Christmas with the Calvins

Chapter Nine

Christmas Eve finally arrived. With Jess and Charlie's help, the elves were more prepared for the big night than they had been in years. Just hours before Santa and his reindeer would leave for the big night Bernard called for an important meeting. Scott, Charlie, Jessie, Judy and Quintin met him outside of the Research and Development Department.

"Good, everyone's here." Bernard nodded as he mentally took roll. "Santa, this is Quintin." He introduced Scott to the head of Research.

"Quintin, Good to meet you!" Scott shook the elf's hand. He was making a point to learn the names of all his elves.

"Hello Santa." The elf greeted him back. "Charlie and I have put our heads together, and I think we've got a few surprises for you." Quintin swung the doors to his department wide open, inviting the others inside.

"This is some of the best stuff that's come out of the workshop since...the ball!" Bernard marveled as he led the way.

"Fabulous." Santa said sarcastically. "Did you make me something in case I fall of the roof, Sport?" Scott looked down at his son hopefully. Charlie didn't answer his father. He just walked through the department proudly with Jessie and Judy on either. The tour stopped first at a metallic red jumpsuit. After ensuring everyone was a safe distance away, Quintin pushed a big red button that ignited two jets of flame. The flames shot up from the floor at the suit.

"Fireplaces will no longer be a problem." Bernard declared proudly. When the flames were extinguished the suit still looked shiny and new.

"It's a new fabric." Quintin explained. "Completely flame retardant. It's light, yet durable."

"And you can wear the jumpsuit underneath your coat and pants." Judy pointed out.

"But what do I do, if I fall off a roof?" Scott repeated his main concern.

"Just don't fall off the roof." Jessie suggested as if it were that easy.

Outside of the workshop, Santa was getting ready for his take-off. The reindeer were harnessed, his magic gift bag and all the presents were placed in the back of sleigh, there was even a seat belt up front for Charlie. While the elves gave to sleigh its final check, Scott noticed something in his seat. A red and white striped length of rope. What's this? Santa thought to himself as he picked it up. There was a note attached to the rope: From Comet to Santa. Smiling Scott looked for the reindeer in the line-up of eight.

"Comet, did you make this card?" He asked. The reindeer produced a throaty noise of agreement and nodded his head. "It's a nice rope." He appraised the bundle in his hand. "This in case I fall off the roof?" Again Comet grunted and nodded. "Comet, this means a lot to me." Santa reached out and scratched his reindeer behind the ear.

The final checks were completed and all of the North Pole's residents stood outside to see Santa off. Charlie immediately climbed into the passenger's seat of the sleigh and buckled his seat belt. Jessie wrapped her arms around her father's neck to share a hug with him.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Scott offered to her one last time.

"I'm not a fan of commercial flying." Jessie's face twisted into a look of disgust. "I don't see how a sleigh would be any different. Merry Christmas, Daddy." Standing on her tip-toes, Jess kissed her father on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Princess." Scott replied. He sat down next to Charlie in the sleigh.

"Merry Christmas, Jess!" Charlie yelled down from his seat.

"Merry Christmas, Buddy!" She hollered back. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you before."

"It's okay!" Her little brother promised.

"All right, let's go!" Scott ordered, picking up his reins. "Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen..."

"On Comet, On Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!" Charlie finished for his dad and the reindeer began to hover above the ground. Scott and his son waved down at Jess, Bernard and the rest of the elves while they were talking off.

Scott and Charlie hadn't been delivering gifts for very long when they young boy had the craving for some hot chocolate. He leaned forward and immediately Scott began to panic.

"Charlie, stay in your seat!"

"Hang on," His son ignored him. "I Gotta show you this." Santa looked away from the sky to see what his son was doing.

"Oh, a CD. Compact Disk. Cool, Sport." He nodded before looking back up.

"No!" Charlie pushed a button and two cookies popped out. He pushed a second button and warm hot cocoa began to flow into two pewter mugs. "CD stands for Cookie and Cocoa Dispenser!"

"How could I have done this without you, Charlie?" Scott joked as he sipped from a cup of Judy's warm Hot Chocolate.

"You couldn't." The little boy replied seriously. "Look, there's Mom and Neil's street!" Charlie pointed at the city blocks below. "Can we go there next?"

"Sure." Scott agreed.

"Good." Charlie smiled. "Jessie helped me make something for them at the workshop."

With the reindeer and Charlie parked on the roof of Neil's house, Scott went down the chimney and began placing gifts under Laura's tree.

"Freeze!" An unfamiliar voice called out to Santa. On instinct Scott froze. He was surprised, but relieved to see it was only a couple of policemen.

"Oh!" Scott breathed with relief. "Ho-ho-ho! You officers really gave me a scare, Merry Christmas!" He said in his jolly holiday voice.

"No for you, fat boy!" One of the officers said as he turned on the light.

"Fat boy?" The father of Christmas repeated. He stood still as the two office removed him from the home. "Guys, I've got a lot of work to do. This is a big mistake really!" Santa's hat fell off as he was carried from the room. "You gotta watch the suit too. This is so old, it's an antique."

"Where's the boy?" One of the officers demanded. For the first time that night Scott was glad Jessie had stayed at the pole with Bernard, she be safe there. He didn't understand exactly what was going on, but he did have a feeling it had to do with Laura and Neil.

"Charlie?" Scott asked. "He's in the sleigh." Charlie watched helplessly from the top of the roof as his father was forced into a squad car and taken away.