Alexander Matthew Frayne stared out the window of the townhouse in Boston. It was amazing to be in the city, nearly two hundred miles away from the little town he called home. Of course, having his two brothers also in residence brought a lot of home here. Justin was a year older and Jamie two years older. Still at home were the twins, Bailey and Finn and his only sister, Kimberly.
Which, according to his calculation, made him the unlucky middle child. You really couldn't count Bailey and Finn as two kids, since they were twins.
Not that his Mama or Dad or even any other members of his very extended family treated him any differently. It was just that he felt different, sandwiched in between his two older brothers and the younger family members.
Jamie (who suddenly took a notion he had to be called the more adult JW) was at Harvard, studying business and law. Justin was also at Harvard but was looking to become a doctor specializing in neurobiology.
Bailey and Finn were still in high school, but Bailey was talking about MIT and Finn wasn't talking about anything. Kimmie was going to be a forensic psychiatrist and detective.
And Alexander? Biological Oceanography was his passion. Ever since he could remember, he was fascinated by the sea and the creatures it sheltered. He was attending MIT, and at least he had a modicum of privacy there. He was not one of the Famous Fraynes there. First his father, then Jamie and Justin. It was sometimes a difficult legacy to live up to!
Not to mention his Mama and Aunt Honey. Being related to the women famous in law enforcement circles as the female Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson made for an interesting, if strange childhood.
He was alone in the Boston townhouse because Jamie and Justin were already in Sleepyside for the Christmas holidays. He was the only one not home yet, and that was because of the Grinch of a professor scheduling a final on December 23rd. What did the man think, all his students were locals? There was a whole bunch of grousing going on, but the prof stood firm.
December 23rd and that was it.
It already snowed some in the past few weeks, and Alex felt appropriately Christmassy. He just wanted to get home to see his family, all of them, even Kimmie. Granddad Matt would probably insist upon sending the company jet to pick him up, and Alex guessed that was a good thing, if a mite embarrassing. The Frayne kids were raised in a mansion or two; there was wealth beyond belief, but their parents never let them lord it over anyone. He should ask in class if anyone needed a ride to Westchester County Airport.
Oh, well. His brain was fried anyway. He might as well take a walk to Sciortino's and grab a couple of slices of pie and a Coke.
He opened the front door, only to be brushed back by a green whirlwind and a reindeer (?) pushing their way in. As the cold air swept in with them, he heard a squeaky little voice make a big demand.
"You have got to help us, Alex Frayne. Right now."
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Up in the North Pole, Santa shook his head. He pressed down on the button and bellowed into the intercom, not sounding at all like his jolly old self. "Elmer! Command Central, and right now!"
Elmer Elf, relaxing in his office as Grand Poohbah of the Elves or whatever his title was, rolled his lime green eyes. Seriously, the fat man in the red suit needed to chill. Everything was on schedule, even with elf mating season in full swing. It figures Christmas had to fall right when hormones were running rampant. It was a full-time job just to make sure everyone was meeting production.
Toy production, that is.
Besides, it was embarrassing for a person of his stature in the Elf Community to be treated with such disdain. Who knew Santa could hold a grudge that long? All that flirting with Mrs. Claus happened a long time ago, fueled by tequila infused with candy canes. He was young and brash then. Sheesh.
He wondered what got the old geezer's long johns in a twist now.
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Back in Boston, Alex Frayne was standing in the townhome, the door wide open, letting the cold air blow in. "Shut the door, Alex," the squeaky voice commanded.
Without thinking, he did so, turning to face the interlopers. "Who the hell are you? And get this… this animal out of my house before it poops all over everything."
The reindeer turned its head and snorted. "I do not defecate indoors. That is rude and unsanitary."
Alex pressed his fingers against his eyes. Schizophrenia did manifest itself when one was in the late teens or twenties. One could have visual and auditory hallucinations. "This is not real," he repeated out loud and opened his eyes, expecting to be alone.
The strange duo were still standing there.
"We need your help, Alex Frayne. If you don't help us, Christmas is going to be cancelled this year. I'd ask your Mama or your brother Jamie to help, but we're stuck here in Boston."
"Stuck here?"
"Yeah. Stuck here." The elf looked miserable.
"Well, I thought you guys were magic and could, you know, fly anywhere." It was amazing how the not normal became normal in the time it took to take a few breaths.
"Well, we can. I'm Euan Elf, and this is Gretzky, the son of Blitzen. You know, of On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner, on Blitzen fame."
"Gretzky?" Seriously, a reindeer named after a hockey player?
"We're all big hockey fans at the N.P."
"You've got to be kidding me."
Euan turned up his nose. "Just what do you think the reindeer games are?" he snarked. "You know, the ones they wouldn't let Rudolph play?"
"We're wasting time here, Euan," Gretzky complained. Darn elves. Always got sidetracked from the point.
"Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, Gretzky and I decided to come down for a Boston Bruins game. It was a good one, too." Yup, the Bruins won in overtime.
"I like the Rangers."
"You would. You're from New York. I think it's a state requirement there."
"How did you sneak a reindeer into the stadium without anyone noticing?" While Gretzky wasn't full-grown, he was rather large and conspicuous.
"Santa has a suite there. They're used to it."
"Santa is a Bruins fan?"
"He has suites in all the major venues. Anyway, we parked the sleigh, watched Bruins game and went to fly home. But the sleigh was gone!" Euan's voice rose to helium-filled panic. "Santa's sleigh was stolen!"
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Elmer was admitted into Command Central, the heartbeat of the North Pole Universe, and the large room where the Clauses spent most of their time. He glanced around and was relieved to find Martha Claus was not there. Santa was always more tense and snarky when she was in the room.
Like Elmer was going to try and peek up her skirt again. Sheesh. He was a married elf now.
"What can I do for you, Santa?" Elmer shuffled from foot to foot, jingling all the way.
