DECEMBER 23
The house is decorated up for Christmas. There's even Christmas music playing in the background.
"Santa Claus is coming to town… he sees you when you're sleeping… he knows when you're awake…" Played on the background.
"Come on Jimmy be a good sport about it and come out. The kids will be here any minute!" Kim called out up the stairs to the bunkroom
"Did Taylor come back down yet?" Jimmy called back down.
"She said she's waiting on you." Kim replied
Jimmy called back to Taylor, "Okay let's get this over with."
"Yeah." She came out of the bathroom with the green and red striped hat, green "dress," curled slippers, and pointy elf ears. She was anything but amused
Jimmy looked equally as ridiculous and they laughed at each other.
"Come on guys! Santa's waiting on his elves." Kim yelled
"Oh I'm gonna kill Walsh for this." Jimmy said
"Not if I get to him first." Taylor sulked
"You really look ridiculous." Jimmy laughed
"Speak for yourself Elfie!" Taylor cracked
The two slowly, and sarcastically, made their way down the stairs. First you could see their red and green curled slippers, next you saw Taylor's candy cane stripped leggings. Jimmy's were yellow and green. Then finally they came into full view.
Lombardo, Carlos, DK, and Kim nearly lost it laughing at them.
Capt. Johnson looked over and couldn't help himself. He too erupted in laughter; so much that he had tears rolling down his cheeks.
He sang, "We are Santa's elves..." He burst out into laughter and had to walk away.
Everyone else found it hilarious.
"Very funny." Taylor said sarcastically
Santa, or should we say- Walsh walked into the room.
"Ho, ho, ho my gosh!" He too broke out in laughter
"I honestly think the only thing funnier would be seeing Boscorelli as an elf." DK laughed
"Bosco as an elf- that would definitely be a site." Kim laughed
Everyone got a good laugh about it.
"Bet that will teach you to make a bet over a card game." Kim teased Jimmy
"At least Taylor really just sucks at cards." Carlos cracked
Taylor hit him in the chest with the newspaper.
"Ouch!" Carlos called out
"You deserved that." Grace laughed as she put the plate of cookies on the table
"Why are we doing this again?" Taylor asked
"It's for the kids." DK reminded her
"Who's?" Jimmy asked again, "Because last time I checked, Joey's a bit big for Santa."
"Come on. You lost so let's suck it up and get it over with." Taylor handed Jimmy his bag of toys
Soon the Christmas party for the kids was underway. One little kid sat on Santa's lap.
"Santa?" He asked
"Yes?" Billy replied
"Why aren't you fat?" the boy asked
Jimmy and Taylor had to hold their laughter. They looked at each other quickly.
"Well little boy." Taylor started, "Santa doesn't get- fat- until after Christmas because of all of the milk and cookies that little boys and girls leave him."
Walsh looked at her quickly with a look of gratitude. Once the little boy was done with his wish list and picture, Jimmy handed him a candy cane and then the kid was off.
"Thanks." Walsh said quickly before the next kid climbed into his lap
"You don't have a lot of experience with kids do you?" Taylor asked
"No." Walsh replies
"Rookie." Jimmy laughed
The final kid climbed onto Walsh's lap. Her long red pigtails balanced off the side of her head. She had glasses and braces and freckles.
"Well hello little girl, what's your name?" Santa asked
"Carly." The little girl shied away
"Well Carly what do you want for Christmas?" Santa asked
"A Tickle- Me Elmo." Carly replied
Taylor and Jimmy tried to contain their laughter, and Taylor had to turn away for a moment.
The flash from the camera went off, the picture was taken and it was time to wrap up the Santa visit for the evening.
"Well Carly, you be a good girl okay?" Santa asked
The little girl nodded her head and slid off of Walsh's lap, took her candy cane from Taylor and off she went to join the rest of the kids.
Walsh looked at his lap.
"Ewwww." He said
"What Santa?" Jimmy asked
"That little girl peed on my lap." Walsh stood up
Taylor cracked up laughing. "Looks like being an elf had its advantages." She cracked
Jimmy walked into the room with the kids.
"Okay kids, Santa has to leave now." He announced
"Bye Santa!" The kids all yelled out.
The other firefighters noticed the wet spot on Walsh's leg, but they had to fight back their laughter for the time being. Walsh went upstairs and quickly removed the Santa suit. He grabbed his stuff and jumped in the shower.
Taylor and Jimmy followed him up the stairs.
"What's the matter Santa?" Taylor fell onto a bunk and burst into laughter.
"Not funny!" Walsh yelled out from the shower
Jimmy lost it as well.
The alarm sounded.
"Squad 55, Adam 55-3 respond for an MVC multiple patients Glendale and 124th."
Taylor and Jimmy looked at each other; they were still in their ridiculous costumes.
"Just keep your gear on." Jimmy said as they went to the bay.
Walsh jumped out of the shower and quickly threw his sweats and a t-shirt on. Soon they were all in the truck.
"Look it's the Keebler Elves." DK said and Lombardo cracked up
Taylor looked at Jimmy, "The ears!"
They had forgotten that they were wearing them.
Walsh pulled the Squad to a halt. The squad quickly set to work to help out a family who was pinned in their car.
Carlos quickly began to assess the family.
"Damn it!" He yelled out
The parents were both unconscious with weak pulses. The little girl in the back seat was screaming her head off.
Taylor looked in the car.
"Billy get over here!" She yelled
Walsh rushed over to her.
"Carly." He said
The little girl was crying. She was scared to death.
"Mommy!" She cried, "Daddy!"
"It's okay honey, we're gonna get you out of here." Walsh reassured her
She continued to bawl
"I need the jaws over here!" Walsh yelled, desperate to get to the little child that had only an hour earlier been in his lap with a wish list for Santa.
They got the parents out of the car. Grace and Carlos worked on them while Taylor made it her personal goal to get the little girl out safely. Walsh got the door off and then they could pull the girl out. She was screaming.
"It's okay." Taylor tried to calm her
"Mommy!" The girl screamed out as Taylor tried to make sure she was okay
Taylor looked over at Carlos who was working on the mother. He shook his head with a sad look on his face. Taylor then quickly looked at Grace who was trying to help the father- they were doing CPR on him. Walsh's heart sank as he watched Taylor trying to calm the girl. Soon they were ready to take her to the hospital, Taylor had told the medic from the medic unit that she intended to ride with the girl.
"Carly, we're going to take you to the hospital to make sure that you're okay- is that alright?" Taylor asked her blue eyes were moist with the tears she fought back.
It was heartbreaking to her. Especially close to Christmas.
Carly shook her head. "You'll be with me right?"
Taylor nodded, "Yeah, I will be with you."
They put her in the medic unit. Walsh closed the back doors and hit his hand against the window. The driver then pulled off to go to the hospital…
To Be Continued…