Hello lovelies! It has been a minute hasn't it! As you all know from my author's note last chapter, I was doing NaNoWriMo in November. I didn't finish an entire story, but I did write about 17,000 words, which is more than I've ever been able to complete before when I've tried it. So, you know, progress. :) I started this chapter in December, but my gosh, between seeing some of my family, being swamped at worked, and getting sick- I had no time or energy to write. These past few days have actually been the first time I've had multiple days off in a row, so between cleaning my house from top to bottom, I've spent a lot of it writing. Which means we finally get another chapter! Yay!
I want to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed, or even just read this story. It really means a lot to me that you lot are enjoying it. I'd write it even if there wasn't anyone who wanted to read it, because I'm a firm believer in writing for yourself, but it makes me really happy knowing there are people who I get to share it with. :)
I hope everyone has been safe and happy and healthy! The only warnings I have for this chapter are a small mention of alcohol, and I want to reiterate that Scott Calvin's view on therapy and counseling in no way reflect my own. It actually can be hard to write his thoughts on it sometimes, because the character thinks therapy is a joke, and I actually think it's wonderful and something people should really consider if they ever need any help.
There will be another note down at the bottom for any who's interested. As always, I have rambled WAY too much. Enjoy the chapter, and if you want, let me know what you think!
11. October '96
October brings darkness to the North Pole. The sun, which for months has been an ever-present companion shining down on the ice guarding Scott and the elves' home, has dipped below the horizon. Now, the never ending black of winter has come to hold vigil in the sky until the warmer months return next year. In response, streetlights are now lit at all times. The elficers take turns patrolling the snow fields to make sure no elf has gotten lost in dark. The heavy velvet curtains in every home are thrown open to let in what sparse light there is, and every room of the workshop has colorfully glowing Christmas lights wrapped around their borders, their glow reflected on the faces of all the elves working inside. The effect- while Scott hears many elves call this time of year "charming"- to him is a little foreboding. The streetlamps turn the snow-packed streets of Elfsburg a deep orange, harsh sinister-looking shadows cutting across the alleyways and stairwells the lights can't quite reach. He cannot see the ice mountains or the fields from the edge of town anymore- it's just too dark. The only things visible are the tiny squares of light from the retiree's' cottages that border the edge of the fields. The one thing he does enjoy about all this is the multicolored reflections of the Christmas lights in the glossy sides of newly made toys before they're sent for wrapping. That, he finds enchanting.
As he walks down the main hallway of the workshop towards the wrapping department one day, he spots Bernard, high upon a ladder. Several other elves holding boxes stand below him- all of them surrounding an enormous fir tree. It's probably a good two and a half feet taller than Scott. Strings of popcorn are wrapped all the way up the tree in one giant spiral, along with a shimmering strand of fairy lights. There are tiny white bows tied to the tips of the branches, and fragile glass baubles in silver and blue hang heavily from them as well. It's very pretty. He makes his way over and just as he's about to call out to his Head Elf he notices- the tree is not in a stand like one would expect. No, the roots of the tree are growing straight through into the tiled floor.
"Is this... is this thing alive?"
Bernard turns to look at him, hand paused in the air from where he'd been about to hang another glittery silver ornament. "Uh, yea? Of course it is."
"What do you mean 'of course?' T-the roots- the floor-"
"One day," Bernard begins with a rather put-upon sigh, "you're going to have to read that handbook." He hangs the ornament in his hand and then leaps down off the ladder, landing neatly by the other elves. He tells the others to keep decorating, and then moves towards Scott.
"What does the handbook have to do with stuff that shouldn't be possible?" Scott asks.
"Magic makes the impossible, possible, Santa."
"Like growing trees in the middle of a hallway on the second floor of a building?"
"In this case, yes." At Scott's snort, Bernard laughs. "Okay, this may be a weird case, but my point still stands. Anyway, this is a special tree. It's basically the... manifestation of all your magic. The brighter Christmas magic burns, the healthier the tree is. Every Legendary Figure has one. I know you've seen some of the others."
Scott shakes his head. "No, I haven't. I'd have noticed a random tree growing out of the floor at Tooth's place."
