Elf: Buddy's Sister

Chapter 2

"Hello? Is this Walter?"

Buddy hears his sister's voice for the very first time and can barely sit still in the chair. He, his dad, Emily, and Michael sit around the kitchen table, the phone on speaker.

"Yes, this is he."

"Hi. Um, oh gosh, I don't know how to start this. Uh, thank you for getting back to me. I didn't think this would work out," she rambles.

"Your brother is here with me if you would rather talk to him."

There's a long pause, and Buddy is worried that she hung up.

"Oh! Um, okay. Yeah."

Buddy breathes a sigh of relief as his dad passes him the phone.

"Hi Victoria! This is Buddy, your older brother! Well, my real name is William, but no one really calls me that. Maybe except Papa..."

Emily and Michael shake their heads vigorously and Buddy stops himself. He can't tell her about the elves and the North Pole, not yet.

"Just call me Buddy," he finishes.

"Okay," she chuckles. "You can just call me Tori."

"Great! So, when do you want to meet me?"

His dad face palms while Emily and Michael shake their heads again.

"I mean, do you want to meet me, Tori?"

He hopes she says yes. It would make him really sad if Santa told him about her and then she didn't want to meet him.

"Yeah, but um, I want to get to know you before we meet in person," she replies.

He nods. "Okay. What do you want to know about me?"

"Like, where you live, your job, if you have a family."

Michael grabs a sheet of paper and a pen and starts writing, so he reads off of it.

I live in New York City, not too far from my dad and stepbrother. I'm married to a cute woman named Jovie and we have a daughter named Susie. I work at a toy shop in the city and sometimes dress up like an elf for the kids. I love food, especially Christmas candy and spaghetti.

Tori laughs. "You sound pretty cool."

Buddy smiles wide and fist pumps the air. "What about you? I want to know everything."

"Well, I live with my adoptive parents and their son in Los Angeles, so really far away. I am a musician and play small shows around the city. I have actually been to New York City a couple times and had shows there. Um, I love going to Disneyland. Do you know about Disneyland? I think you would really like it. It's got crazy rides and a ton of tasty food."

"Ooh, that sounds lovely! Does Disneyland celebrate Christmas?"

"Yes!" Tori exclaims. "They decorate all the buildings with Christmas lights and Christmas trees. It feels like magic."

Buddy wants to ask if it looks like the North Pole, but then he remembers that she's never been there.

"You have to take me there! Christmas magic is the best thing in the world."

"Okay," Tori laughs again.

There's an awkward silence, and Buddy tries to figure out what to say without giving everything away. There are so many things he wants to tell her, but he holds his tongue.

"So, uh, can I call you again tomorrow, same time?" she finally says.

"Yes, please do! I want to hear your voice again."