Author's Note: The lyrics in this part do not belong to us. Credit goes to Sheryl Crow for several lines borrowed from "I Shall Believe".
Part 56
Liz gave the covers a good shake and then with a flex of her wrists, snapped them out so that they settled over the bed pretty close to where she wanted them. She walked around it, humming to herself as she gave the covers a tug here and there, and smoothed out the occasional wrinkle. The cabin was comfortably warm and she absentmindedly wondered how low the temperatures had dipped overnight. She lifted the blinds to peer outside, recognizing the signs of fresh snowfall. She smiled as she placed her fingertip on the windowpane, drawing a heart in the frost that had collected there.
She chuckled as she remembered Max, drunk on her rooftop, proudly illuminating the heart he had drawn on the faded bricks. He had placed their initials inside the heart, expressing his feelings in a way that had been unmistakable, and as much as the cheesy, cliché symbol of love would've made her cringe with anyone else it had only made her love him more. But she hadn't been able to completely trust his feelings enough to just let go, an instinct that had served her well considering the moment he had sobered up he had gone right back into his shell.
She could just imagine her dad's face if he'd walked in and caught her with not one guy, but three of them in her bedroom. Kyle, with his paws in her underwear drawer, Max just standing there with that drunken, goofy grin on his handsome face, and Doug Shellow, her blind date who had nearly bored her to tears. She shook her head at the memory as bits and pieces of the scuffle going on inside her bedroom rose to the surface. Kyle's drunken orders as he wrestled with her date so Max could escape with her. She laughed quietly at the absurdity of that night.
She added their initials to the heart and turned away from the window as she heard the water in the shower suddenly stop. She had known it wouldn't be long before Isabel was taking morning attendance for her big production so she had snuck out of bed and grabbed a shower before waking her husband and pushing him in the direction of the bathroom. As a rule Max was awake and alert with little prompting, but after a night like the one they had just shared, well, he could be like a sloth. She grinned. Yeah, she loved him, and as much as she had wanted to crawl right back into bed and snuggle with her sloth, she hadn't wanted to be responsible for bringing her sister-in-law's ire down on them.
Although, to get him moving she had also promised breakfast would be ready and she had gotten caught up in memories and spaced out. She rolled her eyes as she caught her reflection in the mirror hanging on the bathroom door. She hadn't even gotten dressed yet! She tipped her head to one side as she studied her appearance, running her hand down over her favorite camisole and matching panties as she thought about last night. Really, how upset would Isabel be if they were just a little bitty bit late? The overhead light caught the diamond and she lifted her hand to look at her wedding band where it rested above her engagement ring. For just the space of a moment she was taken back to another day and another mirror as she twirled around, playing a bride and dreaming of her wedding day.
She thought about the conversation she'd had with Future Max after his shocking revelation that they'd eloped and gotten married at 19. They'd had their wedding and it absolutely had not been at the Elvis Chapel in Vegas. She shuddered at the thought.
Ungh, Vegas? And why would they go all the way to Vegas? Why not just get married right there in New Mexico? If they were 19 they were old enough to get married without anyone's permission. Huh, and why would she get married without even her best friend there? He had said she'd called the others and they'd met them halfway, but how had they ended up in Phoenix? Not only was that not halfway, they would've had to go more than a hundred miles out of their way to get to Phoenix. That just didn't make any sense. And why wouldn't they have invited Kyle too? Hadn't he really become part of the group?
She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts and laughed quietly. "Whoever or whatever you were, you couldn't have been more wrong."
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Max singing along with the radio. His voice was low so she had to move even closer to the door and she winced at the racket.
"Hey, Liz?"
She jumped when he suddenly stopped singing and yelled as loud as he could. She waited a moment before answering. "What is it?"
"I thought you were gonna make breakfast?"
"Oh, I am. It won't be long!" She smiled to herself when he mumbled something under his breath and went back to brushing his teeth. Her arms came up to cross her heart as she soaked up the memory of their evening dancing in each other's arms. "It's gonna be a beautiful day," she said, grinning as the words of their song, sung in Maria's voice, played through her head.
Without conscious thought she closed her eyes, humming along with the song as she stretched her arms out and began to move to the music only she could hear.
"Show me your face tonight
I know it's true
No one heals me like you
And you hold the key"
Max leaned in the doorway, his body in a comfortable slouch as he watched his wife swaying to music he couldn't hear. He grinned when he realized that she really couldn't carry a tune, but it didn't matter. He could listen to her all day and be perfectly content. He pushed away from the doorframe as she turned and he caught one of her outstretched hands.
Liz' eyes shot open and her surprised expression slowly melted into a smile and she settled into his arms, feeling as if she was coming home all over again. This was where she belonged, where she wanted to be, and it was on her terms. It wasn't ideal, it was far from perfect, but it was them, together.
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The scent of bacon frying pulled Isabel from a sound sleep and as she rolled over she heard quiet whistling accompanying the subtle sizzling of breakfast meat. She forced herself out of bed and crept to the doorway, peering around the edge to look into the kitchen. Kyle was moving around the kitchen area, whistling along with the radio she had left tuned to a Christmas station last time she'd had it on. He had recently showered, his hair still damp, his bare feet slapping against the floor, and a white tee shirt slung over his shoulder.
