The Yule Clause

Chapter Ten When we had each other

1984

         Bernard was practicing his teleportation all over the North Pole. "To Santa" he thought to himself. But instead of appearing to where his father was, he appeared in a 5-year-old girl's bedroom; the elf looked around confused. "Who are you?" a little girl's voice appeared from the doorway. He turned around to see a little girl with red hair and blue eyes looking up at him. "Bernard." He answered. "Hi Bernard, I'm Mack Wolfe, it's short for Mackenzie." She smiled, showing no fear of the strange '12-year-old' boy standing in her room. "Why are your ears so pointy?" she asked. The elf smiled down at her. "I'm an elf."

"Do you know Santa Claus?" she asked.

"Yes." Bernard leaned closer to her. "Have you been a good girl this year?"

"Yes!"

"Then I'll put in a good word with him." He stood up straight, he wasn't sure if he should stay any longer. "It was nice to meet you Mackenzie, but I have to go." He smiled. "Aw, can't you stay?" she begged. He knew that everyone back home would be looking for the only son of Santa, but as an elf, even as a South Pole one, he couldn't say no to a child. "I can stay for a while." She took his hand and pulled him over to a small table. He sat down in one of the tiny chairs, as she set the table with a tea set and stuffed animals. The elf recognized the tea set, and stuffed animals from the workshop. "Sugar?" she asked, he nodded. The girl pretended to put some sugar into his cup. He picked it up. "This tea is great." He pretended to drink it. She smiled, happy that her new friend was having fun. After their tea party, they decided to play with her dolls. "Wait a minute!" she suddenly said. Bernard looked at her. "What?" he raised an eyebrow, wondering if he did something wrong in the game. "If you're an elf, then why are you so tall? And how do you know how to speak English?" she asked. That made the elf chuckle. "Because my father is a human who married a south pole elf, and they're taller than Santa's elves." He explained. "Okay...do you have any brothers or sisters?" she asked. Bernard smiled. "Yes, I have a little sister. Her name is Poinsettia." "Ooo, like the flower! That's pretty." She responded.

"Yeah, like the flower."

"Mack, dinner!" her mom Mary called. Was it really that late already?!
"I have to go now." Bernard stood up. "Aw, but I want you to stay for dinner!" Mackenzie said sadly, he looked down. "I can't, I'm sorry."

"Okay...but you'll come back and play right?" she was hopeful. The elf thought for a bit, because he didn't want to upset her, or want to ruin the Christmas spirit now that she saw and knew that he was an elf. "I'll see." He patted her head. "Bye Mackenzie." "Bye Bernard." Then, he disappeared.

She walked downstairs and to the dining-room, where her parents, Aunt Laura and Uncle Scott were. "Who were you talking to sweetie?" Mary asked as she sat down. "My new friend Bernard. He's an elf from the North Pole!" Mackenzie explained, her parents smiled at their daughter's wild imagination. "I invited him to stay for dinner, but he had to go home."