Ornaments

Athena grinned as she lifted the white squirrel ornament from its box. She watched the glittery decor piece spin from her fingers.

"You loved that ornament as a little girl. It took your dads and I forever to get it onto the tree," the soft voice of the nineteen year old's mother commented.

Athena looked over her shoulder to see her mom's warm green eyes. "Yeah, I would keep changing my mind where to place it. I mean all of us were like that at one point. But, I'm pretty sure Nate was worse with his wolf ornament," the college student teased as said older brother walked into the living room.

Nate Evermoon threw his sister a dirty look.

Artemis sighed as she watched her second son and oldest daughter bicker. She sat on the love-seat and looked through the box of ornaments. An ornament wrapped in soft pink tissue paper, as the High Priestess of the St. Rose Coven gently lifted the glass figure, a gasp escaped her lips.

"Mom," both Nate and Athena called as they looked at their mom.

With shaky hands, Artemis set the ornament back into the box. She left the room, tears falling from her eyes.

The black wolf and witch turned their attention to the box, and the ornament that had caused their mom to cry. Athena, lifted the tissue paper and parted the folds to see a rooster ornament.

"Oh," Athena said as she showed the bauble to her brother.

"Uncle Henry's favorite ornament," Nate said as he looked at the antique rooster.

"Mom still blames herself. You know," the teenager softly observed as she moved to the tree. She found the perfect spot for the bird to perch. On her tip toes she tried to reach, but she was too short.

"Here, I'll place, tell me when I'm in the right spot," Nate offered as he gently took the ornament from his sister's hand.

Together the brother-sister duo placed the rest of the ornaments together on the tree. Each commenting on the significance of the more elaborate ones.

-fin