He was loose-limbed and his movements were fluid, a good sign that he'd slept well and was feeling relaxed. The bacon suddenly sizzled loudly and a loud pop followed, making him jump back in an effort to avoid the hot grease.
"Ow, ow, ow!" He grabbed his shirt and hurried to wipe the grease off of his chest. "And this's why sausage is the better choice for breakfast meat," he said with a glare at the frying pan. He shook his head and pulled the shirt on before flipping the bacon over.
Isabel chuckled to herself and backed away, leaving him to the breakfast preparations while she took a long hot shower. When she came out she heard him putting plates on the table and she was pulling on a pair of socks when he started making a racket by beating the bottom of a pot with a wooden spoon.
"Come an' get it before it's gone!"
She rolled her eyes and got to her feet. "This isn't a bunkhouse, Kyle, and I'm not a ranch hand."
He grinned and flipped the last pancake onto the plate at the center of the table. He turned to look at her, using the spatula to tip back an imaginary hat. "Got some good eats here, little lady," he said with an exaggerated drawl. "C'mon over an' rustle up a plate."
She laughed and ended up snorting. "Can you call a woman 'little lady' when she's a good inch and a half taller than you are?"
He pointed at her with the spatula, his mouth open to make a comeback, but as his eyes moved up, taking notice of the fact that she was indeed taller, he closed his mouth and nodded. "Point taken and I'll refrain from any Amazon woman comments as long as you keep a lid on the midget comments."
Isabel shook her head as she took her seat and reached for the pancakes. He made the best pancakes, she thought as she took two. She was sure it was probably all those years fending for him and his dad when it came to eating. "I have no such comments," she denied and took a piece of bacon. "You're one of the biggest men I know." She pointed at him with the bacon. "If you intentionally take that the wrong way I'll have to make good on an old threat."
He smiled and shook his head. "I know how to take a compliment." He set the pan on the stove and nodded at the planner waiting on the counter. "So, how much trouble you think you're gonna have getting El Capitan into his Santa getup?"
They fell into conversation easily, enjoying each other's company as they discussed the day's production and lost themselves in the details.
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Dawn was just beginning to break as Michael pulled the refrigerator door open and glanced over the thinning contents. He grabbed the half-empty package of sausage and nodded in satisfaction, content with the fact that they wouldn't be wasting anything when it was time to leave the next morning. He tore the wrapper open and slapped the patties in the pan already heating on the stove and tossed the used carton in the trash. He poured a little grease into another pan and waited for it to heat while he turned the sausage over. He reached for the bowl waiting on the counter and ladled the pancake batter he'd prepared earlier into the frying pan.
He turned to open a drawer, sorting through the cooking utensils, and pulling out a spatula. He glanced over at his girl, her body in a boneless sprawl beneath the covers. His grin was smug as he watched her for a few moments but as he moved to go back to the stove, his gaze slid over the rest of the cabin and he sighed regretfully. She was happy here; she had carved a little niche, not just for herself, but for both of them, and he hated to take that from her. It had been a break from the nonstop adrenaline rush of the road and it had given them an opportunity to work through old issues and finally break down that wall that had been keeping them apart.
He heard Maria stir and he reached for the mug she had taken ownership of, filling it with hot coffee and fixing it the way she liked. He flipped the last pancake over onto a warmed plate and turned the burner off.
Maria opened one eye and took a look around her. She smiled lazily when she saw her Spaceboy tearing open the small package of chocolate chips and eating a fistful as he set about making her favorite pancakes. She had been enjoying the opportunity to lounge around in bed, soaking up the joyous feeling of a night of the most perfect sleep she'd had in months when the smell of food had filtered in and drawn her into the land of the conscious. She closed her eyes and reached out, grabbing Michael's pillows and pulling them up against her, dozing off again with little effort.
Time had little meaning as she settled in that blissful place somewhere between awake and asleep. Her body had melted into the mattress, the weight of the body-warmed covers never more perfect, and the safe, loved feeling of Michael's presence surrounding her. It was the movement of the mattress dipping that brought her eyes open again and her body eased into a languorous stretch. The blankets obediently followed the laws of gravity and she chuckled when Michael's gaze automatically followed their downward slide. Her arm shifted to hold them in place and after a moment his unapologetic gaze lifted to meet the amusement in hers.
"Thought maybe you could use the extra zzz's after the paces Santa put you through last night," he said, smirking as he held out the mug of fresh coffee.
"You make it sound like you were exercising an animal." She rolled her eyes and slapped his chest half-heartedly as her cheeks flushed. She took the mug from him when he grinned unrepentantly at her response and nodded at the coffee. "Winnie the Pooh and breakfast too?"
"Made your favorites," he said with a shrug. "Chocolate chip pancakes with extra chocolate chips and sausage patties. I can keep 'em warm for a while if you wanna grab a shower first."
Maria gently blew on the steaming coffee before taking a sip. Her mind tugged her back to another moment in time when he had made all of her favorites. Dinner, the last meal of the day, and what they had believed to be a final goodbye. This was different. Breakfast, that first meal of the day, and their future, while uncertain, was something they were ready to face together. She smiled and glanced up at him from under her eyelashes. "Well, I'm really in need of a shower." Her lips lifted at the edges in a small, knowing smile. "Thanks, I'll be out in 10. "Well," she lifted the mug and paused before it could touch her lips, "make that 15."