"I see that demand is high for the NES Classic. Our production is falling short," Santa groused.
Elmer rolled his lime-green eyes. "I don't think it's the kids who want it so much as their parents do."
"If it's on a child's list, we have to do everything possible to meet expectations. Put more elves on the production line."
"Yes, sir." Elmer would have slammed the door when he exited, but it was one of those automatic sliding doors that whooshed closed with barely a whisper. He fumed all the way back to his office. Didn't Santa trust him to monitor production? That was one of his jobs, among others. He barked into the NP-wide intercom.
"Elsey! To my office on the double!" Elmer failed to see the irony of his command over the intercom.
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Alex plopped down on the couch, rubbing his temples. Maybe he was doing too much studying for the upcoming final, and his mind broke. Why else would he be having a conversation with a cartoon and a talking reindeer?
"Santa's sleigh was stolen," he repeated. "I'm sure you can hop on the back of old Gretzky here and fly back."
Euan stared up at the ceiling as if the response was going to float down. "I could if Gretz was strong enough," he admitted. "But, the issue is that the sleigh is the one Santa rides around the world when he delivers toys. It gives an added boost to the reindeer because Santa is not exactly a lightweight and then there are all the presents to deliver."
Gretzky stamped a hoof. "We borrowed the sleigh without permission, so we could attend the game. Just for a couple of hours."
"So you guys went joyriding in Santa's sleigh," Alex said slowly. "Right before Christmas."
"Yes, and if Santa finds out, I'll never make the team," Gretzky complained. "And Euan and I will be busted to cleaning up after the polar bears."
"Trust me, it's not a job you want." Euan's thin, green-clad shoulders drooped. "Do you know how much they poop?"
Alex stuck out a freckled hand, fingers splayed. "Believe me, they probably have nothing on my brothers. Why did you come to me?"
"Your mama helped us a couple of times with problems and your brother Jamie, too. We just figured it runs in the family."
"My mother and Jamie helped Santa? Nobody ever said anything to me about that! I'm no detective, guys. Didn't get one bit of that gene. I take after my Dad." He did, too, as all of Jim and Trixie's children did. Oh, there were subtle differences. Their hair was more red-gold than red and wavy, except for Kimmie who had the curls. The twins inherited the Johnson intense blue eyes. And all the kids dwarfed their petite Mama.
"Then we're screwed," Gretzky lamented. "Santa won't be able to get off the ground, even if the team has the boost of Mrs. Claus' special cookies."
"I have a really important final coming up in a couple days," Alex found himself explaining. "I need to study, and I'm starving. I was just about to go out and get myself some pizza."
"We really need your help, Alex," Euan pleaded, his body quivering and setting off the jangle of bells. "We don't know this place, and maybe you think you didn't inherit any detective-ing genes, but you might have."
"I'm hungry, too," Gretzky piped up.
"I don't have any reindeer food hanging around here."
Euan snorted. "We don't eat pizza and hamburgers and stuff like that. Our diet is candy canes, cookies, cakes and pies. All kinds of delicious desserts, right, Gretz?"
"Yes. Mrs. Claus is the best baker." His stomach let out a huge rumble.
"I'll call the pizzeria and order a pie, some Cokes and cannoli. That's about all I can do for now."
"Okay. Hurry." Euan was upset, but not so upset he couldn't eat. That would come later when he was assigned to PBP Squad. Polar Bear Poop Squad was not such a pleasant assignment. And he should be back at the N.P. helping with the production of the NES Classic. He told Elmer it would be the most popular, but did Elmer listen? Nooooo!
"Sciortino's! Merry Christmas! Buon Natale!" the cheerful voice of Maria Sciortino made Alex smile.
"Hey, pretty Maria, it's Alex Frayne."
"Alex! What are you still doing in town? I thought you'd be back home."
"Got an exam on the 23rd, would you believe it?"
"Nooo. You must have old Professor Hale. Such a Grinch! He does that every year. What can I do for you?"
"Can I order a large pepperoni, delivered. Uh, six two-liter Cokes and uh, all the cannoli you have?"
"Alex, are you sure? We have at least three dozen cannoli. You'll go into sugar shock."
"I promise you I am not going to eat them all at once. Can you deliver?"
"Sure. Give us twenty minutes." Maria shrugged her slender shoulders as she hung up the phone, wondering just what was going on with the delicious Alex Frayne. Oh well, he was way out of her league, anyway.
"Food will be here shortly. Who would want to steal a sleigh? Are you sure you guys looked for it in the right place? It's not like we have criminals roaming the streets with horses or reindeer looking for sleighs to pinch."
"I don't know. It's your town," Euan snarked.
"I know where we left the sleigh. We can't park it in the lot because it's too big. We left it on Endicott Street, and *cough* hoofed the rest of the way."
"I'm surprised people aren't tweeting about seeing an elf with green hair and eyes and a reindeer walking down the street."
"Hoofing it for us is taking a short flight. Gretz here can do that. It's the longer ones he has issues with."
"I thought they had all kinds of food in those suites. Surprised you are hungry." Alex scrubbed a hand over his face. He'd wake up soon and find out all this was some sort of stress-induced dream.
"Maybe for Santa. I didn't see one candy cane," Euan lamented. "Not one."
"It was a good game, though," Gretz added.
"Good enough so that Christmas may be cancelled?" Alex shook his head. Kids!
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Elsey Elf was annoyed. Elmer complained to her time and time again about how disconcerting it was when Santa bellowed his name over the intercom. It was embarrassing and aggravating. Elmer didn't see the irony when he shouted her name in the same manner.
She hopped on one of the elf-sized Segways and hightailed it to Elmer's office, wondering all the while just what he wanted now. Elmer is such a micromanager, she fumed. Seriously, he should leave the management of the electronic lines to me. Look what happened that one year with Tickle Me Elmo. What a fiasco that was.