"Really?"Bernard asks, eyebrow raised. "How many times did you walk by this one without noticing it was there?"
"Oh, shut up," Scott grumbles.
Bernard laughs. "So, what are you doing, Santa? I thought you were checking the list?"
"Taking a break to stretch my legs a bit. Thought I'd check in with the other department heads. Want to come with?"
"Hm," Bernard taps his chin with a finger as if in deep thought. "I should be getting back to the Main Floor to help Curtis so... yea! I'd love to."
Scott snorts and then the two of them leave the other elves to their decorating. They spend about an hour walking around and chitchatting with the other Heads, and then Scott leaves Bernard on the Main Floor so he can go back to his office to continue trudging through the many names on the list still waiting to be checked. He doesn't get very far though, because the phone on his desk gives a sudden, shrill ring.
"Hel-lo!" he says cheerily, placing the receiver in the crook of his neck so he can keep perusing the list. "Scott speaking."
"Scott! It's Louie."
"Hey! How are you?"
"Oh, I'm doing fine. Listen, I can't talk long. I'm just about to leave the office to meet Loretta for lunch." The line crackles with static. Scott winces at the noise. "But I got some good news I wanted to share with you."
"What's that?"
"We've got a buyer for the townhouse!"
Scott starts, nearly dropping the phone in his surprise. "What? Are you serious?"
"Yes!" and Louie lets out a delighted laugh. "It's this couple and their two daughters. They fell in love with the neighborhood once they saw all the other children that lived there. Said they were hoping for a place where their kids could make lots of friends. They just put in an offer this morning. And I let them know about your and Laura's misunderstanding last year."
"O-oh? How'd that go over?"
"Pretty well, actually. I guess the husband has another kid with an ex-wife and they had some custody issues a few years back. He was pretty understanding."
Scott lets out a slow breath, one he hadn't quite realized he was holding. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't worried that his house would never sell. That the reminder of the person he'd been before would sit there, gathering dust, like some quiet, hollow monument of all the selfish choices he'd made before putting on the coat. Louie finding people who believed him was like a weight lifting off his shoulders. Scott suddenly felt so much lighter.
"Thank you, Louie. Really."
"You're welcome, Scott. Now, I've got to go. You know Loretta will chew me out something awful if I'm late. I'll call you with more details later, alright?"
"Sure thing. Bye, Louie."
Scott has a pep in his step for the rest of the week and well through the weekend. When Monday arrives, he takes Comet down to the Miller's so they can go to family counseling after picking Charlie up from school. Laura and Neil are excited for him when he shares the news. Neil promises they'll toast to him finally getting an offer- with non-alcoholic apple cider- once they get back from counseling, and Laura insists Scott stay for dinner so they can celebrate together. Scott's good mood lasts all the way to Dr. Sanchez's office. He plops down into his favorite squashy armchair and for once is happy to share with the woman everything new in his life.
"Congratulations, Scott. I'm sure worrying about whether or not your house was going to sell was causing you some stress," she says.
Scott nods his head. "Yea, I guess it was."
"Anything else you want to share?"
"Not really."
"Alright," Dr. Sanchez reaches over to a folder that's sitting on the table beside her chair. "Today I want us to go over our progress so far this year. I know you'll be meeting with Judge Whalen in the next month or so to discuss if he thinks we should continue with our meetings. I just want to know how each of you feels regarding everything, before I send my recommendation to the judge."
"Recommendation?" Scott asks, confused.
She nods. "About if I feel you all should continue with family therapy or not."
"You get to make that decision?"
"No, that's up to the judge. All I do is tell him whether or not I think you all would benefit from more counseling or not. But that's still awhile away. I just want to know how each of you feels about our time together so far."
"What if we say we think we've had enough counseling?" Scott asks, feeling a little defensive suddenly. He's been trying with the therapy, like he promised he would. But he hates the idea of another year sitting in this office. He doesn't see how it would help them.
"Do you think you've had enough?" Dr. Sanchez asks, her pen perched above her notebook so she can write down whatever Scott says.
