Page 132 of Santa Daddies

I’d made it all the way into the kitchen and had her backed up against the counter, her eyes wide as she realized I meant business and before I could make good on my naughty intentions, Bernadette’s voice came over the house intercom, interrupting our moment.

“Santa, we have a minor emergency and we need your assistance at the workshop.”

I could feel the energy get sucked from the room as my little elf’s entire demeanor changed. Honestly so did mine, but there was no time to process my own feelings when hers were so large. Reaching out, she turned off the music and took my hat off her head.

“Guess you’ll be needing this,” she said as she tossed the hat onto the counter beside us. “I’ll pack up some breakfast for you while you get ready.”

Her voice shook with her words almost like she was on the verge of crying as she tried to push away from me. I didn’t want to leave her like that. I couldn’t.

“I’m so sorry, little elf.” I wrapped her in a tight hug. Her body was stiff as she halfheartedly hugged me back.

“It’s fine. It's part of the job, right? I’m used to it.”

I hated the defeated tone in her voice. “It will get easier. I promise. It’s just because of how close we are to the big day.” I’d been way busier this year than ever before and I knew for a fact it would get easier as time went on. I’d lived my whole life as Santa’s son. I knew what it entailed. My father was home for dinner almost every night and it never felt like he was too busy for me or my mother. If he could juggle it so flawlessly, then so could I. My little elf though… I could tell she didn’t believe me.

“Santa, we really need you.” The intercom interrupted us again.

“Holy holly, I swear I’m going to rip that thing out of the wall,” I grumbled.

Crystal pushed out of the hug. “You need to go. Christmas is a couple days away. It's probably important.”

“It’s always important, but you’re important too.”

“Yeah,” she basically huffed, exhibiting her disbelief.

I opened my mouth to reassure her again when the intercom came to life once more. “Santa, please respond.”

Stomping to the wall, I hit the intercom button with way more force than necessary. “I’m coming, Bernadette. Tell everyone that everything is fine whether they think it is or not.” My tone was sharper than I’d intended because I was feeling the opposite of jolly in that moment.

“Thank you, Sir.”

I let go of the intercom button. “I swear elves are the biggest drama queens on the planet,” I grumbled.

Crystal smiled and it helped soothe the frustration that had been building since the first interruption to our morning.

“You better hurry or they’re going to send the guard out to escort you to the workshop.”

“You’re probably not wrong.” I sighed as I made my way back to her and kissed her on the cheek. “Breakfast smells amazing.Thank you for doing all that. I’ll eat it as soon as I get a minute. I love you, little elf.”

“I love you too.” She half smiled.

I hurried out the door, hoping that that minute would come sooner rather than later and already knowing I would be lucky if I even got to taste those pancakes before the lunch-hour bell rang.

Chapter Four

Crystal

I’d handed Yule his breakfast and accepted his goodbye kiss while trying not to scoff at his declaration that he would try to be home on time. I really did understand deep down that my feelings were one hundred percent selfish, but my head and my heart were apparently not on speaking terms because the half-cocked plan I’d come up with as I made breakfast this morning was starting to look better and better.

Nine times out of ten when he came home super late it was that gosh-dang-merry-fruitcaking naughty list that was causing the problems. And any time he seemed stressed, again, it was that list. If only I could figure out a way to make it not so finicky, maybe he wouldn’t have to spend so much time with it and he could spend more time at home… with me.

“Selfish,” I muttered again underneath my breath. But maybe it wasn’t. Santa was just as upset about the late nights and interruptions as I was, I could see it on his face and in his tired eyes. He needed a break from it for his mental health, just as much as I did. That was probably why it was a North Poletradition that everyone took the entire month of January off. That was a nice promise, but I honestly wasn’t sure he was going to make it that long. I knew I wasn’t. Not if something didn’t change and pronto.

“Good morning Mrs. Claus!” My young bright eyed helper elf, Trixie, came in the door. “What’s on our agenda for today?”

Eyeing the breakfast mess I’d made, and the abandoned pancakes, I nibbled the side of my lip. It was still uncomfortable having her clean up after us, but in that moment, I didn’t care.

An idea had taken root in my brain, and try as I might, I couldn’t get rid of it.