She knocked on the door emblazoned with his name in gold lettering and his title of the week and sighed. Who cared if he was the Grand Poohbah or the President or The Great Dictator? Titles didn't mean much in their world, not really. "Elmer? You wanted to see me?"
Elmer's face was flushed, and the tips of his ears glowed green. "Yes, I did, Elsey." He tried to keep the reprimand from his voice, but that didn't happen. "Have a seat."
The was an open bottle of Patrón on Elmer's desk, and a stack of pickle-flavored candy canes. Ruh-roh. "How can I help?"
"Santa just reamed me out in his office. Said the NES Classic production was not meeting demand. That's under your watch, Elsey. I can't be everywhere at once. What's going on?"
"Euan called out sick. I have Esteban taking his place, but Esteban is much slower." Oh, snowballs! Euan was going to get us all assigned to the PBP Squad.
"Really sick, or you know, sick? Because if he's taking off for The Season and chasing girls, he's going to be on the naughty list."
"He said he had an upset stomach, Elmer." Elsey fiddled with her light green braid. She saw the sleigh take off, saw Gretzky and Euan zipping away from the N.P. She just didn't tell Elmer that part.
"You better go and check on him. And get somebody else to help Esteban. Because if Santa gets angry, well, you know what they say about Polar Bear Poop."
"It rolls downward. Yeah, I know." Elsey stepped outside the office and slumped against the door. Where did Euan and Gretzky get to and were they - and Santa's sleigh - all right?
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Several hours before…
David Butler was walking down Endicott Street in Boston, hunched against the cold wind biting through his battered fatigue jacket and seeping into the holes in his combat boots. His eyes were red-rimmed after another night of insomnia, and he noticed shoppers gave him a wide berth.
Just another crazy, homeless veteran, he thought bitterly. They cheered me when I got home. Now they step out of the way.
David Butler shouldered into the wind, his thoughts going back to another life. He believed in apple pie, America, and maybe not Chevrolet, but a car in every garage and a chicken in every pot. He was ROTC in high school and college and went directly into the military after graduation.
But not before he married his childhood sweetheart, Lana. Lana Lewis was a cheerleader, a fresh-faced All-American girl, smart and sassy. He loved her almost from the first moment he saw her.
Lana knew what becoming a military wife entailed. Moving around, long separations, joyful reunions. At least, she said she did. Three tours of the sandbox later, he came home to a different woman. One who thrust divorce papers at him as soon as he walked into their tiny apartment. He was never home, she raged. She fell into the arms of a colleague from work, and they were expecting a baby.
Of course, she had no problem at all spending the military pay he was sending home. What should have been the happiest moment of his life – he resigned his commission and was being mustered out – ended up being the lousiest. He spent the night on the base after signing the papers, one large hand wrapped around a bottle of Glenfiddich.
David climbed inside that bottle and stayed there. He was left broke, divorced and homeless. He was too ashamed to go back to the small town he was from, too ashamed to let his conservative parents see his failure.
He began to dream of the war. The blasts of bombs and the crack of guns. Comrades, friends, blood on their hands, body parts blown off. The more he dreamed, the deeper the craving for oblivion became. Somehow, this good ol' Southern boy ended up in Boston, of all places. Colder than a witch's… behind and full of college students who thought they knew it all.
He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the sleigh, parked right there on the street. It was large and painted a bright, cherry red, like a new Corvette. Gold curlicues on the panels brightened it up. The inside was covered with soft, worn leather, obviously old. And there was a plush fur throw flung across the seat. It looked warm and inviting, much nicer than the cardboard box he was stationed in.
But still… a sleigh?
David walked to the front. There were reins, but no horse was attached to them. Maybe is should be a reindeer, after all, it is Christmas. He laughed aloud at his own joke and watched as a mother pulled her child closer and scurried down the darkening street.
I should have never come home. I should have stayed in the service. Even the bitter cold of the desert at night is not as icy as my life.
He couldn't help himself. He climbed in the sleigh and wrapped himself in that beckoning blanket. It was warm and soft, and he was asleep in minutes.
Within a second, the sleigh winked out as if it had never been parked there.
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"What does the sleigh look like?" Alex asked the duo camping in his living room. He was tired, hungry and wished the damn pizza would arrive.
"It looks like a sleigh. Big, red, with metal runners." Euan rolled his eyes. Sheesh. At this rate, they'd still be in Boston next Christmas.
Gretzky began pacing back and forth. "It's getting late. My dad is going to be so angry. I'll be grounded for life."
"You guys should have thought of that before you took the sleigh," Alex counseled.
"And I suppose you never did anything remotely bad in your life, either, St. Alex," Euan snarked.
"I never stole my parents' car and took it for a spin," he shot back at the elf.
Just then and before the argument could get more heated, the doorbell rang. "It's the pizza delivery guy," Alex said. "Wait in here." That's all he would need, having to explain elves and reindeer in his living room.
He opened the door wide, expecting Pasquale or Sal to be delivering. Instead, the pretty face of Maria Sciortino was peeking out over the mountain of boxes. For the second time that day, a person just barged right into his house.
Alex wondered if there was some sort of sign on his forehead inviting people right in.
"Hey, Alex, I thought I'd drop these off. My shift is over and…" Maria stopped, her eyes went wide, and it was a good thing Alex Frayne had such great reflexes or the food would have ended up on the floor.
"Um. Alex?" Her voice was pitched an octave higher. "You, um, have a live reindeer in your living room. And a guy dressed up as an elf." She hoped she wasn't interrupting any kind of kinky stuff going on. Alex looked perfectly normal and absolutely yummy, but…
Alex placed the boxes on the coffee table, resigned to his fate. "Come on in, Maria," he replied dryly. "This is Euan Elf and Gretzky. They apparently lost Santa's sleigh while they were cheering on the ruins."
