Chapter 93
Here Comes Santa Joe

December 2024

"So, how was it today?" Lucas asked Maya as she came to join him on the couch, bringing one of their boys in her arm and the other as she led him by the hand. He'd just returned from sitting his last final of the semester and, exhausted as he'd been, he had made something of a beeline toward the couch upon arrival. But now here was Elliott, squealing in excitement at the sight of his father, and Lucas was all smiles, pulling him up into his lap and hugging him. "Hey, Sprout," he looked at him as he got him sitting properly. It never felt so difficult to get through anything when he had them to come home to, did it?

"It was amazing…" Maya breathed, absently brushing at Noah's blond curls. "They actually really got into it… Some of them were there mostly for the extra credit, or that's what they said anyway. I'm pretty sure I had them convinced by the end," she smiled proudly. "Most of them were there because they wanted to be. It felt really good, being out there at the school."

The whole thing had started to come together, of all places, in the waiting room of Dr. Eisley's office. Maya was talking with Nadia Su, and then with Ariel when she got out of her appointment, about Christmas trees, and ornaments, and how she would make her own. She'd started with simple paper ones, her first year in Austin, but even through the years, she'd kept making them, trying out new materials, new techniques. The results could be found populating the trees at her own house, and her parents', and others, too, to varying degrees. She'd shown pictures, and talked about how easy it could be…

A couple days later, Nadia had called her, saying that she'd found herself discussing these ornaments with some other parents from the school, friends of the family. From there, it had gotten back to a teacher or two, and then an idea. What if they had like… a workshop, a one-off class for the students to learn to make some of their own ornaments. It could even count to their art class grades. If Maya was on board to lead it, they would see about feeling for interest. From there, the rest was history. She could not have been more thankful. Ariel's mother knew this opportunity could go a long way for Maya and her future as a middle school art teacher.

Lucas had watched her prepare for this day for a solid week, and as much as nerves factored into all this, unavoidably so, what he really saw in his wife was anticipation… joy… So many pieces were moving now. She was starting school again in less than a month, she knew what she was working for, and here she had this chance to put it all into practice, to show herself that she was headed in the right direction. That was also the place for her nerves though, wasn't it? What happened if she failed? What happened if she'd gotten it all wrong?

Then, this morning, she was up with that fire in her he had come to know and love in their school days, and it really gave him a preview of what she would be like in January, when they were both in college again. There would be the added factor of their boys, but she had that under control. She had them fed, changed, and dressed – in that order, the better not to have to repeat – almost before he even got out of bed and started getting ready for the day. She didn't actually have to leave for hours, but she wanted to be ready, to be in that mindset.

The way she told it now, he could just picture her headed out there, walking up those front steps where they would sit, him and her and their friends, those steps where he'd asked her to be his wife, almost two years ago. Whatever butterflies were turning her stomach into their very own racetrack, they kept to that space and didn't affect anything that mattered. Anyone who saw her that day would see someone confident, driven, ready for anything. She was doing two sessions, one with the 8th graders at lunch, and then the 7th graders after last period.

It had really been something to meet up with her old art teacher, catching up, showing pictures of the boys… It was one of those times when she was reminded of her age and how things had moved at a whole other pace than the one she would have predicted. She had been this woman's student eight years ago, and it might have felt like a lot to some, but it really didn't to her, considering she'd been a senior in high school just four years ago. This should have been her last year of college…

Both sessions went great, just as she told Lucas. She looked at those kids, and even though they would never be her actual students, for the space of a couple of hours, today they were.

"So, everything's good?" Lucas asked her, smiling.

"Everything's very good," she nodded. She was right where she needed to be, and she had never been so sure as she was today. If she'd needed a fire lit under her as she prepared for her return to class… yeah… she'd just gotten it, big time. "Oh, look," she reached for her bag, paused. "Might be easier if you take him," she realized, and so she passed him Noah. The seven-month-old was getting more and more solid by the day, it felt, and here he joined his big brother, the two of them showing that tendency they had to be very calm when they were kept close to one another.

From her bag, Maya pulled a pair of small boxes. He'd seen those in her things, but Lucas didn't know what was inside until now. She showed him now, and he smiled at once. Each box held a round ornament, molded and prepared by her, circles almost as big as CDs. She'd made a hole, the better to add a bit of twine and tie it off to hang on the tree. Each ornament was covered over with names, painted on by various hands, and he knew what they would be, who they would be. She'd had all the kids in her sessions put their names on, a memento of the day. Her very first classes… sort of.

They were hanging on the tree downstairs when Christmas Eve rolled around. As they woke up, Maya and Lucas could hear Noah off in his crib, just hanging about without trouble. They could also hear Elliott, in the nursery across the hall, babbling away by himself, and almost…

"I swear, it sounds like he's trying to sing," Lucas smiled, which made Maya laugh.

"No idea where he gets that," she shook her head.

"No idea, huh?" Lucas asked as she turned about and got to see his face. His expression was so funny to her, and she could barely keep it together through this bit of banter.

"Not a single clue," she shook her head. "But would you do me a solid and go record it? Just in case it turns into something, then we can say 'look at this, when he was this little…'" she intoned.

