I Am Octavia

by Matthias Ramsey

Christmas Eve

Octavia waited anxiously for Vinyl. If Vinyl came, Octavia knew that she could accept her back.
If not...
Ten minutes passed, then twenty, then thirty. Octavia was about to abandon all hope-and her life here, just to never see Vinyl again-when there was a frantic knock on the door. Octavia practically sprinted to open it.
Vinyl stood there with a satchel full of things, wearing a scarf and her mailmare beret.
"Tavi, I'm so sorry I'm late, I just-"
"Shhh. It's fine, you're here, that's all that matters. Come on in."
As Vinyl came in, Octavia gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. At Vinyl's confused look, Octavia winked and pointed up. "Mistletoe."
"A-ah." Vinyl hung up her scarf and beret. "I like your sweater, Tavi."
Octavia's sweater was a simple, oversize, knit grey-and-black pullover. She'd had it for years, and it was her favorite Christmas sweater.
"Thank you, Vinyl. Oh!" Octavia went to the side table and picked up the picture she'd showed Vinyl all those weeks ago. "I had it framed for you."
"Oh, thanks, Tavi!" Vinyl gratefully accepted it.
"Go on, sit down! Can I get you something to drink, like water or cider or-"
"A small glass of white wine, please. If you have any."
Octavia was surprised. "Vinyl, I thought you didn't drink."
"Well, there's a story there. I'll tell you in a bit."
"All right. What do you want? Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigiot..."
"Surprise me. Nothing too sweet, though."
"Got it." She fetched the requested drink, pouring herself a glass as well. She sat down. "So what brought about the change?"
Vinyl rummaged in her bag and pulled out a wrapped box that could only have held a bottle of wine. "This."
Octavia took the box and opened it. "Casablanca? Vinyl, this must have cost you a fortune..."
"The old me had a lot of money to blow on her best friend."
Octavia hugged Vinyl. "Thank you so much, Vinyl...I don't even know how you found this."
"You're welcome, Octy."
Octy. Not just Tavi anymore.
"Well, here, have one from me."
"No, no, birthday girl first." Vinyl smiled. "Here's my second. Took me two months to get it how I wanted it."
Octavia opened the box, much smaller than the first. "A cassette tape?"
"Here, I'll put it in." Vinyl took hold of it with magic and put in in the stereo. After a few seconds of silence, a voice Octavia didn't recognize began singing a gorgeous a capella rendition of Carol of the Bells. At the end, Octavia looked at Vinyl. "That was beautiful... who sang that?"
Vinyl smiled. "I did, Octy."