Page 36 of Run, Run Rudolph
“Not on purpose! And I mean, yeah, I was driving the car that hit Rudolph. I admit that’s fairly significant. But still. They were drunk.”
The reindeer being drunk had weakened the wall between the magical world and Tamara’s. That was how she’d done damage to a magical being despite the shroud!
This was important information. And it could lessen the perceived severity of Tamara’s actions if she came under judgement. Well, except for her having given Blitzen more booze. That was very bad. As was injuring Rudolph. Even if by accident.
However, the worst part was that because this was a Christmas incident, and it included misbehaviour on the part of magical beings, it all fell into Mrs. C.’s domain. That meant she’d be the one judging Tamara. Yes, it would be a strong conflict of interest on Mrs. Claus’s part. One that would not work in Tamara’s favour. And, to make matters worse, the woman was already mad at Santa as well as resentful of the holiday.
And if she knew Tamara was one of my clients… Who knew what might happen to her.
“You’re in a lot of trouble,” I blurted, wishing I could spill all the details to Tamara to help her understand. But Gram-Gram had been firm, telling me I could only reveal so much about our world to a human client. “It’s too close to Christmas and you’re interfering with the magical world. You need to make a wish so I can make all of this not happen.”
“It’s not my fault!” Tamara pleaded.
“Tamara, you’re meddling in something that’s well beyond you.” My surroundings were starting to blur. My splitting spell that held an image of me here was fading. “Your only hope in avoiding judgement is to correct your actions by making a wish.”
The alley around me vanished, sending me back to my office. I could only hope that Tamara understood just how important it was for her to make an immediate wish.
Chapter 11
~ Tamara ~
Estelle gave me such a headache. This mess with Rudolph was all accidental, and surely everyone in the magical world could see that. I was not going to make a wish, and go into debt over one little oopsie involving a drunken reindeer who wasn’t minding where he was bounding.
Then again, the magical world did seem to be a bit ruthless. They’d only given Char three months to pay off her hundred-thousand-dollar debt—a debt that she hadn’t even known she was incurring, thanks to an error on their end.
But her experience was just another reason for me to not give in to Estelle. There were too many unknowns.
And I had plans for my money. Namely, rent. I was in over my head with the little farm I’d rented, and my generous offer to feed Dolly. Educational assistants made less than dental office receptionists, and the hours were a lot shorter, too. I also hadn’t done the math right when estimating how much it would cost to heat my new house. Natural gas wasn’t too badly priced, but all the fees tacked onto the bill made the amount due skyrocket to several times the actual cost of the used gas. As a result, I’d been chopping wood like a madwoman to use in the fireplace.
I let myself back into the clinic and found Haden already x-raying Rudolph. The reindeer seemed much perkier now. Had he been in shock? Or was the tequila wearing off? Maybe that whole time-bending thing they did on Christmas Eve in order to make all of their deliveries also impacted how long they could stay drunk or hurt. For the sake of Christmas, I hoped that was the case. Especially since Estelle’s warning had spooked me. I didn’t want to get in trouble, but I also didn’t want to go into fairy godmother debt. I just wanted Rudolph fixed and home in time for Christmas.
Haden was moving about efficiently, my earlier absence no hinderance to him getting things done. He had shed his coat, and his shoulders filled out his flannel shirt in the most sexy lumberjack sort of way. I found myself hoping I had to kiss him as a distraction again.
Which was silly. We were never going to be a thing.
“I’ll bring up the x-ray. Give me a sec.” Haden excused himself, heading toward a computer. While one hand navigated a mouse, his other hand had his phone clasped against his ear. I hadn’t even heard it ring. Was it one of his many members of the Haden Appreciation Group?
“Yeah, no. Maybe,” he hedged quietly. “Can you call her and see if it’s a real emergency? I’ll send you the number.”
For sure a HAG, likely angling for a house call. Well, he was mine tonight, missy. I had a magical Christmas emergency.
Haden ended the call, waving me over to the computer, his focus on his phone’s screen where he was tapping and scrolling. Seconds later, his phone was back in his pocket, and we were standing shoulder-to-shoulder, studying x-rays, his attention solidly fixed on me and my animal emergency. Did it make me a petty and small person for loving that my emergency trumped anyone else’s?
“Is he okay?” I asked, squinting at the image in front of us.
I was impatient for the results. Because what if I’d given poor Rudolph more than a bruise and a scrape? Then I’d really be ruining Christmas, and would need to go back on my word and make a wish to my fairy godmother.
“Looks like Rudolph doesn’t have a broken leg.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” I said on a gusty exhale.
Haden turned to me with a smirky grin. “Maybe you didn’t ruin Christmas after all, Trademark.”
I crossed my arms across my ‘Oh what fun it is to ride’ Christmas sweatshirt, giving him a glare I didn’t completely feel since my heart was soaring with the good news. “Ha. Ha.”
What a relief. There was no need to make a wish. Rudolph would be okay. He just had to walk it off, or sleep it off, and then he and his pals could get back to the North Pole, and we could all live happily ever after. No fairy godmother debt for me. Yes!
I watched as Haden fussed over Rudolph, seeming so childlike in his happiness, and so unlike the serious older brother I knew him to be. Dare I say it, but he was even more sweet and handsome with that smile than the young man I’d crushed on as a child?
