Amazingly, I actually own most of this chapter. Imagine that! The next one- Not so much. I don't own Jack or any of the Alex Rider series. Any relation to living, breathing people and real-life situations is accidental. I would say coincidental but I don't believe in coincidents.
Shiny brown curls shook as the four year old jumped to try and get a better view of what was in front of him. All he could see though, was the butt of the sixty-five year old woman ahead of him who walked really slowly and pinched passing kids' cheeks. At the memory, Wes put a hand up to his own cheek with a frown. This wasn't turning out to be much fun... Above him, his Aunt's cheery voice broke into his thoughts.
"Here we are, Wes!" The perpetually cheery senior in high school had seemed more excited than usual at the prospect of the surprise she had in store for her young nephew.
Glancing at his surprise, Wes' eyes widened in surprise at the view of the fat man in the red suit lounging on the small platform, surrounded by men and women in bright green leggings.
Taking Wes' shock for joy, Jack scooped up the young child and, before he could protest, set him on the man's lap. She then retreated happily behind a small camera.
Wes looked up at the stranger and spoke quietly in his high pitched four-year-old voice.
"I don't know who you are, but you're obviously not the fictitious character known as Santa Clause or in some places, Saint Nicholas, but my Aunt seems to think so, so would you mind playing along? I don't want to ruin her delusions." Wes said resignedly to the man, plastering on a grin for his overzealous aunt.
Matthew Jones, a forty-year old cashier at the Macy's in the D.C. mall felt his mouth drop open behind the irritating fake beard. He tried to recover.
"But... how... of course I'm Santa!" He spluttered.
"Shhh..." Wes poked the bottom of Matthew's jaw, closing the man's mouth. "You're supposed to smile." He showed Matthew how, baring his tiny white baby teeth in the direction of the camera. "And," he spoke without moving his lips from the frozen expression. "It was obvious. You wear no wedding ring yet Santa Clause is said to be married. You wear a white beard yet your eyebrows are black. The beard is fake. You're too fat to fit through anyone's chimney, and not all people have chimney's anyways. Reindeer do not fly, and most importantly, Santa is not real. To reach every child's house in one night defies physics almost as much as flying reindeer."
Smiling along now, Matthew raised his eyebrows.
Wes' slim four year old shoulders raised in a shrug, as if to say "that's obvious." Matthew had a feeling that to the kid, it was.
The kid then smiled up at him, baby teeth gleaming. "Besides, your wallet says you're Matthew Jones of 225 Chester Lane. 'Santa' lives at the North pole."
A tiny hand slipped into Mathews large one, depositing the pick-pocketed wallet in his palm. Matthew jumped, his eyebrows knitting in surprise.
"Smile," Wes reminded him. "Your secret is safe with me."
A few feet away, Jack finished snapping her photos and Wes slid off of Matthew's lap. He held up a hand for a handshake. No longer surprised, Matthew accepted it. Wes nodded solemnly at their silent agreement then turned around. Watching, Matthew was amazed by how quickly the kid shifted characters.
"Jack! Jack! I just met Santa Clause, can you believe it!" He bounced away, gripping his Aunt's hand.
Jack turned her face towards Matthew before they were out of view. "Thank you." She mouthed.
As the two turned the corner, Matthew, staring after them, saw Wes give him a quick wink, and then they were gone, and it was the next girl in line's turn.
"Santa! Santa! I want a pony for Christmas!" The exuberant little girl shrieked. Matthew sighed and wondered about who the little boy had been...
Later that day, as Matthew took his lunch break, he opened his wallet to get some cash out. A note fell from one of the pockets.
Written in the stilted script of a young child, the note read, "Dear Matthew, The 'elf' on the far left taking pictures is running a credit card scam on the parents. Merry Christmas. -Wes"
Matthew shook his head, a small smile on his face.