Do You believe in Santa? ✔

Chapter three

Helen Carter sits in the kitchen smoking at the dining room table. She looks a mess on the verge of a break down.
She hears a knock on the front door. "I wonder who that could be?." She sighs as she made her way to answer the door. She hoped the Unknown visiter wasn't someone who might make her life even more stressful or difficult.

As she opened the door any hope she had of a quiet easy life were gone in a second.
She looks at the visiter recognising him immediately.
"Jonas what the heck are you doing here?."
He sighs not wanting any drama. "Can I come in, I really don't want to do this on the doorstep."
Helen looks at him clearly annoyed but steps aside so he can enter the house.
She slams the door and turns to face him.
"So are you going to tell me where you been?."
He shrugs "That's not necessarily important is it?."
She rolls her eyes at him "Do you not care about your kids?".
He sighs "Of course I do that's why I'm here, where are the little rascals anyway."
She scoffs "You'd know if you were around and they are not so little anymore." She moves toward him "I was struggling for money whilst you was out God knows where when you could help me feed your kids."

Daniel was sitting at the stop of the stairs listening to this and he hears his sister coming down after him. He puts his fingers to his lips.

His sister frowns "What's going on?."
Daniel shrugs "Dad's back."
Alexis sighs and sits next to him. "You've got to be joking...This is the last thing I needed.
Daniel looks at her annoyed."It didn't take you long to be selfish, aren't you at least curious about him?.
Alexis shakes her head. "As far as I'm concerned when he left he abandoned us and since that day I wanted nothing to do with him, I still don't."

Daniel frowns "Surely if he explains it may be worth forgiving him, 16 years is a long time and too long to hold grudges."
"Lalallala lalalala" She cuts him off childishly trying to block him out completely.
Daniel sighs "I may not remember dad much what with me being 2 years old but I deserve to get to know him."

Alexis shrugs "And I'm not stopping you but in all the 14 years that I've known him he's never been a good dad.. He was pretty useless actually."

Daniel sighs "He's probably changed now though."
Alexis bites her lip. "Maybe but I'm not willing to take that chance again."

In an effort to change the subject Daniel looks at her sincerely. "Can I ask you a question?."

Alexis looks at him. "Depends what it is."

He grins at her "Do you believe in Santa?."

She sighs exasperatedly "Really?, you waste my time with that sort of question.. Now look who's childish its not even Christmas.."

Daniel shrugs "I just feel in the Christmassy mood already..You know how much I hate Halloween besides like you I need something to look forward to.".

Alexis rolls her eyes at him. "Surely you've reached the growing up stage..."

Daniel laughs silently "Sure but that doesn't stop me believing in him after all we all need magic in our lives especially when things don't exactly turn out the way we expect".

Daniel grins "You didn't even answer my question."

Alexis sighs "You really want to know?."
Daniel nods back at her.

Alexis turns her whole body to look at him. "I don't believe in Santa and neither should you especially at your age it's almost as childish as believing in Peter Pan."

Daniel looks at her shocked. "The only difference is Peter Pan is not actually real and you really don't want to say that you don't believe in Santa."

Alexis frowns exasperatedly. "Why?, We all know what really happens on Christmas Day."

Daniel looks at her seriously "Because bad things happen to none believers..If you know so much would you care to enlighten me?."

She grins at him cockily. "That's a load of rubbish." She leans toward him to whisper in his ear. "What really happens is all the Mummies and daddies eat all the mince pies and drink Santa's milk and then afterwards they put your presents under the tree to make you believe in Santa."

Daniel frowns at her sister. "Your wrong.. Now you just reminded me why I hate you so much..I don't know why I ever try with you."

He runs downstairs upset and finds his parents still talking.

He decides to pretend that he didn't know his dad was here.
He looks at his dad in surprise. "Dad.."

His dad grins at him "Wow Daniel is that really you?" He looks at Helen. "You were right they have grown up fast.."
Helen scoffs "That's what happens when your not there to watch them grow up..So why don't you tell us why your really here."

He bites his lip. "Alright we will skip the pleasantries and go straight to the point shall we?."

Helen waits impatiently.

He sighs "The reason I'm back is because of my ex girlfriend Beatrice, She reminded me that I still had a responsibility to the kids and it was wrong of me to abandon them so I'm sorry for that."

Daniel sighs "I'm expecting a very big but here.."

He nods at his son. "But I know you wouldn't let me have access to the kids so I guess I'm here for custody."

Helen glares at him. "Over my dead body."

Jonas scoffs at her "You said it yourself your struggling to even feed the kids.."

Helen tuts "That's because you weren't around to put your hand in your stupid flaming pocket."

Jonas hangs his head "I know but look at the state of you.. Your in no fit state to look after two kids never mind yourself."

Helen laughs "No judge would ever leave the kids with you."
He grins back at her.."We will see.. You'll be hearing from my lawyer.."

He nods at his son. "I'll see you soon okay?."
Daniel nods nervously trying to think of the words When his sister comes down the stairs.

Alexis looks at Jonas with a lot of anger and hate."Yeah until the next time he disappears."

Jonas sighs "There's not going to be a next time Alexis I promise."

Alexis scoffs "The last time you promised me anything you disappeared into the sunset what's changed?"..

Jonas shrugs "My ex girlfriend made me see sense.."

Alexis laughs and it's taken you 14years for you to get a brain...I can see where Daniel gets it from.."

Helen glares at Alexis "That's uncalled for apologise to your brother."

She shrugs at her mother "I'm not going to apologise for telling the truth.."
She grabs her bag and storms out.

Jonas looks at them both nervously "I'd better go.. My lawyer will be in touch soon..I suggest you don't fight this, save all the money you've got to look after yourself properly."
He leaves the room and exits out the front door.
"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." She throws a vase at a nearby wall.
Daniel looks at her worriedly. "Are you okay mum?."

She grins at him falsely "I'll be fine you get going to school." Daniel nods and grabs his bag ready to leave before taking one last look of his mother sitting on the floor staring at the broken glass.
He leaves the house slamming the door praying today isn't going to get anymore stressful."