Page 24 of A Little Christmas! 4: Song

“Uh-huh,” they murmured against his chest.

“Then let the snow-snow feast begin.”

Chapter 9

(Zachy)

Sitting surrounded by a group of children in a brightly colored gecko costumes, Zachy stayed perfectly still as three of the beautiful lizards crawled up his arms and thigh, while the fourth was perched on his head, a safe distance away from the hands that reached to touch them.

Quiet so as not to scare them, the kids softly ooed and awed as they stretched their fingers out to feel how smooth they were. It was the best feeling in the world to be a part of teaching them something new, rather than how not to be naughty, which had been the purpose of the naughty weasel he’d previously played on his show.

Several feet away sat the former Oswald the Owl, currently Sinclair the Sea Turtle, who was teaching kids all about the dangers of dumping trash and plastic in the ocean and what happened to turtles who got tangled in plastic six-pack rings, while across the room, another group of kids was learning about how the collection of too many seashells had started to affectthe ocean’s various hermit crabs, who relied on the shells for protection, as well as a means of creating homes for themselves. For that purpose, his suit had been crafted with a blue plastic cup rather than a shell to help drive home the point, as well as the one about always remembering to throw their trash in a designated waste can rather than leaving it on the beach, where it could be washed into the ocean.

The new direction the show had taken had allowed Zachy to find his passion for acting again, whereas just the year before he’d been considering leaving the show when his contract was up. Not only that, but each actor had a variety of costumes and parts to play now, instead of just one. Tapping into his creative side to bring each one to life was amazingly freeing and helped him expand his range and show off some of the talent that had been stifled by always having to be in naughty mode.

Today’s take was the final one before their vacation began, and the best part was that the show’s managers had determined that rather than three weeks off, the cast would have five paid weeks to enjoy time free of costumes and the harsh lighting that left them sweaty and exhausted by the end of the afternoon. They’d also announced that come the new year, they would no longer be working late on Wednesday nights, which meant that Zachy could finally go back to his bowling league. His daddy would be joining him, something they were both excited about. He’d missed Wednesday nights at Blondies, bowling and indulging in some of the most amazing seafood and cheesecake in town.

The studio had made a few improvements too, spurred on by the skyrocketing ratings that had followed the change in formatting. While they had consistently been one of the highest-rated children’s programs on the network, now they’d firmly claimed the number one spot and held it for a solid three quarters, with none of the other shows even coming closeto dethroning them. Between its interactive nature and wide spectrum of educational topics, they’d grown their viewership and, in the process, earned a bump in pay for the cast and crew. Requests for them to attend signings and events had come pouring in at a higher volume, with showrunners discussing the potential for overseas signings in the upcoming year.

Zachy was on cloud nine as they wrapped up the final episode and watched as his animal counterparts were carefully removed by their handlers. When the final gecko was removed from the top of his head, Zachy opened his arms so the children could hug him before returning to where their parents sat in the audience.

No longer the outcast, he walked to the dressing room with the rest of the cast, where catering had left icy cold drinks, fruit, sandwiches, and treats for them to nibble on as they waited for their turn in the shower room. They’d earned a bigger dressing room too and an expanded bathroom with three shower stalls and wall-mounted blow dryers, so they no longer had to leave the studio with damp hair despite how much they rubbed it with their towels. Compared to the small bathroom they’d previously shared, it was positively luxurious.

While he usually waited to shower with the second wave of performers, tonight his Papa had promised them a special surprise when they got home, one Zachy was excited to get to. Fortunately, no one else was in as big of a hurry, and he was able to slip in the moment he’d shed his costume and hung it in its dry-cleaning bag to be cleaned before the next time he had to wear it.

Daddy was waiting on the bench in the dressing room when Zachy emerged, Zachy’s backpack resting by his feet as he fiddled with his phone.

“I’m ready,” Zachy declared as he hurried across the room to hug him.

Being wrapped in one of Daddy’s epic squishy hugs felt positively amazing. Sinking into it, Zachy rested his head on his daddy’s shoulder and sighed, thrilled at the prospect of waking up snuggled to him in the morning with no worries about an alarm going off to interrupt the moment.

The feel of Daddy’s fingers carding through his hair was always soothing, though he knew that his Daddy had another reason for doing it. He always made sure that Zachy’s hair was completely dry before they headed out, especially on cold, windy, snowy days like this one. Even with the collection of silly, fluffy hats he’d required, Daddy worried about him catching a chill. Being looked after so completely was a welcome change from the years he’d spent on his own, and Zachy was eager to start five fun-filled weeks together.

“We’ve just got one quick stop to make first,” Daddy said as they drew apart.

“Ohh, where?”

“Can’t tell you that; it’s part of the surprise,” Daddy said as he adjusted the hat on Zachy’s head to make certain it covered his ears before they headed out.

The cold was so sharp and biting when they stepped out, the fierce howling of the wind stealing his breath away, forcing Daddy to wrap an arm around him and guide him to where his SUV sat in the parking lot behind the studio. Daddy and Papa both had muscle cars in the garage that they drove during nice weather, but after last year’s blizzard, they’d each opted to purchase four-wheel-drive vehicles for winter weather, grocery shopping, and the rare trips they went on.

Zachy loved those, especially when it meant he had plenty of room to stretch out and play with his toys in the backseat. He hoped that soon Song would be able to join them on one. Each night their video chats had grown longer, even after Papa had created a group chat so they could all be on the feed together.

Snow flurries flew as they headed off into the night, his eyes growing heavy after the long hours I’d spent in costume.

“Zachy!”

Zachy jerked awake to a blast of cold air and a squealing voice in his ears as arms draped over his shoulders and hugged him to the seat. For a moment Zachy simply sat there confused, until he realized who was excitedly hugging him.

“Oh my gosh, Song!”

The seatbelt wouldn’t let him turn, and his brain was a crazy mix of foggy and excited as he fumbled with the latch. Then Daddy’s fingers were there, pressing the button so Zachy could turn in his seat and cling to Song.

“Surprise!” Song said.

There was snow in his hair and lashes, making him look like a snow fairy as they drew apart. On the back seat beside him were three backpacks, though they didn’t stay there long, as Daddy got out and loaded them in the back so Zachy could scramble out of his seat and into the back seat with Song.

“Oh my gosh, are we having a playdate?” Zachy asked, still sleep-fuzzy and confused, since it was a Wednesday night and late, meaning he usually went to bed almost as soon as they got home from the studio.