Chapter 3

D.J. swung open the back door and walked into the kitchen with a light bounce in her step. "Hi Dad! What's up?" She put down her car keys while she took off her coat and hung it on the nearby rack.

Stephanie's demeanor was drastically different from her upbeat sister's. Upon entering the kitchen, she leaned against the wall, for the moment unable to continue. Her other hand was lightly clutching her stomach, and her legs looked like they might give out any second. "Dad, maybe we should rethink this whole 'D.J. picking me up from school' thing," was all she could get out before collapsing on a chair next to her father.

"Why, what's the matter?" Danny asked. He hoped it wasn't too big of an issue. He really didn't think he could handle another family crisis.

"Oh, Steph's just overreacting because I was driving a little fast." D.J. said before her sister could answer. She then tried to get away by walking over to the stairs.

"Hold it right there." Danny said, then motioned to the chair on his other side. "Now sit." After she complied, he asked, "What's this about you driving too fast?"

"I said a little fast. There's a big difference."

"Depends on what you would consider to be 'a little fast'." Stephanie commented. "I think you're going to fast when you can barely stop in time for a red light. And have to step on the brakes. Hard." This had occurred numerous times on their way home on the short drive from Stephanie's middle school. Stephanie felt like her belly had been jolted so much that it would take a long time for it to settle down.

Danny looked at D.J. with obvious disappointment. "D.J., is this true?" He couldn't believe that his eldest, responsible daughter was driving recklessly. Then again, Kimmie Gibbler, D.J.'s best friend and ultimate pain in the neck, was an excellent driver. Go figure.

"Yeah, but I was only going maybe one or two miles over the limit." D.J. winced, knowing that by admitting to speeding, she was digging her own grave.

"You know how I feel about careless driving. What was so important that you couldn't obey the law?"

D.J. blushed a little. The truth was that there wasn't a big reason why she was speeding. At least, that was what it would seem like to her dad. However, she always felt that when one was in trouble, honesty was the best way to go. "Well, I was running late from school to begin with since I had to talk to my teacher, and I was then already late when I went to pick up Stephanie, but I really wanted to get home fast because I had to finish my homework before I went to the mall with Kimmie later, since it is a school night and you always say that I have to finish my homework before I go out on weeknights." D.J. always found that it was easier to be honest when you talked really fast and didn't drag it out longer than you had to.

"I understand you were trying to obey my homework policy, but safe driving is more important. Now, I am willing to let this go – "

"What? How is that fair?" Stephanie protested. There was no way she was going to let D. J. get away with turning her stomach inside-out over and over again.

"Let me finish." Danny held up his hand to quiet Stephanie. "I am willing to let this go, if you have a talk with Michelle."

"Why? What happened?" D.J. was all too happy to accept the "punishment." In fact, she probably would have talked with her younger sister anyway if she knew something was bothering her.

Danny quickly explained the afternoon's events to D.J. and Stephanie, beginning with the call from Mrs. Applebaum, and ending with his chat with Michelle. "…and I'm really worried about her. She seemed upset, but all she said was that she needed to go up to her room."

"Oh, no problem, Dad. I'll be glad to talk to her." The second it was out of her mouth, D.J. realized her mistake. You were never supposed to be okay with a punishment, no matter how easy it was!

Danny noticed her slip too, but let it slide. It was the Christmas season, after all. But he couldn't let her totally off the hook – not when Stephanie would be angry if he did. "It's ok, D.J., I'll make this your first strike. Two more, and I'm taking away your license for a month, if the police don't take it first. And you are no longer allowed to drive Stephanie anywhere." Now that he thought about it, that last part would probably upset Stephanie more than D.J. Then again, maybe not. From the way Stephanie looked, he guessed that she wouldn't be too eager to get in a car with D.J. as the driver any time soon.

He guessed right. "Thanks, Dad!" Stephanie exclaimed. Then, feeling embarrassed at her outburst, she quickly said, "You know, Deej, I might just help you with that talk. Besides, I'll be in my room anyway – I think I need to lie down."

