Finally, the festivities were over. The guests all but gone, a few lingered on the island I’d been told by the pilots and the flight attendants. That was fine. It was a beautiful place for a vacation and Armand’s hospitality knew no bounds. I, on the other hand was certainly ready to leave and get back to the city. Only because I was feeling restless, having spent all this time here to help with the festivities, I was feeling boxed in and needed a change.

So here I sat, on the floor of Armand’s lodge meticulously wrapping precious Christmas ornaments that had become special to me. I couldn’t say why they had, just that I felt they had. You sat and watched as I went about my task. I could hear your thoughts, wondering at the particular way I took special care of the ornaments. The lights had been a very different story at which I finally growled enough that you took them from me and dealt with them yourself. I was thankful you had taken the task over, even laughing and interrupting you when you tried to remind me I hadn’t growled that much since… Well anyway, asking you about the trees, you assure me they will be being taken care of. As I place the last ornament in the box, it’s official. Christmas is truly over and done with for another year.

Earlier you had wrapped your hand around my ankle, teasing the bone and caressing the back of my calf. My leg had tensed but I hadn’t protested. I left it and asked you when you were leaving the Island. As you talked of maybe doing some traveling, I find I’m interested in the details. “Really Daniel, where are you thinking of traveling too?

“I’m not exactly sure when I’m leaving but soon I would think. I’m starting to feel quite closed in here.” Your answer fills me with nostalgia, Paris and or New Orleans, both of which I hadn’t been to in a long while. Being caught up in old memories I don’t hear you the first time you ask your question. When you shake my leg to get my attention, I look up at you a bit bewildered. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

I said do you wanna play?" I look at you quizzically, not quite understanding your meaning of Play….

"Play?" I watch you stand up and extend your hand out towards mine.

"Yeah. Play." You grin and it’s that mischievous grin I’ve seen you use right before something happens. Chuckling at you I nod, taking your hand you pull me up on my feet. Once up I straighten my dress and slip my shoes back on. Having asked Armand if he was interested in coming with us, his reply was for us to go and enjoy ourselves with all that Night Island has to offer. Looking at each other, an understanding passes between us, hand in hand out the door we went.