Santa's Secret

“You can’t sit here,” she says so matter-of-factly that I pick the tray back up.

“Why not?” I ask as if I’m the new kid in school trying to sit at the popular table. I look from Holly to my mom, who shakes her head and closes her eyes briefly.

“Because you arrested Delaney Du Luca, Dad! Who does that? Are you trying to make it so I don’t have any friends? Huh?” Holly throws her hands up in the air in the most overly dramatic fashion I have ever seen.

I look back at my mom for help. She doesn’t offer any but does move over so I can sit next to her. I don’t want to make a scene, but Holly needs to know she can’t speak to me this way. After sitting down, I lean close to her, hoping she can hear me clearly, and that other eavesdropping ears aren’t listening.

“It’s my job to keep the streets of Ramona Falls safe, and if that means pulling someone over for breaking the law, I’m going to do it. It doesn’t matter who it is. The law’s the law, Holly.”

Sitting back, I start to think I’ve done a fairly decent job until I see the look on Holly’s face, followed by tears. “Daddy, she’s my favorite, and you’ve ruined everything.” She storms off, leaving her lunch untouched. My mom quickly follows, leaving me at a table with ten other seven-year-olds.

“Hey,” I say, waving, but they’re throwing daggers at me. “Right. I’ll just eat my lunch then.” This is likely the last meal I’ll ever eat. I expect my lynching to happen by dinnertime, all because our town sweetheart had to break the law.

Five

Delaney

Under the potted plant, my parents still hide the key to their house. I slide it into the lock, turn and press down on the trigger to open the door. The smell of freshly baked cookies, cinnamon and the overall feeling of warmth washes over me. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, letting the stress of Hollywood leave me. It’s good to be home.

I set my bags down in the entryway and take in the decorations. Garland and white lights wrap the staircase, with red bows scattered throughout. I’m eager to see our Christmas tree. When my parents had our family room remodeled, it became one of my favorites of the house, especially during the holidays. My mom always took decorating to a whole new level.

When I step into the kitchen, I’m surprised to find my mother… well, the backside of my mom because she’s bent over with her head in the oven. I hadn’t thought she’d be here, and the now fresh cookies I smelled when I walked in make sense. I wait until she pulls herself out before I alert her to my presence. She sits back on her heels, with black gunk all over her gloved hands.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Delaney!” she screeches. She stands and walks toward me. I want to hug her, but the thought of getting dirty doesn’t sit well with me. “Let me clean up. I wasn’t expecting you for another hour or so.”

“I thought I texted you my flight times.” On the counter the cookies are calling my name. I grab one and bite into it. It’s still warm, making the chocolate gooey. “So good,” I mumble in between bites.

“You did, but I still get confused on the time zones. Now give me some sugar,” she says once her hands are clean. I stuff the rest of the cookie into my mouth before falling into her arms. Unsuspectingly, tears start to fall as I bury my face in my mom’s shoulder. I shouldn’t cry over Trey, but I can’t help the ache I feel in my heart. For a brief moment, I thought he was the one. I never thought he was having an affair or suspected him of being the type of man to do so. Now I wonder if I was his side-chick or a publicity stunt. I have a feeling it’s the latter. It’s a known fact in the industry that some people use others to advance their careers.

My mom continues to hold me, much like she’s done time and time again, through the bumps and bruises, and other heartaches I’ve experienced over the years. I know it was only six months, but still. Knowing I didn’t mean anything to him hurts.

I’m the first one to pull away. Mom runs her hands up and down my shoulders and offers me a soft smile. “You gonna be okay?” she asks.

I nod. “I am. I’m shocked and mad that I didn’t know or figure it out. Even thinking about him now, and his actions… I don’t know. I didn’t see him like this.” I shrug and go back to the cookies. My mom hands me a plate, which I pile them on to. I go to the kitchen table and stare out the back window. “How come you don’t have a tree yet?”

“Your dad has been busy and with neither you nor Dom living at home, it’s hard to get into the spirit sometimes.”

There’s a deer traipsing through my parents’ backyard, her hooves leaving indents in the snow. I watch as she heads to a bale of hay that my dad makes sure the animals have to eat during the winter.

“I’ve missed this,” I say, motioning toward the yard. “Everything in Los Angeles is concrete. Sure, we have parks, but the houses and buildings are on top of each other. There’s no space. No freedom.”

“Are you talking about freedom from the press?” Mom asks from behind me. I turn to see her setting a glass of milk down onto the table. I smile and pull the chair out so I can sit down.

“Simplicity. The ability to breathe. I don’t know. I can’t explain it. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulder. And yeah, the lack of paparazzi is a plus.”

“Do they bother you much?”

I shrug and pick up another cookie, dunking it into my milk. “They do and don’t. Obviously now, I’m a headline. The scorned girlfriend or the blind one who didn’t know her boyfriend was cheating on her.” I take another bite and chew.

“And now you’re home, you’re local news.”

I look at her oddly. “What are you talking about?”

My mom smiles and starts laughing. “You were pulled over by Aiden Fisher for speeding.”

“How do you even know that?”