The Workshop: A "The Santa Clause" Fanfiction. (Bernard x Female OC)

Here's Neal's Number, So Call Him Maybe

We got to the Osso Buco's and sat down at a table for four. I was surprised they were finally open, although they were pretty busy. Many families with children and grandparents sat around us.

The waitress, an older woman with grey hair and a thick Italian accent came over to start taking our order. She had a big smile on her face.

"Oh dear! Is this some sort of late holiday drive?" She looked excited looking at us. I looked among the three of us. We did look like we were part of some theatrical play or toy drive. Dad's hair was long and white, and his beard was starting to get perfect little wispy curls despite just shaving hours earlier. He was also wearing a red coat, which didn't help. Bernard was of course Bernard, and I... I suppose with my Christmas sweater I also may look like part of the whole thing.

Both Bernard and Dad suddenly looked at me in surprise. They also seemingly scanned the table because of what the waitress said, and they both landed their eyes on me. "What?" I mouthed.

"Ears-" Dad whispered in a strained voice, pointing at the side of his head.

I reached my hand up to my ears and immediately yanked it away. No way they changed from the time we walked in to when the waitress sat us at the table.

"Let's see, we have Santa and his three little elves here?" The waitress was also looking at my ears, then at Bernards.  "Do you want three kids menus?" I tried my best to speak but my words were frozen, so I just forced myself to smile.

"Just one," Dad answered for us, after a moment of shock. "And we'll do waters for everyone too." He smiled a tight smile and she nodded, before walking off to grab the menu for Charlie.

Charlie immediately jumped up and came around the table to stand next to me. He started pulling and tugging on my ear, trying to look at it. Dad also leaned closer, trying to get a better look. I stood up.

"OKAY, you can stop treating me like a zoo animal!" I walked to the bathroom, trying to stay calm.

I looked in the mirror, and sure enough, there were two long pointed ears coming off the side of my head. Just to make sure, I tried to yank on one to see if it would come off as if it was simply a prank, but no. It was not a prank. All that happened was my ear turned a bit pink and ached after.

I couldn't stop staring, it was so peculiar. Thankfully it was a single-stall bathroom, so nobody would see me in there with my jaw dropped open to the floor. I took my hair down from the bun it was in so that it covered my ears. Even then, the tips still tried to show through, but it wasn't as noticeable as before. I took a couple of deep breaths, looked down, then slowly looked back up into the mirror.

I screamed.

I was almost expecting them to disappear, but they weren't. I shook my head, putting my hands over my eyes so I wouldn't have to look at my weird ears any longer.

I forced another smile onto my face and walked back out to join my family... and Bernard, at the table.

"You know kid, they don't look that bad." Dad tried to comfort me but he just kept staring, his eyes round and a little scared looking.

"You'll get used to them." Bernard had at some point reached to the table behind him and grabbed a garlic breadstick, because he was eating. Although, the people didn't seem to notice that. "Give it a few days."

"I have eleven months until November... More than eleven months! It's the beginning of January! I'm going ot have to hide these all year long!!" I was doing everything in my will to keep myself from yelling at Bernard.

"Now Barrabas," Dad said crossing his arms, "Is there not anything you can do to fix it until then?"

"I'm not going to "magic her ears away" so she can fit in better. She'll never learn to accept herself if her transformation didn't take time like this. Same thing goes for you. You'll never learn to be Santa if you keep shaving your beard, so I've been making sure it comes back." Bernard shot him a look. "And don't call me Barrabas."