Baking (part 3 - by Margaret Ullrich)

Finally, it was 3:00 a.m.  

Clad in white, carrying a tray and balancing the wreath with bouncing balls and flaming candles on my head, I shuffled slowly to our bed.  I was a walking cherries jubilee.  Hovering over Paul, I chanted:  "O'er earth that sun forgot, Dark shadows linger... "

Hmmph... No answer.  The Lucia Queen required an audience.  Creating my own liturgy, I ad libbed.  

"Wake up, Paul." 

Still no answer.  I set the tray down, gave him a push and repeated: "O'er earth that sun forgot, Dark shadows linger...  Damn it, wake up."

       

He snorted, turned and faced me.  It took him a while to focus.  Okay... back to the chant.  I started softly, building to a truly impressive booming voice.

             "O'er earth that sun forgot, 

             Dark shadows linger.      

             Then on our threshold stands, 

             White clad in candlelight

             Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia."

       

He looked.  He blinked.  He screamed.  

He said something that no one should ever say to a Lucia Queen.

part 4