The Dance

"None of this is real. I'm dreaming, that's all." But she so rarely had such pleasantly exciting dreams. More often they were anxiety-filled, or stodgily pedestrian this-is-what's-wrong-with-your-life reminders. "Or I fell, I'm in a coma, hallucinating this. or too much eggnog. Definitely too much eggnog."?The nutcracker reached down and took her hand in his own, the fingers hard but flexible. "My lady, you misdoubt.
May I show you what is real?"A demanding mother, an absent brother, an exhausting job.  Mara is about to break.  But on Christmas Eve, the gift of a nutcracker sweeps her into a magical world, beautiful and intoxicating, a loyal, loving soldier at her side.  It's all she could have dreamed for. Isn't it?