Once Scott arrived at the restaurant, he felt really out of place. He could see all of the meals being served on expensive and fine looking blue dishes, wine and non-alcoholic drinks in matching blue goblets, and all of the couples dining in fine clothing. Scott didn't wait too long for his date when he saw a woman with short, wavy blonde hair wearing a red coat approaching his table.
"Scott?" The woman asked hopefully.
"Tracy? Hi!" He greeted her, getting up on his feet. They shook hands and Scott helped Tracy to her seat. He thought she looked beautiful, he could only hope he could charm her even though he was wearing a loud, green sweater.
"I'm so glad we finally got to do this." She smiled at him. "Laura says that we have a lot in common. I hear that you love this time of year also?"
"It's my favorite time of year," Scott answered with a smile. "My busiest time of the year." Once Tracy took off her coat, Scott noticed that she was wearing a white sweater with his Santa face embroidered across her chest.
"Whoa!" He remarked, impressed. "Look at the sweater. That is some sweater! Like I should talk!" Tracy laughed at his humor.
"I also brought my Christmas charm bracelet!" Tracy offered her hand out to him showing the bracelet filled with colorful Christmas charms including presents, teddy bears, ornaments, and snowflakes. "I wear it all year long just to keep the spirit alive."
"That's beautiful," Scott smiled, thinking that she'd make the best Mrs. Claus.
"So what kind of work do you do?" Tracy questioned.
"I'm in the toy business." He replied vaguely.
"No way! That sounds so creative," Tracy answered after they shared a laugh. "I love creative people!"
"So what do you do?" Scott asked.
"I'm actually hoping to someday break into the music business. As a singer-songwriter," Tracy replied.
"What's your favorite kind of music?" Things with Tracy were going very well...or so as Scott had thought. Tracy answered that her favorite type of music was country, then decided to sing a Christmas song written to the tune of Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" that went something like this….
"The best thing about singing at Christmas is the cocoa, caroling and fun! A whoa-oh-oh! Go totally Yuletide! Taking a sleigh ride!"
As Tracy continued singing, she got up and started dancing. It was making her date very uncomfortable as other diners began to stare.
"SANTA SHIRTS! REINDEER SKIRTS! AH-WHOA-OH-OH! WATCHING THE WINDOWS FOG! DRINKING SOME EGGNOG! AH-WHOA-OH-OH! FILL UP A STOCKING! I SPRAY ON SOME FLOCKING! PUT UP A TREE! SPORTS ON TV!"
Tracy continued singing and dancing once more oblivious to the fact of everyone staring.
"Ah-whoa-oh-oh! I wanna be free and to feel the way I feel! MAN! I FEEL LIKE SOME CHRISTMAS! OOH! OOH! WOW WOW WOW!" She smiled as she finally finished her song.
"Phrew." Scott breathed in relief when she finally sat down and took a sip of his drink. Tracy's face fell, like she was going to cry.
"What? You hated it?" She asked.
"It kind of scared me a little bit." Scott blurted out truthfully. "It's just...I...ah, I wasn't prepared for a performance!"
Tracy got up from her seat and started to put on her coat. "You know what, Scott? I totally put myself out there doing that and that was not an easy thing to do, and if you're not the kind of man that can support a woman's ambition, then I really don't think that there's any reason to continue this date."
And just like that, Tracy left the restaurant. Scott headed back to the Miller's house a few minutes later.
Ella's POV
I finished my biology homework after Dad left for his date with my mom's friend, Tracy. Being in the eighth grade has been challenging for me. Not just with graduation coming in the next six months and excited to go to Sycamore in the fall, but I have been struggling in a few of my classes. Ever since I got my report card earlier back in mid-October, I have been staying after school for science and math tutoring since I got C's in both of them. Otherwise, my other classes are coming along well with a few A's and B's.
I grabbed my science book and went back upstairs to check on Lucy. I walk in and she was already in her pajamas and at our bookshelf looking for another Christmas story for me to read to her. Mom and Neil had their turn a few nights ago and Charlie had his last night so it's my turn again.
"Ellie?" Lucy asked. "Can we read two Christmas stories tonight, please?"
I smiled. "Why not? The more, the merrier. Let me get into my pajamas first and then we can read."
