New month, new town. While a small group went around town to promote the carnival, others were given the day to themselves. Some stayed at the carnival site helping with any last minute preparations while others to the chance to explore their new destination. Beth decided on the latter; it was no surprise, she always did. She would explore the outskirts of town first - she made sure to find a place she could transform with little risk to hurting someone in case she was unable to get to the special cages at the carnival - then move into the town proper.
She walked through the streets, her satchel resting on her hip as she took in the sights. It was only the second of December but already you could see the Christmas decorations going up around the town. Beth liked Christmas, it was her favorite time of year. She paused at a shop window, marveling at the small tree covered with colorful ornaments and a doll dressed in her holiday best. The display brought a smile to her face; it was so pretty.
“You must love Christmas,” Paul mused. His smile was charming yet playful, blue eyes fixed on the display in the window. He’d crept up on Beth as she was window shopping and he couldn’t help but stop to make idle conversation. He knew that she would leave to scout the area - others did the same thing and if he was honest about it he would say it was smart. Knowledge of a town was a good thing. Though most places looked the same to him.
“I never see you smile like that for anything else.” Or anyone. But then again he wasn’t around her all the time. That didn’t mean they couldn’t converse as if they were more than familiar strangers.
Finally Paul would twist where he stood, turning slightly toward Beth. Those light eyes shimmered with the mirth of the upcoming holiday and a bit of trouble. “My mother always loved the holidays, too.” They never got a lot but it was enough to be memorable. Something about the snow, the cold weather made the season somehow more festive.
Beth visibly jumped, startled. Her gaze moved from the display and refocused on the reflection, discovering Paul's smiling face joining her in the window. Color rose to her cheeks.“Oh... yeah, I do,” she answered sheepishly, expression giving away some of the embarrassment she felt. He was commenting on her smile. An innocent comment but one that had her feeling a bit self-conscious. Did he really pay her enough mind to know her smiles were muted? That they were different than the one she gave while looking at the Christmas décor? That made her feel a bit... happy.
“Does she?” She looked up at him, her smile returning to the small and shy one she often gave. “Mine does too. My whole family does really. We always looked forward to this time of year...” This would be her first Christmas after this incident. The first without her family. Her smile began to fade but she was quick to bring it back. “The decorations are pretty,” she commented, moving away from the conversation of family. “It's a bit strange not seeing any snow though.”
He felt a little bad for startling her, that had not been the intention, but it couldn’t be helped now. Sneaking up on the wrong person could have its negative implications, and it was a challenge for some in the Carnival to even attempt. The color in her cheeks was to be admired; that little hue of pinkish red settled into the apples of her cheeks was no color he had ever seen, even with keen eyesight.
“How could you not love Christmas?” He inquired, amused. The holiday had a way of giving you a renewed spirit, to turn grinches into Santa’s. Plus you got to spend time with family outside of church and meals with more premise than the usual day to day.
“Yeah,” he nodded, finally turning around to face Beth. “We are from Colorado, it snows a lot. Especially where I’m from. Christmas is always guaranteed to be white, cold. But there’s just something festive and beautiful about it.” Every town seemed to have their own tradition of festivities.
His own family would be without him again for another Christmas. Paul did his best not to think about it too much. “Which decorations are your favorite?”
“You’d have to be quite the Scrooge not to.” And no one wanted to be a Scrooge. Not in the Barnes family, at least. Getting called one resulted in declarations of 'no I'm not!' and the occasional pillow thrown toward the accuser. And laughter. There was always laughter. Beth nodded. “There is,” she agreed. While Beth wasn't fond of the cold – and it got really cold near those Great Lakes - she did love the snow. The snowflakes fluttering through the sky, landing gently onto the ground was a calming sight. And the sight after! The fields and trees dusted with white; it was beautiful.
“Favorite? Oh, I don't know. I love everything really.” She chuckled softly, her fingers idly playing with a strand of curly hair that had fallen from her bun. “But... I suppose I'd say the lights. The electric ones.” Christmas lights were still relatively new and very few could afford to decorate. She had seen her first string of lights in a department store window when her family had traveled into the city.