He scratched his eyebrow with his thumb and grinned. "Yeah, just keep it at 15 or less. It's about time for Snowflake to get to hoppin'." He pushed himself to his feet. "Got a long day ahead of us."
She lifted an eyebrow at him. "What do you think the chances are of Snowflake making it through that shower in 15 if Santa joins her?"
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Snowflake crouched down next to Maggie as she looked around at all of the kids waiting to see Santa. "Maggie, I was wondering if you could do Santa a big favor?"
The little girl nodded but before she could answer a sound from outside caught her attention and she turned. She watched, wide-eyed, as the barn doors were suddenly opened, the bells on the reindeers' harnesses jingling merrily and announcing their arrival. "It's him!" Her voice was low but held so much excitement as the sleigh came into view, snow swirling around and blowing through the doors as the jolly old elf appeared. Her gloved hands came up to cover her mouth and her eyebrows rose so high they nearly touched the edge of her elf hat.
"Ho, ho, ho!" Santa boomed as he strode through the throng of children clamoring for his attention. "Merry Christmas!"
"Maggie, Santa knows you're his special helper elf today and he has a big request for you."
"Okay." She looked up at Maria when she motioned to Liz and a moment later the other girl was moving through the crowd, trying to clear a path for Santa.
"He's really here." Maggie's smile was set for the day as she watched him coming closer. He was so much bigger than she had thought he was. She looked back at Maria when she called her name again.
"Santa lost his good glasses so he's gonna need some help reading the letters."
"Help from me?"
"Yes, see, the mailbox has everyone's letters inside but once they go through the slot the writing is changed so that it's invisible and only Santa can read it."
"But his glasses don't work?" Maggie frowned as she studied Santa. "Well, how will he read the letters?"
"That's where he was hoping you could help. If you don't mind, of course. He's asked if you would mind reaching inside before each child comes up, tell him that child's name, then take a look at the letters and tell him the one special thing they want more than anything else."
"But, if it's not there how can I see it?"
"Because as Santa's special helper elf he's granted you the ability to see the invisible letters while you're helping him. No one else will be able to see what's on them, only you. You just tell Santa that child's name and then when you open it up you'll see what that child's special request is. Do you think you can do that for him?"
Maggie nodded and her insides were just bubbling with excitement. She could read Santa's magic invisible ink, something no other elf could do! She looked down at Cindy and lifted her up until they were nose to nose. "You gotta wait for me while I help Santa, okay?" She hugged the little polar bear tightly and then gently placed her next to the magic mailbox where she could watch everything that was going on. They would have so much to talk about at bedtime!
Snowflake smiled and gently squeezed the little girl's arm before she stood up with a wink. Isabel was off to the side, set up at her table with a giant card for everyone to sign as they left. She had all of the cards that the children had filled out and dropped in the mailbox and with a little hybrid magic she had changed them so that they looked like regular papers. As Maggie pulled the cards with invisible writing out she would give Santa the child's name and while he was greeting the child she would be opening up his or her card and she would seek out the special gift and make it appear on the card Maggie was looking at.
As much as she would've loved to take credit for that one, Kyle had come up with the idea when Michael had thrown a monkey wrench in the works and asked how he was supposed to know every kid's name. She watched as Snowflake and Candy Cane cleared a path and she hid a smile at the sight of Michael trying as gently as possible to pry a child off of his leg.
Michael finally made it to Santa's throne and he gratefully sank down into the padded seat, free of the clinging monkeys for the moment. He looked to his left and met his helper elf's adoring gaze and he smiled, remembering at the last second to reach up and adjust his glasses. He squinted as he leaned in closer to her, his voice a little gruffer than normal in an effort to disguise it as he spoke to her.
"Maggie Stevens," he boomed, "I had hoped you would accept the position of special helper elf for today's special event. Has Snowflake made my special request?"
Her eyes widened as she nodded mutely. He knew her name! She turned from the waist up but her head never moved as she continued to stare at him. She pointed at the magic mailbox.
"Let's get started then."
Maggie turned her head to look at the line that had quickly formed and she nodded when Maria led the first boy up the path to Santa. She reached inside for the first card and then leaned against Santa's shoulder. "That's Bobby Dawson."
Isabel scanned the letters she had alphabetized and glanced over his list, spotting the number one item, and then making it appear on the card just as Maggie opened it.
The little girl's eyes expressed her surprise as the letters and a picture appeared on the card, sparkling and glittering in silver and blue for a moment before disappearing again. "Wow," she whispered.
"Maggie?"
"Oh, he wants a toy helicopter." She frowned at that and shook her head. "I don't think that's right, Santa," she whispered.
Michael turned to look at her. "Why's that?"
"'Cause his daddy don't got a job anymore since the place he worked closed." She gnawed on her bottom lip for a moment. "I know what he wants 'cause I heard him say at school."
"And what's that?"
"A new pair of hockey skates 'cause his old ones don't fit no more."
