Hey Santa (A The Santa Clause 2 Fanfiction) book 2

Chapter 6: Dad?

Third Person's POV

"I am Santa Claus." The Toy Santa said, looking in the mirror at himself. "Boo!" He chuckled. 

"Yeah." Bernard said as the Toy Santa danced in front of the mirror. "No, no, I think that this is gonna work. Good...Good job, Curtis." 

"Would it kill you to give a compliment with your whole heart?" Curtis asked. 

"Ho, ho, ho." The Toy Santa chanted. Suddenly, a knock at the door alerted the two elves. 

"Dad, are you in there?" Heidi's voice asked from behind the wooden door. 

"It's Heidi!" Bernard said, his heart racing in his chest as he looked to the small elf. "I thought you left her at the coffee shop?!" 

"I did!" Curtis said, and then looked down at his shoes, guilty. "...After I left her at the Christmas decoration store...and the cookie shop...and the clothes store." Bernard sighed, annoyed, as he facepalmed. 

"What are we gonna do?" Bernard asked. "Just hope and pray that she goes away?" 

"Probably." Curtis said, making Bernard groan in frustration. 

Heidi's POV

"Dad?" I called as I knocked on the office door again. "It's me, Heidi!" I got here as soon as I could. Curtis wouldn't let me go anywhere alone. So, I had to pretend to forget he was there, in order for him to finally leave me alone. And I followed him all the way back to the factory. But now, I can't even get in to see my dad. 

"Heidi?" I heard behind me. I turned and saw Abby, the elf who took over for Judy, standing there with a tray of hot cocoa. 

"Oh, hey, Abby." I said, waving. 

"You trying to see your dad?" She asked. 

"Yeah." I said, rubbing the back of my head in embarrassment. "But I can't get in." 

"Well, Curtis and Bernard are in there with him." She said. 

"They are?" I asked, feeling a bit betrayed. 

"Yeah." She said. "So either your dad's just having a conversation with them, or it's something important." 

"Well, should I probably go then?" I asked. "I don't wanna bother them." 

"Nonsense." She said, shaking her head. "You can help me if you want. I could always use the help delivering cocoa." 

"Thanks, Abby." I said. 

"No problem." She said, passing me the tray and pulling a key out of her pocket. She unlocked the office door and we walked in. "Hi, Santa." As we walked over to my dad's desk, I noticed Curtis and Bernard's eyes were as big as saucers when they saw me. But I ignored them. 

"Uh...hi." I heard my dad say as I put the tray down on the desk. I looked up and saw my dad looked very...odd. His hair looked rock hard along with his beard. His face and skin looked, rubbery. Or plastic like a Ken-doll. 

"Hey...D-Dad." I stuttered as I just stared at my father. 

"Oh, you look--" 

"Like he got a good night's sleep." Bernard said, cutting Abby off. I just stared at my father and the elves in shock. You're kidding, right? 

"Like you got a very good night's sleep." Abby said. "How about a nice chocolaty cocoa?" He just stared at us with confusion. He looked behind us and I swear, I saw Curtis nodding, but maybe it was just my imagination. My dad opened his mouth and nodded, oddly. Abby poured him some cocoa as he closed his jaw. When she was done, she passed it to him from across the desk. "Careful, it's hot." 

"Well, of course it is." My dad said and stared in confusion, again. Like he didn't know what to do next. 

"You gonna drink it, or what?" I asked. 

"Um...yes!" He said and opened his mouth. He lifted the cup to his mouth and chugged the whole thing down. Me and Abby just stared at him in shock until he stopped. "Aah!" He put the cup down in front of us. "Whoo! That's delicious! I like cocoa! Cocoa's superior refreshment! Ha, ha, ha, ha! Get me some more cocoa! Whoo!" 

"Right away, Santa." Abby said, smiling as she grabbed the tray. 

"I'll catch up with you, Abby." I said. 

"Ok." She said, nodding as she walked out of the room. 

"Ho, whoa!" Dad said. "I think Santa feels a little buzz! Whoo!" 

"Um...dad?" I asked. 

"Uh, yeah?" He asked. 

"I know we haven't been able to talk much since...well...you're Santa." I said. 

"Yeah...?" He said. 

"But, after I'm done helping Abby, you wanna meet up at the reindeer stalls and catch up?" I asked, hopeful. 

"Uh..." 

Third Person's POV

"Uh..." Toy Santa trailed off as he looked behind the young girl, at the two elves. The elves both shook their heads no, aggressively, trying to keep the secret a secret. "No!" The girl's smile disappeared from her face as the Toy Santa looked through the book in front of him again. "No, no, no. I'm very very very busy. " 

"Oh...I'm sorry." Heidi said, hoping to hear a maybe and a smile from her 'dad's face. But he didn't even look up from the book. "I guess I'll just...leave you to it, then." Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned and walked to the door. Bernard and Curtis watched with guilt as the young girl walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Bernard sighed, knowing that this wasn't what Scott meant when he said he wanted the head elf to not let Heidi find out. But, unfortunately, that's just the way the scene played out.