“They are so magnificent and bright with their colors.” Her gaze turned distant and her smile grew. “Candles are beautiful, I do love those, but those lights are just... I don't know. There is something about them. Something festive. Like the snow.” She turned her gaze to him, unintentionally catching his blue eyes with her green. Her eyes darted away quickly after. “What about you? Your favorite?”
A soft chuckle would come at her statement about being a Scrooge. He didn’t have brothers or sisters to go back and forth with, no pillow fights or help to play in the white blanket of flakes with. “Yeah, and nobody wants that.” He had met a few people who weren’t with the holiday spirit and he just didn’t understand how anyone could despise a joyous event. Even alone he anticipated the upcoming holiday.
Her answer was a good one. Paul would nod in approval. The lights could be appealing, the little colors contrasting with the snow. “I always liked the stuff on the tree, but mostly the star on the top.” Where that had even come from he wasn’t sure, but he could remember the top of their little tree. They weren’t outlandishly wealthy by any means but he remembered having enough to be comfortable.
Those green eyes sparkled and he found himself better for it. When she turned away he smiled, “You want to explore the town a little? See what else they have?”
"I love the Christmas tree. It was so much fun to decorate and always so pretty. Especially with the star." She offered him a sweet smile. "I'm sure yours was beautiful." All Christmas trees were in her eyes, even those that weren't traditional so, because they were decorated with care and love.
"I'd like that," she answered, a bit shyly. "It'll be nice to have company." Beth didn't often seek it - not for lack of want but a belief she must be without - though she appreciated and often enjoyed it when it came to her. "Did you just come into town?"
Though the line of mountains in the distance seemed familiar, the climate was the opposite. While cold it was nothing that he was used to, and having a white Christmas was wholly doubtful. Maybe next year the chances would be higher of being somewhere snowy for Christmas, the way he remembered it being.
“It was,” he assured her, kindly. “My mother always made sure it was overflowing with stuff.” Maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration but to him it always felt as if it were bursting with so many different things. His father didn’t care much for the holiday, then again he cared little for anything except work.
As she accepted the offer to explore, Paul would nod. His smile grew and he motioned for Beth to come with him as he moved away from the storefront. Nodding, his eyes would fix on the road ahead. “Yeah, I wanted to see it for myself.” A lot of people had the same idea they did. “You?” He knew she’d gone earlier as he had seen her leave many other times before upon arrival. “Never hurts to be familiar with your surroundings.”
Beth was slow to follow Paul but a quick couple steps placed her side by side with him. “Just got here as well,” came her response. For anyone that had seen her depart the carnival they would notice over half an hour was unaccounted for between her departure and her arrival into the town. It happened at every location. There were also several nights that she would be mysteriously absent. Few bothered to question her whereabouts which was helpful; it made it easier for her to keep her secret when she didn't have to explain her behavior.
Not that it was a secret to Paul. He was one of a select few that knew about her curse. He knew where she went to on those nights when the moon was full and why she would scout the surrounding area with each new location.
“That's true,” she agreed with a nod. “I'd say it's best for everyone to know their surroundings.” Beth looked around, spying various citizens and the occasional carnival worker wandering about. After a moment of pondering, she asked, “So what's Christmas like with the carnival? Do they set up a tree or anything like that?”
While he understood why she ventured out on her own, he wished she would ask for a friend to come with her. The time wasn’t always favorable to a woman in every context. He knew he couldn’t protect everyone and he didn’t assume Beth couldn’t take care of herself, but he didn’t like anyone wandering off without someone knowing about it at the very least. A new city had its own challenges and going in blind seemed reckless, even if it was for a good reason.
“You know, you can always ask if you want company on these adventures.” His eyes would move sideways to glance at her as they walked together, before he returned his attention to where they were going.
As the question came, Paul would shrug. “It’s always festive. I won’t ruin the surprise. Some people like it, some don’t.”
