Chapter Text
She stared into the fire roaring in the fireplace in front of her. The alive, roaring fire. At least something felt like it. Frankly, she’d rather stare into a pit of burning wooden planks rather than going back to the party. It was horrible.
No. Horrible would be an understatement.
It was… more than horrible, clearly, the abundance of adjectives at her disposal to be exploited were not making way to her mind. Thanks, the sheer numbness of the crowd around her, and well, how cold it really was.
She wasn’t averse to people or crowds, or parties. Well, the latter was certainly something she wasn’t typically fond of, but she fared well. What with spending half her adolescent life toiling behind her mother amongst the A and B-listers of Hollywood.
Chloe had been attempting her best to gel with the crowd so far. Speaking the right things, laughing at the cue of subtle gossip, nervously diverting any and all topics worthy of discussion and rumor-generation of her own life while she was at it. And alcohol, she was three wine glasses down and was on the verge of picking up the fourth from the tray when she silently admonished herself. She was driving back and she wasn’t going to have much luck getting a cab back during the nippy Christmas rush.
She picked up a plate to fish out the least fancy and almost pronounceable food, at least knowing what was going inside her mouth. The buffet was lavish, stretching across two sides of the room, catering to all kind’s tastes. There was savory, sweet, spicy savory, gluten-free/ keto, and an awful lot of Christmas-themed desserts counter. It was the most outlandish sprawl of food she’d ever seen.
She had to hand it to her department, really rich snobs. As she picked up a few pieces of sliced chicken zucchini and roasted breast with some quiche, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
Please, not Martha. Not Martha. As she turned around, phew. Definitely not Martha.
“Hey, hogging up all the food by yourself huh missy?” It was Ella, thank god it was Ella.
“I could say the same, hogging up all the fun alone with the -” she looked over her shoulder, well aware that Ella already knew who she was talking about “bloke from the literature department.”
Ella smacked her as she got in line with an empty plate behind her. “The bloke, was a smooth talker, with all the literature exposure these guys have, gosh” She fanned her face dramatically as she eyed the guy she left in the corner of the room. “turns out, he’s not only a smooth talker with fancy words, he’s a smooth kisser with a fancy tongue as well.” winking, she picked up a casserole slice, “now unless you’re up for a Christmas miracle threesome with me and the literature guy” She laughed as Chloe covered her ear with the unoccupied hand.
“God, you really can move across oceans and not take Florida out of your pants and mouth. You’ll corrupt London, young lady.”
“So, I’ve been told.”
With both plates filled, they managed to get a quiet spot to stand around the glimmering Christmas tree in the farthest corner of the room.
Ella was one of Chloe’s only friends in London so far. Even though she had spent a good amount of the year in the city and in her new job, she seemingly couldn’t find herself making more conversation than the usual class schedule, notorious kids, and grading systems. She liked to put it on the ‘still- adjusting- to- being- in- London’ phase; but if she was being true to herself, she was just really used to being her own person now.
After Dan’s death, it was hard to readjust. Just everything about her life reminded her of him. The precinct, Trixie, their friends, even the coffee shop she frequented before work. And the constant pity in everyone’s eyes around the two-block radius. She thought it’ll pass, and people would avoid mentioning him in places and instances she wasn’t already thinking of, just not saying out loud. Unlike them. And it was literally everyone.
A year had passed since his demise and the instances of pitiful glances and the occasional I’m- sorry- dear was too much for her. And in all this built-up irritation and frustration, she realized how far behind she was in dealing with her actual loss. Her husband. Her husband for the whole 17 years. Whose remembrance and grief was being treated like a drive-thru as if to avoid awkward cashier conversation. From Los Angeles to New York and then to San Francisco. Police department to Police department, homicide to homicide, she moved, trying her best to escape the hollow.
But it all, very much, still felt like an empty hole. And then, as if the final sign that she really needed, that sealed the deal was Trixie’s breakdown. She couldn’t forget that night. The night she was so scared that she would lose her only remaining family. And she’d do anything to keep her daughter. And that anything meant anything.
So, when she got an acceptance from Kingston University to teach the fall program of Criminal Psychology, she took the opportunity and moved. Chloe quit the police force, finally and for good. Saying her goodbyes to everything familiar yet alien.
Honestly, she was thankful for it now.
She slept a lot more peacefully, didn’t worry when she’d have to whip out a revolver or when Trixie could lose her other parent.