"Is this a joke, Alex?" She always thought of him as a considerate guy, but maybe he was just like some of those snobby rich guys who thought she was a dumb plaything.
"It's no joke," Gretzky replied. "Santa's sleigh was stolen, and Alex here is going to help us find it."
"I need to sit down," Maria's voice was faint. "I thought that reindeer just spoke to me."
"Like you never heard a reindeer speak," Gretzky snorted, offended.
"Well, just Rudolph on that Christmas special," Maria retorted, stung.
Alex busied himself opening the boxes and boxes of cannoli. "I'll just put a bunch of these on the floor, Gretzky. Help yourself, Euan. Maria, if you want something, just take it."
Maria threw her hands in the air. "How can you sit there and eat pizza and cannoli, Alex? You have a talking reindeer and a green-tinged elf in your house!"
"Um, I'm hungry? And I kinda hoped that I was hallucinating."
"If you are hallucinating, then I am, too." Maybe it was working too long in the pizzeria. The smell of baked mozzarella cheese must've affected her brain in some way.
"All this talking is doing nothing to find Santa's sleigh," Euan said over a mouthful of cannoli. "We need to get over to Endicott Street and start doing some serious sleuthing."
"I told you guys I'm not going to be of much help. I'm not my mother or my aunt."
Maria surprised herself and the others in the room when the next words seem to leave her lips of their own volition. "I can tag along and see if I can help." She almost clapped her hand over her mouth and waited for their rejection.
"The more, the merrier. Heaven knows I'm not going to be of much help," Alex said. Besides, she was sitting there with her brown eyes sparkling, flushed cheeks, that dark, almost black Italian hair framing her pretty face, and sporting a red coat that hugged her figure.
Yeah, Alex figured, I surely would enjoy her assistance.
"Okay, it's settled. After you guys finish gorging your faces, we'll head over to Endicott Street and see what we can find. The only thing I'm worried about is people seeing us walking down the street with an elf and a reindeer. The next thing you know we'll be on Eyewitness News."
"Oh, I'll take care of that!" Euan said confidently. "I just need to sprinkle some North Pole Freeze Dried Snowflakes on us. They'll be able to see us, but we'll just appear to be four humans out for a walk."
"Sure. Whatever you say. Reindeer that fly and talk, magical sleds, freeze dried snowflakes. Whatever." It was just too much for Alex's floppy disk to comprehend. He took a couple more bites of the pizza, watched as the elf and the reindeer scarfed up the cannoli like they had never seen food before, and gave his patented, lopsided grin to Maria. "Ready to go on an adventure with me?"
Mama Mia, he is good-looking. Maybe it was only for this one time, but Maria would've followed him to the ends of the earth. All she could do was smile and nod. An adventure at Christmas time with the guy she had a crush on ever since she laid eyes on him two years ago.
What could be better? Even if she was losing her mind.
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Back at the North Pole, Santa was brooding about production again. Martha Claus brought him a cup of hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream and a few cookies. In a few more days, he wouldn't want to look at cookies or hot chocolate for a very long time. "What's wrong now, Nick?" His bushy eyebrows were drawn together, and even though his beard hid it, she knew his mouth was turned down at the corners.
"We're having some production issues this year, Marty. I just feel bad when the kids ask for something, and we just can't keep up with the demand."
"Did you call Elmer?" She knew he did. They could hear his bellow all over the N. P.
"Of course, I did. He supposed to be working on it, but I don't see production picking up at all."
"Sometimes it happens that way, dear. You know that. Sometimes children are disappointed. It certainly not for lack of trying on your part."
"I know it in here, Martha," he pointed to his head. "But it's hard to reconcile in here." He placed his two hands over his heart.
"For all your bluster, you really are tenderhearted, Nick. I'm sure that Elmer is trying his best. I know he doesn't like to see anyone disappointed either." Martha placed her hands on his shoulders and began to gently knead. "You're so tense!"
"It's always that way close to Christmas. I have production at the North Pole to worry about, making sure the reindeer are fit to fly, making sure that the sleigh is in tiptop shape. 1001 details." Something caught his eye on the huge screen that took up an entire wall. "What did I think I just saw?"
His nimble fingers pressed a few buttons and one of the tiny screens enlarged. "Martha, do you see what I see?" Santa clenched his jaw and spoke with an air of disbelief.
Martha turned her eyes to where he was pointing and gasped. "Isn't that Euan? And Gretzky? Where on earth are they? I know that's Alexander Frayne and Maria Sciortino."
"That's why production is slowing! Those two are out gallivanting in Boston, of all places. Elmer!" Santa bellowed again into the intercom. "Command Central on the double!" Santa turned to his spouse. "He just better have a good explanation for this."
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David Butler hadn't slept so long and without dreams for a very long time. He awoke, clearheaded, refreshed and hungry. He sat up in the sleigh and looked around.
He wasn't in Boston any longer, Toto, to paraphrase a beloved movie.
The stars were clear and bright in that way they can be when you're far away from the blazing lights of the big city. The air smelled different, too. No roasting chestnuts or diesel fumes from passing trucks and buses.
It was cold, though. Icy, bone-chilling cold. He glanced around at the landscape and nearly screamed. He glanced up at the sky, so different from the sky at home. The muffled blast of a mortar shook the stillness. He dropped his face in his hands.
Well, I wished for it. He was back in the desert, stuck in the middle of nowhere in a distinctive red sleigh. The irony of it all nearly made him laugh aloud.
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Elmer, in turn, contacted Elsey. He wasn't going to face the not-so-jolly man alone. She was subdued as she shuffled along with him, their bells jingling in grave counterpoint. The door whooshed open to the Command Center, and Elsey looked about, dumfounded. It was her first time in the room where all the big decisions were made. Who was naughty, who was nice; who got a piece of coal in their stocking or who got a delicious candy cane.
