Page 93 of Jam and Jingle Bells
“How did you mess up?” Mason asked, kneeling next to her.
Holly turned to him slowly and patted his face the way she always did. “My sadness took too long to fly away and I missed our special date. Then Santa said I could pick any date to make special so I picked tonight.”
Ivy and Shep were scratching their heads as they listened to the exchange, but my mom and Stan were grinning. They understood and I winked at them before I turned back to Holly. “She asked Santa to help her, and since I was his elf that day, and I’m from Bells Pass, I had to help, too.”
Judge Masters opened his briefcase and pulled out a pack of papers wrapped in a red bow. He handed them to Holly. “Maybe this will help them understand.” He motioned for her to give them to Mason.
Holly took the papers and held them to her chest. “When you said all those things to me during your wedding, my sadness flew right away, just like Santa said it would. But Judge Masters didn’t have the papers to make me your daughter that day, see,” she said, handing him the papers. “Santa said that your wish this year was to be a family, so I wanted to make sure it came true.”
Mason held the papers, the pages shaking slightly from the tremor of his hand. “You want me to adopt you tonight?” he asked, his voice choked.
Holly bobbed her head up and down again. “I only waited because I wanted to make tonight a special one for us. Santa said I could have picked any day I wanted to, but I really thought it would be easier for him to get your wish done tonight when he’s already out and about.”
We lost it, all of us covering our mouths to keep the laughter in. Mason wasn’t laughing though. He had tears running down his cheeks as he stared at the paperwork. Holly wiped the tears away with her fingers. “Happy tears?” she asked. “We can wait if they aren’t,” she said nervously.
Mason glanced up from the paperwork to see that everyone was waiting on him. He grabbed her and held her to his chest. “Yes, baby girl. These are happy tears. I don’t want to wait a minute longer to be your dad. I can’t believe Santa heard my wish all the way up in the North Pole.”
Holly had her arms wrapped around his neck and she laughed. “I know you have his email. He told me that.”
Mason leaned back and wiped his face with his shoulder. “There goes Santa telling you all my secrets,” he teased, poking her in the belly. “What do you say, should we sign these?” he asked, gazing up at Mel who was also in tears. She held her hand out for him and he stood, holding Holly in the other arm.
Judge Masters took the papers and laid them out on the table we had stashed in the corner. He held two pens in his hand. “This won’t take long. I’m required to tell you by law that Mason, should you divorce Melissa or were she to pass before Holly was of legal age, you would be responsible for support of the child should you sign these papers.”
Mason kissed Mel’s hand and nodded. “Not even a worry.”
Judge Masters smiled. “Didn’t think so, but even Santa can’t overrule the law. Holly, since you are old enough to speak for yourself, I have to ask, do you want Mason to adopt you as his daughter?”
Holly clapped, her enthusiasm bringing tears to everyone’s eyes. “Yes! That’s why we’re here!”
No one held back their laughter this time as my mom put her arms around Stan, the significance of this moment for him not lost on her. Tonight, he was officially becoming a grandpa.
Judge Masters handed Mel and Mason the pens. “Then with a signature here, and here,” he said, pointing to the papers, “my work is done.”
Mel and Mason signed the paperwork in rhythm, which was the same way they lived their lives. They laid the pens down and Mason picked Holly up, both of them hugging her together.
Judge Masters signed the paperwork and then looked up at the family. “That makes this gathering official. The State of Michigan now recognizes Mason Hadley as the father of Holly Murano, now Holly Hadley. You’ll get a certified copy of the paperwork and a new birth certificate forthwith.”
Everyone burst into applause, laughter, and hugs as the happy family held each other, tears running down their faces. My eyes sought Santa and he winked, a bright twinkle of love in his eye.
We all took turns taking pictures with the new family until Mel noticed Holly’s eyes were sagging. Santa had already left to take Judge Master’s home, but not before Holly got an epic Santa selfie for her bookcase. Somehow, she managed to convince everyone to climb into the sleigh and with the help of a selfie stick, she got the picture of a lifetime.
I stood alone in the gazebo staring up at the tree and waiting for my Christmas wish to come. He made me promise to wait for him here so we could spend a few minutes alone together. I heard rustling in the woods, but I stayed in the shadows until I could see the figure moving toward me was him. He was still wearing his Santa outfit, minus the beard and wig. He had the hat stuffed in the pocket of the red coat, which was hanging loosely on him since he’d ditched the giant belly.
He climbed the stairs and I slid my arms around his waist. “Looks like Santa has deflated. He must need more cookies.”
He laughed, holding me to him by the nape of my neck, his breath warm on my cheek. “I love you, Addie. So much it hurts. Merry Christmas.”
I could barely breathe he was holding me so tightly and I turned my head to kiss him. “I love you too. Are you feeling okay? Your pulse is racing.”
He pulled back and nodded, his gaze holding mine. “Just from walking through the woods.”
I didn’t buy it. He was in prime physical condition and walking through the woods wasn’t going to make his heart race. “Did you get Judge Masters back to his car safely, Santa?” I turned so he could wrap his arms around my waist and tuck his chin over my shoulder to stare at the tree.
“He’s probably already home snacking on cookies and cocoa. He was more than happy to be part of such a wonderful Christmas story tonight.”
I nodded with misty eyes. “They were so happy when they left. I’m not sure Mason’s feet were even touching the ground. He definitely got his Christmas wish.”
“What’s your Christmas wish, Addie?” he asked softly. “You better tell Santa before it’s too late.”