Michael's gaze was thoughtful as he looked at the little boy, taking in the hand-me-down clothes, the patch on the leg of his jeans, and the haircut he'd obviously gotten at home. He looked over the line of children waiting to see Santa and he saw a similar pattern with most of them. They were well cared for, neatly groomed, but it was apparent this community was hurting. It was amazing how different things could be. Most of the people in Roswell were by no means wealthy, but the things the kids had asked for had been much more costly.
"Thanks for the heads up, Maggie." He picked the little boy up and sat him on his knee, going through the rigmarole of ho-ho-ho-ing and walking the kid through the process of asking if he'd been a good boy and what he wanted for Christmas this year.
He had a feeling it was gonna be a long day.
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Max was handing out apples to the reindeer when he caught movement from the corner of his eye and he turned his head to look at the boy approaching. He couldn't help but feel self-conscious when the kid gave him the onceover and snickered as he walked up to the pen and hooked his feet on the bottom rail. He wrapped his arms around the top rail and rested his chin on his arm.
"Aren't you kinda big for an elf?" he asked as he shoved a donut in his mouth.
"Not all elves are small," Max countered.
"Are they all as old as you?"
"Old?"
Elliott Gentry pushed his glasses higher up on his nose and turned his head to look at him. "Yeah, old. How come you don't have a real job?"
Because I'm an alien king on the run from the FBI, he thought.
"It's okay, I get it," the little know-it-all said finally. "My mom works some dumb job she doesn't like 'cause it's the only work she could find too." He rolled his eyes as he scanned over the elf outfit again. "I'm sure glad she doesn't have to dress up like that though." He pointed at the reindeer with his half-eaten donut. "It's completely illogical that reindeer can fly."
"It's Christmas magic."
"I'm 11 and I know you're not a real elf, Santa isn't real, and reindeer don't fly."
Max narrowed his eyes. "Can you prove they can't?"
"Can you prove they can?"
"It's not Christmas Eve."
The kid polished off the donut and shook his head as he crossed his arms over his chest. "How does," he raised his hands to make air quotes, "Santa deliver all the presents all over the world?" His gaze was challenging. "Tell me about the magic. Or the different time zones. Or how not everyone believes in him. Or maybe how he can stop time."
"Wow, could you be more negative if you tried?"
He shrugged. "Probably."
What was this kid's problem? "Why are you here if you don't buy into the Santa thing?" he asked as he rubbed his neck.
"Why're you here?"
"Because my sister would have a fit if I wasn't," he answered honestly.
"Yeah." He turned to point at a little girl sitting on Santa's knee. "I'm only here 'cause of my little sister. She's still a kid and she believes in Santa."
"But you don't."
"What's the point? Last time I asked for somethin' he blew me off."
"Yeah?"
"They closed down the factory where my dad worked and he couldn't find a job." He looked at the elf again. "You're old, so if Santa could find a job for you, why not my dad? He just needed work but he couldn't get any so he left."
Ah, now his hostility towards Santa made sense, Max mused. "So you're the man of the house now."
He straightened up. "Yeah, so I don't have time for stuff like this."
"That's too bad. Even when things are tough you've gotta have something to believe in. Used to be I didn't believe in much of anything either, but my wife's been workin' on me and these days it's a little easier to see that there are possibilities out there."
"Is your wife an elf too?" he asked skeptically, his tone making it known that he still wasn't buying into the elf business.
Max chuckled and nodded at Liz. "Yeah, she's an elf too."
The boy's mouth dropped open. "That's your wife? Really?"
"Um-hmm."
"She's really pretty. I was talkin' to Eddie earlier – he's in my class at school, and he thinks that other girl elf's the prettiest, but," he shook his head, "I think that one is."
He nodded. "Yeah, I'm biased, but I have to agree. So, you're just here for your sister?"
"Yeah, she still believes in this stuff and my mom says it's good for her to be happy." He looked at him again. "She knows I know the truth though."
"I thought I knew the truth too." Max glanced around, making sure everyone was busy watching Santa and all the little kids excitedly waiting for their turn to sit on his lap. "See, my sister roped me into working for the big guy – "
"Are you about to say you believe all this?"
"Well, I didn't, but then I saw something that made me wonder if maybe there's more to it."
"What'd you see?"
He hooked his thumb over his shoulder, indicating the reindeer. "See Dancer over there? The way he kicks his hooves up every once in a while? Watch him long enough and you'll see him stay airborne for a few seconds at a time. I'm not a science genius or anything, but, what goes up must come down, right? Well, based on that little fact, he shouldn't stay up in the air at all, right?"
"Are you foolin' with me?"
"Nope, just watch him." He let the suspense build for several minutes, his gaze constantly scanning over the people in the barn. When Dancer finally moved back behind the others and kicked his feet up, Max placed a calming hand on Cupid's flank and focused on the other reindeer, lifting him up and keeping him there for several seconds before carefully easing him down again.
Elliott's eyes widened and he moved around the pen, following the reindeer and studying his hooves. He had seen it, but he didn't believe it. He ducked down, his eyes locked on the animal he was tracking. His mind was going over the possibilities as he waited to see if the reindeer would do it again.
