AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I have to press my lips together to keep myself from laughing. “You know, Dante, I’d really rather hear what you want for Christmas since you’ve been such a good boy all year.”
He goes on to list about thirty toys I’ve never heard of before I hand him his present.
“Thanks, Santa. Now you have to do my little sister, Allegra. She doesn’t talk yet, but she’s been really good.”
I glance at the baby the auburn-haired woman is holding. I’m not the best judge of how many months old an infant is, but I know this kid isn’t even a year old.
“Honey, I think Santa probably has to be getting on to his next stop,” Dante’s mum says, bouncing the baby on her hip.
“She has to sit with Santa, Mommy, otherwise he won’t bring her any presents.” He turns to me with what I now understand can be described as puppy-dog eyes, his bottom lip jutted out.
“I do have to be going, but I can sit with her for a minute.”
My heart races as the mum gives me a grateful look and makes her way to me with the baby. “Thank you,” she mouths before passing the baby over.
I’ve never held a baby, so my heart thunders. I reach out, saying a small prayer that I won’t mess this up and send the baby tumbling to the floor. I grip her under the arms and bring her closer, then set her on my lap. She flaps her arms and legs, which startles me at first, but I recover quickly, tightening my grip. A few pictures are taken, and I happily pass her back to her mum.
I place my hands on both sides of my fake belly. “Well, children, I’d better be—”
“What about Ryder?” Giuliana asks.
I make eye contact with one of the parents, hoping they get the message that I don’t understand.
“Yeah, Ryder has to have a turn,” Mateo says.
A twentysomething guy steps out from around the back of the parents. I hadn’t even noticed him. My guess is that he’s doing his best to hide and doesn’t really even want to be here. I know I wouldn’t if I were his age.
“I’m good, you guys. I think I’m too old to sit on Santa’s lap anymore,” Ryder says.
“You have to have a turn. Allegra got one and she’s just little,” Dante says, always so helpful.
I look at Kenzie, and she rushes forward. “That’s all the time Santa has, everyone. Let’s say goodbye to him.”
I stand from the chair as the adults all cheer and the little ones rush me to give me a hug. They’re so forceful I almost fall backward but manage to catch myself.
“Okay, little ones. You keep being good for your parents and I think you’ll find you’ll be happy on Christmas morning.” I pat them on their backs, and as soon as they let me go, I make my way to the condo door.
“Why is he going out the door?” Dante says.
“I think his magic only works on Christmas,” Arianna says.
“Bye, children!” I give them one final wave before I open the door, Kenzie behind me. “Merry Christmas!”
“I’ll meet you downstairs shortly,” Kenzie whispers then shuts the door.
“You were amazing!” Kenzie comes rushing toward me out of the elevator.
I’m glad she’s here. The front desk guy was starting to look at me as though he was going to call the cops to escort me out.
She wraps her arms around my neck, giving me a big hug. “You really saved me in there. Thank you!” Then she pulls down the beard to kiss me.
I keep it decent since I can feel the guy at the desk staring a hole through my back.
“You probably didn’t eat before you got here. Do you want to stop somewhere before we go back to my place?” she asks.
“Are we headed back to your place?”
She shrugs. “Well, that’s where the elf costume is so…”
