Jingle Bells and Parallels

12. Mae

Chapter 12

~Mae~

       "Mae, do you know where Jerome is?" Benoit asked as I helped him set the table for dinner. "He was supposed to be back by now."

       I couldn't even answer because Luis beat me to it. "Leave your son alone, Benoit. He's probably happily spending time with his boyfriend. Don't make him come home."

       "Dad, he has been gone all day, probably spending time with Nolan," Benoit said. "He's not going to die if he comes home for dinner."

       "I'll see where he is," I said, taking my cell phone out of my pocket and sending Jerome a quick text asking where he was. It didn't take long for him to reply.

       I'm at the North Pole being a lookout so Alan and my stupid ex can look inside Santa's sack. We might need a bit of help. Want to come? I also need help not punching Brandon in the face.

       I sighed. I didn't really want to get involved with this whole Santa and North Pole thing but at the same time, I should make sure Jerome didn't get into any trouble because knowing him, he would.

       "He's at the mall," I said. "And I am going to go there to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."

       Benoit furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would he get into tro-- Never mind, this is my son we're talking about. You don't have to answer that. Can you make sure you two get back home soon though?"

       "Yeah, of course," I said. I walked to the front door and put on my boots and jacket before grabbing my car keys and leaving the house, heading to my car.

       When I got to the mall, I went to the North Pole and found Jerome, Ryder, and Orchid sitting on the bench near it. "Jerome, you do remember your dad telling you to be home a while ago, right?" I asked.

       "Yes, but this is more important than eating," Jerome said. "Alan and Brandon found out that Santa is really protective about that sack in the sleigh. So we're waiting for the North Pole to close and a few minutes after, Alan and Brandon are going to sneak back in to see what's there."

       "And you couldn't let just Ryder and Orchid be lookout?" I asked.

       "Stop being boring, Mae," Jerome said.

       "Don't call my girlfriend annoying," Ryder said.

       "She was my sister before she started dating you," Jerome said. "I could call her annoying all I want. You don't see me getting mad when you call Nolan annoying?"

       Ryder raised an eyebrow. "I called Nolan annoying yesterday and you told me that you're going to kidnap me in my sleep and lock me in your laundry room without any food, and then you're going to steal all my bacon."

       "Because Nolan is a precious little bean who doesn't deserve to be bullied by his older brother," Jerome said. "And I'll fight anyone who bullies him."

       Jerome never made any sense. He could call me annoying because he was my brother but Ryder couldn't call his own brother annoying.

       His logic was always one hundred percent.

       When the North Pole closed, Alan and Brandon walked over to us. "Everyone should leave the North Pole soon," Alan said. "And the only two people we should worry about is Santa and Janelle so two of you should follow one while the other two follow the other. That way if they're about to head back to the North Pole 

       "Mae and I will follow Santa," Ryder said.

       "Awe, but I want to follow Santa," Jerome said.

       "Too bad," Ryder said. 

       Jerome tried convincing Ryder to let him and Orchid follow Santa but Ryder was just ignoring him the whole time. It wasn't long before we saw Santa exit the North Pole so Ryder and I began following him, though of course keeping our space.

       "So how did you get involved with this?" Ryder asked. 

       "I'm here to make sure my brother doesn't get in trouble," I said. "He was supposed to be home by now but he's not and knowing him, he'll eventually get in trouble. I'm kind of surprised to see you involved in this. So...?"

       "So I got way too interested with Alan's conspiracy theory," Ryder said. "I didn't want to help but at the same time, I really want to see where this goes."

       "How come Brandon's involved now?" I asked.

       "Alan actually got him involved," Ryder said. "He said they bonded over their mutual hatred for Janelle. And Orchid thinks they like each other."

       "Really?" I asked. "Huh, that's interesting. They'd actually be cute together." Ryder gave me a flat look. "What? They would."

       "Yes, because nothing says cute like Alan dating his brother's boyfriend's ex."

       "You're dating your brother's boyfriend's sister."

       "Mae, I started dating you before Nolan and Jerome started dating."

       "But we broke up and then they got together, so they were already dating when we got back together."

       "Well, yeah, but..." Ryder couldn't think of an argument so he just scowled instead. He hated being wrong and losing arguments. "I'm not talking to you anymore."

       I just smiled and went on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. The corner of his lips curled a bit as if he was trying to hide his smile. 

       We continued following Santa throughout the mall and he soon exited the building. Ryder and I didn't. We just watched him through the doors as he got into a car and drove off.

       "I assume we're safe to go back," I said, so that was what Ryder and I did.

       By the time Ryder and I got back to the North Pole, Brandon and Alan were already looking through the sack in the sleigh. "So what's in there?" Ryder asked.

       "Why aren't you keeping an eye on Santa?" Alan asked.

       "He drove off," Ryder said. "Chances are, he's not coming back. Even if he does forget something, you two will be out of here by then. So what's in there?"

       "Just a bunch of random Christmas stuff," Brandon said. "Decorations mainly. Christmas tree stars, tinsel, angels, glass sculptures, nativity scenes..."

       "Wait, hold on," Ryder said. "Christmas tree stars? How authentic do they look?"

       "Pretty authentic," Brandon said. "Professionally made. I think I saw some of these in that Christmas store here."

       "We were there earlier," Ryder said. "And Orchid noticed how cheap everything was made. Well, not everything but most things. Do you think he replaced the stuff with all that cheap crap?"

       "Why would he?" I asked.

       "To resell them at a hire price," Alan said. "This is... Not what I expected. Still an elaborate and confusing scam. So what do we do?"

       "Simple," Ryder said. "We take the sack at another time."

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honestly i'm even confused with the scam/heist lmao

i need try start spamming this since christmas is in less than two weeks ooooof.