Prompt # 30: Amanda and Sonny have to reassure Jesse that Santa is real when she's told he's not by a child at school
Yes, Jesse, There is a Santa Claus
~oOo~
Jesse Rollins-Carisi was hard at work on her project in art class. It was her favorite subject. She loved creating things. What she didn't love was having to sit next to Daniel Murphy. He was always picking on Jesse and several others in the class. On this particular day, he leaned over and peered at her project. A paper plate Santa head with a cotton ball beard. His hat was made of foam rubber and a white pom-pom.
The boy scoffed.
"Ha! Santa? Really? What are you? Three?"
"Go away, Daniel. Leave me alone," Jesse muttered, still focused on her work.
"Santa's not even real. I mean, come on. You can't tell me you still believe in him!" Daniel continued.
At that, Jesse stopped gluing and looked at her classmate with wide, horrified eyes.
"You don't?! But then how do you get presents? Santa doesn't leave presents for kids who don't believe."
Daniel snorted.
"Boy, are you stupid. Parents leave the presents and fill the stockings. Santa's just something they make up to get kids to listen and do what they say."
Jesse turned bright red and stood up, glaring down at Daniel.
"You're lyin'! Santa is real! And I'm not stupid!"
Daniel barked out a laugh.
"Boy, are you a baby!"
Tears of rage were pricking Jesse's eyes and she was not about to give that bully the satisfaction of seeing her eyes so she picked up her now finished project and walked up to her art teacher, handing over the fluffy creation.
"Jesse, this is beautiful," Ms. Craig, the art teacher, said.
"Thank you. Can I have a hall pass?" Jesse asked, softly, still fighting back tears.
"Is everything okay, Jesse?"
Jesse looked down uncomfortably.
"Yes, Ma'am. I just need to go to the bathroom."
Ms. Craig looked concerned but handed Jesse the hall pass.
Jesse walked towards the restrooms, tears already making salty tracks down her face. She stopped at the water fountain on the way. After getting a drink, she shut herself in a bathroom stall until her tears stopped.
When Jesse got back, the entire class was silent and Daniel was nowhere to be seen. She put the hall pass on Ms. Craig's desk and returned to her seat.
"Mr. Gunther came and got him. I heard what he said to you and I told Ms. Craig. I also told her what he did to me. Then a bunch of the other kids told her that he's been picking on them too. Ms. Craig talked to our whole class about the no bullying rule and called Mr. Gunther to come down and take Daniel to the office," explained Jesse's best friend, Naydelin.
Jesse looked grateful but uncomfortable.
"So Ms. Craig knows what happened?"
Naydelin nodded.
"Daniel is in big trouble."
Art was the last class of the day. As Jesse was preparing to head to the bus, Ms. Craig stopped her.
"Jesse, you are a very sweet, smart, and creative girl. Don't ever let anyone tell you anything different."
Jesse managed a small smile.
"Okay."
~oOo~
"Naddie, what if he's right?" Jesse asked quietly, as the two girls rode the bus to their street.
"About what?" replied her best friend.
Jesse swallowed hard. "About Santa. What if he's not real?"
Naydelin gave her a hug. "Don't believe anything that meanie says. He's a creep and a liar. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Trust me."
Jesse wasn't convinced. She was quiet for the rest of the day. Any attempts from her nanny and even her sister, Billie, to get her to open up were futile. She was glad her brother, Niko, was just a baby. At least he wouldn't bother her. When her parents, Amanda Rollins-Carisi and Sonny Carisi arrived home from work, they were informed of the situation.
Together, the two of them approached her room and knocked.
"Go away, Billie!" they heard from inside.
"Jess? It's Mamma and Daddy," Carisi called out.
"Can we come in?"
There was a slight pause before the little girl replied, "Okay. I guess."
Amanda opened the door and she and Carisi went in and sat on the bed.
"What's up? Talk to us, kiddo," Carisi encouraged.
Jesse shrugged but didn't speak or even look at her parents.
"Did something happen at school?" Amanda wanted to know.
At that question, Jesse's head jerked up and her eyes turned to her mom and dad. She stared at them for a second before bursting into tears. Amanda scooped her up into her arms and rocked her.
"Hey, hey, darlin'. You're ok. It's gonna be ok. I've got ya. I'm here. Daddy's here."
Jesse sobbed for about ten minutes before she was calm enough to talk. She told her parents everything.
After she'd reached the end of the story, Carisi said firmly, "That Daniel kid is wrong. Dead wrong. Santa Claus is as real as you and me. You keep right on believin', princess. Believe with all your heart no matter what anyone says."
Amanda nodded. "There is a Santa Claus and believin' doesn't make you a baby and it certainly doesn't make you stupid."
"You promise?" Jesse asked, needing reassurance.
Carisi tapped her on the nose before kissing her forehead.
"Cross my heart. Now, ya ready to help me make dinner? I really need my sous chef."
Jess grinned and nodded. She gave her mamma one last hug and followed her daddy out of the room.
She was still uncertain about Santa, but she felt better after talking with her parents.
A few days later, Jesse got advice from an older friend. Her godmother Olivia Benson was visiting with her son, Noah. Noah was eleven. If anyone could tell her the truth about Santa, he could.
"Mamma and Daddy told me Santa's real, and I want to believe them, but Daniel said parents made it all up."
Noah thought for a moment.
"Well if you want to know for sure, ask him for something you really want that you're sure your parents would never get for you. Then if you get it, you'll know."
Jesse grinned widely and hugged her friend.
"Thanks, No! That's a great idea!"
"Anytime, Jess," Noah replied, hugging Jesse back.
That weekend, Jesse followed Noah's advice. When her parents took her to Santa's Village, she sat on Santa's lap with her sister and brother for a picture. Then she told Santa what she wanted most for Christmas. An American Girl of Today doll. One with blonde hair just like hers. After she had taken her turn and received a coloring book from Santa, she stepped back to give Billie a turn. A few minutes later, the girls moved on to the many activities the village had to offer. There was a giant slide, a Christmas train, craft booths, and hot chocolate. The family had three hours of fun before returning home.
Two weeks later, the girls excitedly woke their parents with squeals of delight on Christmas morning. As soon as Amanda and Carisi gave permission, Jesse and Billie rushed to the Christmas tree. Jesse flopped to her knees too happy to squeal or even speak, for before her sat the one present she had wanted most, the beautiful blonde American Girl doll. The doll had on a pair of red leggings and a cream-colored sparkly sweater with brown boots resembling UGGs. The doll's hair was in a braid. Jesse turned to look at her family with shining eyes, nearly whispering in awe, "He IS real!"
"We told ya," Carisi said, grinning down at his little girl.
"Look, Jesse! I got Kit!" Billie said, drawing Jesse's attention from the beautiful doll, even if for only a moment.
Jesse looked at her sister and noticed that she, too, had an American Girl doll in her arms. It was Kit, the historical American Girl from the Great Depression era. Kit was wearing her Christmas dress. In the stockings, Santa had also left a couple of other outfits and pajamas for the dolls along with the candy and fruit and cocoa packets. After all the presents had been opened, including the ones from their parents and each other, Jesse curled up in her window seat with her doll cuddled tightly against her chest. Looking out the window, she whispered into the air, "Thanks, Santa. I won't stop believing in you ever again and I'll also never listen to that dumb old Daniel Murphy again either."
With that, Jesse squeezed her doll, named Heather Rose, just because the eight-year-old thought the name was pretty, tighter, and settled down to read one of the new books her parents had given her for Christmas. There she stayed until her mother called her for breakfast.
The author of this SVU - Heart for the Holidays story will be revealed in January