The two sisters climbed up the stairs and stood in front of the door to Michelle and Stephanie's room. Stephanie was about to open the door, but before she could, D.J. grabbed her hand. "I don't know if we should go in there, Steph. I mean, I know that when I'm upset about something I want to be left alone. Maybe we should knock…or something."

Stephanie moaned. Her stomach was clearly saying that if she didn't lie down soon, well, she'd need the bathroom more than her bedroom. "Look, you can knock if you want to, but this is my room. I'm going in." Without another word, she pushed open the door and rushed to her bed, on which she flopped down on her backside. Ow! Maybe I should have sat down a teensy bit more gently…

Shrugging, D.J. looked into the room. Michelle was leaning against her pillows on her bed, with her arms around her legs, which were pulled up against her chest. She was staring straight ahead, and it seemed like she didn't even notice that her siblings had joined her. "Hi Michelle." D.J. greeted nervously as she went over and sat on the edge of her bed. "Dad told me what happened today. I'm so sorry."

"Oh." Michelle said flatly. She was a little annoyed that they had come in – they had lied to her too. On the other hand, now she could yell at them for lying to her. "I can't believe you! 'Oh, don't forget to leave out the cookies.' 'You better go to sleep, Michelle. Otherwise Santa won't come.' You knew Santa wasn't real the whole time, but you still lied to me every year! You make me sick." With that said and done, she turned around so that her back faced D.J.

D.J. bit her bottom lip when she realized how irritated her little sister was. She rarely saw Michelle so down, and was therefore surprised at that outburst. Dad might have been right to give me this talk as my punishment. Suddenly, D.J. remembered how hurt she was when she found out the truth. She was probably even more ticked off than Michelle, if that was possible. Still, D.J. really didn't know what to say to comfort her. In reality, what was she supposed to say? Gee, Michelle, I'm really sorry that I kept lying to you every Christmas. Will you please forgive me?

As she watched D.J. try to cheer up Michelle, Stephanie thought back to Christmas when she was only five-years-old. Hmmm…perhaps that story can help Michelle… "Hey, Michelle…come over here. I have a story to tell you."

Michelle slowly picked her head up and looked at Stephanie. This might be interesting. She reluctantly pulled herself off the bed and walked across the room, where she sat at the foot of Stephanie's bed. "What's the story about?"

"It's about Christmas, when D.J. and I were little. D.J., you remember that Christmas that we were stuck in the airport terminal?"

D.J. laughed. "How can I forget? I was so disappointed that the airline lost our luggage. With my new CD player in it."

Michelle wrinkled her forehead in concentration. "I don't remember that. Was it before I was born?"

"Oh, no, you were born, alright, you were just too little for you to remember it now." Stephanie, cleared her throat, then continued, "We had been on our way to Colorado to visit relatives for Christmas. But a snowstorm came, and as a result we, along with all of the other passengers on the flight, were stranded in the airport for the night. Everything seemed to be going downhill. The presents had been lost, but at the time I had been told that Santa might not be able to find us by Christmas morning, and matters were only made worse when Joey dressed up like Santa Claus, and I found out it was only him and not the real one. However, later on, the genuine Santa came, and found the presents for us. I even saw him flying away in his sleigh, eight reindeer and all. That's why, to this day, I still believe that Santa exists, even when Dad and D.J. told me otherwise."

After dinner, Michelle sat in her room alone. Stephanie's story had really gotten her thinking. If what Stephanie says is true, then Santa really IS real. But wait – that would mean that Daddy is wrong, and he's never wrong. Michelle sighed. This Santa stuff was confusing her. Her dad was telling her one thing, while her sister was telling her another. She didn't know who to believe. Then, she had an idea. Maybe Daddy doesn't believe in Santa because he's never seen him. Now she knew what to do. She had to find Santa Claus.