Page 43 of This Mate Thing

"What's on your schedule in school today?"

"We're gonna send a letter to Santa."

I stop looking at the screen and focus on Ira."To Santa?"

He pulls a face, and my heart sinks.I've never sold the whole Santa-thing.I don't know, something about lying to a child about there being magic in the world makes me uneasy.He's supposed to be able to trust me at all times, know what I tell him is the truth.I haven't said Santa doesn't exist, and I've always put the presents under the Christmas tree after he has fallen asleep, so it'll look like Santa was there while we slept, but I haven't worked super-hard on making him believe.

"It was homework to make our parents write their lists."

"What?"

He sighs and holds the phone out to Boris, then he slides down from the counter and walks out of the kitchen.A moment later, he comes back with two sheets of paper in his hand."Here."He puts them on the kitchen table."You're supposed to write your list."

Two sheets of paper.One for mom and one for dad.I force a smile."Okay.Once I've written my list, then what?"

"I'll take it with me to school, and we'll put them all in an envelope and send them to Santa."

The sizzle of Boris pouring batter into the skillet fills the silence.

I nod at Ira."Okay.What about your list?"

"We're to write it in school."

What the hell?I won't be able to see it if he writes it in school.What if he thinks he'll get whatever he writes in the letter, and then Christmas turns out to be a major flop because I fail to deliver?

"Do you have Santa's address?"Boris flips the pancakes."I want to send him a list too.I think I've been a good boy, for the most part, at least."

Ira rolls his eyes."No, but I have two papers.You can write one, and Dad can write one, and I'll include it in the letter."

"Aww, thank you, Ira.I want those brown and white chocolates shaped as seashells."

I open the junk drawer and pull out a pen, then I leave the kitchen to put on a shirt.

* * * *

Chapter 21

Boris

I watch as Simon leaves the room.I'm not sure where we stand, but it's later's problem.I pour more batter into the skillet and focus on Ira."Write it down.Seashell chocolate."

He grabs the pen and pulls one of the lists to him.Can he write?I move a little closer and watch as he writes Boris on the line for the name.It's a little crooked but readable.

"How do you spell chocolate?"

I spell it out for him one letter at a time, smiling at Simon as he comes back.He looks between Ira and me and gives me the tiniest head shake before grabbing another pen from the drawer.

"What else?"Ira looks up at me.

"Fuzzy socks."

"Fuzzy socks?"

"Of course."I throw my hands in the air, though I'm holding the spatula in one of them, so the effect isn't as impressive as it normally would've been.

Ira adds my fuzzy socks to the list.

"How many things are there room for?"