Chapter 5: Yes, There is a Santa Claus
Erik and Kurt slowly walked into the room as it was suddenly filled with grand decorations and a huge Christmas tree.
"My parlor!" Erik gaped. "What happened to my parlor?"
Erik looked around and saw a bald man in a black shirt and olive green jacket as he sat at the table.
"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present." The man said. "You may call me, Charles. Now come and know me better for you have never known the likes of me before."
"What exactly are you?" Erik asked, unsure of just how this bald man represented Christmas.
"The Christmas Spirit." Charles said as he put his hand over some toys as Erik, in them, saw many childhood memories and hopes, though that might only have been a residual effect from his previous visitor.
Listen to the song of the Christmas Spirit.
Can't you hear it? Can't you hear it?
Listen to the song of the Christmas Spirit
Ringing in the air.
Twinkling lamps and girls and boys.
Mingle with the jingling of joys.
Words of hope and happy times,
Sound to the music of chimes!
Jumping jacks, and dancing dolls,
Tumble to the jumble of bouncing balls.
See the Christmas Toy Ballet
Dance to the bells of the sleigh!
Listen to the song of the Christmas Spirit.
Can't you hear it? Can't you hear it?
Listen to the song of the Christmas Spirit
Ringing in the air.
Click your heels. Point your toes.
Spin around and around and around,
And away we go.
Clap your hands. Wink your eyes.
Jump so high, you can reach the sky!
As the odd music seemed to be playing out of nowhere, Charles held his hand as the two were flung out the window as Charles met up with them.
"We're going to fall!" Erik called out.
"Touch the hem of my coat and be lifted." Charles said calmly as Erik did so, taking Kurt's hand as well.
"Great vay to travel." Kurt said with a gasp. "But where are we going?"
"Scott Summers' house." Charles replied.
As they arrived they looked in through the window, as before, invisible to all who saw them as Scott's wife Jean was working with their late teen daughter Rachel for dinner as Scott's brother Alex arrived.
"Hey Jean." Alex said. "I could smell that turkey all the way from church."
"But where's Scott?" Jean asked. "And Little Nate?"
At once, Scott walked in with a smile. On his shoulder was a boy who looked almost exactly like Scott but with a crutch and his leg in a brace and depressingly thin.
"Who wants to know?" Scott asked with a chuckle.
"Oh, you silly boys." Jean said as Rachel helped Nate down.
"So, how'd Nate behave in church?" Jean asked.
"As good as gold and better." Scott replied. "He told me walking home that he hoped the people saw him in church since it might be pleasant to remember on Christmas Day who made lame men walk and blind men see."
"Well, come on kids, time for dinner." Jean said as they got the food set up, with an extremely small goose.
"Oh boy, what a great dinner!" Nate said excitedly.
"Indeed." Scott said. "I propose a toast to Mr. Lehnsherr."
Everyone groaned at this.
"Come on now." Nate said. "We mustn't think poorly of him."
"Why not?!" Rachel snapped. "It's his thinking that makes us so poor!"
"Now, now." Scott responded. "Mr. Lehnsherr is the founder of the feast."
"'Feast' indeed." Jean scoffed. "With a goose no bigger than a canary for our boy."
"Oh, must I listen?" Erik asked. He'd never really seen things from Scott's view of the world, and now he had, he saw how pitiful it seemed.
"Well surely you know how Scott lived." Charles replied.
"Instead of docking Scott half a day, why didn't I give him extra for Christmas?!" Erik said angrily to himself.
"Rachel," Nate said after dinner. "Did I show you the toy soldier Santa got me, last year?"
"A hundred times, Nate." Rachel said with a laugh.
"I'll show you again." Nate said cheerfully as he suddenly fell to the floor.
"He's falling!" Erik said. "I've got to help him!"
"You cannot." Charles pointed out.
"Isn't there anything I can do?" Erik asked.
"It is perhaps too late." Charles responded.
Rachel helped Nate up and cradled him like the caring sister she was.
"Oh Nate, little buddy, are you alright?!" Rachel asked frantically as everyone else gathered around with the same look of worry on their face.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Nate said as he held up the soldier.
"See?" Nate said.
"Oh, what a brave soldier he is." Rachel said, talking more about Nate than the toy soldier which basically looked like a painted clothes pin.
"The kids at school say there isn't a Santa, and that this is just a clothes pin Dad painted because he couldn't afford to buy a real one." Nate said.
"What nonsense!" Rachel insisted.
"There is a Santa Claus, isn't there, Rachel?" Nate asked.
"Yes, Nate." Rachel said with assuredness.
There is a spirit in the world of generosity
That brings good things to all of us wherever we may be.
So I believe in Santa Claus, for it can't be denied
That he is generosity personified.
Yes there is a Santa Claus for children everywhere.
Though you may watch the chimney tops and never see him there.
People say his magic sleigh flies in the sky above,
But you might find it anywhere you find unselfish love!
Oh yes, he really does exist, and Santa Claus will live.
As long as hearts can realize how good it feels to give!
So when you are feeling blue, keep up your hope because
If there is kindness in this world, there is a Santa Claus!
Nate nodded and joined into his sister's song.
"Yes there is a Santa Claus…"
Nate and Rachel hugged as everyone smiled and went on enjoying themselves as Erik could only watch that brave little soldier with his leg in a brace.
Okay, this section and the next three were why I wanted to do this.