"Well- yea. Look, I'd be the last person to admit that counseling has helped us, but even I can't deny that it has. We're able to do things as a family now, Laura and I aren't fighting like we used to, and Charlie and I are spending time together as often as we can. I think we're good."
"What does everyone else think?"
"I agree that we've come a long way, but I don't think it would hurt for us to remain in therapy for a while longer," Neil says.
"Well of course you'd say that," Scott mumbles. Laura shoots him an annoyed look.
"As I was saying, it certainly couldn't hurt. Even though we are doing better, I know there's still some work that needs done. I mean, we haven't hit a bad patch yet, which is nice, but I've been sort of worried about what's going to happen the first time we do."
"What do you mean, Neil?" Dr. Sanchez asks.
"Everything's been going really well," Neil explains slowly, his eyes focused on his hands, like studying his fingernails will help him choose the words he needs to get his point across. "We are spending more time together, we're solving problems together. It feels very much like we're a family- all four of us. But life isn't just full of good moments. There are bad times too... and I guess part of me is still worried that the first time we hit one of those snags, we'll go back to exactly how everything was before."
"That's a valid concern, and if I'm being honest something I've wondered myself." Dr. Sanchez puts down her pen so she can give them her full attention. "It's easy to say 'everything's fine, we're fixed' when things are going well. But what will really show how far you've come, as individuals and as a family, is how you react when things aren't going so smoothly. I'd like each of you to think about that- even you Charlie. How do you think you'd react?"
The rest of the day, Scott feels much more subdued than he was before. He does his best to hide it during dinner with the Millers. It's difficult though, with Dr. Sanchez's words echoing in his head. How would he react? He wants to say, if some sort of trouble were to come up, he'd handle himself differently than he ever would have before. He wants to say he wouldn't get defensive, or start an argument with Laura and Neil. He wants to say, if he were the problem, he wouldn't make excuses like he did before. But even he knows he can't say those things, not with a hundred percent certainty. Because there is a chance that they haven't really fixed their problems, not yet. Which means there's a chance they're still the same people who would argue and insult each other, who are so bad at communicating with each other that the police have to get involved.
Just like his joy did, Scott's sour mood follows him for the rest of the week. He knows Bernard and Curtis have noticed, can feel their eyes following him as he mopes around the workshop. He takes to hiding in his office as often as he can, (he's still checking the list so it's not like he isn't getting any work done,) just to avoid any questions.
He should have realized his Head Elf wouldn't let this go on for long. Three days later, Scott is staring glumly into his hot chocolate, when the door to his office is swung open. He jumps, spilling the sticky sweet liquid over his fingers. Thank heavens it had already gone cold, or else that would have hurt. Bernard enters the room, a heavy silver tray holding two large mugs in his arms.
"You scared the heck out of me, Bernard. Since when don't you knock?" Scott grumbles, searching his desk for something to wipe his hands on.
Bernard walks over and sets the tray on the desk, handing Scott a cloth napkin once his hands are free. "My hands were full so I couldn't."
"Oh," Scott nods his head at the mugs. "What's that."
"Eggnog. Thought we might toast to your townhouse finally selling."
"It's not official yet. That couple just made the offer like two weeks ago."
"Yea, but I have a feeling everything will go smoothly," Bernard says, taking a seat across from Scott. The elf hands him a mug, and then picks up the other, holding it in the air as he looks at Scott expectantly.
Scott huffs out a laugh, and then clinks his mug against Bernard's. The elf grins at him and says simply "congrats!" before taking a long sip of the drink. Scott brings his own mug to his lips and takes a rather large swig.
"Ack! Jeez. Bernard!" Scott splutters through a cough, his throat burning. "What did you put in this?"
Bernard gives a thoughtful hum as he takes another drink. "Whiskey. I know a lot of people prefer brandy, but I think the whiskey adds more of a kick."
"Did you pour the entire bottle into my glass?"
"Is it too strong for you? I think it tastes just fine."
Scott shakes his head. He watches him take another drink, a question popping into his mind and slipping past his lips before he can stop it. "How- how old are you?"
Bernard pauses. "Where did that come from?"