Power. The room exuded the power of the man occupying the comfortable chair. He heard the door swoosh and turned with a thunderous look, which quickly changed to confusion when he saw Elmer was not alone.
"Elmer?" Everything was in that question. It didn't help that Martha Claus was in the room with a sympathetic expression in her gentle eyes.
"It's my fault, Santa. It's my fault we're not meeting production." Elsey hurried to explain. "Euan called out sick, and he's the best at NES Classic. I have Esteban on the production line, but he's slower. And too many elves will be chaotic."
Santa rolled his eyes. Darn these elves! "I want you both to look at this." He brought up the camera to reveal Euan Elf, Gretzky, Alex Frayne and Maria Sciortino leaving a fancy Boston townhouse. Euan climbed on top of Gretzky, pulled a container from the saddlebag, and sprinkled everyone with it. "If he's so sick, what's he doing in Boston?"
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David wondered what he should do. It was different when you were with your men. They were a cohesive unit, everyone watching out for each other. He was a sitting duck here, in this place of beige and tan, sitting in a bright red sleigh. That is, if he was really there. Maybe his mind finally decided to take a complete vacation from reality. But, the blanket was warm under his fingers, a warm he hadn't felt in ages. It seemed to surround him with love and wasn't that the smell of his mother baking sugar cookies? He'd snitch a few while they were fresh from the oven and laugh when she made a fuss. And his dad grabbed a couple, too, as he lit a fire with the fragrant applewood once they dragged the tree into the house.
He snuggled down further into the blanket, the memories of the duplicitous Lana receding. Oh, they had good times, but things change. Did he really want to give her that power over him? He hadn't seen his parents in years, his sister Olivia (and how mad she used to get when he called her The Big O), or his brother Barry. He missed them. He missed life.
He lay back down in the sleigh, looking up at the sky, enrobed in the cover when his soldier's eye saw it. Incoming, screaming at him, its red tail garish against the calm of the night. It would end like this, in a cold desert far from home, and he realized he wanted nothing more than to live. "I wish I were back in Boston," he whispered to the universe, as he closed his eyes and waited for the pain.
A few feet above the sleigh, the shell exploded, sending rivers of silver and gold sparkles around it. It shimmered in the cold, desert air, a Christmas ornament of sheer sensory pleasure, and winked out.
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Unaware that they were under Santa's scrutiny, the odd quartet made their way to Endicott Street in Boston. It was quite peculiar to walk among the denizens of the old city and not be noticed. They weren't invisible, like Sue Storm of The Fantastic Four. They just appeared normal and unremarkable to the rest of the world.
"So. A reindeer named Gretzky?" Maria smiled into Alex's freckled face. She was tall and slender, with the clear olive skin that was the envy of many of her friends.
Alex felt a little stirring in the region of his, um, heart. He liked her smile, liked her cheerful disposition… liked her. "Apparently, hockey is pretty big up in the NP," he stage whispered.
"Of all the people in Boston, why did they seek you out for help?" She shivered a little at his intense green gaze.
"My Mama and Aunt Honey are, um, detectives."
Maria's eyes widened. She knew he looked familiar. "Your father is Jim Frayne, isn't he? The Harvard Hunk? He and your mama have quite the reputation here in Boston. And the female members of my family had your dad's um, centerfold up for a very long time."
Alex snickered. "Yeah, he never lived that down. Mama still teases him about it. Per Euan here, my family is the Official Detective Agency of the North Pole. So, they came to me, but the problem is, I haven't a detective-ing gene in my body."
Euan and Gretzky stopped. "This is where we had Santa's sleigh parked." He pointed to a large, open space.
"Euan, why didn't people stop and stare at it?" Maria asked, quite logical. "I mean, it's not like you see sleighs on the streets of Boston every day. I'd bet there would be a crowd around it at all time."
Gretzky stamped an impatient hoof. Man, humans were just so full of questions. "Because it's a magic sleigh, duh. When it's not in use at Christmas, and Santa goes out in it during the year, it looks like a regular SUV. We better get on with finding the sleigh, or we'll be grounded for life and nobody, but nobody will get presents. We'll go down in history, and not because we have red noses."
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Elsey stepped in front of Elmer. She was scared, so much that her jingle bells were quivering. But, she owned up. "It's my fault, Santa. Euan called in sick with a tummy ache. Later, I saw him and Gretzky taking off in your magic sleigh."
Martha Claus burst out laughing. "Gretzky and Euan. I bet I know where they went. Bruins game. Those two are constantly talking hockey."
"Yeah, well, if they don't get the sleigh back here, they are going to be picking up Polar Bear Pucks." Santa rounded on Elmer. "Is this how you manage your staff?"
"It's my fault, Santa," Elsey spoke up again. "Elmer is a good manager. He's trying to do his job. He can't be everywhere at once." She paused, blushing a furious light lime. "You're micromanaging." She waved a finger nowhere near Santa's face. "And," she sniffed. "And you should get over the incident at the party. It was a long time ago. Elmer is a reformed Elf."
Santa's bushy eyebrows drew together, Elmer stared at Elsey with awe, and even Martha held her breath. Right then and there, the ho ho hos started rolling in, deep laughter issuing from the belly of from the man in red.
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"It looks like a sleigh was parked here," Maria remarked. "Look, runners instead of tire impressions."
"But they don't go out into the street," Alex added. "They're here, and they end."
"I told you, the sleigh has power on its own." Gretzky wanted to get home, already.
"What, like a hoverboard?"
"Sort of," Gretzky concurred. "It goes straight up."
"But if it looked like a car, how would anyone know how to start it? Or even get inside?" This whole thing was probably an elaborate prank pulled by his brothers, even though he couldn't fully explain the talking reindeer.
