Snippet #2293195

They ate in relative silence for the next few minutes. Forks scraped against plates, platters were passed stiffly, without eye contact. Jade chewed slowly on a roll. Marceline pushed her food around with a fork, a slight frown on her face. Ethan was just finishing, making the last small, neat cuts to his meat before popping them into his mouth with great care. Jase was still heaping food onto his plate.

"I hope everyone got enough to eat!" Marceline chirped. "We do have a desert, but we can take that later."

The peal of the doorbell rang out through the room. Jade shoved her chair back so hard the legs screeched against the floor. Thermometer nearly went flying.

"I got it!" the Tano heir blurted, standing. She cupped her hands for the little paper cat, and rushed out of the room.

Ethan watched her go with a measured expression on his face. It was often hard to tell what he was thinking, but just before he turned his attention back to the table, the barest hint of a grin lifted the corner of his mouth.

"Ida? That will be your driver. And possibly our cue to retire to the living room .. "

____________________________

Jade stalked through the hall to the foyer. Her head was buzzing, but she kept her eyes fixed on Thermometer. His was licking hi tiny folded paws, and seemed quite content where he was. His tail curled around her thumb.

She veered to the wrap-around sofa, gently putting the paper cat on its large arm.

"Sorry, hang on just one second," she whispered to him. Making sure he stayed put, she returned to the door and yanked it open.

Thoroughly blinded by the Colorado sunlight bouncing off the snow, she took in the Galletti's driver and the cart of presents sitting on their porch.

"Hi," the teen said dully.

She heard heels clicking behind her. They were not her mother's. Jade backed up, turning to look at Ida on her way to the door. The blotchy purple splotches from the sun made the Galletti matriarch seem positively psychedelic.

"All yours," Jade drawled, walking away from the door back to the sofa where she had left Thermometer. She sucked in her breath. She dashed to the cushions, upending them, glancing around. Her heart sank.

The tiny paper cat was gone.