Her gaze dropped to the ground. She knew going out on her own wasn't the safest thing to do and it was probably just dumb luck nothing had happened to her yet. She shifted her satchel somewhat. "I wouldn't want to trouble you," she returned, looking a bit guilty. She could already guess his response.
"You're going to make me wait to find out?" She gasped. She crossed her arms and let out a playful pout. "How mean."
Shaking his head, Paul turned to look over at Beth. “It’s never any trouble.” Protecting people was what he did at the Carnival. Making sure that the employees and the visitors stayed safe had become second nature, and Beth was as much one of them as anybody else. “Besides, it would let me get to know you better.” In his mind that was reason enough.
And then he laughed softly. “Trust me, it’s worth the surprise.” Your first Christmas at the Carnival was the hardest one - it was the first one spent without your blood family and for many that could ruin the holiday spirit. “We can get a little carried away and I don’t want to ruin the fun for you.”
“If there are any shops you want to stop at feel free.” He was just walking around, after all, paying more attention to her than where he was really going.
Soft pink returned to her cheeks. "Oh, okay," she replied with a shy smile. He wanted to get to know her better. This realization caused her heart to give the faintest flutter. She had been wanting to get closer to him for quite a while now but would always talk herself out of it. She wasn't safe to be around, she'd tell herself. And besides, she was a plain girl, there was no way he'd find any interest in her when there were so many more interesting people around. Or so she thought but it seemed maybe she was wrong. "Then if it's really not any trouble, then I'd like it if you joined me next time. If you're able."
Paul's laughter caused her to brighten. "Well, I do like surprises so suppose I'll believe you and wait." She shrugged when he mentioned shops. Beth honestly hadn't been paying much attention to the stores. "Nothing's caught my interest yet. What about you? Anything catch your eye?"
“Sure,” he nodded, accepting her offer. “I’d like that. If I’m not working I’ll definitely be there.” It wasn’t usual for him to have plans like that - he made arrangements with the ladies he saw of course but it wasn’t really something like that. He felt a little bit excited about it though, the idea of meeting up again with Beth for an excursion. “You can usually find me at the guard station.” Out of the entire carnival that was the one place she was most likely to run into him.
Shaking his head, Paul began to actually look at the stores. To the townsfolk they probably didn’t look like much, he and Beth, but this wasn’t a super posh place either.
“What about there?” It was some sort of shop that has shiny things in it; he wasn’t about the gemstones and things that might be considered on the finer end, but some people were and it looked as if that shop catered to those types.
Her smile widened. “Okay. Great,” she replied with shy excitement. Paul didn’t need to tell her where he often was; she knew very well he tended to be at the guard station. Beth didn’t see him often during operating hours due to the distance between their two areas but she did the occasional pass by when she was on a break.
She crooked her neck, following Paul’s attention to one of the shops. It looked to be a jewelry store of some sort based on the pieces surrounded by decorative garland to give the window a festive feel. “Sure!” While Beth knew she’d never be able to own anything so grand, she did like to ooo and aww over the stately pieces.
Taking the initiative, Paul would guide them over toward the display. Perhaps they didn’t look like much to the outside observers, or the type to be able to do much more than appreciate the trinkets, but then again he knew he was more than he seemed to be.
Stepping up to the window, he peered in at the goods and took a moment to appreciate the fine products there. A lot of work looked like it went into the craft and the price tag would suggest he was correct.
“I’ve never been big into this kind of stuff,” Paul admitted. Blue eyes would scan the wares before he turned to look over at Beth.
The wares were definitely beautiful, some simple while others sparkled with more gems than it probably ever needed on one piece of jewelry. Her eyes landed on a delicate side comb adorn with tiny flowers of blues, purples, and pinks. Small gems placed within the middle of each flower shined as the sunlight hit them. Her smile grew bigger and her eyes shone with awe and appreciation.
