Some links may be affiliate links. We get money if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these links on our site.

Christmas All The Time is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Santa’s Helper

12/6/2024

Leo followed the signs to the children’s department where Santa was enthroned. The line to visit with him was long, but his assistant was doing her best to keep things moving along.

His mother waved from the middle of the line. “Leo, we’re up here.” As always, she cut an elegant figure in her deep garnet tailored wool coat with the high funnel collar.

He made his way to their place in line. Joan was holding Jenn in her arms. His niece wore a jolly red velvet dress with white faux fur trim and a brooch in the shape of a Christmas wreath with a red bow. The acrylic gemstones looked quite real at first glance.

“Well, don’t you look fancy?” He smiled. “Hi, Joan.”

There was a tug at the hem of his overcoat. “Uncle Leo. Uncle Leo.”

He lifted his nephew up to his hip. “Don’t you look dapper in your suit jacket? All ready to see Santa?”

Jim pulled a gold dollar from his pocket. “He left this in my shoe.”

“He did? Lucky you.” Leo studied the coin. “What are you going to ask Santa for?”

“More chocolate coins! He put a bunch in my shoe. He can fill my whole stocking!”

“That sounds great, but we’d have to peel you off the ceiling, buddy. Don’t you want some toys?”

“I want to take this dumb bow tie off.”

Joan rocked Jenn on her hip. “You only have to wear it until after we see Santa, honey.”

Leo pulled his phone out with his free hand. “Oh, it’s Pop Pop.” He answered it. “Hi, Dad. We’re in line. Sure, you have time. There are quite a few kids between us and Santa. Yes, see you shortly.” He checked for messages before sliding it back into his pocket. “Pop Pop just got here. He’ll be up in a minute. I’m sure he’ll be proud of you for keeping your tie on.”

Jim tugged at his collar. “This line is slow.”

“It’s not so bad. It gives us more time to be together. How was school today?”

“We were doing K and L today and Mrs. Sawicki gave us a coloring page.”

“Well, there you go. If you’re up to K’s and L’s, you can just about spell Kris Kringle.”

“What?” Jim giggled. “What is that?”

“It’s another name for Santa Claus, just like Saint Nick.”

“Pop Pop!” Jim reached out to his grandfather.

“There’s my handsome boy.” Murray took Jim and gave his wife a kiss. “I’m glad I made it in time. I was afraid I’d missed the whole thing. Hello, Joan. Oh, Jenn, don’t you look splendid? That is such a pretty dress.”

Jenn got bashful and buried her face in her mother’s shoulder.

“You’ll never guess who I saw on the way up.” Murray bounced Jim on his hip.

“I can’t imagine.” Mary said.

“Little Grace from across the street.”

“That’s my doing, actually.” Leo said. “I was craving gawumpkies and she was kind enough to oblige.”

“In exchange for what?” His dad’s eyebrows knitted.

“She said to surprise her, so I made some Shepherd’s Pie.” He looked around for Grace. “Jim, show Pop Pop what you got from Santa.”

#

Grace cruised around the baby clothes, looking for something nice to give her future niece or nephew. ‘Hmm, if Emma is due in June, the baby will be six months at Christmastime. This is cute.’ She picked a swaddle pod that looked like a snowman. The coal buttons were backed with Velcro to ensure a snug fit, and the insulation was squishy. The top hat was the selling point for her. In the short term, it would be absolutely adorable. In the long term, it would make for excellent blackmail material when he or she became a know-it-all teenager. ‘It’s a must have.’

She peeked around the corner to check on the Murray’s progress in line. ‘MQM bouncing a kid on his hip. The wonders never cease.’ Her eyes drifted over to Santa and she found Sarah helping a small child onto his lap. ‘That is a nice costume. I wonder who made that for her? Maybe a friend or a cousin?’

Grace retreated into the aisle of baby clothes to see what else caught her eye. ‘The elusive baby Mazur didn’t give a gender reveal, so we need to stick with neutral stuff for the time being. Rattles? Teethers? Footie pajamas? Ooh, a teething wreath. That’s cute. Come on, Leo. I’ve got more ideas than money here.’

She peeked around the end of the aisle again. The Murrays were only five kids away from Santa now. Grace drew a sharp breath as Sarah tripped up the stairs and nearly face planted into Santa’s throne. ‘Oh, my.’

#

Leo darted in to help her up. “Miss, are you okay?”

Sarah gave him her hand. An electric charge rippled through him as he helped her to her feet. “Thanks.”

“Sure, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” She smiled as she reached for the child on Santa’s lap. “The show must go on.”

“Certainly.” He backed away and returned to his family.

“Well, that was harrowing.” His mom said. “Is she alright?”

“She’s phenomenal.”

“She’s heck at pratfalls. I’ll give her that.” His dad said. “Joan, I think you should put Jenn on Santa’s lap.”

She nodded and held Jenn tighter.

“That’s quite enough excitement for one day. Wouldn’t you say?” He smiled at Jim. “Where shall we go when we’re done with Santa?”

“Candy.”

“Leo.” His mom tapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t stare, dear. It’s uncouth.”

“Sorry, I didn’t realize that I was.”

“Son, if you looked at her any harder, you might get X-Ray vision.” His dad shook his head. “Uncle Leo’s being uncouth, Jim. Point at him.”

Jim pointed at his uncle and wagged a finger. “Behave, young man.”

#

Grace’s eyebrows furrowed. ‘What’s he gawking at?’ She returned to the baby aisle. ‘Well, I guess I’m yesterday’s news.’ She slid hangers forcefully in search of something else to look at. ‘Isn’t that just like a guy?’ She pulled a onesie that looked like Santa’s costume and then slammed it back onto the rack. ‘Men.’ She looked at the neatly stacked packages of diapers and pictured herself crashing through them, scattering them all over the aisle.

