Page 38 of Santa Maybe
An elderly white woman, whose gray hair bore a few purple streaks, stood behind the front desk. She gave him a warm smile. “Good afternoon, Santa. You’re right on time. I see you brought a helper with you.”
Rosie curtsied. “Pleased to meet you. Rosie the Elf at your service.”
“Aren’t you a cutie? Everyone’s been looking forward to this. A few of our volunteers even brought in cookies.” She pointed down the hall. “Santa, I believe you know the way?”
“I do, thanks.” He walked toward the shelter’s community room with Rosie. As they approached it, the sound of children was unmistakable. He paused for a few seconds and gave himself a tiny pep talk.
Remember, good vibes only. You’re Santa, you love kids, and you live to bring them joy.
Like the lobby, the community room was decorated with vivid paintings, colorful rugs, and potted plants. Most of the space was occupied by folding tables and chairs, along with a few shelves of books and games. Off to one side was an artificial Christmas tree decorated with lights and an assortment of homemade ornaments.
Waving at the families, Drew headed toward the tree and set his sack beside it. “Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, everyone! It’s so good to see all of you.”
By his count, about a dozen families were scattered around the room. Most of the children were on the younger side, though one woman was accompanied by two girls who looked like middle schoolers.
“Santa!” A little girl leapt to her feet in excitement. She couldn’t have been more than three, dressed in a faded Cinderella T-shirt and a plastic tiara.
“Are you bringing us presents?” another boy asked.
“That’s what I live for,” Drew said. “I’ve got something for everyone. First, I’d like you to meet Rosie the Elf. She’s my assistant manager, which means she’s in charge of bossing around the other elves at my workshop.”
With a grin, Rosie waved at the group. “Hi, there. I was so excited when Santa invited me to join him as his helper. I’ll bet you can’t wait to talk to him, right?”
When the kids agreed, Drew pulled up a chair next to the Christmas tree. “Before you tell me what you want, do you have any questions? Like, about my reindeer or my elves? Or my lightning-fast sleigh that travels around the world in just one night?”
Kids loved asking questions. Even if they didn’t always believe his answers, he could usually make them laugh.
“Is Rudolph really one of your reindeer?” a girl asked. “Or was he made up for that show?”
“Ah, Rudolph.” Drew gave a sad shake of his head. “He’s real, but the fame turned him into a total attention hog. He’s all, ‘Look at me and my brilliant nose,’ when the other reindeer work just as hard. Personally, my favorite is Dasher. He’s got the moves.”
* * *
As Drew’s helper,Rosie stood at his side, smiling as he fielded questions from the children. Though they ranged in age from two years old to twelve, he managed to get a laugh out of all of them. Sure, he’d probably done this dozens of times, but he didn’t seem bored or jaded. After each child took their turn talking to him, he gave them a gift bag filled with simple presents, like Hot Wheels cars, coloring books, Play-Doh, stickers, and small stuffed animals.
Through it all, Rosie regarded him with admiration. At the Duchess, his jolly version of Santa had gotten rave reviews, but today, he displayed an extra level of caring. Was he making up for what he’d lacked at home? Or was it just in his nature to be so thoughtful?
Around her, the mothers were smiling, but a few looked haggard. Some held their children tightly in their arms, like they were afraid to let go. Rosie couldn’t imagine being in a situation like this. She’d been lucky to grow up in a home where she’d always received plenty of love.
When Drew was done, she organized a few rounds of holiday bingo and gave out grocery store gift cards to the moms in attendance. She also tried to lead them in a sing-along, but most people only knew the words to “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Drew joined in loudly, seemingly unbothered that he was totally off-key.
By the time they left, the day had caught up with her. All the late nights of work, the hours behind her computer, and the emotional impact of visiting the shelter had drained her. On the drive back to her apartment, she let her head rest against the passenger-side window and closed her eyes.
“Are you all right?” Drew asked.
“Just tired. And thinking about the shelter. It’s such a dismal situation. Not the place itself, which seems nice and nurturing. But the circumstances.”
“I agree. It makes me grateful for what I’ve got. Maybe life dealt me a shitty hand when I was younger, but now I have a great job and a lot of friends in my corner. That’s what matters.”
I could fall in love with this guy.
The thought hit her, lightning-fast, and she tried to brush it away just as quickly. Romantic love was the last thing she needed right now. What with the demands of her job, she barely had time for herself, let alone another person. And Drew didn’t want romance, either. All he needed from her was friendship and a date for his ex’s wedding.
When they got to her apartment, she invited him in. “If you don’t mind waiting, I can take off the elf costume and give it back to you. Unless you want me to wash it first?”
He stepped inside and took off his boots. “Don’t worry about it. I can do it later since it needs to be washed on delicate and hung out to dry.”
“Just as well since I’m way behind on my own laundry. Do you want anything to drink? A glass of water? A can of cider? I’ve got some pear cider in the fridge.”
