I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Roland woke up, sitting straight up in bed when he heard the bells, his bells. His mouth fell open as he quietly shimmied over to the edge of his racecar bed, sliding off carefully.

He had been caught, his friends always said Santa Claus couldn't be caught but Roland could hear him with his own two ears. He wasn't going to stop there though - no, he had to see him.

He took his first step quietly, his new footed Christmas pajamas hitting lightly against the floor. He tiptoed his way out of his room, opening his bedroom door slowly so he didn't make any noise.

He continued down the stairs and heard "Ho Ho Ho" from the big man himself. He hurried down the hall, feeling like a spy in a movie as he peeked one eye around the corner of the wall. He looked into the living room, it being lit dimly by the tree they had decorated so carefully. He had placed his ornaments proudly upon it, displaying them perfectly- just for his liking. But what he saw made his eyes widen, a shocked expression overpowering his features.

His mother was kissing Santa Claus.

But- but- she was already married, she's only supposed to kiss his dad, his papa.

He feels like hitting the man, like throwing all of the cookies he had so diligently baked with his mother down on the floor because Santa was mean, a horrible person. He was trying to break up their family and his mom was just letting it happen. Did she not love his papa anymore?

He counted to 5 in his head just like Robin had taught him and slowly took a deep breath, trying to remain quiet as he slipped out of the room and made his way to his bedroom again, crawling back in bed.

He laid there and cried silently, tears falling down his cheeks because he didn't want his parents to split up.

His friend Max's parents were split up and his friend hated it, he always had to switch between houses and only had some toys at his dads house and some at his moms. He didn't get to spend holidays with both his parents, just one and when his parents were together they would fight almost the whole time.

Roland's parents never really fight. Sometimes they will, but then it's okay again. They have always reminded Roland they love him and assured him they wouldn't split up, they loved each other too much for that. They told him it's normal for people to disagree sometimes but he still worries and now, he just saw his mother kissing Santa.

Right on the lips.

And he doesn't think his papa will be very happy about it.

---

Robin and Regina were both very surprised when they were not woken up by Roland's little feet jabbing into them, jumping excitedly on the bed. They got up on their own. She padded down to Roland's room as Robin made them coffee and got some pancakes and orange juice for their son.

Roland was moving all of the Christmas books that had Santa in them from his small bookshelf and making a pile of them next to the garbage in his room. He stopped when he heard his mother open his door and immediately crossed his arms.

Regina tilted her head, a confused look settling into her features as she rested her body against the doorframe, studying her son and the change to his room.

"What happened to all your Christmas books, Roland?"

He looked up at her as he shrugged, curling his lip angrily just slightly and sitting down on his bed, ignoring his mothers warning look.

"Why are you upset this morning?" she asked him delicately, softening her gaze.

"I'm not." he replied in nearly a grumble, leaning back against the pillows.