Bernard x Oc

The New Santa

Car lights reflected from the back of the car windshield as it pulled into the driveway, "All right. Let's go." Laura Miller turns to her son, Charlie, as she gets out of the car as Scott Calvin pulls into the driveway. "Bye, Charlie." Charlie's stepfather, Neal, waves goodbye as the young child exits the car, "Bye, Neal." Scott quickly shuts the car door and runs up to meet his ex-wife and son at the front door, "Oh, sorry, I'm late. Hi."

"Hi."

"Did you want to come in for a minute?" Scott offered. Laura gestured to the car, "Neal's waiting in the car, so--"

"Why doesn't he come in?" Scott questions them both before giving a slight wave to Neal.

"'Cause, Daddy, he says you'll just end up saying something snotty," Charlie answered, taking his presents from his mother. "Not necessarily. Could be rude or sarcastic. Whatever it takes." Scott waved to Neal once more before turning to Laura. She huffs and hands Scott Charlie's pillow and suitcase, "See? I gotta go. Here."

"Oh, come on. Come on. Christmas Eve. Just for a minute." Scott offers once more. Laura gave in and began walking up the steps, "Watch those steps. They're real slippery." Scott warns Laura.

"Ooh!"

"Told ya," Scott told her as they entered the house. Charlie takes the presents to the living room as Scott and Laura stand by the front entrance, "So--" "Well--"

"You goin' to your mom's for dinner?" Scott questioned as he slipped his coat off. Laura cleared her throat, "Actually, we're gonna be with Neal's family."

"Ah, Christmas at the pound." Scott intimidated a dog's howl and cat hiss as he walked into the kitchen. Charlie walked over with a frown, "There aren't that many presents over there." Scott faces his son, "Well, that's because Santa isn't here yet." Charlie stands next to the table full of Christmas cards, "Neal doesn't believe in Santa."

"Well, Neal's head comes to a point."

Charlie tilts his head at his father, "He's smart. He's a doctor."

"He's not a doctor. He's a psychiatrist." As the sound of a car horn goes off, Scott flatly states, making Laura go to the door, "Take your coat off. You're stickin' around, aren't ya?" Scott asked before walking back into the hallway, watching Laura open the door, "I'll be right there. Just a sec." She calls out and then closes the door turning to Scott, "I just want to--"

"Did that jerk tell Charlie there was no Santa Claus?" Scott interrupted her with a glare.

"What? No. Oh, Charlie came home from school the other day in tears because some big kid told him there was no such thing as Santa. And you know Neal. Well, he sat him down and--"

"He told him that there was a Santa Claus."

Laura hesitated for a second, "Well, all he said was that Santa was more like a feeling. You know, more like a state of mind than a person."

"Kind of like Neal. And who gave you permission to tell Charlie there's no Santa Claus? I think if we're going to destroy our son's illusions, I should be part of it." Scott looked at his ex-wife in disgust. "Yeah, but you're never around, are you, Scott?" Laura retorted back. "Oh, oh, please." Scott crossed his arms and leaned back on his heels, "Listen, all we are trying to do is give Charlie a firm grasp on reality." Laura stated. Scott put his finger on his chin, "That's a good idea. You don't want kids runnin' around usin' their imagination."

"Oh, yeah. This is from the guy responsible for the Do-It-All-For-You-Dolly."

"Leave her out of this."

"Don't you burp me, don't you change me, I'm the Dolly-" Laura mocked just as Charlie appeared in the hallway with a disappointed look, "Why do you guys always have to fight?" Laura and Scott turn to Charlie, ashamed to see their son upset with them, "I, uh, swear we're not fighting. It's your mom's singing. It sounds a lot like fighting, doesn't it? Cats even. The trouble is, Neal and your mom, they don't believe in Santa because they were real naughty, which is why they'll get lumps of coal in their stockings." Scott smirks at Laura, mocking both her and Neal, who waited in the car.