Magnolia Blooms

30. The Pantaloon

"What's your name?" Santa asked.

"Maggie," Maggie said, smiling at the jolly elf. 

"And what would you like for Christmas, Miss Maggie?" Santa asked Maggie as she was lifted onto his lap.

"My Mama and my Papa call me that!" Maggie said.

"Of course they do. Santa knows lots of things about good boys and girls. Have you been a good girl this year?"

"I try," Maggie said. "But thomtimeth I get in thome trouble."

"Well, I think everyone gets in a little trouble now and then. Do you listen to your parents and your teachers?"

"Yeth," Maggie said. "Motht of the time."

"And do you eat all your vegetables?"

"I try to. I lobe begetableth," Maggie smiled.

"Well, I am pretty confident I saw your name on the "good" list. So, what do you want for Christmas?"

"Can I withper it to you?" She asked.

"Of course," Santa said and leaned his ear to Maggie. She whispered what she really wanted for Christmas.

Santa looked at her and smiled.

"Well, that's a tall order. I don't know if my elves can do that. But, I promise you, we will all try our best to make that happen. Okay?  No promises, but we will try."

"Okay Thanta!" Maggie said, smiling.

"You have yourself a very Merry Christmas, Miss Maggie. And keep listening to your parents and your teachers, okay?"

"Okay, Thanta!  Merry Chrithmath!"

"Merry Christmas to you too," he smiled at Maggie and handed her a large candy cane.

"Thank you Thanta!!" Maggie grinned and ran down the ramp to where Mama and Papa were waiting for her.

"Look what Thanta gibed me!" She said, brandishing the treat.

"That candy cane will last you until next Christmas!" Papa said.

"No it won't!" Maggie insisted. "I wanna thare it with you and Mama."

"Oh, Bug. That's so sweet of you," Mama said. "But Santa gave it to you."

"I know. And that meanth it'th mine. Tho I get to choothe if I wanna thare it," Maggie grinned. "Tho, when we get home, can we cut it up?"

"I have an idea," Debby said, taking Maggie's hand as the little family continued their afternoon Christmas shopping. "Why don't we break it up into little pieces and make cookies or brownies and put the candy cane into them?"

"Can we?" Maggie asked, jumping up and down.

"We can," Debby said. "What should we make? Cookies or brownies?"

Maggie frowned, thinking.

"I don't know," she said. "I'll think about it."

Josh smiled at Maggie and then at Debby.

"So," Josh said, picking Maggie up, because he couldn't resist. "What did you ask Santa for?"

"It'th a thecret," Maggie said. "I can't tell you becauthe then Thanta might not be able to do it."

Josh frowned.

"You can't even tell your favourite Papa?"

"You're my only Papa!" Maggie laughed. Josh shot Debby a look. Maggie knew she'd had 'parents' (if they could be called that) before them. But she never really talked about them. Dr. Kate had told Josh and Debby that she felt Maggie had repressed most of her early memories, and because of the abuse she endured, she viewed her birth parents as the monsters that populated and terrorized her dreams.

"Okay. You can't tell your only and favourite Papa what you asked Santa for?"

"Nope. It'th a thecret."

"Fine," Papa said, pretending to be sad.

"Don't be thad, Papa," Maggie said. She didn't like when Josh or Debby were upset.

"I'm not really sad, little Bug. I'm just pretending," Josh said, swinging Maggie up and planting a wet kiss on her cheek. She giggled and Josh's heart melted. He loved the sound of his daughter's laughter.

The Duns continued their shopping. Maggie had school on Monday, the last week before the Christmas break, and Josh and Debby would buy her Christmas gifts while she was in school. For today, they were buying gifts for Josh's family, Jenna and Tyler and Rosie and Mrs. Donovan.

They went to a restaurant for dinner and then took their now sleepy seven-year-old home.

Maggie fell asleep in the car and Josh picked her up and carried her into the house.

"I'm thleepy, Papa," Maggie said as Debby undid her boots and helped Josh take Maggie's winter coat off in the entry way.

"I know, Bug. We're home, and we'll put you straight to bed, okay?"

"Okay Papa," Maggie said, putting her head on his shoulder. Debby smiled at the two of them.

Upstairs, Josh and Debby changed a sleeping Maggie into her pyjamas and tucked her into bed. They went into their room and changed into pyjamas of their own and went downstairs.

Downstairs, the two adults wrapped some of the gifts they'd bought. Maggie could bring Mrs. Donovan her gift on Monday.

Once that was done, they sat back, turned on the TV and the gas fed fireplace and cuddled on the couch.

"I'm going to be so sad when those two front teeth come in," Josh said to Debby. "Her lisp is adorable."

"I know," Debby agreed. "And her grin?"

"Priceless," Josh said.

They watched TV for a little while before deciding to retire to their bedroom.

The two went to bed, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

Meanwhile, Maggie was back in the scary room. She was thinking about the 'Blurryface' song and it was helping keep the light she was sitting in bigger, but the monsters were still there and they were still as horrible.

"Guess what we got you?" One of the monsters said.

Maggie shook her head. She didn't want to know.

"Don't you want a present? Stupid kids like you love presents. Not that you deserve presents."

"Thanta thaid I'm on his good litht," Maggie said, trying to sound brave.

The monsters mocked her lisp.

"Mama and Papa think it'th cute!" Maggie asserted.

The monsters mocked her more. Maggie took a deep breath and thought about Santa and what she had asked of him. She heard the monsters laughing, but kept thinking about Santa, and the 'Blurryface' song. The light dimmed only a little. The circle shrank just ever so slightly.

"Mama!" Maggie screamed. "Mama! Papa!"

"Maggie, Maggie, wake up!! Wake up Bug. Mama and Papa are here! Maggie!"

Maggie started to feel tired. She kept reaching for Mama and Papa. They were just outside of her grasp.

Suddenly she heard the 'Blurryface' song. It was all around her and the light got bright again.

Maggie took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Mama and Papa were holding her in their arms and crying.

"Mama! Papa!" Maggie sobbed.

"Hi, Bug. We're here. You're okay. You gave us a bit of a scare, but you're okay now. Are you?" Her Mama asked.

"I'm thcared, Mama," Maggie said.

"What are you scared of, Bug?" Mama asked.

"That the monthterth are coming," Maggie said.

"What do you mean?" Debby asked.

"They went away, but they thaid they're coming back to Ohio. They thaid they had to finith what they thrarted," Maggie cried.

Debby looked at Josh who stared back at Debby. Maggie's birth parents were coming back? Were they going to have to face these two monsters who'd nearly destroyed the sweetest child ever (don't tell Tyler)?