I know I could look her up on Snapchat but that would make me seem like a loser who can’t just wait for her. So I decide to wait for her.
My doorbell rings a little while later, and it’s the mail man, Jerry. He doesn’t bring the Santa letters at the same time as the regular mail, instead waiting until after his regular shift is over. I never answer the door, but I don’t think he expects me to. He just drops off the bag of letters, rings the doorbell, and walks away.
Today, like the last couple of days, I rush out there and drag the bag of letters into the dining room. Then I shuffle through them, searching for a reply from Jayda. Today is my lucky day.
I rip open her letter and read it through. Her mom was an admin assistant, which is good news. If she was a teacher or something, I don’t think I’d be able to help her. Her brother wants a dog. She doesn’t specify which dog, and she doesn’t seem think Santa will bring her a real dog anyway.
I gaze at the stack of letters in front of me, wondering what I should do about Max’s present. Then something catches my eye. It’s actually not a letter at all, but a manila envelope that’s addressed to Santa’s Elves. I open it, my jaw dropping when I see a stack of cash inside. There must be a thousand dollars here.
I tip the envelope upside down and a folded letter falls out. It’s thick and several pages long.
Dear Connor,
I feared the tradition would end this year, but then I heard you are taking over as Santa. Your mom would be so proud of you. Please see enclosed for a list of this year’s underprivileged children. If you need any help, just give me a call.
Happy holidays, and my thoughts are with you and your family.
Judy Price
What on earth? I look through the papers, and see lists of kids, ages, and stuff they want for Christmas. A lump rises in my throat. It’s clear they want me to use the donated money to buy gifts for these kids, but I have no idea where to begin. Why did I go talk to Mrs. Harris? I should have never taken this over. I can’t just ignore the letters anymore… I have a stack of money and a huge obligation.
I leave everything on the dining table and take a walk to clear my head. Then, when it’s late enough for Dad to be off work at the oil rig, I give him a call.
“Good to hear your voice,” he says. “How are you doing?”
“I’m kind of freaking out,” I say. Then I explain the letters and the money.
“I’m sure you can take it to Mrs. Harris and tell her you don’t want to do it,” Dad says, ever the logical yet unemotional one.
I sigh. “She thinks I’m going to answer the letters. But I didn’t know all this money and present buying came with the job. Why did I never see Mom do any of this?”
“Your mother didn’t want people to know that she bought presents for some kids who needed it,” he says. “She didn’t want anyone to feel embarrassed.”
“I can’t believe she kept this from me.”
Dad chuckles. “You were never really interested in the Santa letters.”
I guess he’s right. Mom would spend hours a day in the dining room, studiously writing back on the Santa stationary and I never paid much attention.
“I’m not replying to these letters,” I say. “There’s way too many. And I’m not buying presents, either. Maybe I’ll just return the money to whoever sent it.”
“Go for it,” Dad says. “Someone else will pick up the slack. They can’t expect you to do all of that work, you’re just a kid.”
I roll my eyes. I’m almost eighteen, but I’m not about to argue because I really don’t want to do this. “So it’s cool if I send it back and ditch this whole thing?”
“Of course,” Dad says. “Don’t do anything you don’t want to. Just tell them it’s too painful since your mom died this year.”
A painful knot in my stomach makes it hard to breathe. It is too hard. Mom hasn’t been gone very long. That’s a perfectly logical excuse.
But what if I want to use some of the money for Jayda’s brother and then give the rest back? They would think I’m a jerk.
“Dad, there’s another reason I called. My friend’s mom needs a job and she’s an experienced admin assistant. Do you think they are hiring at the office?”
The office is my dad’s main corporation that’s located here in town. They staff a lot of engineers and machine shop guys as well as office people. Only a few of the employees go offshore, like my dad.
“How badly does she need a job?” Dad asks.
“Really bad.”
