A/N: Hi, well this story is writing itself. Haha. The first official chapter is ready. As usual, I own nothing but my plot idea and OCs.
Chapter One: Bleak Friday
"Lucy, hey Lucy! You wanna come with us to the mall?" It was the last day of school before the Thanksgiving Holiday, and all of the kids in Lucy's class were planning to do Christmas shopping for their friends and family, the leader of which was Ashley Hughes. "I'm sure your grandma will give you money to buy something for your mom."
Lucy felt as though she'd been slapped. Sure,her grandmother and aunt were rich, while her mother was lucky to keep a job. But did she have to broadcast it in front of the fifth grade pick up line? Grandma Belfry owned a lot of businesses, but to say it in front of everybody like that. Well, that sure was mean.
"No thanks." Lucy managed to keep her voice level, and to keep the tears out of it. "I've got plans." She forced a smile.
"Oh that's right," Ashley said. "It's your mom's weekend right?"
There it was again, and this time Lucy had to turn away.
"Miss Hughes, is there a problem?"
Lucy flinched as she heard one of the teachers that were supervising pickup, her favorite teacher, Ms. Davis. Her eyes burned and she adjusted her backpack.
"Not at all Ms. Davis." Ashley said.
"Well then, go on. I think I just saw your father pull up." Ms. Davis gave the girl a pointed look.
"Happy Thanksgiving Lucy!" Ashley said as she passed, having the nerve to give Lucy a hug. Her skin crawled.
"Happy Thanksgiving," Lucy said returning the hug, barely, unable to keep the disdain disguised very well.
After what seemed like forever, Ashley finally broke the hug and left. That was the longest hug for a teacher's benefit, Lucy thought, any bully in the entire fifth grade had to have given.
"Lucy," Ms. Davis pulled Lucy from the line and pulled her aside close to the entrance where her classmates weren't. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "I'm fine Ms. Davis,"
"Now, see, I know you're not. That Ashley's a piece of work isn't she?"
Lucy's eyes widened.
"Relax, I'm a teacher, we have a list." Ms. Davis said, her hazel eyes lit up in mischief.
"A list?" Lucy said.
"Yup,"
"For what?"
"The less you know the better."
Lucy blinked looking at her teacher in shock.
"Kidding. Kidding." Ms. Davis said. "Sorry bad joke."
Lucy shook her head. "A little bit." But honestly, she wouldn't mind if it was something awful. She sniffled.
"Oh Lucy, sweetheart...let's come inside huh?"
"Won't you get in trouble?"
"I can handle principal Weaver." She replied. "Now come on."
Lucy hadn't been talking about the principal, but let it go, too upset and embarrassed to truly protest leaving the pickup area.
"Hey, look over here Mikey, look at Mummy and Ruff Ruff!" The woman waved her hand with the toy high in the air. Honestly, Henry didn't understand why she didn't just give the boy his toy dog and be done with it. Aesthetic be damned lady, your kid's been screaming murder since you dragged him here. Whose bright idea was it even to have Santa photos in this place before Thanksgiving? He thought to himself. But he continued to adjust the camera and the lighting mumming his words for the time being, these tights and the ridiculous hat he was in, nearly enough to keep him civil along with his boss' last warning. You're a happy happy elf Mr. Mills act like it or you're paycheck will be sad sad.
"Oh, ho ho ho, Mikey, can you look at your Mama and give a big smile?" The shopping mall Santa, his coworker, Jeb, seemed he needed the happy happy sad sad speech more than Henry himself, as he bounced the boy on his knee, his ho ho hos sounded more in tone like go to hells. "Jeez kid, please!"
Henry had had enough. He grabbed a candy cane from the basket and went over to "Santa's" throne receiving a few incredulous looks from his fellow elves. "Hey ya Mikey," He said gently, unwrapping the candy cane as he crouched down on the step. "How you doing buddy?"
"Ruff, Ruff…" The boy sniffled reaching his hand out for the candy.
"Ruff, Ruff's right over there with your Mama," Henry said. He gave the boy the candy cane and smiled gently as the boy licked it and then promptly stuck it in his mouth.. He looked over to where the mother stood. "Say, Mom," He looked over. "Why don't you come over here and you guys can take the picture together. Santa wouldn't mind, would you?"
The boy beamed.
Jeb sighed and moved his hand in a come here motion.
The mother came over. Henry noticed a dark look come his way as the mother ascended the steps. She then promptly yanked the candy cane out of Mikey's mouth and hand replacing it with the stuffed dog. "No sugar Mikey you know that." The mother then placed the sticky candy in Henry's hand shooing him away.
Henry sighed going back to his position behind the camera wiping the stickiness with a napkin from a stack near the bowl of candy canes and taking the photo. A smiling photo that concealed the total snobbishness of the mother's real attitude printed from the Polaroid.
Shift change happened after much too long a time, but before Henry could leave the area, the manager of the store came over. As Henry looked back towards the kids on Jeb's lap, he could swear he heard the man's ho ho ho's sound more genuinely jolly than he ever had heard them since he got the gig, and he could swear the man was looking at him out of the corner of his eye as his tone changed. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry freaking Christmas to you too Santa.
A/N: So both Lucy and Henry are having a rough time of it. Fun fact: I was actually inspired to have Henry work with department store Santa so early on just purely based on how early Thanksgiving seems to be forgotten in favor of Christmas/Holidays sometimes. I have no idea if department store Santas actually set up so early very often as I have personally never been to one before December. Maybe, maybe not. But for the sake of the story, this particular store does.