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Michael adjusted his fake glasses and looked down at the little girl waiting for her turn to climb up in his lap. He had been watching her for a while as she hung back, letting other kids go in front of her and staying at the end of the line. He leaned to the side when Maggie, his most helpful assistant elf, tugged on the sleeve of his coat. She had inside information on all of the kids in the community and thanks to Kyle's quick thinking, she was sharing names and any helpful hints she had about special things they wanted.
"That's Evelyn Finch, she's real quiet but she's nice." Maggie pulled the next slip of paper from the mailbox and opened it up, scanning the inside and then giving Santa a confused look. "Santa?"
Michael looked down at her, wondering at her expression. "What's up, Maggie?"
"She just asked for a tree and presents, she didn't say what she wants most."
He pushed the glasses up higher on his nose and looked over her shoulder at the slip of paper before turning to shoot a glance at Isabel. He sighed when she shook her head and shrugged, but he quickly covered it up when Snowflake touched his arm and called his name.
"Merry Christmas, Evelyn," he boomed as he picked her up and placed her on his knee. "My list says you've been very good this year."
She smiled and stared down at her fingers.
Her behavior was setting off warning bells. He lowered his voice as he spoke to her. "Did I understand your letter correctly? You'd like a Christmas tree?"
"Yes," she said quietly. "And some presents for my sister and my mommy."
"Evelyn, get finished up," a male voice called loudly. "Your mom and sister are headin' out to the car."
She looked up at the man who had appeared out of nowhere. "Yes, Daddy."
Michael tensed up when the man cracked open a beer and took a long drink while he waited for the girl to wrap things up so they could go. His head snapped to the side when a hand landed on his shoulder and he looked up at Edward. The older man gave a gentle shake of his head, tightened his grip for a moment, and then looked down at the little girl. He spoke with her for a moment and then smiled, urging her to take her time and finish her business with Santa before he stepped around his own little girl and walked over to Evelyn's dad.
"Ray, how's it goin' today?" he asked.
The man blinked slowly and then he focused on Edward. "It happened again?" His voice expressed confusion and even a bit of shame.
Edward smiled as he reached over and removed the beer from his hand. "Why don't we have a cup of hot cider, huh? It's just too cold for one of these today."
The man, Ray, nodded, his head down as he walked with Edward to the refreshment table.
"And, maybe you could make my daddy better."
Michael's gaze dropped to the little girl in his lap and he hugged her. "Don't you worry, Evelyn, you're on Santa's list." He lowered his head, tipping her chin up so he could meet her downcast eyes. It wasn't just embarrassment, he realized. She was accustomed to her situation and it saddened her. "You remember one thing for me, okay?"
She wiped her fisted hand over her right eye and nodded.
"You're a very good girl and there's nothing wrong with asking for help and accepting it. It's easier to ask for help," he winked, "or gifts for others, but it's okay to ask for you too. You deserve good things and you're gonna get them."
She studied him for a moment, looking into his kind eyes, and finding what she was looking for. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly and he tried not to wince when it pulled on the glue Isabel had used to stick the stupid beard to his face. He looked at his helper when Evelyn slid down off of his lap, nodding and holding up two fingers when she reached for the tray of Santa cookies she handed out to the kids after their visit with him.
"Thank you, Santa," Evelyn said with a soft smile before she saw her mother and sister and scampered off to join them.
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Michael was leaning over to set little Robbie Wilson down when he caught a flash of color in his peripheral vision. The reaction was instantaneous; sweat began to form at the center of his back, his heart started to pound, his blood began to rush in his ears, and every protective instinct he possessed kicked into overdrive.
Standing next to him, Maria caught his reaction, and she rested a hand on his shoulder as she turned her head to see what had caused it. Her own instincts reared their head as she saw the black SUV with some sort of official local government emblem emblazoned on the door. She heard him snap out an order for Liz to come closer, using a request for fresh cookies to cover the real reason.
The uniformed officer did nothing to calm Michael's nerves and the serious expression on her face only added to his concerns. The air around him was practically crackling with electricity and he only remembered to breathe when his girlfriend squeezed his shoulder. The badge on the cop's jacket caught the overhead light, drawing attention to the fact that she was a law enforcement officer.
"Edward, I wasn't sure I was gonna make it," she called out as she neared Santa and his elves.
The older man smiled and shook her hand. "I'm glad you did." He hadn't missed Michael's reaction, but after seeing how protective he was with little Evelyn Finch, his previous thoughts that he'd had his own struggles that made him so overprotective with his friends had solidified in his mind.
"So am I." She smiled as she neared the man of the hour. "Santa, I'm glad I had the opportunity to get down here to meet you and your elves." She lowered her voice slightly so it wouldn't carry to the kids milling around impatiently, waiting to see the big man himself. "I never dreamed we had a genuine celebrity in our midst when I heard about you folks breaking down out here."
Michael smiled tightly, grateful for the beard that covered the majority of his face. It had only taken a moment to check the patch on her uniform jacket to determine that she wasn't a regular cop. The patch proudly stated: Tawas Lake Peace Officer, Constable. Constable or cop, it didn't matter. A cop was a cop. What exactly had Edward told her? What if she had done a background on them and their cover story hadn't held water? What if she had discovered who they really were? That they were wanted by the FBI? What if she was just keeping it casual, passing the time until the Special Unit could arrive and cart them off?
