Day 9
"Those cookies were for Santa."
"Are they asleep?" Alison asked. She was in the kitchen doing the last of the dishes.
"Yes, finally. It only took 2 bedtime stories each and promise of banana chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast to finally get them to shut their eyes," Emily said, flopping down on the couch.
"I'm surprised they gave in that quickly. All they talked about all night was staying up to see Santa."
"Yeah, but who could say no to my banana chocolate chip pancakes?" Emily threw a wink over her shoulder and laughed when Alison threw a dish towel at her.
"You're so annoying," Alison said, retrieving her towel.
"Yet you still keep me around," Emily said, blowing Alison a kiss.
"When do you wanna bring down the presents?" Alison asked, putting a mug in their cabinet and moving back to the sink.
"In an hour?"
"Works for me," Alison said.
"I am gonna have one of these cookies though. They've been staring at me all night," Emily said, reaching for one of the cookies from the plate on their coffee table.
"Save me one!"
Just as Emily was sinking her teeth into one of the chewy sugar cookies, she heard footsteps from behind her. She turned around to see two very sleepy 5-year-olds staring back at her, shock in their eyes.
"Hey kids," Emily said, panic running across her face. She could hear Alison snickering from the kitchen. How come she never got caught doing these things?
"Mama," Grace started, crossing her arms and fixing Emily with an expression that made Emily's toes curl. Wonder who she got that from.
"Yes, baby?" Emily asked, swallowing hard on her cookie. Suddenly they didn't taste so good.
"Those cookies were for Santa!" they both shouted. Making Emily's ears ring. The laughter from the kitchen only got louder. How was this fair?
"I know but-"
"Now he's not gonna have any cookies to eat and he's not gonna come bring us presents," Lily yelled, her face red with anger. She was just like Emily, forgetting to breathe whenever she was mad.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Emily started, grabbing one of each of their hands and pulling them closer, "Santa is still coming! I just talked to him on the phone."
"Really?" Grace asked, rubbing at her eye.
"Yes!" Emily said, "He called and said he's running a little off schedule, one of the reindeer ate one too many carrots. He told me he's on his way, and that I should just eat the cookies."
"He did?" Lily asked, still a little skeptical. She was so smart, sometimes it was really annoying.
"He did! I protested of course. I said 'Santa, I can't eat your cookies! That's just not right. And he said 'Emily, please do. If I eat one more cookie, Mrs. Claus is gonna put me on a strict no-cocoa diet. And you know how much I love my cocoa.' So that's why you caught me eating the cookies. Only because I'm on orders from the man himself. I would never just eat his cookies."
"Yeah, cause he'd put you on the naughty list," Grace said around a yawn.
"Exactly! And who wants that? Not me, and especially not two little girls who better get their butts up to bed. He's going to be here any minute! Go run back upstairs! Go, go, go."
Grace and Lily did as they were told and barreled back up the stairs. Emily flopped back against the couch and let out a huge sigh. Alison came in a few seconds later and sat next to her, patting her thigh.
"Good save, babe," she said, trying to stifle another laugh.
"I can't believe that worked," Emily said, running her hands through her hair.
"Life is bliss when you're five," Alison said, reaching for a cookie and taking a bite.
"How come you never get caught?"
"Because I'm just that good," Alison said, pressing a kiss to Emily's lips before she could protest.
