“I’ll call the school and let them know.” I glance over at her cheery round face. To some, she’s probably just a chubby girl with wild hair and little makeup, a twenty-three-year-old who dresses more like an old librarian. A plain, girl-next-door type. But to me, her clean face is like a breath of fresh air that caresses my skin when she smiles. Her untamed blonde hair is like the sun’s rays warming my heart and her blue eyes are a cloudless sky taking me to the heavens amongst the twinkling stars.
5
JOY
Keeping a six-year-old entertained is exhausting. I’m just chasing him around the shop floor as he goes from one activity to another. “Do you want to see Santa?”
He stops running around me with a toy helicopter. “Where?” He smiles, making his green eyes twinkle just like his dad’s on the rare occasion when Nick’s happy.
I wave my hand towards the makeshift grotto in the wooden toy section. “He’s here in the store.”
Theo’s shoulders deflate. “I know that’s not the real Santa.”
“How do you know that?” I bend at the knees so I’m level with him.
“My dad told me shops hire people to pretend to be Santa.” He sets the helicopter down and picks up a train from the display.
“Oh. Well, your dad should know. He’s hired this guy, but you know he reports back to Santa.”
Theo shakes his head, a crease forming between his eyebrows.
“So your dad hired someone from a trusted list of people who work for the real Santa. Come on, I’ll show you. I’m sure we can jump the queue and visit him.”
He pulls the train along a low wooden table in the toyshop. “It’s okay. Santa can’t give me what I want, anyway.”
“Of course he can. Did your dad tell you he doesn’t do expensive gifts?”
He shrugs. “There’s nothing I want this year.”
“There must be something.”
He pauses. “There is one thing I’ve wanted for a long time.”
“Okay. Let’s see Santa then.”
“Dad says he’s magic, but he can’t perform miracles.”
I let out a sigh when I realise what he’s talking about. I kneel on the floor next to him and pull another train along the track behind his. “You know my mum died when I was little, too.”
“How come?”
“She got sick. Is that what happened to your mum?”
His eyes sadden as his shoulders sag. He backs the train up, crashing it into mine. “Yes. I don’t remember her. Dad said I was just a baby.”
“Your dad’s right. Santa can’t bring your mum back. Not even God can do that, sweetheart.”
He stares at me with his dull green eyes, looking very much like his father. “I don’t want Santa to bring Mum back. I just want Dad to find a new wife, so he won’t be sad all the time.”
“Oh. Well, you could definitely ask Santa for that. Although you might have better luck asking for a PlayStation.” I give him a warm smile, knowing how grumpy his dad is. The chances of Nick finding a wife are slim to none. Then it hits me. That’s why he’s so grumpy all the time.
He’s lonely.
My dad was the same until he met Ruth. He threw himself into work and spent more time at the bank than he did with me. I don’t resent him for it. It was his escape. We all have our own way of dealing with stuff.
“Why don’t you have a think about it? And if you want to ask Santa for anything, just let me know and I’ll get you a VIP slot with the old man.”
Theo nods, then runs off when a scooter catches his eye. I chase after him as he weaves down the aisle and through the crowd.