Max moved closer, his hands flexing as he took up a position close to his wife. Without looking he was aware of Kyle coming in and taking his place between Maria and Isabel. He hoped things weren't about to go south but he could feel the tension radiating out from all of them.
Before Michael's thoughts could go much further she smiled easily, but it was plain to see by the look in her eyes that she didn't miss anything.
"Merry Christmas, Santa."
His hands gripped the armrests as he pushed himself to his feet in response to the hand she held out in his direction. He accepted her hand, almost holding his breath as he waited to see if she was gonna slap handcuffs on him.
"I don't suppose introductions are necessary on your side," she said with a laugh. "I'm Constable Stone. It's a pleasure to have you here." She smiled with a sideways nod at Edward. "He's kind of an old woman about things, but you can't blame a man with a family for being concerned when a bunch of strangers show up at his door in the middle of the night, can you? I told him not to worry, but just to be safe, ran your plates." She chuckled and shook her head. "Poor man was relieved when I assured him nothing out of the ordinary had showed up. Like Julia, I kinda just had a feeling there was a reason you had broken down in our neck of the woods."
Edward shrugged and reached up to scratch his neck when he felt Julia's eyes on him. He turned his attention back to Constable Stone in an effort to ignore that itchy feeling that warned him his loving wife hadn't missed a word. He had known the Constable for years though at nearly 50 she was older than him. She was part Chippewa with long dark hair that was interspersed with wisps of grey, though she wore it in a ponytail beneath her uniform hat so someone casually speaking with her probably wouldn't even notice.
She was medium height with a medium build and dark eyes. Her right cheek had a tendency to dimple when she smiled and she was a woman used to working hard. Her family raised horses and she had grown up working hard and she had the strength of body and mind to prove it. She wore little jewelry, the single exception being the wide white gold band with a star pattern carved into it on her left ring finger. She was a fiercely independent woman and she had served their community well.
"I suppose presenting something like a key to the city is kinda hokey," she said with a laugh, "and probably something a mayor would do anyway. However, I was asked to present you and your elves with a small symbol of our appreciation for your hard work, your kindness, and your generosity in making this evening happen for our little community." She reached up to unzip her jacket and brought out a small wooden plaque that she held out to him.
Michael looked down at the hard-carved wooden plaque, his fingers tracing over the figures of Santa Claus and a handful of elves and between them, the words: If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.
"The Michigan state motto," she said with a smile. "We thought it'd be easier to read if we didn't put it in Latin. It's just our way of saying thanks and you'll always be welcome here." She stepped back and motioned to the children behind her. "I think you have your work cut out for you, Santa. If I don't get the chance to talk to you again later, I do hope you and your elves will all have a very Merry Christmas."
He nodded mutely and sat back down, grateful when Maria reached for the plaque and used the motion to cover for her rubbing his arm to calm him down.
"Need to take a break, Spaceboy?" she asked quietly.
He shook his head. "No, but I could sure use a drink," he said, his voice rough. His throat felt like sandpaper. He looked over at Edward and nodded when the man smiled and sent Maggie back over to pull out the next card from the magic mailbox.
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Maggie pulled the lid up on the cooler hidden behind Santa's throne and pulled a bottle drink out, knocking the lid back down with her elbow and stepping back up beside Santa to offer him the refreshment. She looked around the barn and spotted her best friend standing over by the reindeer pen. Kyle was crouched down next to her, talking while showing her that it was okay to pet the large animals.
"Santa?"
Michael was enjoying the lull in the rush of children when Maggie called him. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow in question, following her gaze as he accepted the Snapple she held out to him. He watched her little friend, well aware that her eyes kept darting to him before skirting away again. She had moved with the line a few times but each time she got close to the front of the line she would disappear.
He kept an eye on her as what appeared to be the last wave of curious, beard-pulling, wish-mongers were unleashed on him. They really weren't that bad as long as he ignored the ones who thought pulling his beard was necessary to proving he was who he said he was. They didn't ask for gifts that were unrealistic or expensive, and if Santa was the emotional type a few of them probably would've brought a tear to his eye.
As the line dwindled down and he was faced with his last little visitor he smiled at quiet, shy Michelle. She stood next to her grandmother, clutching her hand tightly. She was wearing leggings that matched her blue coat, the hood pulled up protectively. Her eyes would lift every once in a while, trying to decide about actually climbing up on his knee.
"She's just a bit shy, Santa," Mrs. Dayna said with a smile. She patted her granddaughter's hand when she felt the little girl's grip tighten.
"Me an' Michelle, we're best friends, Santa. We do everything together."
"Everything?" he asked.
"Oh, yes. See, sometimes Michelle likes me to talk 'cause she's kinda quiet. Last year we even saw you together, remember?"
He pursed his lips and squinted his eyes thoughtfully as he looked between the two girls, pretending not to notice when Michelle quickly looked away when their eyes met. "Hmm… I think I do."
"Watch this, Michelle!" Maggie whispered loudly. Her eyes locked on Santa and she leaned on the arm of his throne, bouncing on the tips of her toes and making the little bells jingle incessantly.
Don't screw this one up, Santa, Michael thought. He had never been to see Santa, had only ever really been around the whole fat elf thing when he had played the role the year before. He wasn't surprised that Maggie was the mouthpiece for her friend; that had been apparent the night they had strung popcorn and cranberries up at Mr. Tony's house.
