Rebel Without A Claus

“You were just at the bakery.”

“I’m hungry,” I lied, zipping up my coat. “Do you want anything?”

Nicholas stared at me for a moment, and I knew he could see right through my lie. He shook his head, but he didn’t say anything else, so I ducked out of the grotto and told Mrs. Nix to go on in.

I crossed the road to the square and looked back at the grotto and took a deep breath.

Why was she speaking to him?

And what did he know that he wasn’t telling me?

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The day passed in a whirlwind of excitement and children’s wishes. There were tears when a little boy tripped, wails when a little girl explained how she’d “brokeded” her favorite shoes, and the quiet whisper of another when she explained how she’d finished her last coloring book and would really like another, please.

As the day went on, the less Grinch-like I became. The more I smiled, the more they were genuine smiles. I really did like seeing the kids be excited when they came in, because there was a magic to meeting Santa Claus.

For some of these kids, you could tell it was their first time.

And that was even better.

After we were done with the kids, we closed the grotto for the last time. It was kind of sad—we’d worked so hard on it, and we’d had so many long days here. I’d never been as involved as I had been this year, and as I stared at the building that was now dull and silent, a pit of melancholy formed in my stomach.

I’d become quite attached to this place. For all my bitching and moaning ten days ago, it’d become quite important to me.

I wondered if my mom would let me take it over next year again. Or at least help lighten her workload.

“You all right?” Nicholas asked, nudging me.

I jerked my attention away from the grotto and smiled at him. “Yeah. Just thinking that I’m really going to miss that place.”

“Ah, how things change.” He laughed and put his arm around my shoulders, and I slipped mine around his waist. “Is this the great Christmas transformation you go through?”

“Looks like it’s starting early. Time to go from Grinch to Griswold.”

Nicholas tossed his head back and laughed. “Shit, I wish you’d said that before. I would have put that on a t-shirt for your Christmas present.”

I stopped walking. “You didn’t get me anything, did you?”

“I might have done.”

“Oh, no! Why would you do that? I haven’t gotten you anything!”

“Relax. It’s just something silly.” He tugged me along.

“That’s not the point. I don’t have anything to give you. I’m going to look terrible.”

“No, you won’t.” He squeezed me. “It’s not a gift, per se.”

“This is very cryptic and very uncomfortable for me.”

“I think you’ll like it. You’ll just have to wait until later for it.”

“Oh, no. It’s your penis, isn’t it? You’re giving me your penis for Christmas.”

He looked over at me as we approached the truck. “What?”

“Look, if that’s all it is, then it’s fine. I have a matching gift for you.” I gestured to my groin. “I’ll even spice it up with some sexier lingerie.”

“You have sexier lingerie?”

“Of course I do. It’s just not the most comfortable so I don’t wear it, but I can make an exception for you for one night.”

He pressed a kiss to the side of my head, laughing. “All right then. But no, your gift is not my penis.”

“Damn.”

“You can have that anytime.”

“Thank you so much for the reassurance.” I unlocked the truck and got in, waiting for him to get in the other side.

It didn’t seem like it was worth us taking two cars.

We made the rest of the drive back to the house in relative silence. I glanced at him a few times. My mind was a whirlwind of questions.

Was he leaving?

What did Mrs. Nix want?

What was my present?

Was he ready for Christmas at the farm?

It was pretty damn crazy, and I knew he was about to walk into a party. It was usually a celebration of another successful holiday season, and as it was usually my mom and dad last to arrive, we would be getting the treatment tonight.

I hadn’t told him about that. It was more fun not to.

I could hear the Christmas music halfway up the drive, and Nicholas eyed me as we approached.

“What is this?” he asked, staring at the brightly illuminated house.

“Welcome to Christmas Eve at my house,” I replied. “It’s crazy, and you’re pretty much the guest of honor as Santa.”

“What?”

“Surprise! Looks like I do have a gift for you after all.” I parked up the truck, laughing, and hopped out.

“What are they going to do to me in there?”

“Get you drunk, probably.” I stopped and turned around to face him. “Oh, a few tips. Do not take food from Jazzy, she’s probably already tasted it and decided she doesn’t like it.”