Santa's Son

Chapter Five｜Christmas Eve (Part One)

❅ R A E L Y N N ❅

THE CHARMING SMELL from the oven floated through the kitchen. Beside me, Alex was smiling from ear to ear. I matched her expression as the timer went off.

"Oh, looks like they're done!"

"COOKIES!" Micah screamed.

I burst out laughing. "Yes, Micah. Cookies. Now step back and be careful of the oven door."

Immediately Alex over exaggerated by grabbing Micah's shirt and bringing him back with her to basically the other side of the kitchen. Shaking my head, I opened it and grabbed the cookie sheet. The sweet, tempting smell of sugar and chocolate flooded my nose. I wasn't hungry, though. The grumbling of my stomach hurting acted as a warning for me. So I just set them down on top of the stove and tossed the mitten to the side. Suddenly the kids rushed forward, but kept their hands back.

A few years ago, an excited Alex had grabbed the sheet too soon and burned her entire palm. Since then, she's been ultra careful. So much so that each time we bake something, she won't go near it until I tell her it's okay.

Micah's eyes were wide and dark. He licked his lips, looking at the cookies. I placed a hand on the small of his back and guided him out of the kitchen. Alex followed, eager to go admire our Christmas tree.

It was small and tucked into the corner by the staircase. We had decorated it with white balls and homemade ornaments. Packages laid beneath it's branches, glittering in the warm glow of the candle light. Facing one of the walls was the couch, and the TV was playing a video of a fireplace, since that's the best we could do.

"Rae, what time is it?" Micah asked, standing on his knees, facing the back of the couch.

I checked my phone. "Seven fifteen, buddy."

"Man..." he sulked, sliding back down the cushions. Wearing a playful pout, I walked over and joined him on the couch. He immediately scooted closer until his head was resting on my chest. Alex came over too, and soon I had my arm around both of them. My hand delicately moved through Alex's curls, from church service we went to earlier.

"What's the matter?" I asked finally.

I felt Micah sigh. "I want to go to bed now!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Well, that's a first. But if you go to bed too early, you'll wake up too early and might see Santa."

Alex gasped and gave her brother a look. "Do not look for Santa! We need to leave him alone so he can give the other kids presents, too. You hear me?"

Micah nodded furiously. I laughed and kissed the tops of both their heads.

"Exactly, Alex." She beamed up at me. "Exactly."

We ended up putting the cookies on a plate and saving the rest, then coming back to the couch to read stories for an hour. We had a huge box of them by the TV, so they'd each pick one, we'd read, then they'd go find two more. My brain was forming thoughts in rhymes and paragraphs before they both started to yawn.

"Alright, time to get ready for bed," I said quietly, shutting How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

They both slid off the couch in a daze. Micah's eyes were literally only half open, but they both walked up the stairs. I stayed in my spot, listening for the sound of running water and drawers shutting.

I stood up eventually and took a look around the house. We had put up lights around the entire room, which added a little magic to the scene. Our stockings were hung on the railings of the stairs since our TV didn't have a mantel, and some trinkets were placed on tables and the half counter. Our kitchen had even been decorated, with some snowman mugs and a sign above the sink that says, "Dinner plans: cookies, candy canes, hot cocoa, and milk". (I had to explain to Micah, though, that the sign wasn't really what we were having for dinner.)