Dayna reached up under the guise of scratching her nose and held two fingers up as she nodded at the girls.
He gave a brief nod and adjusted the glasses that kept slipping down his nose. "Seems to me I recall the two of you sitting together."
"See?!" Maggie ran over and grabbed Michelle's hand, giving her an encouraging tug. "C'mon, Michelle, let's take our turn."
"You go first," Michelle mumbled as she squeezed her grandmother's hand again.
"Okay, it's not scary. I'll show you." She ran over to Santa and he caught her, lifting her up and sitting her on his knee.
Dayna picked her granddaughter up when she whispered a request and she settled her on Santa's knee, right next to Maggie. She stepped back, careful to stay in sight in case Michelle changed her mind.
Michael glanced up when Snowflake appeared at his left shoulder, holding out the magic wish list, and he thanked her as he accepted it. He grabbed his empty Snapple bottle off of the opposite arm of the throne and handed it to her. "Thanks, Snowflake." He was oblivious to her eye roll as he opened the card up and then looked at Michelle over his glasses.
"You like to draw," he mused. "Santa has tried that in the past with limited success." He glanced down when he realized she was twisting something in her hands and he tipped his head slightly to see what it was before he looked over the list again. "Hmm… and you're a reader too. That's good. Santa enjoys a good book." He patted her arm reassuringly. "There's something else here…"
Michelle looked up at him, her eyes shining hopefully. "You see something else?" Her eyes widened as if she was surprised to hear herself speak. She leaned forward to look at the list but couldn't see anything but the paper.
"It's special writing, Michelle," Maggie said when she saw the disappointed look on her best friend's face. "Only Santa can see it."
"Oh." She looked up at him again. "What's it say?"
"It says here that what you really want…" he squinted and brought the card up close to his face, "yes, here it is… you want a puppy."
She gasped loudly and looked at the card again. "It's magic," she whispered. She turned to look at Maggie. "You're right, he's really him." She smiled timidly up at Santa. "Do you think maybe I'll get my puppy?"
Michael glanced at Dayna and he caught the subtle nod in response to his questioning look. "Don't wait too long to open your gifts on Christmas morning," he said with a warm smile.
Her shyness took a backseat at his answer and she hugged him tightly before leaning back and pushing Maggie towards him. "Now you gotta do yours," she whispered loudly.
"Well…" Maggie smiled at Santa. "I didn't put a card in the mailbox."
"No, you didn't," he said with a nod. "Snowflake, there's one last card in that mailbox. Be a good elf and fetch it for me." His eyes twinkled mirthfully as he held his hand out expectantly. He would pay for it later and he'd love every minute of it.
Maggie's eyes were huge when she saw the paper that was placed in Santa's hand. "He gave it to you. Michael said he'd give it to you and he did! I knew he would! He said he knows you an' I believed him! He knows everything about you!"
"Yes, we're old friends." He smiled as he unfolded the paper and he carefully smoothed it out to avoid tearing it. "Maggie, you've been the best elf helper Santa's ever had and that's important, but it's not the most important thing. You've been very good this year and Santa knows that. You look for that puppy this Christmas," he said with a wink. "And you make sure not to overlook Miss Cindy's new scarf. I understand Rudolph tried to take a nibble and he's very sorry he did that. So the new scarf is from both of us."
Maria smiled and brushed back tears of happiness as she watched her boyfriend, once again being adored by the two little girls. He could pretend to be unaffected but she knew better. He was in his element and having just as much fun as they were.
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Michael was finally out of the Santa suit and lounging against a support post by the refreshment table. The kids, while annoying at times, had really made him realize just how important what they were doing was. He was glad Isabel had insisted they put on the Christmas on the Lake production, but he would never admit it out loud. He turned his head when someone joined him and he nodded at Edward. "Long day, huh?"
The older man chuckled as he checked his watch. "And it isn't even dinnertime yet." He sobered as he took up residence on the other side of the post. "You were good with Evelyn Finch this afternoon."
He shrugged. "She made it easy."
"Raymond, her dad, he was injured at the factory he worked at." He motioned at his head. "It messed with him pretty badly and caused some neurological issues."
"So he self medicates with alcohol? Great answer to the problem," he muttered.
"I'm not sayin' I condone it. He wasn't always like this, Michael." He shrugged one shoulder. "He's a good man, just hit a rough patch that hasn't let up. His family has a community here to help them."
"Havin' a parent that lives in the bottle, it's isolating for a kid."
"We do our best, that's all anyone can do."
"Yeah." He sighed. "It was nice, what you did. Taking him aside and getting the spotlight off of her." He knew from experience what it was like to have that unwanted attention. "All she wanted was a Christmas tree and some friggin' presents, not even anything specific."
Edward clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Michael; Santa always stops in at the Finch house on Christmas Eve." He pushed away from the post when his wife called him. "They'll be okay."
"You okay?"
He looked down when Maria sidled up next to him and his arm settled around her shoulders as hers slid around his waist. "Could be worse," he murmured with a nod at the Reindeer Wrangler. Max was still in costume as he finished up with the reindeer.
"I heard he had a difficult little boy earlier."
