All day long the man had listened to requests from children asking for long lists of expensive gadgets and toys. This request was completely different and very unexpected. It was also sadly, impossible.
"Don't you have a Mummy?" He asked Ellie quietly as he glanced at the man and woman who had accompanied the little girl in to his tent and wondered who they were if not her parents.
"She died," Ellie murmured just as quietly.
"I'm very sorry to hear that," Santa said.
"I live with Daddy now," Ellie added. That explained who the man was, Santa thought, seeing quite a strong resemblance between him and the girl on his knee. "It's nice, but sometimes I wish I had a Mummy like when I had chickenpox,".
"Mummy's are very special people aren't they?" Santa said and Ellie nodded in agreement. "I'm not sure I will be able to get one for you before Christmas though," he said, trying to let the little girl down gently.
"You can do it, Santa. I know you can," Ellie whispered confidently.
"It needs some time to get just the right one for you," Santa explained.
"But I know who I want," Ellie replied. "I want Kate,".
"Who's Kate?" Santa asked.
"She's with my Daddy over there," Ellie confided to Santa.
The man looked over again to the two adults in the tent. The woman appeared to be consoling the man about something and they looked quite close. Maybe the little girl's request wasn't totally out of the realms of possibility.
"You think she'd make a good Mummy for you?".
Ellie nodded again. "She's already a Mummy to Josh so she knows what to do," she informed Santa assuming he would know who Josh was. "And it was really fun when she came to stay. Daddy liked having her around as well, I could tell. It was nice being all together,".
"Well don't give up hope, Little One," Santa told Ellie. "I'll try my best, but it just might take a little more time than what there is until Christmas. Just in case, is there anything else I can get you?".
"No thank you, Santa," Ellie said.
"Would you like a photo?" a man dressed as another elf in front of a tripod, asked Steve, realising Ellie's time with Santa had finished.
Steve looked at the man with a bit of hatred. Why would he want a moment of this complete waste of time?
"Yes please," Kate answered for him. She knew he would regret it if he didn't get a photo. Ellie posed happily on Santa's lap for the snap before rejoining Steve and Kate. "Did you enjoy that?" Kate asked.
"Yes!" Ellie beamed.
"So what did you ask Santa for?" Steve asked, trying the direct approach again for the millionth time.
"You'll see," Ellie said happily.
"Hey Kate what do you think about this one?" Steve asked a couple of days later. He was sat at his desk in AC-12 looking at different children's bicycles online. After an urgent discussion with Kate he was going to buy Ellie a bicycle for Christmas.
"You can't go wrong with a bike," Kate had said.
"I'm not sure she can ride a bicycle though," Steve had countered.
"Well then you can spend time together teaching her," Kate had suggested. "It's perfect,".
Steve was too absorbed in his quest to notice that Kate was upset about something, but he did notice that she hadn't answered his question. "Earth to Kate," he said.
"What?" Kate snapped.
"Ellie's bike," Steve said. "What about this one?" he repeated.
Kate glanced at the computer screen. On it was a sparkly pink bike with stabilisers, multicoloured tassels hung from the handlebars. A plastic basket with a flower at the front. "It's fine," she answered.
Steve wasn't completely happy with that answer so he clicked back ready to start his search again. He needed better than 'fine' which was a shame as he really thought he had found the right one for his daughter.
"How about this one, Kate?" he questioned.
"Chrissake, Steve!" Kate exploded causing the rest of AC-12 to look around. "Any bike will be fine. You make the decision. She's your daughter!" she snapped before storming off.
Steve sat in his chair a little shellshocked. He hadn't deserved that reply for once. It had been an innocent question. Something else had upset his friend not him. Getting up from his chair he was determined to find out what it was.
Heading out the office he took the stairs up to the rooftop. Stepping outside, he found Kate resting on the barrier staring out over the city. Hearing the door close behind Steve she turned to face him and he saw a few tears before she turned away again embarrassed.
"Mate, what's wrong?" Steve asked as he approached her.
"Nothing," she replied as she swiped at her tear stained face.
"Wanna try again?" Steve said.
Kate sighed and sat down on a nearby concrete step. "Josh isn't coming for Christmas," she replied.
"What?" Steve said. "Why not?" he asked as he sat beside Kate.
"Mark's mum has bought four tickets for a Christmas ski holiday," she said sadly.
"Why would she do that?".
"Because she didn't want Josh spending the day with me," Kate answered.
"She did it on purpose? Are you sure?".
"She always hated me," Kate explained. "We never really got on. Just tolerated each other for Mark's sake,".
"So what are you going to do?".
"What couId I do?" Kate asked sadly as she started to cry again. "I've just been on the phone with Josh for half an hour listening to him plead with me to let him go," she continued. "And of course Mark couldn't help but mention how much it had cost his mum," she spat.
"You let him go," Steve said, now understanding why Kate was so upset. He knew how much she had been looking forward to the holidays and now it was all gone. Kate nodded and Steve pulled her closer to him before kissing her temple. It wasn't a romantic gesture, just him offering comfort. "You're a good mum, Kate," he told her honestly. It had been a selfless act to give up her time with her son to keep him happy.
They stayed there a while as Steve held Kate as she cried for what could have been until she had no more tears left.
"So we're having lunch around two o'clock," Steve said as Kate dried her face, "so I'd arrive anytime before that,".
"What are you talking about?".
"Christmas Day. You're spending it with us,".
"You don't want me there," Kate argued.
"Says who?".
"It's your first Christmas with Ellie-,".
"-who will be thrilled to have you there," Steve pointed out.
"But your parents-,".
"-Mum already sort of thought you'd be there," Steve said.
"Why?".
"Don't know," Steve answered. He didn't want to really think about why Sue would just assume Kate would be with them on Christmas Day because that was something he wasn't ready to face.
"What about you?".
"What about me?".
"Would you mind me gatecrashing your Christmas?" Kate asked, the moment getting a bit too serious.
"Not at all," Steve said. "Besides," he continued, trying to lighten the mood, "it'll be good to have someone share the heat when Elle realises she hasn't got what she wanted from Santa,".