"I've been wondering it for a while, actually." Scott shrugs, and takes another, more tentative sip from his own mug. "I mean, you look like you're seventeen or eighteen."
"If you're worried about me drinking, I assure you I'm several hundred years older than any drinking age on Earth."
"No, no, that's not why I'm asking," Scott laughs. "I'm just- I'm curious. I know you're the oldest out of all the elves, but sometimes you guys say your ages and I get confused. Like, I know Judy and Quentin are at least twelve hundred, because they've told me they were little ones together, and that's how long it took Judy to get her cocoa recipe the way she wanted it. But Curtis and Abby are only nine hundred, and yet they don't look too far off in age from them."
"Magical creatures... we age a lot differently than you humans do. The older we get, the slower our bodies age. That's why all the retirees look like teenagers, even though some of them are way older than the others."
"So, how old are you then?"
Bernard stares at him over the rim of his mug. "Guess."
"What?"
"Guess. Come on, it'll be fun. I promise to tell you if you're right or not."
Scott studies the boy in front of him for a long moment. "Two thousand?"
Bernard busts out laughing. "S-sorry. But you're not even close, Santa."
"Seriously?" At Bernard's nod, he sighs. "Well, I'm going to guess right one day. Watch me."
They sit in companionable silence for a while. Scott feels in a much better mood for the first time in over a week. He's still worried about what Neil had said, that's not going to go away no matter how much he wishes it would, but sitting in his office sipping at too-strong eggnog with his Head Elf has certainly cheered him up. They still don't know each other very well- or, at least he doesn't know much about Bernard- but he's been starting to think of the boy as a friend, not just someone he works with. He's sure Bernard didn't just come up here to toast to someone placing an offer on his townhouse. He did it because he was worried about Scott. And yet he hadn't tried to pry. Which Scott really appreciates, because even though he knows the elf would be happy to listen to his problems, he doesn't think he wants to talk about this one right now. He wonders if Bernard knows that, just like he always knows when something is bothering Scott.
Just then, Curtis's voice comes crackling out of the radio clipped to Bernard's belt. He says something about a bad batch of presents. Bernard sets his mug down onto the desk, letting out a very put-upon sigh. He unhooks the radio and says back, "just inspect them and send whatever's good off to wrapping. I'll have a talk with them later."
"What's that about?" Scott asks, watching as Bernard pinches the bridge of his nose.
"It's nothing. Just more presents that were made wrong."
"Whoa whoa, that doesn't sound like nothing to me." Scott sets his mug down onto the desk beside Bernard's. "And what do you mean 'more?'"
Bernard fidgets in his seat, not meeting Scott's eye. "Well, the elves on the Main Floor keeping messing up some of the presents. Not the generic ones we make for kids who don't write anything but what kind of toy they want, but the one's with the really specific customizations. Like if they want a certain color or something. This is the third time this month we've caught them getting stuff switched around."
"What? Why didn't you tell me about any of this?"
"Because it's nothing! I swear, it happens every year. The elves get themselves all worked up because they think they're falling behind and then suddenly they're making mistakes they normally wouldn't."
"Are we behind?"
"No, no," Bernard buries his face in his hands, his next words coming out in a muffled groan. "This is why I don't ever say anything to Santa. It sounds so much worse when I do."
"Alright buddy, look at me." When Bernard doesn't move, Scott reaches over to gently tug at one of the elf's hands. "Come on, look at me or I'm taking your eggnog away- don't laugh, I mean it. Whether you think it's a big deal or not, I still want you to tell me when something's going on in the workshop. We're a team. We're supposed to figure this stuff out together. The good and the bad."
"It's just... the other Santa's never really cared about the simple stuff. They were always too busy with their own work. It's been a really long time since we've had a Santa who didn't just leave all the little things to me."
"Does it bother you that I don't?"
Bernard's brow furrows as he thinks over his words. "No. It's just... different. Not in a bad way though."
"Good. I want you to rely on me as much as I rely on you."
"I think I can do that."
