Christmas with the Calvins

Chapter Eighty-Four

"What a Christmas." Curtis yawned, throwing himself into the chair of his office. He looked around the office that he'd inherited from Bernard two years ago. He supposed he'd have to give it back now. He'd go back to being number two. Curtis yawned again. It was all for the best he guessed. He had never been much of a Head Elf anyway. There was a knock at the door, Jessica Calvin let herself in.

"Here's my preliminary end of Christmas report, Boss." She smiled, handing a folder off to him.

"I'll leave it here, your husband can read it tomorrow when he takes his desk back." Curtis yawned a third time.

"What do you mean?" Jess questioned him.

"Well, it's obvious that now that Bernard's back he'll get his job back. So, I'll go back to being number two again." Curtis sighed.

"Not necessarily..."

"Of course, I will Jessica!" Curtis argued. "I am a terrible Head Elf. Christmas nearly ruined both years that I was in charge..."

"That happens every year! No matter who's in charge!" Jess interrupted him, rolling her eyes. "You're not terrible at your job, and Bernard's not gonna just take it away from you. You worked hard to get where you are. We'll work something out. You, me, Bernard and Dad. You'll see. In the meantime, you'd better start writing that Post Christmas speech. I'm going to see Carol and the baby."

Jess arrive at the delivery room to find that Carol had already been moved to the recovery ward and the rest of the family was waiting there, well most of the family anyway. Charlie, Carol and Neil were sitting on the edge of an empty hospital bed chatting excitedly with Carol and her parents. Bernard was laying down in the bed across the aisle from them. Nick and Noel were each curled up at his sides. Bernard had his son tucked under one arm and his daughter under the other, both their heads were resting on their father's chest. All three of them were sleeping. Bud and Sylvia were standing next to their daughter and Carol was laying in bed holding her newborn baby.

"Where's dad?" Jess asked, taking a mental count of the family members as she approached the crowd.

"It's past midnight." Charlie explained. "He and Lucky had to go deliver the presents. I can't stay long either. I've have some things to go over with Father Time and Mother Nature. I'll see everyone around later." Charlie went around the room saying his goodbyes and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas before leaving for his meeting.

"So, what do we have a new brother or sister?" Jess asked, making her way over to Carol at last.

"It's a boy." Carol said proudly. "Buddy, meet your sister, Jessica. Do you want to hold him Jess?"

"Yes, of course!" Jess eagerly scooped up the baby from Carol and held him securely in her arms. "Hey there Buddy. How's it going? There's a lot of people here just to see you, huh? Everybody in this room has been waiting for you for a very long time to meet you. So they are all going to take the best care of you and make sure that you get everything you've ever wanted. He's wonderful, Carol." Jess handed her brother back to her stepmom.

"Thank you, Jessica and how are things in the workshop, everything okay?" Carol asked.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Judy and her team managed to get dinner out on time so the elves are eating now. Dad's out delivering toys and Curtis is writing his post-Christmas speech. Christmas is officially over." Jess looked over at the bed where her family was still sleeping. "Do you guys mind watching my kids again, just for a minute?"

"Nah, it'll be good practice for Syl and me." Bud chimed surprising everyone.

"Thanks." Jess smiled. She walked across the room and gently woke her husband from his nap. "Hey, Bernard?"

"Hmmm?" He woke slowly but smiled when he saw his wife standing over him. "Jessie."

"Hey, come for a walk with me, okay?" She asked him. Bernard carefully slid out from under his kids and followed his wife out of the room.

"Where are we going?" He questioned when he'd followed her far enough that they were outside now.

"I just wanted to give you my Christmas present." Jess put a hand in the pocket of her pants. "I've been saving this for if...no when you ever came back. It's old and I had a lot of trouble tracking it down but Q's records on the past Santas really helped." Jess removed the object from her pocket. It was a large silver bell of a green velvet ribbon. It was starting to snow. Jess smiled at Charlie's perfect timing.

"Is that..." Bernard was speechless. He recognized immediately what the object, being held so carefully between his wife's palms, was.

"Not just any bell." She explained. "This was a sleigh bell on the sleigh when your father was Santa Claus. I thought you might like to have it." Bernard couldn't help but smile. It was like looking at something straight out of a Christmas movie. His wife was standing there offering him a bell from santa's sleigh, with large graceful snowflakes fluttering around them. He had to admit it was a nice touch, getting the extra help from Charlie for drama.

"I love it." Bernard told her, before gently lifting the bell out of her hands. "And I love you." Bernard tilted his wife's chin upwards with his forefinger before bending down and giving her a kiss.