"Yeah, probably the same one that tried his damnedest to pull that stupid beard off. Kid probably took a couple layers of flesh with him."
She chuckled and reached up to turn his head, brushing her fingers over a reddened patch of skin where the glue that had held the beard in place had been pulled and jerked more than once that day. "I think you'll live."
"Probably. Don't know how long it'll take for the skin to grow back."
"Could be anywhere from a couple days to a few weeks," a helpful voice spoke up.
Michael rolled his eyes and turned to look at Buckeye as he passed them. He was helping some of the others carry things out before leaving. "That a fact?" he asked.
"Yup, it's a fact." He nodded at them and continued on his way.
"That guy ever went on a game show he'd clean up." He looked down when he felt something pulling on his coat and he smiled at Maggie. "Heard you did a pretty amazing job today," he said as he picked her up.
She smiled and nodded enthusiastically as she squished Cindy between her body and his shoulder. "It was fun, Michael! And Santa got my picture you gave him!" She hugged his neck. "I'm gonna get my puppy!"
He patted her back and smiled. "I kinda thought maybe you would."
"Can we go say goodbye to Rudy an' Cupid an' the others?"
Maria gave him a little push. "Go ahead, I'll check with Isabel and see if there're any last minute elf instructions before we head back to the cabins."
He nodded and shifted Maggie, catching Maria's hand and squeezing it as he met her gaze. He sighed quietly at the slight, welcome weight as the little girl rested her head on his shoulder and her body relaxed in his arms. There were things in the world that moved people, great works of art, impressive structures, and grandiose acts, but to him those things meant nothing. It was this right here, the simple unquestioning trust and faith of a little girl that moved him. He walked over to the pen where the reindeer were milling around, pawing at the hay on the ground and occasionally using their antlers to rattle the sides of the pen.
"Michael?"
"Um-hmm?"
"Where were you today? I seen everybody else, but I never did see you."
"Oh, I was close by," he assured her. "Isabel kept me busy."
She lifted her head to look at him. "She's real good at tellin' people what to do, huh?"
"She's real good at that," he agreed.
"But you didn't get to see Santa an' he was so nice." She reached out to pat his cheek, rubbing her soft palm over the coarse stubble starting to make its early evening appearance. With the tips of her fingers she traced over the reddened area on his cheek and she stared into his eyes, her expression thoughtful.
Michael was sure he was on the verge of being unmasked as she studied him. Was it possible she might see through the rather thin disguise and figure it out? He didn't want the last little bit of time he had with her to be spent with her thinking he had been playing a prank on her, pretending to be Santa.
"I'm glad you know Santa," she said finally. "He must be a very nice friend to have. I think he's the luckiest one though 'cause you're his friend." She leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad you're my friend too, Michael."
"Yeah, me too." He cleared his throat and nodded. He had his select, but small, group of friends but they didn't exactly talk about it. Their friendship just… was. He smiled tightly. "I'm glad you're my friend too, Maggie," he said gruffly. He hugged her just a little tighter. He was gonna miss her. And he was gonna miss her a lot.
She frowned as she watched the reindeer for a moment. "Do you think these are really the reindeer that pull Santa's sleigh? 'Cause they're a long ways from the North Pole an' it's getting close to Christmas."
"Santa told me you'd wonder about that."
She looked at him. "Really?"
"Yeah, and he wanted me to tell you that they'll be home in plenty of time to rest before the big night. He said it's real important for Rudolph to rest because there's gonna be some rough patches of weather."
"Michael? Do you think they'll be okay if the weather's bad?"
"Oh, yeah. He's got that red nose that blinks and stuff, right?"
She tipped her head to the side as she watched Rudolph, her eyes locked on his nose as he lifted his head to sniff the air. "Do you think his nose is hidden, like Donner did in the movie?" She leaned in to whisper, "It made him talk all funny like when Daddy has a cold." She giggled and buried her face against his shoulder for a moment before looking at the reindeer again.
"Well, y'know, he doesn't let just anybody see it." He scratched his chin and glanced around while she was watching Rudolph. Kyle and the boys were helping Stefanie load the trailer with the reindeers' gear, Isabel was busy organizing the cleanup, the girls were busy gathering up the dishes and leftover treats, and Julia and Dayna were talking over by the barn doors, watching Edward and some of the other men as they talked out by the vehicles. He caught Max's eye and nodded at Cupid, letting him know to keep him occupied.
Maggie reached out to pet Rudolph when he shuffled over to them. Her eyes widened and her mouth formed a surprised O when his nose suddenly turned red and blinked a couple of times before holding steady for several long seconds. Her hand moved down to touch it before it dimmed and his nose was once again black. "Michael, did you see it?" she whispered excitedly.
"Shhh, it's one of those Santa secrets."
"I won't tell." She hugged him. "I love you, Michael."
She said it so easily, so honestly, and he cleared his throat, forcing down the lump that had appeared out of nowhere. "Love you too, Maggie." He kissed her forehead and patted her back. "We'd better say our goodbyes," he said when he saw Travis coming in with a lead in his hand. "I think they're getting ready to start back to the North Pole."
Yeah, he was gonna miss her and he knew he'd never forget her no matter how many miles or years were between them.