Sheldon re: Mr Scrooge

Later that night, as the other two waitresses left and Alexa stood alone in the workers' room, her mind went back to Elizabeth and her talk of Angels, but it was Sheldon who stood out.

Why did he not believe in his family's history? It was only a week until Christmas and the Angel's Cafe did not even have pepper lights up. There was nothing to show for the festivities except the sweet delicacies that Bertha was now serving on the menu.

It was sad to know that Sheldon, unlike everyone in town, lost one of the best beliefs there was.

She shrugged into her coat with a sad sigh, putting on her tam and then gloves; she wrapped her scarf in place; she shrugged the melancholy feeling aside and found herself singing as she locked up and left the cafe 'Angel's We Have Heard On High.'

Sheldon, who was in the room that was turned into his office, heard her sweet, melodic voice and had come to stand by the door and discreetly listened to her.

He thought she looked angelic earlier today as he had seen her busying herself with work, laughing, engaging, and being nice to everyone in her long white skirt and cream hand-knitted sweater, her golden hair shining as it fell down her back.

It was a long time since he thought of angels and felt the feelings that Alexa stirred in him.

He went back to his office, leaned against the window sill, and stared at the huge Angel statue. It was a symbol of hope but for him, it was a symbol of pain.

This was the time of year that he surely did not look forward to. Every time Christmas came he was ripped to pieces by the jagged brokenness of a time he would rather forget but would have to live with for the rest of his life. Christmas made it feel fresh and raw, his old wounds. It left them bare and open as it fostered his regret and intensified his pain.

He swore under his breath as he shifted from one foot to the other his mind fighting hard to pull itself from under the current of the memories that wanted to wash away the barriers he put in place to hide away his guilt and ease his suffering.

It was hard. It was a determined brute. It was heartless, and because of this, he quickly slipped into the Scrooge everyone thought him to be. He sighed and closed his eyes thinking up images to fight those that came like ghosts seeping from their hollowed pits to merge forth on Halloween.

Yes, for him, Christmas was Halloween, as he had a few ghosts that he cared not to think about.

He opened his eyes again and stared at the majestic Angel statue that seemed to mock him and he felt a bitterness that rode on his emotions and left him churning with hate for the figure that stood quietly watching over the town of Mistle.

If he could have had his way he would have torn it down with his bare hands and crumbled every piece with the heel of his boots to mere dust. If only he could.

He thought time would have been the solace to ease him of the pain but time worked hand in hand with the past and the present to keep him locked in the pain that seemed to intensify with each approaching Christmas. It gave him no healing and no passing from the turmoil he had lived with for so many years.

He saw a flicker of what appeared to be a shift in the atmosphere, and he blinked, thinking it was the sorrow of his past making a play at all that was occurring before him. He stood upright and now stared intently at the scenery before him.

Had the night gotten quieter? Did the darkness of the night take on a mystifying glow? He looked more intently at the statue, and it seemed that it appeared more celestial, and its white marble seemed to glow with an exuberant ambience in the clear, cold night.

He was not having this! This was nothing but mind play and a broken-hearted rhapsody. Christmas brought nothing but hell with all its caring and giving of love. It did all it could to overshadow the brutal realities of life.

He was about to turn away when he saw Alexa approach the statue and then pause as if she, too, sensed something had changed.

He stood and watched her and felt an alarm ring in his mind as he saw her take a defensive stand and raise her bag as if to use it as a weapon.

He had no idea when he moved from the window, but he knew he did, and with a racing heart and pounding feet, he sprinted to her, an unaware prayer for her protection rushing from his lips to the very reason for the season he wished was never created to celebrate.

His hands seem to fumble. The door's handle was suddenly heavy, and his mind was on overdrive. All he knew was that he had to get to Alexa, he had to rescue her from whomever it was that caused her such alarm.

He would not let life take her away or even hurt her the way it did him. No, she would not suffer at the bitterness that lurked in the shadows with the nativity of Christmas.

The circumstances leading to this were far from his mind now as he sprinted from the diner, her name bursting from his lips as he rushed to her aid. He had only one thing on his mind, to get to Alexa before this miserable time had a chance to manifest nothing but heartache.

No one else would be taken away from him anymore he was going to make sure of that.

"Alexa!"
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Chapter 2 and you're here 🤗

Well, now, as we see Mr Scrooge...I meant Sheldon has some care left in him after all. Maybe that heart is not as cold and uncaring as it seems 😏

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