Chapter Twelve – Scrabble tiles and lies

Molly sat with Charlie outside of his principal's office, listening as the Millers, Scott, and Principal Compton argued about Charlie's presentation.

"Scott, oh grow up!"

Laura's raised voice seeped into the hallway, and Charlie looked down at his feet, upset by the current situation.

"I don't understand, why won't dad tell the truth?" he asked, turning to look up at Molly with tears in his eyes. "Why are they all so mad?"

Molly sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "It's… complicated, Charlie. Adults have trouble believing in these things, even when they've seen them. It doesn't fit in with logic, so they don't think it can be real."

"But I'm not a liar!" He kicked the ground, scuffing the flooring with his shoe.

"I know, kiddo." She wrapped her arm around him, pulling him into a side hug, and ruffled his hair. "They think it's an imagination thing. It's the only explanation that can work for them."

"You know the truth though! I don't understand why you can't tell them!" He pulled away, looking at her eyes wide, as if he had just discovered the solution.

"I can't, Charlie," she said, wincing at the look of disappointment and betrayal in the boy's face. "I'm sorry. It's another one of those… complicated things."

"Why is everything with adults always so complicated?" he huffed, thumping back angrily in his chair.

Molly smirked slightly, wishing for a moment that kind of innocence could instruct reality. Things were so simple as a kid.

"It's just the way they are, Charlie. Adults like everything to make sense, everything to work out their way. And when it doesn't, it scares them. They get upset, and things turn into complicated messes. Your dad will get there, I promise. Just be patient with him."

Charlie crossed his arms angrily, but nodded before huffing again. "I guess I can."

The door opened and the three adults stormed out, none of them looking happy. Laura looked pointedly at Molly as she pulled Charlie to his feet.

"Please tell me you're not feeding into this delusion," she pleaded, the desperate look of a mother beyond worried about her child flashing in her eyes.

"Absolutely not, Mrs. Miller," Molly lied, flashing the most sincere smile she could muster up.

Laura nodded and began pulling Charlie down the hall, Neal falling into step beside them.

"Come on Charlie, we're leaving," Laura said as they went.

Charlie looked back over his shoulder at Molly, and she winked at him encouragingly, prompting a momentary smile on his saddened face. When she looked over at Scott, he was watching her with a strange look on his face.

"What was that about, with Charlie just now?"

Molly shrugged. "He was sad, I made a silly face at him. It's my job to help him navigate all this as much as it is my job to help you. He's disappointed his dad won't remember what he thinks is reality. He just needs to feel like the whole world isn't against him, you know?"

Scott looked pensive for a moment, but didn't respond. In fact, he didn't say anything until they were inside the car, driving back to his home.

"I'm taking Charlie out this afternoon. I'm going to tell him I'm not Santa Claus. That it was all a dream," he explained, sounding unsure of his decision. "Damnit. You know, this is the first time since we split that Charlie has wanted to spend time with me? That he's looked at me as more than the man he's legally required to spend time with. That he's actually treated me like I'm his dad."

Sitting there in silence and letting Scott rant, Molly wished she could tell him everything. Wished she could assure him that Charlie was right, that their growing relationship was based on reality. Instead, she picked at her nails in frustration, trying to keep herself from saying the wrong thing.

"He worships the ground Neal walks on. It's always Neal this, Neal that, Neal taught me this, Neal taught me that. Until now, he was always comparing me to Neal. And it's my own fault, really. I wasn't really there for him. But, is it so wrong for me to just want my son to look at me like I'm his hero again?"

"No, it's not." Molly paused, unsure if she should say anything more. She didn't want to say the wrong thing and change the course of the story. But if she didn't say anything, her silence could do the same. "I think you need to tell Charlie whatever you feel you need to tell him. He trusts you. Trust him."

"I don't remember kids your age being so wise," Scott mused, as he pulled out into the driveway.

I don't think there are many kids my age sucked into stories and forced to act likewise adults, she thought to herself. Out loud she said, "What can I say, it's a gift."

After Scott left, Molly pulled some meat and onions out of the fridge and began prepping dinner. It was going to be a late meal, what with Scott and Charlie taking their walk, and Molly wanted to have it ready for when he returned. She chopped up the onions, added some spices to the roast, and popped it into the oven, nearly jumping out of her mind as a voice behind her said:

"Hello!"