After I put my pajamas on, Lucy was already sitting in bed with the two books in her hands. She picked out: "Mickey's Christmas Carol" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". I started with the Grinch first since it was a short story. Lucy asked a few questions about the Grinch while I was reading. One that I remember was, "Do you know why the Grinch hated Christmas? Is it mentioned in the cartoon?" Lucy has seen the Grinch cartoon a few times when she was very small, but I told her that the both the book and cartoon doesn't really mention why the Grinch hated Christmas, but the one with Jim Carrey does and we will watch it soon since we got it on video.
"Mickey's Christmas Carol" came next, but at the part when Scrooge was with the Ghost of Christmas Present, played by Willie the Giant from "Mickey and the Beanstalk", Lucy was sound asleep on my shoulder. I placed a bookmark at the page, set the book aside on her dresser, tucked Lucy in, and kissed her good night.
I wanted to go to bed, but I decided to wait for Dad. I hoped that his first date went well. I went downstairs without waking Lucy, made myself a mug of cocoa, sat down on the couch and started reading one of my favorite Christmas stories, "Miracle on 34th Street". Mom and Neil gave me this book for my 10th birthday and I would read it every Christmas. It will always remind me of when Charlie and I first believed our Dad was Santa. I was at the chapter where Kris Kringle accepted his job at Macy's when I heard my mom's minivan pull up into the driveway. Dad was home, but when he walked in, something told me that from the look on his face, the date didn't turn out well.
"Hi, Daddy," I said, closing my book.
"Hey, Ella Bella. What are you still doing up? Were you waiting for your old man?"
"A little," I admitted. "I wasn't ready to go to sleep yet."
Dad chuckled as he hugged me. "Come on, let's get to bed."
Grabbing my cocoa mug, I followed Dad upstairs. On the way to my room, Dad knocked on Charlie's door.
"Dad?" Charlie called out.
"Hey, Sport," Dad said as he closed the door.
"So, tell us, Daddy. How'd it go?" I persuaded.
"Well...Let's just say I'm not bookin' a church yet," Dad said as he told us about what happened at the restaurant. I laughed when Dad told us about Tracy singing in front of everyone.
"But, you have to admit it, Daddy," I said. "It did take her a lot of guts to sing in front of a crowd like that. She could obviously make it to the next season of American Idol."
Dad and Charlie shared a laugh and then they started having their father and son discussion about women so I said, "I'll meet you in my room, Dad. Good night, Charlie."
"Night, sis," Charlie replied.
A few minutes later, Dad came in as I'm reading the part in the chapter where Susan spots Mr. Kringle speaking Dutch to a little girl. I placed my bookmark at the spot I'm in and set the book on my dresser.
"So, Princess," Dad began. "Charlie told me about some girl trouble. Any boy trouble I should know about?"
I told him not yet, but I have been getting acquainted with this one boy in my art class. His name is Thomas and he would come into class with another teacher every other day to help him understand the concept of our work for the day, but he would often sit alone at lunch reading books about Walt Disney and every movie he's made or draw a picture of one of Disney's characters. One day at lunch, I asked Thomas if I could sit and look at his drawings. He nodded yes and handed me one of them, which I thought was an amazing sketch of Mickey as Bob Cratchit. What I didn't know was that he had another sketch on the back and it's me dressed as Mary Poppins. I was completely surprised at that, but he thought I was upset and started apologizing saying that I shouldn't see that. I calmed him down explaining that I wasn't upset and that I love his drawing of me. That was when he asked if I would be his friend and have lunch with him everyday so I said yes. That was when I noticed the stars in his eyes and the blush forming on his cheeks.
"So, Daddy," I said. "I know I'm still young, but I think Thomas and I will probably be more than just friends someday."
My dad shook his head as he chuckled and squeezed my hands in his. "My Ella Bella...you're growing up so fast. You're already becoming an amazing young woman forming a friendship like that."
I smiled, believing that I've done the right thing for Thomas. "Thanks, Daddy."
Dad turned and saw my snow globe on my dresser next to my book.
"Oh, look at that. The snow globe! This is so beautiful. I remember when Bernard gave these to you and Charlie, Ella."
I nodded. "He said all we have to do to see you is shake it."
"Uh-huh. Now, all you two have to do is yell down the hall and I'm there whenever you need me."
"Yeah."
"I'm a little tired, Dad. I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay."
"Good night, Daddy." I hugged and kissed him on the cheek.
"Good night, Ella Bella."