"Sounds like a plan," he agreed, taking the time at the very least to kiss her, something more than cursory. It was almost Christmas after all.

Phone in hand, Lucas went and recorded the short video of Elliott in his crib, halfway sitting up by himself, playing with Opie Bunny. It wasn't the first time that he'd overheard his boy out here, 'vocalizing.' Actually, he'd started doing it in the last few weeks, as he and Maya had done that ever difficult thing and separated the boys, each back to their own cribs. It had not been easy, but then they had expected as much. Elliott and Noah had gotten used to being near one another, with naps and at night, too. Now they were being put back the way they used to be, and they clearly did not approve. They'd adjusted in time, yes, and now all was well, but there was still a part of their parents who felt bad for taking that away from them. It had felt necessary, going forward, but at the same time… It was just sweet, wasn't it?

"Are you trying to let your brother know you're out here? Huh? Is that what you're doing?" Lucas whispered as he finally came into view and lifted up his firstborn in his latest holiday PJs courtesy of Granny Mel. "Look at you now, goodness…" he smiled, kissing his son's head as Elliott held close to him. "Christmas Eve, Sprout. Busy day for everyone…"

Only a year ago, it had been his first Christmas, and it had felt like such a great and important day. Now, it was his second, but it was once again great and important, because it was Noah's first. They were going to make it just as special as last time, no one was phoning it in here. Even as he brought Elliott back across the hall, he could hear Maya singing one of their go-to Christmas songs to Noah as she held him, standing in the middle of the room.

"Call me crazy, but I think that's what he was babbling on about," Lucas told her, making her chuckle.

"He did hear it a lot," she agreed. "Is that what you're doing?" she asked as Lucas brought Elliott over. She started singing the song again and the boy perked up, laughing and reaching for his mother. "Swap?" Maya looked to Lucas.

"Swap," he smiled. He set Elliott down, taking Noah from Maya so she could scoop up his big brother. He did not waste time in burrowing himself up close to her, and he got a good bit of hugs and kisses from his mom for it. If that wasn't the best way to start Christmas Eve, she couldn't think of a better one.

As promised, the day was a busy one. There had been plenty of debate as to where they would spend the eve and then the day itself. They wanted to host their families and friends, especially after the addition of the attic, and even more so with it being the first year with Noah… and the first since… Kermit. Realizing that part, oh… They had all been picking up the pieces in the last several months, and they had all been improving so well. But this now… It felt like being yanked back into the dark after climbing their way into the light with so much effort.

They could do this, they could… Kermit was gone, but Noah was here, Noah… He'd never met him, but he had named him. They could not, would not forget.

It was decided then that they would spend Christmas Day here at the house on the lane. The Harts almost couldn't bear to spend that day in the house and continue to be reminded of his absence. The day before, today, they were making a few stops here and there, seeing those people they wouldn't see the next day mostly, though they stopped by their parents' homes, too, because it was the natural thing to do. They weren't going to make it a full day though. They needed to return home, to prepare some things for the next day. It would be their biggest Christmas yet, which was saying something, with how it had once been the site of their engagement and the revelation of their first pregnancy.

"I know it's going to be great… and a little crazy…" Lucas started, as he and Maya worked through what might have been a mountain or two of vegetables with a swiftness that suggested competition.

"A little?" Maya laughed. She didn't even need to elaborate for him to know what she was thinking about. There would be so many people here…

"In a good way," he countered, to which she tipped her head, inviting him to go on. "Anyway, I was going to say… As great as it'll all be, I think… I'd be good with just this, too. You, me, the boys, Pappy Joe…"

"All the vegetables in the world…" Maya contributed, wiggling her knife toward the growing mountains, adding a winning smirk as they could both see that she was ahead of him. He squinted at her and continued chopping.

"Speaking of you-know-who, what's the plan here?" she asked in a muffled tone, as though either one of their sons – presently kept in a playpen nearby – would be able to not only hear but also understand and interpret what they were saying. Maya preferred caution over spilling the beans on their great grandfather's secret vocation.

They had definitely started growing familiar with the figure of the jolly man in the red and white suit, beard and all, something their parents suspected was Pappy Joe's own scheme, making it so that they would see him and deem him important. If it wasn't so adorable to see the older man so intent on teaching those little boys, it could have felt like too much. Instead, it was really just perfect. The true test now would be what happened when the man in question made his appearance. He wasn't sitting his usual seat back at the mall anymore, no, but just because he couldn't handle having kid after kid in his lap did not mean that he couldn't make an exception for some VIPs.

"What do you think? Should we go into the living room? Put on a movie? Act natural?" she wondered, once they'd made it on the other side of all their preparations and could finally stop and relax a while. It was the most involved pre-gathering prep they'd had to perform as of yet, and still it really kind of felt… worth it. Of course, now there was the next part of all this. The boys would be off to sleep soon, were already coming and going, so it was just as well that they'd set a time. They were just fortunate that they'd finished when they'd done it.

