Lyla writes a letter to Santa on behalf of her brother.
Jo used the small kitchen knife in her hand to slice open the plastic covering that sealed the frozen turkey and gravy meal that she was fixing for dinner. She threw the covering in the trashcan and proceeded to stick it in the oven. Today was one of her very rare off days, which meant she didn't have to work. Originally, she planned on getting some cleaning and laundry done since she had an empty nest. Alex was working until 4:00, Lyla was in school until 3:00 and baby Alex was away in daycare until his father picked him up at 4:00 when his shift ended.
But halfway through the day, she realized that she didn't quite like being in the loft alone without Lyla to talk her into painting her toenails and without Alex demanding to be fed. So even though she was looking forward to having a day alone to herself, she ended up bringing Alex's lunch to the hospital, picking up the baby from daycare an hour early and swinging by the elementary school to grab her daughter too. It wasn't until today that Jo realized she didn't like being too long without her children.
Still dressed in the blue skirt and blue blouse that Jo put on her this morning, Lyla sat at the kitchen island atop a barstool with a black crayon in her hand and a sheet of paper with chicken-scratch handwriting all over it in front of her. "Mommy?" She put down the jumbo-sized crayon she was holding and looked up at her mother, swinging her feet since they didn't touch the ground. "How you spell 'preciate?"
"A-P-P-R-E-C-I-A-T-E." Jo spelled, carefully enunciating each letter with slow precision so that her five year old understood every letter. She slid the container of turkey and gravy in the preheated oven and looked down at the floor, glancing at the portable swing resting near the fridge. In the swing, baby Alex laid shirtless with a glistening bare chest. He occupied himself with a bright orange stuffed tiger. Tons of drool and slobber collected on his chest but Jo didn't bother to wipe it because she knew it'd be pointless because he was just going to drool all over again. "Alex…" Jo called his name and smiled at him. "Alexx…"
The baby stopped fingering the toy's shiny black eyeballs and tilted his head in the direction of his mother's voice. He was beginning to get the hang of this whole "name" thing. He slightly understood that when his mommy said "Alex" that she was talking to him. He caught a glimpse of Jo's warm, cheeky smile and the corner of his own mouth turned up into a slobbery, gummy grin. A soft, smooth dribble of his saliva trickled down his chin and added to the pile on his chest. He held his chubby, stout arm out and flexed his fingertips toward his mother.
"Hi bubby. Whatcha doin', bubba? Huh?" Jo used a playful tone as she teased him. It wasn't unusual or rare for little Alex to smile the way he was. He was generally a very happy, pleasant and content baby. Smiles were part of his everyday regime. Jo especially liked it when his large, round eyes would squint as he smiled. The way his eyes squinted reminded her of when big Alex would force a smile. "You's a happy bubba, aren't you?" Alex gnashed his gums together and made a slight cooing noise, as if he was talking back to his mother. Jo smiled at him again and finally turned back to her daughter. "What are you writing, Lala?" She fills up a pot with water so she can make mashed potatoes. "Why do you need to know how to spell 'appreciate'?"
"I'm writin'…" Lyla stated, sticking her tongue out to signify true concentration. "I'm writin' a letter to Santa Claus."
"Santa Claus?" Jo raised her eyebrow and started shaking potato spud flakes into the water. Admittedly, she and Alex had already begun talking about Christmas shopping for their two babies. It was getting to be near the end of September and since Lyla was old enough to understand what Christmas was, she and Alex had done their Christmas shopping three months prior to December. "Santa's not taking requests yet." She lied, swiftly. "He said talk to him after Halloween. Daddy and I talked to him on the phone the other day and he said that he's not taking requests until after Halloween."
"It not a waquest, mommy." Lyla carefully went back through the word "appreciate" and dotted the "i" and crossed the "t." She moved on to the next line of her letter. "I writin' to make sure him bring my baby bruddy somefing for Kissmiss. I no want him to fuhget about Ally."
"Santa won't forget about Ally, Ly. He knows that Ally needs something for Christmas." Jo turned on the flame on the stove and stepped back, looking at the words on the paper that her daughter wrote. "What made you think Santa would forget him?"
Lyla shrugged her shoulders. "I just wanna make sure him don't." She signed her name at the bottom of the letter and put the crayon down, admiring her hard work. "…Can you wead it and tell me if it good to send to Santa, mama?"
"Read it to me." Jo walked over to the island and stood next to her daughter. She placed her hand on Lyla's head and started smoothing her hair back. "You tell mommy what it says."
"Dear Santa. Can you please give my brother something good for Kissmiss? Hims name is Ally and hims a baby. I don't know what him would want cause him can't talk but him likes bubbas, ninis, blankies and puffs. Him likes tigers and giraffes. Him likes mommy. Him does not like Doritos. Can you please give him something him will like? Him was sick and him should get something good. Thank you. Love Lyla." The five year old looked up at her mother when she was done reading.
Jo's eyes glossed over the leader, reading it in her head. Der Santa. Can you plez giv my broter sum thing good for Cismast? Hims name is Aly and hims a babby. I dunt now wat him wood want cus him cant tak but him like babas, neenees, blankys and pufs. Him likes tigers and jarafs. Him likes mommy. Him duz not like Daretos. Can you plez giv him sum thing him will like. Him was sik and him shod git sum thing god. Thak you. Luv Lyla. Jo blinked back a tear that stung her eye and continued stroking her daughter's hair. She forced Lyla's head against her lower stomach and held her close for a moment. "You wanna mail this today?" Lyla nodded her head.
Jo really thought that "Santa" would enjoy reading this letter.