And London wasn’t so bad. But being a professor had its perils. The students weren’t one mostly, the staff, whom she stood amongst doing her best to showcase team spirit or Christmas spirit, whatever it was supposed to be called were definitely the prize winners. Ella obviously being an exception. She could call it an American seeking out an American in a foreign land but it was more than a geographical selection thing.
She had first met Ella when she was supposed to relieve her on an invigilation duty. After the exam, they’d shared a coffee over organizing exam sheets and gossiping about which student tried to cheat the most and which one smart enough to not get caught.
She taught the forensics undergrad class in the other building but frequented in taking booster sessions for post-graduates that mostly landed her up in criminal psychology scheduling.
Ella, for one, had this energy about her that could whip out anyone out of the shittiest day. And no matter how hard one would resist, one hour with her could literally change the mood from an angry street dog to a rainbow unicorn.
She was even friends with Trixie now, which was what Chloe admired the most about her. She didn’t look at them with pity, or with round puppy eyes whenever she mentioned Dan. In fact, she made talking about him easier. Like it could be a casual passing comment, without the guilt of not being more guilty of his remembrance.
“Fuck it’s beginning to snow. Fuck.” Chloe kept aside her plate as she looked out the window amidst conversation and then glancing back at her watch.
It had just begun to, but the stormy wind swaying the gently sprinkled- with- trees indicated how quickly it could get worse. The snow was beginning to settle against the window sills of the building, she looked down at the cars, which now looked like pastry trays, only now sprinkled with powdered sugar. She could see the lights in the corner of the college road flickering now, all telltale signs of an imminent Christmas season blow over.
“Ells, I have to rush back home, Trixie must be waiting for me, and it’s already 10:30. I’ll see you tomorrow okay. And we can go out for drinks later yeah?”
She started to walk towards the door to grab her coat and muffler, Ella ran up to her, clinking heels hitting the floorboard beneath her, wine glass in one hand and Christmas filling croissant in the other.
“What? Come on Chloe, she’s a big girl! Let Trix explore her first Christmas in London, gosh. And you, you deserve to chill as well man. Come on, stay a little longer. Magic tongue here isn’t all that interesting to talk and my mouth’s a little cottony with all that alcohol and the desserts, gosh.” She took another bite as she was reminded of the delectable delight in her hand, green, red, and white star covering her lips and smudging past her mouth.
As much as Chloe wanted to give in because Trixie was over at her best friend’s place and all she was going to do when she got home was prepare the lesson plan for the last class and open another bottle and snip through the Christmas memories. Not something to look forward to exactly but she didn’t want to be stuck in the snow either. It was just too London for her.
“Babe, tomorrow, I promise. We could even light up a joint if you want. How’s that sound?” She knew Ella wouldn’t give up a smoke-up night for anything.
“Got me in the knickers eh missy” she replied in the perfect English accent.
She kissed her goodnight and wrapped herself snuggly in her coat and muffler and let the cold brutal wind hit her.
Lucifer had just begun to wind up the trays and transportation boxes from the basement kitchen allotted to them for catering. It was the last set that needed to be unloaded for the party, his work already long over, but he wanted to stay and help. Everyone was just as eager to be home for Christmas.
“Alright guys, it’s just begun to turn white outside, so I want you guys to set up the last sets of rose tarts upstairs and dessert trays can go in gradually, mostly nobody would be asking for the savory snacks by now but in case they do, the last counter can have a platter from which they can pick up from. That should give the folks the idea to get wrapped up. Chop- chop boys!”
Lucifer helped stack the leftovers by the bin and the final arrangements were taken up by James and Kevin.
As he shouted instructions and directions, he couldn't help but be annoyed at the blaring cacophony of overzealous adults acting like adolescents in the faculty halls upstairs. He had been doing this for years now, and each city, each time it would be the same around Christmas. It always made Lucifer laugh cynically, and he wasn't cynical about much in life.
Sure, he enjoyed holidays just as much as anyone but the simplicity of being with the people that actually mattered, in an affair that was more personal and warmer than cold heels scurrying around in barely-there dresses appealed more to him than anything. He almost never understood the point of being frozen in the nippy cold weather just to show off some cliché, already overused, and the reprocessed idea of Christmas apparel. And the overall structure of Christmas anyhow.
It was a little before eleven that the crew finally wrapped up all the arrangements from the basement kitchen and he finally sat back in peace and bumped up a smoke.
“Mate, you gonna hop on the truck with us?” James smoked the last of his cigarette, stubbed across the old concrete of the halls, and slid his coat on.