Paul’s voice brought her attention back to her companion. “I like them,” she admitted. “They are pretty to look at. Especially when the sunlight hits them. They shine so brightly.” She chuckled softly. “They’re a bit too rich for my blood though. I could only dream of owning anything like this.”
The way her eyes lit up was fascinating. Maybe everyone looked that exact same way when they saw something they wanted but knew they couldn’t have. He didn’t fault her at all for the way she looked at the pieces behind the glass.
He did notice the comb and made a mental note for later which was tucked away. Holidays were fast approaching and everyone deserved to get something nice.
“Me too.” Whether or not that was the case he would never let on. He did his best not to compare what was in his pocket with anyone else. “Which one do you like the most?”
“Me? Well…” Beth pointed toward the side comb she had been admiring for a good few extra seconds than the rest of the pieces. “That comb. It’s not really big or flashy like some of the other things but I like it. Maybe because it isn’t so flashy.” She appreciated the design’s simplicity. “The other things are nice but, I mean, look at that.” She pointed toward a necklace with tiered layers of crystals of different shapes and sizes that was downright garish compared to the simpler pendants and beads around it. “That’s a bit much. A lot much really.”
“Hey, doesn’t hurt to be a little lavish sometimes.” Paul would shrug lightly, looking at the things she was pointing to. This was his way of sorting her out, determining what sort of a person she was without having to come out and ask questions better left for people who knew each other on a different level.
The items she pointed out were two different extremes - one simple and elegant, the second unbelievably impossible to miss. Paul felt like she was more of the first option, Beth had never seemed the type to be so extravagant or really want to stand out more than she did already. Of course he could’ve been wrong.
“It is a lot,” he chuckled, nodding in agreement. Not jus tin price but in crystal. “I feel like that necklace would be uncomfortably heavy.”
She considered his assessment. "Possibly. Crystals cut like that can't be light," she agreed. "Why anyone would want to wear something that might hurt their neck I'll never know. People will do the strangest things to be beautiful." You've gotta suffer to be beautiful went the adage. Beth couldn't understand that mentality. She'd rather be plain and comfortable than beautiful and in pain.
Her eyes widened and her cheeks grew red. She had been rambling. Why did she feel the need to ramble on about pointless things? She was horrified.
"What about you? Anything you like?" She quickly asked. It wasn't all necklaces and hair combs. There was a small assortment of rings, cufflinks, and even a couple pocket watches.
“They should try being more simple,” Paul agreed, “like you. It’s prettier when girls are simple. There’s something about being natural, and something like that necklace would just overshadow the best parts of the woman who wears it.” He had chased a woman or two of the more affluent level but at the end of the day she was still a woman beneath all of those layers and gaudy pieces, same as anyone else.
When she asked what he liked, Paul would simply shrug a shoulder. His eyes would drift back to the storefront. “I’m partial to craft, myself,” he explained. “While these things are nice trying to have them in a carnival setting like mine would end with them missing.” Pilfered, filtched. Or lost in a poker game.
Beth went from horrified to dejected to flattered and confused within a span of mere seconds. They should try being more simple? Like her? Her shoulders sagged slightly; being called simple wasn't usually a compliment. But then he continued, saying such girls were prettier. So did that mean he thought she was pretty? The possibility made her feel warm inside.
"That's true." Higher priced items going missing was a valid concern especially when a person resided in communal tents. Those in wagons could easily lock them away; those in tents not so much. "I like craft too," she added. But then was it really a surprise to learn the resident seamstress like hand-crafted items? "Do you have a favorite kind?"
“I don’t really know,” he admitted. Paul wasn’t the creative type. He couldn’t mend, knit, sew, or really anything that might involve careful work with fingers. His mother sewed; quilting and crochet had been her specialty though it often took a long time to piece something together. “Mother liked crochet.” He offered that mostly so Beth would know the limitations of what he understood was out there.
Motioning for Beth to follow, Paul dipped to the left and back onto the cobblestone path. Footfalls would take them to the front of the General Store. In the window sat an assortment of goods, including a few toys advertised for the Christmas holiday. Dolls, a few bears, toys one could pull on a string or make noise with.