"That's what has me puzzled," Euan admitted. "It looks like a car. It isn't a car. I don't even know how someone could figure out how to get inside."
"Well, someone did," Maria replied dryly. "Someone got in and knew how to make it fly."
Alex paced back and forth in front of the empty slot. It was unusual that none of the cars flying down the road and searching for parking even looked twice at the premium spot. "We have to think logically," he stated, puffs of condensate emphasizing his words.
"There's nothing logical about this," argued Maria.
"My Mama always says start at the beginning and keep it simple, stupid. Are there controls in the sleigh, Euan?"
"No, Santa just uses the reins."
"Did you use reins on Mr. Snarky here?"
"No, he didn't," Gretzky was offended at the notion. "We both climbed in the sleigh. There's plenty of room."
"So, if there are no controls and Gretzky wasn't reined in, how did you get the sleigh to start?"
"I just said I want to go to Boston to see the Bruins."
Alex rounded on the elf. "That's it! You just wished to be somewhere, and the sleigh took you there. Somebody climbed in, wished he or she was somewhere, and voila!"
"You're right, Alex! That's the only way it could have happened." Maria's dark eyes were bright with admiration. Something passed between them as Alex grabbed her and waltzed her down the block a few feet in celebration.
"Yeah, well, that and my good looks won't get us a snickerdoodle," Gretzky said, glum. "The thief can be anywhere in the world."
"We'll never get it back," Euan wailed.
Just as the words left his mouth, the air in the parking space began to shimmer, and the quartet jumped away. In the wink of an eye, it flicked from gold and silver sparkles to a solid-looking, old-fashioned sleigh.
Just like the transporter in the old Star Trek television show, Alex thought, amused.
A confused, unkempt man was sitting in the front seat, wrapped in a blanket. "Am I dreaming?" His voice was rusty as if he wasn't used to talking. "Is this heaven or is this Boston?"
Maria snorted. "I don't think Heaven smells like this."
The man sighed and closed his eyes. "So, I'm not dead?"
"No. But you did hijack Santa's sleigh," Alex said dryly. "And my friends here need to get it back to the North Pole so Santa can do his thing. Who are you?"
"My name is David Butler. I just climbed in here because it looked like a nice, safe, warm place to sleep." He tossed off the blanket and climbed out. It was then they noticed his worn-out clothes and shoes; David's red-rimmed eyes and slumped shoulders. "I'm a vet."
"David, don't you have a home?" Euan hadn't yet been exposed to anything that happened outside of the enchanted place that was Santa's domain.
"I did, once. But several tours in the sandbox and I didn't have one any longer." He shrugged. "It happens, a lot."
"Listen, we have to get the sleigh back up north," Gretzky interjected. Damn. Talk, talk, talk! "Before Santa finds out and even worse, before my folks find out and I'm grounded. In more ways than one."
Of course, he had no way of knowing the group in Command Central was watching this drama play out.
"I wish we could stay and help you, David," Euan frowned at Gretzky. "But we do need to get back. Thanks, Alex and Maria."
"We didn't really do anything," Alex said.
"You said to begin at the beginning, and so we did. Gretz and I would have been looking all over the city." The elf and reindeer climbed into the sleigh, and it began to shimmer. "Thanks, thanks a lot." A moment later, it winked away.
David shook his head, pulling his jacket tighter, and hoped he could find room in a shelter. It was beginning to snow again, and he didn't relish another night covered with newspapers on a park bench.
"I wonder how come David could see the sleigh and not a car?" Alex mused. "I suppose we'll never find out." His green eyes followed the shivering man as he began to walk away, and he made a snap decision.
"David. Hey Dave," he called. "Hold up."
"What can I do for you?"
"You can come home with me." Alex sent up a prayer. This man was homeless, a stranger, maybe even a criminal. His Mama would kill him dead if she found out what he was doing.
"You don't even know me."
"I know that you served your country. I know you need a warm place to stay and some food. Come on, David. I have pizza!" Alex entreated.
Maria added her voice to the plea. "Yes, come on, David. Alex is a great guy, and he does have the best pizza in the world from my family's pizzeria." She touched his arm, and it galvanized the lonely vet. He hadn't been touched like that, with kindness, in so long it brought tears to his eyes.
"Okay," he capitulated. "Okay."
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The sleigh appeared in its parking space in the big hangar at the North Pole like it had never been out on a wild, pre-Christmas adventure. Euan and Gretzky were hiding under the blanket, and green eyes peeked out. "It's clear," Euan whispered. "Not a creature stirring."
"I think the mice are all making porridge," Gretzky snarked. "Let's get out of here and get home." The duo alighted from the vehicle and stepped outside. The aurora borealis was beautiful, lighting the sky and making the North Pole that much more magical.
And when they brought their eyes back to earth, it was then they saw the faces of Santa, Mrs. Claus. Elmer and Elsey. And Blitzen. And all of them were not looking too pleased.
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David Butler couldn't believe his luck. A few hours ago, he was freezing, hungry, and wanted nothing more than to leave this earth and all the pain behind. At this moment, he was in a real bed, warm, with a full belly and sweet-smelling clothes. This Alex dude came from money. Yet, he didn't act like it. He was nice and helpful, shooing him into a bathroom as soon as they entered the huge townhouse.
It felt nice to take a long, hot shower and scrub the streets off. When he got out, there was a toothbrush and a fresh razor on the sink as well as a pile of clothes on the counter. His old clothes mysteriously disappeared, too.
He, Alex, and Maria sat down at the kitchen table. They were really interested in him, too, asking him all kinds of questions. He was truthful and apologetic. "I wished I was back there," he told them. "Back in the Middle East. I wanted to die. And when the sleigh brought me there, and I could see the incoming, I suddenly realized I wanted to live. I need to get a job and contact my family. I need to stop drinking. I need to start over."
