It turned out that Monsieur Richard needed Marti the maid's help. His own plans for the little dining hall were twice as much as Marti's had been. Twice the lights, twice the garland and twice the work. But she was well experienced in working with Christmas decorations and proved to be a perfect assistant to him. At first, Monsieur Richard insisted on doing all the heavy lifting, until Marti, in a fit of frustration, hauled three boxes of lights inside, and kicked him when he tried to take them from her.

"I am not needing of your 'elp." She said defiantly. Though she did feel slightly more tired at the exertion than she would have if she were still Marcus. Still, it was the principle of the thing.

As they worked, Marti caught Monsieur Richard ogling her a few times. The first time, he looked away too quickly for her to do anything more than quietly narrowing her eyes at him. About an hour later Marti caught him staring as she had to bend over to pick up some dropped decorations. She whirled on him.

"Monsieur! Do not be staring at mon bottom!" She said, throwing a candy cane at him. It was the last time she caught him looking, and she was careful to keep her eye on him. However, there was one moment when Marti found herself staring at him from the corner of her eye, admiring his firm body and nicely fitted jeans. She blushed and turned away before he could notice, and before she could have any meaningful thoughts.

After nearly four hours of work the pair decided the room was finished. Everything but the tree had been put up. Night was beginning to fall, and Monsieur Richard turned off the main lights to let the Christmas lights bathe the room in delightful multicolored hues.

The twinkling fairy lights danced off her shiny black dress and made it come to enchanted life. Marti stood in the middle of the room and put her gloved hands up to her mouth as she stared out in wonder. It did not matter whether she was a child or an adult, man or woman, construction worker or maid, the sight of Christmas lights was simply magical to her. More magical, even, than the treacherous snow globe that had transmogrified her into Marti.

As she stared at the beauty, Monsieur Richard came stand next to her.

"C'est merveilleux." She whispered to him.

Monsieur Richard smiled his easy smile. "You look beautiful under Christmas lights." He told her.

Marti rolled her eyes, "Ze lights are doing much of ze work."

"Marti, look, I . . ." The maid had a quick thought of what might be coming next, and thought to stop Monsieur Richard from finishing his thought. But her stomach growled like a lion, beating her mouth to the punch. Marti paled as Monsieur Richard's eyebrows went up.

"I zink it is time for lunch, no?" She said hastily.

"Lunch does sound good."

"Zen I will get some sandwiches from ze kitchen. For both of us." Monsieur Richard nodded to her, and Marti turned on her flat black shoes and walked to the doorway.  She stopped there and looked back from the door to admire the lights from some more. The children would simply fall in love with this enchanted place, and Marti had no regrets now helping Monsieur Richard.

Except she noticed the tree was still not decorated. Marti had been told when she first arrived that she needn't worry about the tree and that it would be taken care of. Yet the party was only in a few hours, and even with two people, they could not decorate a ten foot fir in that time.

She glanced from the tree, to Monsieur Richard, and then to the snow globe sitting dormant on the mantle. Marti had not gone near the thing since it had transformed her, letting him work on the fireplace instead. But a little, wild idea floated in her mind. Marti had no idea how the snow globe worked, but did know had been alone when it had taken her.

She looked again from the tree, to him, and to the snow globe. The maid bit her lip. Surely this was a flight of fancy, the work of a tired mind and hungry body. But what if she was right? What if the naughty little snow globe was going to act up again? Could she just let that happen?

Marti cleared her throat, "Monsieur Richard, I zink it's best if we go to ze kitchen to eat."

"Fine by me." He said, easy smile coming back. Unaware of the danger the snow globe posed. He walked over to Marti. "Lead the way."

The maid glanced up at him, "You just want to stare at mon bottom again."

"I won't." Monsieur Richard help up one his hands, "scout's honor."

Marti thought for a moment, and decided it didn't matter whether he stared or not. She just knew she didn't want him alone in the room with the snow globe. The maid smiled up at him. "Zen follow me."