This winter I found true love! (A 'The Santa Clause' Story)

chapter 15= Magic in the air.

Julia's POV

It was thanksgiving...

My dad and I were walking down Laura and Niel's street.

We then came to their house.

We watched Charlie, Laura, and Niel sat at the dining table, preparing thanksgiving dinner.

I saw the snow globe that Bernard gave Charlie, on the table in front of Charlie. He stared at it with sad eyes.

Dad started to walk up the steps to their house.

I stayed back.

He then turned.

I looked at him for a few seconds.

I then pulled the beanie I wore off of my head, and left my candy cane hair on show. Along with my pointy elf ears.

I smiled at dad and walked up the steps to their house.

We eventually came to the front door.

Dad knocked on the front door, and a few seconds later, Niel opened the door.

"Hey, Niel." I greeted with a sigh.

"Hey, Niel." Dad greeted.

"Scott? Jules? You're not supposed to be here!" Niel folded his arms like a security guard at a night club.

"Don't make my dad and I beat you up, Niel." I mimicked his arm fold.

"Oh, would Santa really beat someone up?" Niel snarkily spat.

"I'm this close." Dad threatened, showing the gap between his fingers. It was very thin.

I tried to enter the house, but Niel held an arm out across me to the doorway, blocking my way.

"Rude." I muttered under my breath.

"So you still believe you're Santa?" Niel asked, not taking his eyes off of my dad.

"... I don't know." Dad stated with honesty.

"What do you mean you don't know?" I heard Charlie's voice.

Niel looked over his shoulder at Charlie, and, as he did, I ducked under his arm and into the house, dad following in hot pursuit.

"Of course you are, dad. How can you say that? Think of all those kids." Charlie eyes stared at dad, sadness filling them to the brim.

"The only kids I'm thinking about are you and your sister." Dad gestured to us both.

"Dad, Charlie and I are fine." I whined.

"You can't let them down. They all believe in you." Charlie whined.

"Charlie, listen." Niel crouched down to Charlie.

"You listen! You think you know who he is. You don't!" Charlie exclaimed.

Niel looked back at dad and I with anger in his eyes.

"Charlie. Honey, Listen. You're confused." Laura bent down to my brother.

"Jules and I know exactly who he is." Charlie sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"Charlie. He's not Santa!" Niel raised his voice slightly.

"He is too Santa! And I have a feeling that Jules is an elf!" Charlie looked at me.

Laura released a low chuckle, as her eyes turned to me.

"Mom, I hate to say it, but... He's right! This whole candy cane hair and beanie situation was because I wanted to hide... These." I lifted my hair up to reveal my pointy elf ears.

Confusion with a dash of shock struck Laura and Niel like lightning.

"See! It's all true! We went to the North Pole together. I saw it! The elves are real old even though they look like me! Bernard called my sport, because he knew everything. Right, dad?" Charlie's teary eyes looked up at dad.

Dad stood there, and didn't say a word.

"Remember!" Charlie suddenly tossed his snow globe Bernard gave him to dad.

He caught it and stared at it for a few moments.

I looked over dad's shoulder as the snow pieces swirled around, revealing the beautiful scenery of the North Pole. Elves hard at work, reindeers taking their flying lessons, and the cheery atmosphere filling the area inside the globe.

I then pulled the mini snow globe Bernard had given me last Christmas and watched the same swirling snow pieces.

My snow globe then revealed a moving image of Bernard. He was smiling at me and giving me a two-finger salute.

I smiled to myself.

My dad and I looked up from our snow globes to Charlie.

Charlie's smile returned as he ran up to us and hugged us both so tight.

"Thank you, Charlie. Thank you." Dad said in the hug.

"I love you, guys." Charlie whispered.

We then pulled out of the hug.

Dad then turned to Laura and Niel.

"Could you guys leave us alone for a minute? I mean, so we can say goodbye to him properly?" Dad asked.

Laura nodded. Niel shook his head. Laura sighed. Niel stormed off down the hall. Laura followed him, leaving dad, Charlie, and I alone.

"You saw! You saw the ball come to life!" Charlie excitedly muttered.

"You bet I did! Well, Charlie. I guess we'd better go." Dad looked to me before getting up from his crouched position.

"I'll get my stuff!" Charlie exclaimed, running up the stairs.

"Wait, sport. Wait, wait, wait." I called to him, chuckling lightly.

"We think it would be a much better idea... If you stayed here with your mom." Dad sighed.

"I want to be with you guys, dad." Charlie said.

"Boy, I love hearing you say that." Dad chuckled.

"You mean I can go?" Charlie asked with hope in his eyes.

My elf ears perked up at the sound of soft bell chimes.

I then turned around to see Bernard sitting at the dinner table, tasting a bit of turkey.

"Boy, this bird is dry. Haven't you people heard of basting?" He said with a full mouth.

"Bernard!" Charlie exclaimed with happiness, running up to the elf.

"Hiya, sport." Bernard stood from his seat, walked up to Charlie, and ruffled his hair.

"...hey." Bernard awkwardly said as his eyes shifted to me.

"... Hey." I replied, smiling at him.

"Bernard, can I go? Please, can I go, Bernard?" Charlie pleaded.

"It's okay with me." Bernard smiled cheekily at my dad.

My dad thought for a second.

No one's POV

Laura came dashing into the living room area a few moments later.

"Charlie, if..." She trailed off as she noticed... No one was here.

"Charlie?" She called. She looked at the front door and worry struck her like lightning.

Running out of the house, Laura called out from the front steps.

"Scott!" She looked all down the street.

"Charlie!!" She cried.

..... There's magic in the air this evening!
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