I tried to speak but shock stole my voice. Rafe was dressed as Santa.
The man who made it seem like he hated Christmas. What had changed?
Rafe grabbed one of the rocking chairs from the porch and carried it over to the outside tree they’d decorated in giant C7 bulbs.
The kids fell in line behind him, and as soon as he sat and motioned with one hand, a kid tore across the snow and clambered into his lap.
I’d never seen kids make a line or be so well-behaved with no one there to tell them what to do.
Must be the magical power of knowing Santa sat right in front of them.
No one wanted to risk losing out on their Christmas present because they jumped line or jostled too much.
Every single child on the premises raced over and joined the line that started several feet away from Rafe.
Soon, the line stretched all the way across the front of the house.
“Santa’s here.”
The same two words swept down the line. Soon, even parents joined their kids, and the line grew.
A boy next to me looked up and grinned. “He’s really here.”
“Doesn’t he always show up?” I needed clarification on my suspicions, and who better to ask?
He sniffled and rubbed his nose.
“Nope. First time I’ve ever seen him here.” He watched Rafe, his eyes filled with awe. “And he looks like the real one. This is so cool. I’ll for sure get my present this year.”
My heart pinched at the hopeful look in his dark eyes.
The boy stood on tiptoes to peer over another boy’s head. “Santa always delivers gifts on Christmas Eve, but he’s never taken requests like this before.”
He had to be seven or eight, right on that age where disbelief began to sink in.
I considered asking him more questions, but no way I’d be that person who put doubt in the boy’s head.
Let him believe in Santa.
Let him have these moments of hope and joy.
I made my way down the line, stopping to ask a few of the kids if they were warm enough or needed anything.
“Are you Santa’s elf?” The girl with pigtails stopped me by grabbing my hand.
“I… yes.” I nodded emphatically and winked. “I’m Santa’s elf.”
“Good.” She didn’t say a word about my wearing the wrong thing or being the wrong size.
She simply accepted that I told her the truth.
Oh, to have that kind of faith in people.
“I’m glad you get to see Santa today.”
Her face pinched into a frown. “Me too. I tried to catch him last year when he brought my presents, but he figured out my trap.” She huffed and raised pleading eyes to mine. “Please don’t tell him. I wasn’t going to do anything bad, honest. It was just, well… I found out the day before that my best friend didn’t get to see Santa. She was new in town, and she thought he wouldn’t know where to find her.”
A woman a bit further down the line spoke up. “He made it to her house anyway.” She squeezed the hand of a little boy. “Just like he made it to ours. Santa never leaves anyone without a gift.”
