Christmas With the Calvins Two: Charlie and the Toy Factory

Chapter Nine

The North Pole. Just thinking the words was enough for Jack Green's heart to pound in his chest. He'd never seen so much color in one place before, not even at the bakery. There were boughs of holly, complete with red berries and faux snow, strung along all the railings and ledges. Every type of Christmas decoration imaginable seemed to be tacked up somewhere. Every door had a festive wreath, there was mistletoe hidden above doorways and hallway junctions. There was even a fully decorated Christmas tree in both the town square and the main workshop floor.

As for the elves, they bustled through the Pole paying little attention to Charlie or Jack as the son of Santa led him around. Most of the elves wore clothing like one would see in holiday specials on TV. Their cloths was adorned with peppermint stripes and jingle bells and their shoes ended in curly or pointed toes. But Jack was surprised to see just how many elves were wearing what he considered human clothes.

"Is that elf wearing UGGs?" Jack whispered to Charlie.

"Probably." Charlie nodded. "When Bernard was in charge it was...highly encouraged that elves dress traditionally. He started to loosen up about it when he married Jess. She told him becoming an elf wasn't going to change her. Then when Curtis took over he and Jess made sure the dress code was dialed back significantly."

"Wait, your sister's an elf?" Jack asked.

"And yours is a baker." Charlie smirked.

"Those two things are not even close to the same." Jack countered. "My sister makes cookies and cakes. Your sister is...a mythical creature! No judgment, man, it's cool but...how do you keep everything straight? I mean, you're Jack Frost, your dad is Santa, your older sister is an elf and so is your brother in law. Wait, don't you have a younger sister too? Is she a Sugar Plum Fairy?"

"Lucy's not in the family business just yet. Which does bring up an important subject, your cover story." Charlie sighed.

"Canadian toy factory seemed like a decent enough cover." Jack shrugged. "No one besides Holly is going to ask too many questions anyway and I can tell her the truth, right?"

"Well..." Charlie rubbed the back of his neck and averted Jack's gaze. "Not quite yet."

"Oh! Because I'm not quite Jack Frost yet." Jack nodded. "That's fine. I totally understand."

"Yeah! That's it!" Charlie nodded. He was relieved that he didn't have to reveal his full plan just yet. He was still hammering out some details.

"Oh, Charlie, Jack! Glad we caught you!" Jess greeted them as she and Buddy approached from one of the workshop's offshoot corridors. "Curtis asked me to stuff the stockings, which means getting out the big ladder but since you're here..."

"I'd be happy to help before taking Jack back home." Charlie agreed. "Jack have you met my brother, Buddy yet?"

"Hello, Buddy!" Jack greeted him cheerfully. "How do you fit into the family business?"

"Pfft." Buddy scoffed in response. "Hardly a family business. More like a holiday themed prison."

"Buddy had never lived anywhere other than the North Pole." Jess explained. "He's been pushing for a couple years for dad and Carol to move."

"I mean forgive me if this is a stupid question, but why wouldn't you want to live here?" Jack asked. "I mean it seems like it'd be pretty cool to grow up here. I mean playing with the reindeer, getting to see all the toys before anyone else, the snow!"

"Charlie and Jessica grew up here. I just live here." Buddy clarified. Jack wasn't sure what the difference was. "They lived in Chicago. They had a chance at normal lives. They got to go to school with other kids. Human kids. I on the other hand, have been stuck here my whole life. I just wish dad would hurry up and pass his coat off so we can leave already!" Buddy huffed before storming away to another part of the Pole.

"Teenagers, am I right?" Charlie tried to joke with a half-hearted smile.

"It wasn't a stupid question." Jess told Jack. She motioned for he and Charlie to follow her. The three of them walked together towards what the elves called the Wall of Stockings. "We're not exactly sure what's made Buddy such a Grinch, but as much as I'll miss having Dad and Carol around, things will be better when they've moved on."

"That's easier to say now that we know we're not going to lose them." Charlie commented.

"Whoa, so when you said stuff the stockings..." Jack said when he laid eyes on the Wall of Stockings for the first time.

"Another one of Curtis' changes." Charlie told him. "He thought it would be a nice way to boost morale and carry the holiday spirit through the year. There's a stocking for every person at the Pole, they're kind of like little mailboxes for to leave messages and presents in."

"Yes, and part of this initiative, Curtis or I leave a candy cane in every stocking once a week. Usually that means climbing up and down this thing," Jess nodded at a large ladder that was attached to the wall. Jack was able to understand that the ladder could be wheeled left or right to line up with any row of stockings.

"But since Charlie is here today..." Jess handed Charlie a fistful of candy canes. Charlie summoned a gust of Northern Wind so that he could levitate to the top row of stockings. He dropped a candy cane in each one, before dipping down to get some more from his sister.

"Would you like one, Jack?" Jessie offered out a candy cane to him. "This week's flavor is lemon."

"If this is a veiled attempt to bribe me into doing this for you when I'm Frost, I accept." Jack told her before accepting the white and yellow striped candy. "Honestly, expect to see me hanging around here whenever possible. Which brings up a good point, Charlie!" He shouted up to Charlie who hovered ten feet over their heads. "Where am I supposed to live?!"

"That, is a very good question." Charlie told Jack. He finished the last of the stockings that were too high above Jessica's head before lowing himself back down to the ground. "I guess I could show you the Frost Lodge. Assuming you can handle the rest of this, Jess?"

"Of course." Jess nodded. "Thanks for the help! I look forward to seeing you around, Jack."