She took the swaddle pod and the wreath teether to a cashier stand.

“Did you find everything you were looking for?” The matronly woman asked.

“And then some.” Grace groused. “Are these good for a six-month-old?”

“This is adorable.” She studied the snowman swaddle pod. “You might want the next larger size. It has sleeves so the baby can move her arms freely.”

“Oh, gee. The teething wreath is okay?”

“Yes, that should be perfect. Items for a six to nine-month-old baby will be tagged with yellow.” She tapped on the orange clip attached to the three to six-month hanger.

“Great, I’ll be right back.” Grace scooped up her items and returned to the baby aisle. She looked for the yellow items and found a different snowman outfit before peeking around the end of the aisle. ‘Hmm, where are they now?’

Joan was handing Jenn to Santa while Mary posed Jim alongside the throne. Murray was making funny faces at Jim to get him to smile for the camera. Grace rolled her eyes at that.

‘So, where’s Leo?’ She scanned the throne room, finding him looking over Sarah’s shoulder. ‘Lining up the shot? A likely story.’ She huffed and took her purchases back to the cashier.

“Oh, that’s adorable.” The woman smiled as she removed it from the hanger. “Baby’s first Christmas?”

“It will be next year. My sister is expecting in June.”

“How lovely. I bet you’ll be the fun aunt.” She folded the outfit and slid it into a shiny amber bag with Maslov’s printed in burgundy script. “And the teething wreath.” She smiled as she slid it into the bag. “Will that be all today?”

“Unless I hit the lottery and I don’t know about it.” Grace handed her a card as she looked around for signs of Leo. ‘Probably still trying to wring some Christmas spirit out of poor Sarah.’

She handed back Grace’s card with a folded receipt. “Thank you for shopping at Maslov’s. Have a blessed day.”

“Thanks.” Grace turned to search for Leo, but crashed into him instead. “Ack!”

He took a step back. “Sorry, Grace. Ready for lunch?”

She scowled. “I didn’t know if you were done creeping on Sarah yet.”

“Oh, is that her name?” He smiled. “Sarah.”

“Earth to Leo.” She waved her hand in his face and snapped her fingers. “What did you bring me?”

“It occurred to me that if you were providing comfort food, I’d repay in kind.”

“Meaning?” She barged past him, heading for the exit.

“I made you some Shepherd’s Pie.”

“You made?” She peeked over her shoulder at him as she pressed on.

“Well, sure. I’m the one who asked you for the gawumpkies. I could hardly ask my mother to pay the debt.”

“Pay the debt.” She scoffed. “A can of beef stew topped with instant mashed potatoes. Any encores, Chef Leo? Throw in a can of crescent rolls, maybe?”

“What’s gotten into you?” He hurried along behind her.

“I’m hangry. A girl could starve to death waiting for her lunch.”

“Well, don’t tear my face off. Santa was the one going slow.”

She turned abruptly and pointed the plastic bag at him before grimacing and switching it to her other hand. She wagged her finger in his face. “And you didn’t mind at all. You could just spend all day mooning over Sarah, couldn’t you?”

“I’m invoking my Constitutional right against self-incrimination.”

“Ha!” She snapped her fingers under his nose. “At least you’re man enough to admit it.” She turned and doubled her speed toward the exit.

“Grace, why are you running?”

“I told you already.” She serpentined around shoppers on the escalator until she found herself blocked by a pair of stocky grandmas. She turned to look up the escalator. Leo was standing at the top with his arms crossed. She signaled her dismay. He stepped onto the top step and let the escalator do the work.

‘Sarah can have him.’ She turned around to bestow an unspoken curse on the wall of grandmas while she waited for them to get off at the bottom. ‘Any day now, babushkas.’

Turning back to see where Leo was, she found him with his arms still crossed less than halfway down. She clenched her fists at her sides and darted off toward the exit. ‘Yeah, she can have him all to herself.’

As she approached the doorway, she looked back to find Leo casually stepping off of the escalator. ‘Who wants a slow poke like him, anyway? What were you thinking? He’d never move to Empire City. What’s the point of messing around with a Murray anyhow? I’m sure his folks are giving him as much grief as mine are.’

She trudged outside and crossed over to the parking lot. Scanning for his car as she approached her own, she flicked the lock. In with the baby’s gift and out with the gołąbki. Her phone vibrated in her pocket.

Meet you back at the front door?

‘He could be parked anywhere.’ She looked around for his car again, but she didn’t see him or it.

Fine. Hurry up. I’m starving.

She grabbed her container and headed back to the store.

I’ll be right there.

‘A likely story.’ She hurried across the fire lane and back into the store.

“Ma’am. You can’t bring food in here.” A salesman said.

“I’m just waiting for my friend to get back.” She turned her back to him and watched through the glass façade. ‘Some friend. He’s not even here and he’s getting me in trouble.’

Leo’s car pulled up. She went out to join him. He got out and put a large baking dish topped with tin foil on top of a pair of oven mitts on the roof. “Here.”

Her heart sunk. She had a small plasticware container with four gołąbki in it. “Wow, that’s a lot.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He reached out for her container.

“I’ll switch this out and return the—”

“Don’t worry about it.” He ducked down to stow the gołąbki in his car.

“I’m sure your mom will want her baking dish back.”

“I said, don’t worry about it. Bon appétit. I hope you feel better.” He jumped into his car and slammed the door.

Grace took this as a signal to grab the dish and mitts before he drove off. She shook her head and carried the enormous meal to her car.