Molly spun around, hand flying to her chest in shock, only to see Judy and a male elf standing beside her.

"Jeez, Judy! You elves have got to stop sneaking up on people like that."

Judy looked bashful for a moment. "Sorry, I'll work on that." She stood with one arm behind her back, clearly concealing something. "By the way, this is Fred, my boyfriend."

Fred smiled and tipped his hat at Molly. He had short, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a pleasant manner. Definitely seemed the type she had pictured Judy with.

Molly closed the oven door and wiped her hands off on a damp rag, before walking over and holding out her hand to Fred. "It's nice to meet you, Fred."

Fred grinned broadly and shook her hand. "I've heard a lot about you, our 'mystery' guest from another world!"

"Only a few bad things, I hope?" Molly winked over at Judy.

"I would say nothing of the sort!" she retorted, only realizing afterwards Molly was joking. "Oh… you knew that." She cleared her throat, slightly embarrassed, and pulled her arm out from behind her back, revealing a box of Scrabble.

"We thought you might enjoy some company, and a good game," Judy said. "While Scott's out."

Molly smiled in appreciation. "I think that sounds wonderful. I'd love a game of Scrabble."

After an hour, the game was wrapping up, Molly shocked that she was losing the game for the first time in her life. She had always been the walking dictionary, but Fred and Judy were showing her up. She gaped as Judy won the game, racking in a huge score with the word "Quizzify."

"Don't feel too badly," Fred said encouragingly. "We do have several hundred years on you."

Molly sighed, leaning her head into both her hands. "Well, I guess I was going to lose at some point in my life." She laughed, shook her head, and then looked back up. "I'm going to have to start reading the dictionary again to prep for our rematch."

Just as they finished cleaning up, a car door shut in the driveway.

"That's our cue," Judy said with a wink, and she and Fred bounced away, hand-in-hand, before vanishing into thin air, glitter dancing about for a moment.

Molly moved to the kitchen, pulling out some plates and utensils as Scott walked in the door.

"I've told you before, you don't have to cook for me," Scott said as he walked in, sniffing the air. "Smells amazing, though."

Shrugging, Molly pulled the roast and some potatoes out of the oven. "I like cooking, and you don't. Works well in my books."

Scott was unusually quiet as Molly served dinner and put the plates on the table. He picked up his fork and poked at the food, then lout out a loud, frustrated sigh and leaned back in the chair.

"I lied to him," he said quietly. "I stood there, and like some idiot, I lied to my son and told him I believe I'm Santa Claus. I played right into his fantasy, just to keep his affection. I wanted to tell him the truth, but when I started, he just looked so devastated. So I lied to him."

He thumped his hand angrily on the table, disappointment in himself etched all over his face.

"I lied to my own damn son."

These were the things that the viewers never saw - the moments in between where real life, real reactions happened. Scott wasn't always as arrogant as he seemed. In between the pompous businessman and the selfish arse, was a father struggling on how to connect with his son and deal with the fallout of his collapsed marriage.

Molly put down her own fork, and when Scott looked over at her, she shrugged.

"Parents lie to their kids all the time. I don't mean in a malicious way, either. They lie about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, about Narnia and secret portals to worlds breathed to life by Lions. They lie by promising their kids they'll be safe every time they go out the front door, by promising nothing bad will ever happen to them. There's nothing wrong with letting your kids have a little magic in their childhood."

She paused, noting that Scott was watching her thoughtfully. "Charlie's what, 7, 8? When I was ten, my uncles told me a story about fairies living in the forest. In the back of my mind, I knew it wasn't true, but I chose to believe it anyways."

"Why?" Scott asked.

"Because it splashed some colour into a dreary world. It allowed me to feel like there was something wonderful sleeping under the edges of reality. Charlie's a smart kid. He knows the truth. Right now, he's seeing the man his dad is, beneath the mask, and the man he knows his dad can be. Santa is just allowing him to see it."

Biting his lip, Scott let out a long breath, shook his head, and laughed quietly. "That's quite the conclusion. You're not wrong, though."

He laughed again. "Man, where were you fiftee-"

Molly choked and held up her finger, stopping him. "No, just don't even go there. We don't need to make this awkward."

"Good point." Scott chuckled again and began to eat his dinner.