“No, I think I’m good. I’ll just probably hang around a while. You all good, bus down to the village straight?” Kevin and James nodded in unison and gave him a gigantic hug “Merry Christmas Luc, don’t get to worked over the holidays, okay?”
“Know I can’t lie so I would definitely try boys, now bugger off!”
Once everyone was off, things neatly wrapped up, he sent the supply’s container back to the bakery, he’ll be the one shutting it off later after all.
The night was blissfully cold, the lights around the corner already flickering low. He should leave as well. The party above had settled into peaceful jazz of lights reflected against the lampshades as they turned and changed in Christmas colors. Another Christmas cliché, he chuckled to himself.
He was halfway around the college block, almost at the forefront where he’d parked the truck, only a little too late, realization struck like the cold snow settling on his hair.
He’d sent the truck back. And his mobile in it as well.
Brushing off the snow settling on her coat, she swooshed through the snow which only let her run towards her car fast enough. She was used to getting her shoes to slip in the dirt, in rain puddles but never in snow. And she hadn’t lived in New York long enough to have any prior experience with it. So virgin snowfall of a lifetime, stuck outside the college building, looking like a small CGI stint in the snow.
She managed to seat herself in the car fast enough, achievable not slipping over far too much. Not that anyone could see a lone professor sneaking out of a Christmas party.
She started up the car, revved up the engine, and pulled out of her spot to hit the road.
“Excuse me! Excuse me, miss!” She heard repeated loudly behind her. She rolled down the window to be greeted by a middle-aged man who was clearly out of breath and red around the cheeks. Must’ve been running. “Hello, ma’am,” he wheezed and blew out a couple of breaths to calm his erratic breathing. “could be so kind to please let me use your mobile phone, just have to make an emergency call.” He had a deep British accent, so he was from around, and his voice came deeper and messier than it should have, owing to the worked-up breathing.
He had a white uniform on which looked like some caterer’s outfit, covered in various spots the food he would’ve been around probably.
“Yeah sure of course, here.” Although Chloe eyed him suspiciously, she was quick about it, just old detective habits. “Would you possibly like to get in the car while you make the call? It’s freezing out cold.”
“Oh, thank you, that’s really gracious of you. Bloody hell!” He rubbed his hands together and immediately got to work on dialing Steven’s number. He was supposed to have the truck, where he’d left his mobile. That went to voicemail. He tried James and Kevin as well, and the turnout was just the same.
Chloe couldn’t help but ask him “umm, any luck?”
Lucifer almost sighed defeatedly, “no, guessing it wouldn’t.” he handed over the phone to her “here, thank you ever so much, I’ll try to hail a cab. Merry Christmas.”
He knew he wasn’t getting a cab that easy and Chloe knew so too.
“You won’t be able to Uber without a phone though, and good luck finding a taxi in snow and during Christmas time.” She contemplated a few seconds, “Could I drop you somewhere?”
She tapped on the steering as he looked at her hesitantly “I, I… really don’t want to impose. You must’ve somewhere to be.” Oh yes, the outfit would’ve given her away.
“No, just headed home for the night actually, so?”
“Yes, that would be rather lovely, can’t seem to thank you enough.” He agreed with a smile, got in, and slung the seatbelt on.
“So where are you headed?”
“Oh, Morden Park, right off Hillcross avenue.” That’s weird. He wasn’t too shabby but he definitely didn’t look like someone who you’d find living in that area. All this judgment was just all that wine talking, thankfully still inside her mind.
“Oh, wow, I live in that area as well.”
“Oh? how come I haven't seen you around though, I live in 215, the house next to Hudson’s”
“Oh that's probably because I just moved a couple of months ago and all the travel I am mostly used to is to and from work. I live in 223 by the way. We're in the same lane as well, I'm guessing. Sorry, I’ve not really explored the area around much.” She added.
“Oh, that’s alright, it’s quite dull if you ask me, I’ve been lucky enough to land up next to decent ones. Most of the others, just tossing old annoying sods.” She laughed, as he shook his head in a fake whimper.
“I’m sorry, how rude of me, I’m Chloe.” She smiled briefly at him, glancing sideways.
“Oh I’m… oh shoot,” they came to halt as the traffic slowed down in front of them, a group of carolers passing through the crossing. Looks like it was small talk time.
“So” she looked at him, “are you one of the catering guys from the party tonight?”
