“Well, I’m closer to dead,” Red said wryly. “Just tell him, Benny.”
Benny held out the phone and spewed a long story about followers and hashtags and trending.Anda promised puppy.
Jack didn’t really respond until he clicked through a few of Benny’s little masterpieces, smiling, then chuckling, and finally laughing out loud.
“The Santa who’s had enough of Christmas.” He shook his head and grinned at Benny, then Red. “This is brilliant. Why are you keeping it a secret?”
“I’m not supposed to know how to use any of it,” Benny said. “I don’t have a phone. And my mom will kill me, not give me any presents, and I want that puppy.”
Jack’s shoulders moved in a soft laugh. “If technology doesn’t work out, Ben, you can be a lawyer. Also, not giving you a phone is like not giving Einstein a slide rule.”
“But it’s a rule and I’m breaking it. Please don’t tell anyone. Please.”
“I’ll keep your secret.”
“Thanks,” Red said. “’Cause it appears to be working.”
“Oh,you’rethe social media that got the reservations,” he said, his eyes flickering. “That’s awesome. Way to go, Grumpy. And…Steven Spielberg, Jr.”
“Who’s that?” Benny asked.
“Doesn’t matter, but I’d love to help,” Jack said. “Why don’t we do one tomorrow with me in that old carriage driving costume? I assume you still have that getup that makes me look like I stepped out of a Charles Dickens novel?”
“I think so,” Benny said. “Would it be in a box with a big, tall black hat?”
Jack made a face. “I look ridiculous in that thing but, yes, that’s my carriage gear.”
“Cool,” Benny said. “Now I’m going to go over there and start recording. Grandpa, you know what to do. Jack, cover for us if my mom comes out.”
He and Red shared a look, then both nodded. When Benny scrambled away, Jack turned to Red. “Good thing you’re doing with this kid, Red.”
Red put his hand on the side of the sleigh. “Good thingyou’regiving up your Christmas to help us.”
Jack nodded, silently, then added, “I admit, I get the feeling you aren’t overjoyed to see me.”
“’Cause I’m not.” He struggled to climb up, and Jack gave him a gentle hand and helped him onto the front bench, Red landing on the leather with a grunt. “But now you’re here.”
“I have to be back in Vermont for Christmas Day,” he said, looking up at Red.
“Huh.” Red said. “Just like old times.”
Jack grimaced. “Look, I want to help the lodge. I want to?—”
“Okay, Grandpa—ready? Look annoyed.”
He glanced at Jack. “That’s not hard.”
“That’s not the line, Grandpa!”
Jack stepped back and Red muttered, “You people owe me hazard pay.”
“Rolling!”
Red looked angrily into the night air. “I’m not comin’ in until someone brings me a cookie the size of my face.”
Jack cracked up but Red stayed in character, holding his scowliest face—and God had given him plenty of those.
Benny, the evil genius, had Red do the whole thing three more times after Jack whispered that he’d be right back. A minute later, he returned with a couple of Gracie’s cookies, one of which Benny filmed so close he had to have gotten sugar on the phone.