"Sounds good," Lucas laughed. Looking into the playpen, there was Elliott, staring up at him, standing and gripping the edge, while Noah lay on his back nearby and looked up with almost the same expectant expression. "Time for Lolo the Elf again?" he asked. Maya grunted.

"Do not speak his name in my presence," she mock hissed, which made him laugh. "If we keep playing that thing, they'll get hooked, and then I'm…. Yeah, let's just not even go there, alright?" she waved this off.

"Right, no Lo…" Lucas started, then stopped at the look he got. He zipped his lips. The name would not be spoken. "So, what's it gonna be then?"

"Well…" Maya considered their options. "We could open presents. Ours, not theirs," she looked to the boys. "Or should we wait until after…"

The choice was cut short, as they heard what sounded distinctly like… bells? Maya and Lucas shared a look, a smile, even as they got the boys up in arms. Noah looked curious about the noise, though not so much that he would have been able to think 'oh, this is clearly the work of Santa Claus, he is here.' Elliott was just about in the same place as his little brother, even as the front door opened and, from the comfortable chill, in walked the man in red and white, who was totally not his great grandfather, who was at this moment away with some friends, of course not. Either way, the 'training' did its work well enough. Elliott saw him and he probably didn't understand everything, but he definitely recognized the jolly man, and he looked very happy to see him.

"Well, well, now, is that my little elf? Is that Elliott? Yeah, that's the one, ho, ho, ho… Hello, Elliott, let me get a look at you." He didn't have to work hard for him to come on over. The boy was reaching toward him and was passed over from his father's hold. "My, you have grown since last year. Let's just sit here a while, why don't we?"

Lucas turned back to Maya, hearing Noah and his cries. She was calming him already, even as she smirked at her husband. Leave it to Pappy Joe to go all in with this visit, talking to his great grandson like he was plenty big enough to converse with him. They watched as Pappy Joe sat and talked to the enraptured boy, snapped some pictures, naturally. They thought better of removing Elliott from the equation as far as Noah's turn, and so Santa Joe held both the boys, one to each arm, each knee. He handled them with practiced ease, and Noah kept his calm now, with his big brother nearby and maybe, subconsciously, with his great grandfather holding him.

Theirs was a full-service Santa, as he took the boys upstairs – one at a time – and got them ready and settled in their cribs, all before heading into his room to become Joseph Friar once more and rejoin his grandson and his wife for a quiet Christmas Eve night. While he was doing all of this, Maya and Lucas went about exchanging gifts. They had agreed to one present each, and they were holding one another to that. Much as they wouldn't go off worrying too much, they knew that too many expenses might have come back to bite them later. This was fine. They needed no presents to exclaim their feelings for one another, so the one was just… Christmas.

"So, what do you think, should I give you yours first, or the other way around…" Maya asked. Lucas considered this.

"I could go first," he finally said. Maya looked at him, and she presented him with her gift. "Okay, but…"

"I can tell you want to go second," she called him on it, smiling. "It's alright, really. Open it."

"Thank you," he tipped his head with his own smile before starting to undo the wrapping on the gift. It was hard to figure out what it was at first, and soon he realized that it was in fact several items of a same kind. Lucas gave Maya a look to point out how they had only been meant to get one present, but she matched this with 'just look.'

They were vinyl records, and not just any. He looked at each cover and it was like he had been immediately thrown back into his childhood, visiting the house. His grandparents had had these very ones, actually his grandmother specifically, he was sure. He remembered deeply how he was entrusted with handling them and the player, too. He had handled them so many times, he could describe them with his eyes closed. Whenever he'd happen to hear one of the songs in one way or another, it would be a pull back to the past, too.

After his grandmother's passing, the player had disappeared, the records, too. For years, he hadn't known why, and then his father had told him the story, of how, in his grief, Pappy Joe had kind of lost it one day, and those items had been some of the unfortunate victims.

"You…" he looked to Maya.

"Pappy Joe sort of gave me the idea," she revealed.

"But we don't have a…"

"That would be his gift," Maya explained, holding a finger to her lips. He looked back to the records, breathed in. He only had to look at the covers and the music was in his ears, the music and his grandmother's face, too, her voice…

"Then I thank you both," he smiled, leaning over to kiss his wife.

"I'll just say you're welcome for myself for now. He'll get you later," she teased.

"Sounds good. Now, you," he nodded before presenting her with his own gift. Maya received this large box and went about unwrapping it. The box itself was bare, not revealing what was inside just yet. She pulled back the top and soon discovered it held a bag, the immediate impression being a very nice school bag. It took her a moment to see his thought process, but finally she smiled. "I just figured that, after all this time, it's a new start and… it needed to be honored," he said it anyway.

"Yeah…" she nodded rapidly, breathing deep under the rattle of emotions. It could look so simple, but then it meant so much more to her, and he'd known that it would, hadn't he? That was just like him.

"I may have hidden a few other things in there," Lucas added.

"I'm not going to bring up the one present rule, because… well…" she declared. He held up the stack of records. "Exactly," she laughed. "I love it, thank you."

"You are so welcome," he replied with that confident grin that said he knew she was going to do great back at school. She really hoped he was right.

TO BE CONTINUED

See you next week! - mooners