Page 24 of A Little Snowed In

“Let’s count down.”

“Ten, nine, eight…” Daddy was taking too long.

“Three-two-one!” I said in rapid succession and tossed it in.

There wasn’t much “bomb” to the bath bomb. The capsule inside was pretty big, and when Daddy cracked it open for me, out came a dragon dressed in a Santa suit. A Christmas dragon. I didn’t play with any of my other toys that tubby. Instead, dragons swooped and swam with the dolphins, like the story Daddy told me. The dolphins being my toes.

When I first heard that a bath was the beginning of the day, my intention was to go really fast and get it done so I could see my surprise. But I ended up having so much fun that I only left when Daddy insisted, telling me cold water and wrinkled skin weren’t good for me.

I worried he was going to make me eat breakfast first. Instead, he put me in the Christmas jammies that matched his. Sort of. Same pattern but mine had feet on them and were very little, and his were a normal button-down and pants. We looked adorable.

“Let’s go see your surprise. Last year, I didn’t get you any presents, so, this year, Daddy may have gone overboard.”

I stopped right there and looked up. “Daddy, last year you gave me the best Christmas present ever. You were here.” I made a growly face, or I thought I did. His smile, and his attempt to hold in his laughter, told me I’d missed my mark.

“Merry Christmas.” He opened the door.

I walked inside. He’d strung Christmas tree lights around the ceiling, sparkling red and green. A medium-sized Christmas tree stood in the corner by the table, but none of that was the surprise, not even the present underneath it.

In the far corner, there was a castle that we could both climb inside. It was a cross between a tent and a play structure, and it looked like he built it himself out of parts from both.

“You made that just for me?”

“I did. It was hard sneaking around and then being able to finally piece it together yesterday. Go inside. Check it out.”

I crawled over and into it to find a huge stuffed dragon with the same opalescent teal scales as the dragon in the book. The same pendant, the same violet eyes. My dragon. I reached out a hand to his side, wondering how it would feel. It wasn’t prickly at all but smooth. He was perfect.

“Where did you find him?”

“Daddy found someone to make it for you. And look what’s in front of him.”

On the floor lay a book:Nico’s Dragon Tales. I plopped down criss-cross applesauce, put it on my lap, and opened it up. There were illustrations and stories, but these weren’t just any stories. These were the ones Daddy had told me, the first one about the carnival.

I set the book to the side and pulled Daddy down so he was in my lap, holding him close, tears flowing from my eyes.

“I love everything about my surprise. This…this was the place I’d never imagined. I don’t know how you did all this, but thank you. Thank you for the stories. Thank you for making sureI never forget them. Thank you for seeing me, for loving me, for being there for me. I love you, Daddy. Merry Christmas.”

“It’s me who should be thanking you, Nico. You made my life worth living, not just going through the motions. Merry Christmas.”

My stomach grumbled. Traitor.

“Sounds like it’s time to eat. You can play with your toys later.”

“But, Daddy…”

“No buts,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me up. “Remember, I said I have rules, and one of them is making sure you’re eating healthful food.”

Thankfully, “healthful” on Christmas morning was Christmas-tree-shaped waffles with lots and lots of whipped cream.

Best. Daddy. Ever.