“Looks like we walkin’,” Annie said, pulling out a set of felt antlers on a headband, putting them on, and shaking her head so the little gold bells jingled.
I giggled and got out of the car, pulling my seat forward for Annie to exit.
As we entered the crowd, the children dispersed away from the intersection. Signs up ahead read Santa this way, but then pointed away from The Corners.
That’s weird.
“Isn’t that Katie up ahead?” Mom asked, pointing to a very festive goth girl.
I squinted. “Yep, and there’s Derek and Trix.”
Annie stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled. “Katie! Yoo-hoo!”
Katie spun around, saw us, and pointed us out to Derek before running through the crowd.
“Hey, girl!” She crashed into me and squeezed me tight. “You ready?”
“I… guess?”
“Hi Annie!” Katie wrapped her arms around her and they swayed back and forth for a moment. “I like your antlers.”
“I like yers too, sugar.”
Katie’s antlers looked real. They were all decked out in pinecones, bells, tinsel, and evergreens.
“Hi, Maggie’s mom.” She waved, then pulled her into one of her classic smothering hugs.
“Hello, dear,” Mom said, patting Katie on the back with a tight-lipped smile.
Annie’s eyebrows raised and she mouthed,Nice.
“Let’s get in there before they start, or we’ll never get in.” Katie tugged Mom and Annie’s arms, dragging them into the center of the crowd.
I followed behind. Thankfully, Katie’s antlers were so tall they were easy to spot in the crowd.
“Look, there’s Daddy and the rest of the family across the street,” I said, waving them down.
Just as Daddy waved back, squad cars, ambulances, and firetrucks blocked the roads, creating a sort of stage in the center where a float covered in fake snow and silver streamers sat.
Then the sound of jingle bells played over the town’s speaker system.
Graham climbed on a chair in the center of the float and lifted a megaphone to his mouth. “Alright, everyone, you know what time it is.” He spotted me and winked.
The butterflies in my stomach betrayed me because like I said, who didn’t love a man in uniform.
“All children and minors under the age of eighteen can take themselves over to Santa’s workshop for some cookies, milk, and a game of pin the nose on the Rudolphandpresents!!!Parents, once the song starts, we are not to be held responsible if you didn’t get your kids out. I guarantee they’ll have questions that you don’t want to answer.”
Graham waited a minute before signaling to someone over by the fire truck. Once he did, the opening toAll I Want for Christmasby Mariah Carey started playing, and officers, firefighters, and EMTs all wearing Santa hats with their uniforms climbed aboard.
Captain Nettles got up on the float in a full Santa’s suit lip-syncing intoa microphone. He started walking seductively as the others lined up behind. Once the bells started, they all ripped their shirts off—buttons flew, their pants hung low on their hips swaying to the beat. The crowd went fucking nuts.
My jaw dropped.
It was like a fucking Christmas striptease in the middle of town square.
Katie and Trixi held on to each other, bouncing like lunatic fangirls, waving their hands and screaming at the guys.
Derek was Derek, rolling his eyes and bopping his head to the song.
