My Wreckage: Camp Nanowrimo (July)- In Editing

Chapter 11: My Night As Santa (Troy)

Troy

"I never knew Santa Claus wore old spice." Zeke smirked propping on the door frame.

I gave a hard chuckle. Zeke and I had just got back on speaking terms, and I was still trying to be the mature older brother. I practically raised Zeke and seeing the man that Zeke had become, I couldn't help but be proud.

"Trying to hook a single mother at the party."

I laughed stalely again. "You know me."

His head fell brushing his fingers through his brown clean cut locks. He tugged at the hem of his leather jacket over his red MayDay! Shirt looking every bit the part of a flashy rock star and I stood there with a white beard around my chin looking every bit of the part of a mall Santa.

I struggled to channel the bubbly fat guy. I was glad that I was going to spend the holiday with my little brother, the town, but that developer that came in the morning before left me rattled. The community meeting next week couldn't. I had to say he picked the right weekend. Everyone was consumed with Christmas they didn't want to think of much else.

This was as far as I went to celebrating Christmas. Although I was glad that Zeke was here to celebrate, there was just something off about it. He hadn't been home in years and he had never been sentimental about these holidays.Nonetheless, I was glad to be around family.

As I turned into the block of the community center, I noticed that there were more cars than other Christmas'. It was probably because of Zeke. We didn't always have world wide celebrities on the island, I wouldn't have been surprised if people from off of the island, some die-hard fans that found out he was playing here decided to make the trip. I didn't care what brought them here, they were tourist and they brought business to our little island. That was my Christmas present for the businesses to continue to thrive and for everything I knew and loved to become some a snob hang-out.

I parked up the street, I grabbed my sack from the passenger seat, jogging, secretly hoping no kids would see me and have to deal with an awkward conversation about what happen to Santa's sleigh and why he was jogging through the streets of Trenton. I hustled around the back, where the scents from the kitchen allured me and made me remember I didn't eat much of anything. Just a heaping helping of stress and tourist catering.

I scrolled the wide room for Nick and his eyes met mine. He was by the grill, he shot me a quick nod. Shot him a wave. As I fixed my beard, and hat and noticed him laughing. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I didn't want to shout across the loud room, but the exchange from my best friend did put me in a better mood, as I rushed into the next room, where I dug in my bag to reapply my Old Spice hoping I didn't smell like sweat and what ever was cooking in the kitchen.

"It's about time." I noticed Mrs. Denison's smiling face coming from the entrance to the stage dressed as Mrs. Claus, I assumed from talking to Zeke. She brushed her fingers over my suit straightening out the creases. I almost chuckled with a lump in my throat. I knew she missed her husband. He was the one who used to do this, this was his suit and my first year. I knew I had big shoes to fill, and pants that were basically held up by tight suspenders under a large jacket.

She adjusted her glasses scrolling me. "Turn around." She said.

I turned and when I came back to look at her. Her eyes were glassy. I wrapped my arms around her.

"You look perfect." She whispered, "He would be proud."

I pulled at my suspenders. "We'll see how I do when I get out there."

She smacked my arm. "You'll do fine, sweetheart."

I offered my arm and she looped her hand in mine. We stepped into the large meeting room where we were met with a grand reception. I waved my gloved hand ho-ho'ing as loud as I could making my way to the two giant red thrones on the stage and sat down with my Mrs. Claus by my side, I started greeting the kids of Trenton. Some I knew by name, there were few I didn't know.

There was one with curly pigtails in ribbons that matched her red dress with small white dots. She skipped up to me bouncing like someone had given her a handful of candy and coffee. She jumped in my lap before I even got chance to pick her up, as she came down a pain shot up my leg and up my back. I tried not to show the pain in my face.

"Ho-ho-ho!" I said.

"Danielle." I heard Mrs. Denison whisper.

"Danielle!"

Her mouth opened. "How do you know my name?"

"Santa knows every girl and boy's name in the world."

"How?" She asked.

"Because I'm Santa."

"Yeah, but how?"

I chuckled with a Ho-ho-ho. "Santa is magic. What do you want for Christmas Danielle."

"Guess."

I blew out a breath. "Um...a dolly?"

"Nope."

I looked up and noticed the long line of frustrated parents, and suddenly I wondered where her parents were.

"A car for your dolly."

"Nope."

"Why don't you tell me?"

"I want a doggy." She squealed. I knew I would have been a jerk to tell her she was going to get a dog and let her parents deal with it when she didn't get one when Christmas came, but I decided not to. "Santa will try really, really hard."

"Thank you, Santa." She hugged me around my waist and a warm feeling went over me. "I love you, Santa."

I didn't want to say I love you too. I hadn't said that in years and I wasn't about to let it slip out with a little girl.

She bounced off my leg and scurried off the stage into the crowd hopefully to her parents.

"You'll never guess whose little girl that is."

Another heavyset kids jumped in my lap causing a grunt to escape my lips.

"You remember Scarlet right?"

My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach.

I looked at her.

Mrs. Denison smiled and nodded.

My body reacted on it's own. I stood up sliding the little boy off of my lap. Walking down the stage steps. I heard Mrs. Denison assuring the little boy that I would be back, which I was thankful for. I didn't want to be rude, I just needed to get a glimpse of her. I need to see that she that she was a beautiful worldly woman, that was happy and successful. I needed to know that she was living her dream, that she only came back to visit her family. I needed to know that made the right decision letting her go.

I looked around and caught sight of the little girl and pushed through the crowd, and noticed her jump into a woman's arms, the woman had a red satin dress that matched her daughter her dark hair pinned up tightly no sign of her beautiful curls but she could have dyed it. The girl rested her head on the lady's shoulder and turned a man who took the girl in his arms.

Then I noticed the man's face and my heart plummeted again. It was the developer. I grit my teeth as my eyes trailed to the woman's face. It was her.

It had been years. I couldn't pretend I never thought of her. I did all the time, everyday, every hour. She wondered in my dreams, and now here she was in his arms with their little girl, one big happy family trying to steal everything I worked all of my life for.

I had to leave I needed air, I couldn't breathe. I knew I was a jerk for being Santa and leaving early but my body fumed. I wanted to jump off of a cliff. It was a stab right through the heart. Seeing the imprint of the 'happy family' in my head. I was just going to let everyone down. I couldn't help it, I needed a drink. That was not how that was supposed to happen. I was going to be sick.

I propped my head in my arm on the side of the building taking in deep breaths. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I thought. It was a hard stab through my chest.