Maria listened to his sad tale, tears in those soft brown eyes. "You know, I told you my family owns a pizzeria. We need a busboy/dishwasher. How about if I come and get you tomorrow and we take a walk there? You can decide if it's something you want to do until you get back on your feet, David."
"Really? You'd take a chance on a homeless alcoholic like me?"
"No. I'd take a chance on a decorated officer who fell on some hard times," Maria said firmly. "This isn't a pity job. You'll work hard and probably even get some overtime. It's up to you to make it a success or failure."
"Sure. Sure. I'd like that. Thanks. Thank you." David couldn't believe his wonderful luck. A job possibility. A warm place to stay, at least for a night. A random act of kindness. He heard about them, never experienced one. And now they were showering down on him, the best type of gifts.
Later, when David was sleeping, Alex called a taxi for Maria. "It's too late to be walking," he smiled.
"Well, I came to deliver some pizza and cannoli and stayed for an adventure," Maria twinkled up at him. "Is your life in your family always like this?"
"You have no idea," Alex deadpanned. "I hope your family isn't wondering if you've been kidnapped or something."
"Don't worry, I texted them I was helping a friend find a lost item. Of course, I think they would have been concerned if I explained my friends were a talking reindeer and a green elf."
Alex reached up and palmed her face. Her skin was warm and soft. "How would they feel about your helping a red-headed, freckled guy from New York?" His lips were very close to hers.
"I think they'd be fine with it if you don't mention the Yankees." She closed the distance between their lips and the night was filled with pink shooting stars and the thrum of her blood in her ears.
Alex pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. It was only the overriding need for oxygen that caused them to break apart. "Um, wow."
"Yeah. Wow." She was breathless, tingling all over and well on her way to falling in love.
He leaned in again. He had to taste the spiciness of her and this time, it was the blare of the waiting taxi that burst their bubble.
"Tell Dave I'll come for him tomorrow around ten. Is that okay?"
"Sure. I need to study, too. Still have that final."
She climbed into the waiting car. "See you tomorrow."
"Yeah. Tomorrow." Alex whispered as he watched the car drive off. Things were certainly looking up here in Boston, even if his family wasn't here.
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"Have anything you want to confess, Euan?" Elmer asked.
"Same goes for you, Gretzky." Blitzen was ticked.
"We wanted to go to a hockey game." Euan blushed, hotly green. "So, we borrowed the sleigh."
"Just for a few hours," Gretz added. "And then it got stolen!"
"I heard the other elves talking about how the Fraynes were the Official Detective Agency of the North Pole, and I looked them up on Google in a store," Euan added. "We went to ask them to help. Alex Frayne was the only one in Boston, but he said he was no detective."
"He helped anyway, and a girl named Maria. She had the best cannoli," Gretz sighed.
"It turns out the sleigh wasn't stolen, after all, a man fell asleep in it. It was sad, Santa. He lost everything." Euan explained. "I wish there was a way we could help him."
"But we had to get the sleigh back, so we left him there with Alex and Maria. I'm sorry, Dad." Gretzky just knew he was going to regret this. Maybe.
"And I'm sorry, Santa. And you, too, Elmer and Elsey. I know I let you down, and the production line elves. If… if I must be assigned to the PBPS, then I guess I deserve it." Euan was going to accept his punishment with grace.
"We'll discuss this later," Santa replied brusquely when it appeared Elmer was going to open his tiny elven mouth and start a lecture. He could tell by the way the Grand Poohbah's chest puffed out and the deep breath he inhaled. "Right now, we need you on the line, Euan."
Santa turned to Blitzen and winked. "Go home and get some rest, Gretzky." He paused. "Well, did the Bruins win?"
Gretzky gave a huge version of a reindeer smile. "Sure did!"
"Well, then," Martha added. "It was worth it."
Euan trotted after Elsey and Elmer, still wishing there was some way he could help David Butler, but not finding any way at all.
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The next day, Trixie Belden Frayne was making mental lists in her head as her supple husband watched A Christmas Story for the umpteenth time. When her iPhone chimed, she picked it up and went into the bathroom so Jim's chuckles wouldn't disturb her call.
"Hi, Mama, it's me, Alex." Trixie smiled as if she didn't recognize his voice. Or the fact her phone announced it was him.
"Hi, sweetie. What's up? Ready for the big exam tomorrow?"
Alex began to pace the room in Boston, almost wishing he had a cord to twirl around his fingers. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
"Alex? What's wrong?" Her Mama-radar went on full alert.
"Mama. I'm not coming home for Christmas." There. He said it out loud.
Trixie's eyes widened, and she sat on the toilet seat. "What do you mean you're not coming home, honey?"
The words began to spill out of him. Pizza, and talking reindeer; a beautiful girl and an elf named Euan; and all about helping to find Santa's missing sleigh. But most of all it was about a homeless, hopeless vet that wormed his way into Alex's heart.
"He has a job at Sciortino's now, Mama. Maria's dad is pretty impressed with David's work ethic. But still, he's scared to go home to his family, and he'll end up being alone at Christmas. Nobody should be alone at Christmas."
"No, no one should, Alex."
"Maria and I talked her family into opening up the restaurant on Christmas Day. We're going to serve hot meals to the homeless vets and give them a place to spend a little time, get warm, and enjoy a home-cooked meal. Maria has been canvassing the local stores, so we'll also be able to provide them with jackets and boots if they want."
"Are you sure, Alex? Grandad Matt can send the jet for you."
"I'm sure, Mama. You and Dad always taught us to give back and the value of sacrifice. These guys sacrificed everything for us, our freedom, and if missing Christmas is the least I can do, then I'm glad to do it."
Trixie sniffled. Christmas without one of her children! It was almost unthinkable. "I'm proud of you, honey. And if that's what you need to do, then do it. I love you."