“Oh yes I am, I actually…” He was interrupted as the car honked behind them. If this was still LA or any part of the US for that matter, she would’ve raised a finger or otherwise, would’ve had her badge.
She resumed the conversation, “I’d have to say, that is quite some food range I’ve seen in a party and I’ve known my fair share of parties you know. Not that I liked any of them. But what a grand display of all the food all those snobs from Kingston could never consume, and would probably mostly go to their chauffeurs, butlers, chambermaids.” She said in a mocking British accent.
Lucifer laughed wholeheartedly, although it wasn’t supposed to be that funny her ramble and sudden switch from smooth American accent was something that added hilarity to it.
“So, I partake you didn’t like the amount of food we served for options?”
“Oh no, don’t get me wrong, from whatever I had, it was absolutely delicious, but it would be better if your boss worked through the fancy-schmancy names.” She scoffed.
“Oh, fancy-schmancy, yea? I’ll surely convey that to the boss. Anything else you would like for me to take back?” he laughed as he brushed away the fallen strands of his hair back behind his ear.
“Yeah, I have a couple of them but…” There was another honk behind her that signaled them to move ahead.
As they pulled into traffic again, she resumed “why do you cater to such snobs anyway?”
“Well, I’ll look for a more obvious answer than the money that they pay us, but right now I kind of only have that for you.”
She chuckled “No, not that. Just, don’t you hate when they’re so, I don’t know them?” the wine made her yap like a duck on a Sunday afternoon, yet she clearly hadn’t recovered from the adjective depravity to her vocabulary from the party.
And Lucifer understood what she meant, of all the cities and people he’d worked with, the American- English feud was just beautiful to witness every time. Rarely annoying to him, he just enjoyed the conversations each side made. With the tea jabs and the portion size control almost always mentioned once.
“I understand what you mean, but they’re just people. They have the money they can show off with and they do. They have the option of not but then, they really do have the cash on them. And besides, why wouldn’t anyone want to buy the best they possibly can get. I know I would.”
“Well, yes, if they only paid their staff well enough as well…” she muttered.
“So, your problem area is rather a bunch of specific snobs?”
“Well, kind of. I mean who am I to complain when I’m here chatting up a caterer when I should be drunk at a party with everyone else.” She really wanted to, but she just couldn’t find herself to.
“Well, why aren’t you then?” He probed at her with a gentle gaze she could feel on her cold cheeks. She just chose to wing a lie. Didn’t want to tell him that in the eight months here, she had made a singular friend, at work, who was anyhow leaving with a guy. From literature.
“Well, I just have the last day of lectures tomorrow, and I was looking to avoid getting stuck in my first snowfall in London.” Oh, how many coincidences has it already been for them.
“Oh, yours as well? Mine too, I mean the snowfall, not work."
“Oh wow, I thought you’d be from around here.”
“Oh, don’t let the accent fool you, I’m originally from Wales. Just moved here, for work and everything.”
“Oh yes, the catering shtick. Also, I can’t help but, shouldn’t your boss have left a vehicle or something. Or at least checked up if all his guys had some arrangement. Such an ass, I’m sorry. More so, he should’ve probably helped you guys out. It’s the holiday season for everyone right? See my point about the rich and the snobby?” they were almost nearing their destination and she was glad she had company on her drive back home.
“Maybe he just forgot in the middle of everything, he could’ve been busy too, probably.” He was enjoying this banter too much for his own good.
“I mean yes, sure. But god knows how long you would’ve had to stand out in the cold if I wasn’t there.” She could feel the thought of the cold ice crawling up her back.
“Touché. Although I’m extremely thankful that I found you. I would’ve hated to freeze my balls blue as well.” He clipped the belt open as she parked in front of his house.
“We’re here. And I’m glad I didn’t have to drive back alone as well, got to know a neighbor as well.” Lucifer clicked open the seatbelt buckle as he prepared himself for the cold again, the snow had gotten a little heavier and the deposit was definitely building up on the sidewalks and driveways.
He pulled up his hood and spoke quickly as he shut the car door behind him.
“Thank You, Chloe, extremely pleased to meet you.” Oh, she didn’t even catch his name!
“Hey!” She called out before him, leaning towards the passenger side, “I didn’t catch your name.”
He jumped strode back to the driveway and handed her his card and smirked at her. And she would understand the reason behind the said smirk a second later.
Lucifer Morningstar
Owner, Heavenly Golden House
Patisserie, Bakers and Caterers.
020 92298 27290