Beth gave a small smile. She was a bit of a crocheter herself and it was nice to know he appreciated it, even if it was one of the few crafts he seemed to know about. “I enjoy crochet. It’s relaxing to work on; a nice escape from the stresses of day to day.”
She followed Paul and joined him at his side as they walked along. Her eyes moved to the window display and landed on the small assortment of toys. A wooden train caught her attention almost immediately. “Oh Billy would love that,” she stated as she leaned a little closer to get a better look. The engine was colored bright red and yellow with two open trailers - red in color - connected one right after the other.
“Really?”
Why didn’t that surprise him that she was creative, good with her hands. He didn’t have the patience. “What do you like to crochet?” He had an idea many things could be crafted with crochet but he wanted to know more about Beth.
Spying the train, he caught sight of the vivid colors and admired them. “Billy your brother?” He inquired, hoping it wasn’t too sore a subject. “I don’t have any siblings. Just me.” Which probably made it harder on his family that he was gone. Just a distant memory now.
“Mmhmm,” she answered with a nod. “A lot of things, really. I’ve created my fair share of clothing - scarves and gloves and hats and things - that’s always nice to work on. I think my favorite things to make, though, are afghans. You can make so many different types just from changing a stitch or thread. It’s also a nice way to stay warm in the winter,” she added with a soft chuckle.
Beth glanced over at him. “Yeah. He just turned 7 a couple months ago.” It made her a bit sad thinking about it. This would be the first time she missed his birthday, the first time she missed all of her siblings’ birthdays, and it hurt to realize she’d continue to miss them for the rest of their lives. But it was for the best.
“Yeah? I couldn’t imagine being an only child,” she admitted. She had virtually no memory of the time before her brother Joey came along. God, she missed that little bugger. She missed all of them. Her eyes moved back to the window, gaze not focusing on much of anything. “Though being one would’ve made all this easier,” she murmured sadly. If she didn't have so much family to miss maybe this exile wouldn't be so hard. She sniffled and discreetly rubbed at the corner of her eye. She was beginning to tear up and she didn’t think she’d be able to stop them from falling.
And just when she was finally getting the chance to talk with Paul too.
“It’s getting a bit late, yeah?” Beth quickly said, her voice shaking ever so slightly. She didn’t want to cry in front of Paul; it would be too embarrassing. “I should probably head back.”
Something had changed. Paul could pick up on the subtleties, the way her eyes reflected blankly in the glass of the store window. Frowning he would listen, irritated with himself for hitting a sore spot. Family was oft one of those subjects those at the Carnival didn’t typically discuss because it brought about those types of negative feelings. Usually he was better at talking to people but this time his guard had been a little more down than usual.
“It’s never easy leaving the people you love,” he agreed, watching her through the pane reflection. His expression was serious though the conversation was taking a turn for the worst.
Upon hearing the remark about the hour Paul would nod and look over at Beth. “Sure. If you ever need to talk you know where to find me. You are never alone.” It didn’t feel like they were all a family sometimes but they were.
You are never alone. Her chest tightened. Not being alone... it was comforting to hear. Her eyes welled up with tears. She rapidly blinked her eyes in an attempt to stave them off but a couple tears managed to escape.
"Thank you..." Her voice was small and trembled. "I-I need to go." She offered him a shaky smile before quickly retreating, her head hung low to hide the silent tears.
As the emotion stirred up inside of her Paul could feel the air shifting. He frowned, watching her struggle with the emotion. Had they been anywhere else that wasn’t so public he would’ve tried to console her, he probably should have anyway, but instead he would offer only a nod. He would let her go for now.
“Sure,” Paul managed. “See you later.” It was never goodbye with him, that felt too formal and too official.
Hands would dive into the pockets of his coat as he stood there before the toy store where she had left him. When Beth was out of sight Paul turned on his heel and moved the opposite way, further down the thoroughfare for something to get his mind off of that trickle of fleeting moment.