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I’ve spent my whole life telling myself Christmas is one thing when it could be so many others, if only I let it be that way.
By the time we reach the office.
I kinda figured that’s where we’re headed. But nobody will be-
Oh.
I’m waving excitedly at everyone. I probably have as much snow in my hair as Jack has in his beard, but I don’t mind.
As soon as we round the corner of the city block, I can see more and more people. Mostly smiling but a lot who look like they’d rather be someplace warm.
They’re not employees.
They’re all the folks most people like me forget about when it comes around to Christmas time. But Jack’s made today all for them as well.
The sounds of carolers fill the crisp air and I feel those tears I warned Jack about welling up.
But I save them.
Something tells me I’m gonna need them.Chapter TwentyJackOkay. It’s a little… a lot overboard, but I always say if I’m gonna do something, I’ll do it a hundred and ten percent.
I could’ve just made it so Avery and I ate at the office, in the cafeteria with everyone else, or even just taken some of the food home.
Lord knows there’s enough of it.
But I guess I wanted to be Santa, and make us our own Christmas dinner too, which is warming in the kitchen back home.
The Santa angle has its benefits too. A new Insurance company takeover, promoting itself with a two day Christmas feast for anyone who wants to turn up?
Sounds like corny publicity and the question on every reporter’s lips is: ‘But where is Jack Cole?’
Best to keep my head down and just help hand out some of these gifts.
Thousands of them, food hampers too, and vouchers for stuff people actually need to.
With Avery at my side, I lose count of how many ‘thank you’s’ and ‘God bless you’s’ we hear. We’re not numb to it by the time I have to go, it’s the exact opposite.
Giving is receiving, and if I have one small regret, it’s that I couldn’t give more to each and every person there. Maybe stay longer.
But there’s always next year.
And the three hundred and sixty-four days in between to make a difference too.
Jack Cole’s no one trick pony, and I can see the wheels turning in Avery’s mind as we finally bid everyone farewell for the sake of keeping up the truth.
Santa has a lot to do today, but we’ll see them all again real soon.
I have our driver take us through the park.
Thinking he’ll throw us off for taking so long, I’m surprised when he cheerfully agrees, gnawing on a hot turkey roll and warming himself with some soup.
“Avery? It’s been a wild ride this past few days,” I start off, feeling her start to stiffen under my hand through the blanket.
She’s chewing her lip, looking nervous. The face people make when the rug’s about to get pulled out from under them.
I know it because I’ve made that face myself a dozen times.
If you bet it all you have to be prepared to lose it all and start over. But that’s not what I want to tell her.
“What I mean is… I know it’s so sudden, moving in and everything,” I stammer, feeling the sleigh slow down, the driver giving me time to say what I have to now.
“It’s just-”
“I’m starved,” she announces suddenly, huddling closer to me, gripping my arm with both of hers.
“Let’s talk about it after dinner, Jack. Please?” she says nervously.
I nod silently, and we’re back to a canter and home soon enough.
My driver’s extra time and patience, I reward with an envelope as I thank him again, booking the same a year in advance before he disappears, singing a carol himself as the snow starts to fall heavier.
The bells fade into the creeping darkness of the afternoon, and I let out a small sound when I see Avery opening the front door with her own key.
It tells me all and it makes my heart bloom against my ribs as I watch her going inside before turning around.
“Well? Get in here, Jack it’s freezing outside.”
Smiling to myself, I leap up the last few steps to reach her, smelling something about to burn that isn’t the warmth between us.
“The potatoes!” I call out, tearing off my suit and beard, grabbing at padding as I lurch into the kitchen, saving a tray of vegetables and the turkey just in time I’d say.
Shooing Avery out of the kitchen, I suggest she takes a bath while I get our dinner ready.
To my surprise, she doesn’t fight the idea, which gives me plenty of time to finish up both dinner and something else.
Something I don’t think can wait through a Christmas dinner.
That something else came with the house I bought at auction. Loved it the minute I saw it, but never understood the strange condition the previous owner had written into the terms.