Scott tries his best to be in a much better mood after his and Bernard's conversation. Part of him wonders if one of the reasons Bernard thought he was just another Santa he couldn't bother with any small problems in the workshop is because of how he'd been acting all last week. He's sure he hadn't been the most helpful when he was on the Main Floor, and since he'd kept hiding in his office, maybe the Head Elf took that as Scott thinking he had more important things to do. That's not how Scott feels at all, so he does his best to show that. He spends extra time helping the elves with the toys and is happy to see that no more have to be redone before they can be sent for wrapping.
Just a few days before the end of the month, Scott finds himself back in his office, pouring over the thick stack of papers Mother Nature had sent down, reporting how September's autumnal equinox had gone and her progress with the changing of seasons. He'd found the report sitting on his desk when he'd came in to take his lunch, the bright purple sticky note with a neat cursive apology for the report's lateness catching his eye immediately. He appreciates Mother Nature's attention to detail, but ten pages in, and her tiny, cramped writing is starting to blur together. When the phone in his office lets out a shrill ring, he happily pushes the report away so he can grab the receiver, saying a silent thank you to whomever just saved him from having to read about the average temperatures in the eastern hemisphere.
"Dad?" he hears Charlie say over the crackling line.
"Hey, sport! Everything okay?"
"Yea, it's fine. Mom just wanted me to call and ask you if you'll be coming down to go trick-or-treating with us this year?"
The hope in Charlie's voice is unmistakable. It actually makes Scott pause, because Charlie hasn't asked for his dad to join them on Halloween night in about three years. Not since the first one, right after his and Laura's divorce. The two of them had spent the entire time arguing and making snide remarks at each other. He remembers Charlie asking his mom if they could go home early, and he remembers feeling terrible about how he'd ruined the night for his son. The fact that Charlie was willing to give it another shot, was unbelievable.
"Dad?"
"Yea- sorry. I-I'd love to come. What time does your mom want me at the house?"
Charlie gives him the time, and after making his dad promise to wear some kind of costume, he hangs up. Scott doesn't have anything to wear that could pass as a costume- besides his suit, but he's definitely not going to dress as Santa- so he gets up and goes down to the first floor of the workshop, all the way to the back of the building, so he can visit Edna. This part of the workshop is mostly storage closets, but there's also the rooms for Maintenance and the Clothing department, and the room the elves use as their own personal lounge. It's still noisy back here, but instead of the banging of hammers and the happy voices of elves, mostly what Scott hears is the whirring of sewing machines, and the soft sound of Christmas music crooning out of a tiny radio on one of the tables closest to the Clothing department's door.
He finds Edna at one of the sewing machines, a pretty glittering silver fabric spread across the table in front of her. Her thick, dark hair is tied back in a single plait and secured with a velvet, navy blue ribbon. When her warm brown eyes look up at his approach, he sees that she has a mouthful of colorful pins.
She takes them out and sets them on the table in front of her. Mouth free, she asks "can I help you, Santa?"
"Hey Edna, any chance you could do me a huge favor?"
"Of course? What do you need?"
"Well, you remember my son Charlie?" At her nod he continues, "he wants me to go trick-or-treating with his mom and him, but I need a Halloween costume. I don't have one, and this close to the thirty-first, it'd probably be hard for me to find one in the store. Is... is there any chance you and the elves could help me out with making one?"
Edna perks up at the idea. "Oh, that sounds like fun! I don't think we've ever made a Halloween costume before. What are you going dressed as?"
"I haven't really thought about it. What do you think I should be?"
"Hm..." Edna taps her finger against her chin as she thinks. "How about you let me and the other elves make you something as a surprise? I promise you'll love it!"
"Alright. Sounds good to me."
With the promise that the costume will be ready before he has to leave to meet Charlie and Laura in a few days, Scott goes back to work. Halloween morning comes quicker than he expected it to. He spends the day on the workshop floor, and then when evening comes around- after double checking that Bernard will still teleport him down to the Miller's once he's ready- he returns to his bedroom to get dressed in his costume. Edna is dropping it off when he arrives in the room. He greets her, and then looks over what she's brought. There is a bright blue jacket with a large, sequined collar. The bottom half of the jacket's sleeves are also sequined, and it has flowy black cuffs. There is a satin tuxedo shirt with enormous ruffle on the front, a black circular broach with diamonds around its edge, and a silver sequined cummerbund. He spots a pair of black trousers made out of thick wool and a pair of black boots. In Edna's hands is a messy blond wig.
