Page 47 of Unholy Night

Yours for eternity,

Lucifer

My fingers tracethe sweeping handwriting and stare. He hasn’t forgotten us after all. He wants to see us. He wants to spend more time with us. And much more time might have passed for him then for us.

My heart tries it’s best to burst into a thousand tiny pieces, but I hold it together.

“What do you think, Mandy? Should we stay? Or should we accept Mr. Lucifer's invitation?” I watch her face morph into something entirely too close to the look of teenage disbelief.

“Mommy, of course we have to go. We can watch the ball next year.” Mandy grabs a large box addressed to her. “It would be rude, considering all the work he put into this.”

“That’s true.” I hum under my breath.

“Do you not want to go?” Oh, I want to go all right. I want to see Lucifer again, to hold his warm hand, to see his smile. I want to kiss him at midnight and--

My thoughts come to a screeching halt.

Nope, I won’t go down that road. I have no idea what his intentions are by inviting us. I like to think it is because he’s missed us as we have him, but I could be completely wrong. Even now, it’s hard for me to believe someone could want me.

I hold up the envelope and letter and whisper, “Yes.”

“Best. Dress. Ever!” Mandy stands up and holds the fabric to her shoulders. The gown is black, with a black and white striped underskirt that peeks out from the bottom. It’s beautiful, the craftsmanship superb. It has silky capped sleeves and an empire waist, with a sweet quality to it that fits her age, but also something a bit darker that suits the emo personality she seemed to have developed since Christmas eve. A happier Wednesday Addams vibe, for sure. She spins in a circle. “It’s perfect.”

“It is.” She carefully drapes the dress over the back of a chair and opens the other boxes. The second box contains shoes, shiny black Doc Martens to be exact. She lifts them and holds them out for me to see. “It’s like he read my mind! These are perfect.”

In the next boxes are a necklace with a pendant that is so old, I’m almost afraid to touch it. And yet, he sent it to my child to wear to his party. It’s a cameo necklace, the white profile on a black surface, surrounded by diamonds. There are also baubles for her hair.

“Open yours, Mommy!” Mandy slips the necklace over her head, admiring the pendant cupped in her hands.

I lift the largest box and carefully untie the bow. Inside is a dress made for an extravagant social event. The material is pitch black and has a scoop hem, leaving it longer in the back. This dress leaves me speechless. When I lift it from the box and hold it to my shoulders as Mandy had done, my eyes widen. The neckline plunges deep between my breasts, but has a black panel of sheer fabric in the center. It hugs my curves until just above my knees where it sweeps out in layers. Black lace has been applied in places that will draw the eye, embellished with black thread that glints in the light.

“Whoa. Mommy, you’re going to look amazing!” Mandy smiled broadly, carefully tracing some of the intricate lace. “Like a gothic princess.”

“What do you know about gothic princesses?” I look at her with a smile.

“I know I want to be one someday. Wow!” She looks back at the tree. “What else did you get?”

One box holds a pair of heels that make my inner fashionista squeal. Black like the dress, they each have a little bit of lace that matches the dress and bright red bottoms. Simple and elegant. The last box holds a pair of earrings made from the same stones as my bracelet which I never take off. They are shaped like teardrops and placed in an antique setting.

Mandy whistles and I look up in shock. “When did you learn how to do that?”

“I dunno.” She shrugs her shoulders. “But it felt like this was the right time to do it.”

I laugh and clutch the gifts to my chest. “We get to see Mr. Lucifer tonight.”

“I’m so excited!” Then she pauses. “But what about Rudolph. Won’t he be sad if we go to his home without him?”

“We’re not. He’s used to his leash now and is very well-behaved. We should definitely bring him with us.” I stand back up and smile. “Well, bunny, I think we have a change of plans. Instead of pajamas and snacks, we’re going to Hell for a party.”

Her giggle is so full of delight, it’s contagious, and before I can stop, I’m giggling myself too.

It’s still early, but I am going to take my time getting ready for this party. A long hot shower using the products I received on Christmas, and an insane amount of time shaving and preening. I take my time on my hair and make up, opting for a deep red lipstick. It was a gift from a friend last year, when we were able to still see friends. At the time I thought I’d never have a reason to wear such a bold color. Yet, here I sit, carefully applying the red to my lips.

Mandy takes a shower as well, without any grumbling, and even asks me to curl her hair. I use the black and red baubles to secure some of the hair away from her face. When she turns to me I fawn over her, making her blush.

“Eh, stop it mom! It’s just a dress!” She waves her hands in the air as if to fend off an attack.

“Mom? Mom! What happened to Mommy?” I look at her and place a hand to my chest. “Where is my baby and who are you?”