Alex's voice choked when he finally responded. "I love you, too, Mama. Give my love to everyone."
Her eyes were bright with tears when she walked back into her bedroom. Jim, her beloved husband, noticed at once and turned off the tube. "What's wrong, baby?"
"Everything. Nothing. Oh, Jim!" she wailed. He gathered her close and let her tears wet the skin of his neck.
What on earth could make his resilient, capable wife cry?
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December 24th was a beehive of activity at the North Pole. The sleigh was being loaded, the reindeer were gorging on Martha's special cookies, and Santa was checking the naughty and nice lists obsessively. That's why he was startled when Euan Elf asked to meet him in Command Central.
"I'm busy, Euan," he informed the little guy.
"Please, Santa? It will only take a minute or two," Euan begged. "Gretzky is with me."
The Big Man in the Red Suit relented. "Come on in." He waited for the elf and his four-legged friend to enter. "What's so important you need to see me on my busiest day, you two?"
Now that he had Santa's attention, Euan opened his mouth, but nothing squeaked out. "I don't have all day, Euan."
"It's just… I want to ask you a favor," he said, calling on reserves of courage he didn't know he had.
"A favor?" Santa's bushy eyebrows rose. "Euan, you and Gretzky went joyriding in my sleigh."
"We did. But that's not important right now. I was wondering… we were wondering if you could do something to help David Butler."
"David Butler? Which child is he?"
"Not a child, Santa. He's that homeless veteran we told you about. The one the accidentally stole the sleigh, although we don't know how." Gretzky was still puzzled by that, and why David didn't see a bright red SUV.
"Ah. I see." Santa sat for a moment, taking a little time. For the next twenty-four hours. He'd be climbing up and down chimneys and why not relax while he could. "Well, some people can see the sleigh, even when it's hidden with freeze-dried snowflakes or using its own special power. It's kind of like unicorns, you see. People who are valiant and pure of heart can transcend even the most powerful magic."
"But what about helping David, Santa? He needs some magic in his life, too, even though he thinks he doesn't deserve it."
Martha had entered the room and grinned. She knew her Nick. She leaned against the door to watch.
"You know, I want you to see something." He pressed a few buttons and brought up the feed from Sciortino's Pizzeria.
"Look, Gretzky! It's Alex and Maria!" Euan began jumping up and down. "What are they doing?"
"Well, you see, they are decorating the restaurant for a very special day tomorrow. A day that will bring together lots of people in the same situation David was in. They're making a family, even if it's only for a day. So, you see, you, Gretzky. Alex and Maria were the magic in their lives. Not me."
"Really, Santa?" Euan's lime green eyes shone. "Oh, look! There's David!" The man certainly looked a thousand percent better than when they last saw him.
"Really, Euan. The pizzeria has a small apartment upstairs, and David is staying there until he gets on his feet. Now, he's helping to pay it forward. That's real magic in its purest form, the kind that comes straight from the heart."
"And I think Euan and Gretzky can be forgiven their little adventure with the sleigh, Nick dear." Oh, that Martha Claus was a wily one.
Nick Claus grinned at his Marty. "As you say, Marty. Now skedaddle out of here. I have Christmas to deliver."
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Alex Frayne was exhausted by the time he went to bed on December 24th. The restaurant had been prepped, but there was still a lot of work to do. The Boston Globe had gotten wind of the story, and there was no accounting for how many poor souls would show up.
Even so, he still missed his family. The Sciortinos welcomed him, and he loved the big, Italian family, but there was nothing like being at Ten Acres with his siblings, cousins, and extended family. But tomorrow would be an even busier day. He bet he wouldn't even get a minute to sneak a kiss on Maria's soft, tasty lips.
Mama called, and he could hear the family in the background. "Merry Christmas, Alex. Love you." The phone was passed from person to person, but it wasn't the same as being there.
As he was falling asleep, he thought he heard a few, far-off ho ho hos. Damn, I must be more tired than I thought.
The next morning, he, Maria, and the entire Sciortino family were frantically trying to finish the last of the preparations when there was a knock on the front door. "I'll get it," Antonio Sciortino called.
A few moments later, he entered the room with a most bemused expression. "Alex? I think it's for you." He stepped aside.
And then, to Alex's surprise and shock, they all began piling in, laden with stuff. Jackets and clothes and boots; mittens, hats and scarves. Everything. Everybody. Mama and Dad; JW, Justin, Bailey, Finn, and Kimmie; his aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins. All of them, with their dear faces and love shining out of their eyes.
"We figured we'd bring Christmas to you, sweetie." His Mama smiled up at him with her blue eyes like drowned sapphires. He brushed his lips over her curls, staggered by his family's appearance. "Now, what needs to get done?"
"Hold on there, baby. Where's this David you told us so much about?" Jim slung a companionable arm around his son and wife.
"I'm David, sir." The man stepped up, put out a hand to Jim, hoping he wouldn't be rebuffed in front of all these people. He needn't have worried.
"I think you need to turn around, David. Merry Christmas. And we'll need to talk later. I think you'll be very interested in a veterans' organization we fund, and so might the vets that show up today."
And there they were. His mother, father and sister Olivia. His brother Barry, and his spouse. Two little kids he never met, his nephew and niece. He blinked his eyes a few times. Was this real?
Olivia broke the impasse. "Davey!" She ran to him, engulfing him in her hug, and then it was a free-for-all. Backs were pounded and hugs with sloppy kisses exchanged. Amid it all, the confusion and the love and the whole loud commotion, Alex found himself next to Maria.
"Your family does things big," she giggled up at him.
"Yeah. It's my Big Fat, Loud, All-American Family," he smiled back. "And I love every one of them."
"Merry Christmas, Alex," she whispered.
"Merry Christmas, Maria," he said against her lips.
And there wasn't a mistletoe in sight.