"Um... what-"
"It's the Goblin King from the Labyrinth movie! Won't that be fun?"
Scott looks at the clothes with a new appreciation. "Actually, yea. I love that movie. I remember taking Laura to see it when it first came out. What gave you the idea to make me this as a costume?"
"Josiah brought me back the VHS the last time he went out on a training assignment. It's one of my favorite movies. I had a feeling you might like it too."
"Well, you were right. Thanks, Edna."
"You're welcome, Santa. Have a nice time tonight!"
Edna leaves after that, so Scott gets dressed. He's just picked up the wig from where Edna had set it on the bed when he hears a knock on the door. He opens the door to see Bernard. The Head Elf stares at him, mouth open like he'd been about to speak. Scott watches as the boy's lips start to twitch, like he's fighting a smile.
"What, ah... what are you supposed to be?"
"I'm the Goblin King! Here, hold on." Scott puts on the wig, leaning over to check his reflection in a mirror hanging on the wall not too far from the door. "See?"
"You don't look like any goblin I've ever seen," Bernard laughs.
Scott looks at him curiously. "Have you seen a goblin before?"
"Uh, yea. But anyway, are you ready to go? You'll be late if we don't leave soon."
"Oh, right. Let's go."
Bernard whisks them down to Illinois and then says a hurried goodbye to Scott, telling him he'll be back to pick him up in the morning. Scott knocks on the back door of the Miller's home. It's a cool Autumn night, the wind blowing just enough for Scott to be thankful Edna had lined the jacket with something warm and soft. Laura comes to the door. She's dressed in a black and orange witch's hat, with a dress and tights in matching colors. As she slides the door open, her eyes fall to Scott's outfit.
"Oh my gosh, Scott!" she laughs. "What are you wearing?"
"I'm the Goblin King!" he explains again. "You know, from the Labyrinth?"
Laura smiles. "I don't remember David Bowie having such a big beard in that movie."
"That's just my own special flair."
Laura laughs and invites him inside. He sits at the table as he waits for Charlie to come downstairs. Laura pours him a cup of coffee and sits with him. She tells them which streets they're planning on walking down. She wants to just go around the neighborhood, so they don't have to drive anywhere.
Neil comes into the room just then, holding a large bag of candy. When he sees Scott he gives him a wide grin. "Scott! Nice costume."
"At least someone likes it," Scott jokes.
"Charlie should be ready in just a minute," Neil tells Laura.
She nods her head. "Before we go, I just wanted to say something." Scott gives her his full attention. "I know last time the three of us went out trick-or-treating, things... weren't so great. I remember I pushed you to come along, which was insensitive of me, since it hadn't been very long after the divorce. I thought we had to go as a family, or else we'd ruin it for Charlie. But we ended up ruining it anyway, with all our fighting."
"Yea," Scott mumbles, "sorry about that."
"It was my fault too. Anyway, I wanted to say thanks for giving it another shot. Charlie's really excited about you coming."
Scott nods his head, smiling down at his coffee cup. "I'm glad. I'm really happy I get to join you guys."
Charlie comes thundering down the steps, wearing a shiny silver astronaut suit and a plastic helmet, the clear visor flipped up so it's easier for everyone to hear him. He races over to his dad, throwing his arms around Scott's shoulders and accidentally knocking their heads together. Scott winces. "Ouch, watch it there, sport."
"Sorry," Charlie lets go so he can instead grab his dad's arm. He tries pulling him to his feet. "Come on! Let's go before all the good candy is gone!"
The adults all laugh at Charlie's enthusiasm. Scott gets to his feet and ruffles his son's hair. "Alright. Let's go trick-or-treating!"
Since in the MYA universe magic is very much connected to Nature, I liked the idea of having trees represent how strong each Council member's magic is. I wonder, does anyone remember or can you find the other two trees I've mentioned so far? They were seen in previous chapters. If you can, let me know! I just think it'd be fun to know who could spot them. :) See you next time!