Holly couldn’t help but laugh as Ripley shook her tail making the bells on the skirt jingle louder. She was definitely cute as all get out. She even had on the matching hat that had pointed ears attached to it.
See, this was going to be the best Christmas card ever.
Holly: one.
Everyone else in the world, including Mildred: zero.
Holly dropped to her knees as Ripley ran over to her. “Who’s mommy’s little girl? You’re so pretty, Rip. Look at you.” She scratched her back making Ripley jingle the bells again as she danced. The dog then kissed Holly before barking in agreement.
“You know it too.” Holly nuzzled Ripley’s neck. “Now, where are your brothers?”
A toothy grin appeared on Jimmy’s face as he spoke up, “They’re hiding under your bed.”
“Of course they are.” Holly flicked her eyes up at the ceiling.
Henry made another annoyed noise in the corner, causing Holly’s attention to jump to him.
That’s it.
A person could only take so much.
“Put on the damn outfit or I’ll make you food and shove it down your throat.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Try me. If I don’t have this photo uploaded to the site by midnight, we won’t get the cards back in time.” Holly narrowed her eyes on her father, daring him to defy her. “At this point, it’s about pride.”
“That’s not my problem,” he squared off with his daughter.
“It will be.” Holly shifted to Ben. “Get Peanut all dressed. I’ll be right back with the devil and his jester.”
Ben winked. “Sure thing.”
As Holly stomped out of the room, her elf feet jingled as she walked. She couldn’t help but curse herself as she still heard her father complaining and John laughing his ass off.
Why couldn’t things ever just be normal for once in her life?
Holly eyed the ceiling. Don’t answer that, Universe. I already know I’m here for your entertainment.
When Holly turned into her bedroom, she saw Waffles’ fluffy butt hanging halfway out from under their bed. “You know I can still see you, right? You aren’t invisible if you’re only hiding your head,” Holly groaned before looking to the ceiling again. Really, Universe?
Waffles barked as he tried to squash his fat butt further under the bed.
“I can still see you.” Holly tapped her foot, causing the bell to jingle again.
Waffles barked at her.
“Do not speak to me in that tone of voice, young man. I don’t get it. You wore your tux fine when your dad and I got married. Now, you see clothes and you run for the hills. What the hell happened? Is your old age creeping up on you? Why do you have to be so grumpy?”
Waffles grunted from under the bed.
“You will come out here right now, put this stupid costume on and have your picture taken.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Stop arguing with me.”
Waffles turned so Holly could see his side profile under the bed. She growled the moment she saw that little jerk was glaring at her.
“Get your butt out here now!”
He huffed turning back so Holly couldn’t see his face.
“Do not make me get you.”
Waffles kicked his foot out toward her. “Did you just try to kick me?”
The jerk did it again.
“That’s it.” Holly dropped to her knees before reaching for her dog. Before she could grab him, though, the asshole managed to wiggle his way out from under the bed. And now it was a game for him as he ran back and forth trying to avoid Holly.
“Stop moving.” She reached for him again only for Waffles to psych her out and run the other way.
“You’re wearing the elf costume. End. Of. Story.”
Waffles stopped dead in his tracks as he glared at her before barking.
When Holly took a step toward him, that damn dog turned his nose up and ran full speed at her.
“No, you don’t.” When Waffles ran through her legs, Holly quickly snapped them shut effectively trapping the Corgi. “There! Gotcha now.”
When Holly scooped him into her arms, the jerk got his claw stuck on her stocking tearing a hole in it. “Really? I planned on reusing these.”
Waffles had the gall to stare her down like that was what she deserved. “I’ll remember this. You used to love wearing clothes. Then all of a sudden, boom. You were too good for them. What the hell happened? Don’t you remember the wedding? You were so freaking adorable. I wanted to eat you up.”
Waffles barked again giving her the side-eye.
Out of nowhere, a realization dawned on Holly. “Oh my God, are you fighting this because I mentioned you looked dashing in your wedding tux and you’d never hurt a fly?”
Waffles glared at her.
“You have got to be freaking kidding me.”
He scoffed, letting out a single bark as he nodded.
“Fine, I take it back. You looked like a secret agent in that outfit. No one would’ve dared to take you on.” It took everything inside of her not to roll her eyes.
Waffles scowled at her for one more second before he took a step closer to her, turning his nose up to the dog outfit at the end of the bed.
“Really? Fucking really?” Holly gritted her teeth as she snatched the outfit into her hands. “This is why you’ve been an ass? All ‘cause I said you weren’t intimidating enough in your outfit? I swear to everything, Waffles, one of these days I’m gonna murder you.”
The dog grunted causing Holly to hold up her hands in surrender. “Kidding. I still get chills when I think of you in that outfit. Scaryyyy.”
Waffles turned his nose up once more before the asshole willingly let Holly put the outfit on him.
This holiday was going to be the death of her.
Once he was dressed, Waffles gave Holly another side-eye before letting out another grunt.
“You look handsome.”
The dog’s eyes narrowed on her as his body went full dead weight onto the bed.
“Dramatic much? I can say you look handsome without you thinking you aren’t intimidating.”
Waffles snorted.
“I did not go through all this trouble just for you to play dead. And news flash, you aren’t intimidating to anyone.”
Waffles gave her another evil look daring her to say it again.
“Forget it. Twitch, where are you?”
Twitch jumped onto the end of the bed, bobbing his head from side-to-side.
“Do not give me as much trouble as he did.” She pointed at the dog still playing dead on the bed.
Twitch glanced from Waffles to Holly before walking over to his mother purring. Holly took that as a sign and carefully put him in his outfit. Once Twitch was dressed, she turned to Waffles. “You see how easy that was? You didn’t need to make it difficult.”
Waffles huffed again, before turning his head away from her.
“Oh my, however, can I stand it? Waffles, I have to take it back. You’re not handsome at all. Instead, you’re scary. Very very scary,” the sarcasm poured out of her.
Waffles snapped his head back to her.
“Ahhhh!” Holly threw her hands over her eyes. “Don’t look at me. I’ll have nightmares for weeks.”
At her words, Waffles jumped onto his feet with his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he smiled at her. Oh for fuck’s sake.