Page 8 of Mistletoe Mistake
“So, what are you going to ask Santa for, Tahls?”
“A microscope and a fairy light garden.” She starts swinging our joined hands and when the child ahead of us takes his turn on Santa’s lap and we step up to the front of the line, she actually squees. I didn’t realize that was even a real sound until this moment.
“I wonder if Santa will remember you from last year?” I do my best to infuse my voice with excitement.
Tahlia just looks at me, tilting her head to the side, and I feel as though I’m being judged. Harshly.
“You know he’s not therealSanta, right, Holly?”
What the hell happened toAuntieHolly? Is this what it feels like to be dumped by an honorary niece?
“Oh, yeah, of course, I mean, I just wasn’t sure if you knew that,” I fumble.
“I’mfive, I’m not a baby.” She does this weird kind of disappointed headshake at me, and suddenly I remember the last time I was at a Santa village.
I was eleven and talking to my best friend about my upcoming birthday. The girl ahead of us, Marcy, who was truly awful by the way, turned around and snapped at me, “Will you shut up about your stupid birthday? It’s Christmas, no one cares!”
I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me then, and I want it to open up and swallow me now. Albeit for different reasons.
“Right, right, right. So… why are you so excited if you know he’s not the real thing?”
“I’m doing an ‘xperment.”
“‘Xperment?” I’m so confused right now.
“Yep, my daddies told me these are Santa’s helpers, so I’m asking each one I see for something different so I can see who is the best helper.”
“Oh, an experiment!”
“That’s what I said.” She takes a step away from me and I fear that I am dangerously close to losing hand holding privileges.
“Wait, how many Santas have you seen?”
“One, two, three, four.” She holds up four fingers.
“Four?!”I am going to kill Troy.
“Next, please.” A grim-faced teenage girl dressed up as an elf, approaches and motions for us to take our turn with Santa.
Santa number five.
“Hey Santa!” All trace of her annoyance with me vanishes as Tahlia rushes up the steps and launches herself on his lap.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! Have you been a good girl this year?”
“I’ve been super good, Santa.” She starts scrambling around in the tiny purse she insisted on bringing and pulls out a small piece of paper. “My daddies had to have a date today, so Holly brought me, but Dad wrote me a letter to give to you, so you know how good I’ve been.”
“That’s, well, that’s very helpful.” Confused eyes meet mine and all I can do is shrug. I’m taking no part in this farce.
“Uh huh. I’m very helpful, aren’t I, Auntie Holly?”
Oh, sure,nowI’m Auntie Holly.
“You sure are. Tahlia, how about you tell Santa what you want, quick sticks. There’s still a lot of kids waiting to see him.”
Tossing me a look of what could only be described as exasperation, she quickly goes through her list and when Santa assures her that he’ll do the best he can, I prepare to take her hand and hightail it out of this Christmas nightmare.
“It’s your turn, Auntie Holly.” Tahlia hops off his lap and then motions for me to take her place.
