Page 94 of The Cannon
I know it’s Atticus, but I’m not surprised she can’t tell. He’s padded, bearded, and wigged. He wears gloves and granny glasses. They all should be like this.
“Santa can skate. He must be fairly young,” she says.
“Let’s try to make it around but you need to hold my hand. This is harder than I thought.”
We inch our way toward turn one, but before we get there, two other Santas come out the door and on the ice. That’s Charlotte and January.
“This is weird,” she says.
I don’t even respond because I can sell the fact I’m just trying to stay upright. Then, from the entry we came in from, three other Santas arrive. Should be Lucinda, Brick and Boone. They all are selling their indifference to Bristol and I. And no one speaks a word.
Boone is the weakest link. Got to give it to him, his ten year old knee replacement isn’t stopping him.
When she looks at me I see something new in her eyes. The light bulb is beginning to glow. She knows something is happening. She holds me back.
“I’d swear that’s my father. I know that gait.”
All I can do is smile which makes her take a long hard look at every skater moving in a wide circle around us.
“That’s my mother! Atticus!” She points them out. “January, Charlotte…”
She can’t continue because it’s making her emotional. We lock eyes.
“Is this happening?”
“It’s happening, baby. Look.”
I point in the direction of the viewing benches. There sit Grandpa Davis and Grandma Birdie in their Santa and Mrs. Claus outfits. She’s holding baby Beauregard. He’s dressed like Santa too. Wrapped in a red blanket, hat and booties. A tiny beard laid across his chin.
The music changes. It’s our song. Bristol is in full meltdown now and I’m very close. Arms lift around my neck and I hold her close. I give the signal the family has been waiting for.
All beards are removed to reveal happy faces. Their body language saying how excited each one is for Bristol and I.
When she looks up and sees the big reveal she screams with joy.
“Oh my God!”
“Someone is coming,” I say looking over her shoulder.
When she turns and sees Jude dressed in full costume skating towards us. He’s not half as bad as I am, but there’s some wobbling happening. Who cares?
He carries a rich red velvet bag tied with a satin ribbon, and a small red velvet pillow. Now Bristol is having a hard time keeping it together. Both of us are weak kneed. We wiggle to stay standing.
“My God! My God! My God!”
He reaches us just in time to grab ahold of my arm. Shit! I’m going down!
Didn’t mean to take everyone with me, but I do. Plop!! We’re a laughing pile of three.
I signal for the others to stay back. Bristol makes it up first and offers Jude a hand.
“Thanks. Now go away,” I say lovingly to Jude.
Laughing, he heads for the others.
The red bag is in my clutches. Okay, here goes. I place the pillow on the ice and take a knee. The lights dim until all that illuminate us are the hundreds of twinkling lights. We can’t see the others, it’s just us now.
Bristol covers her face with her hands, crying. I gently encircle her wrists.
