Page 8 of Daycare Santa

A horn blast overpowered her words. Someone in line had lost their patience.

“He has the same glasses as Santa,” Luca said, twisting in the seat.

Gina crept forward, but kept her gaze on Santa, who got into a black sports car. The driver leaning on their horn didn’t relent, and the Maserati behind her didn’t move. She craned her neck, keeping Santa in view as a grin spread across her face. He was stubborn.

When the horn blower stopped abusing the horn, the black car inched toward her van.

Minutes later, when she left the property, Santa drove out behind her and went in the other direction, but not before tapping his horn. She did the same, then focused on getting them home quickly.

People filled the streets, moving up and down the sidewalks. Each shopping mall featured a huge Christmas tree and garlands decking the buildings. Vendors on the sides of the road hawked Christmas trees, transported from the mountains down to Kingston. Although the traffic was bumper to bumper and her situation was yet to be sorted out, Gina was in a good mood. Christmas was her favorite time of year, and not even Boyd and Nichelle could take that from her.

Mom found a station playing Christmas music, and they sang loudly toThe Twelve Days of Christmas.

In another twenty-minutes, they pulled into the driveway of the house Gina shared with her parents. After losing Luca’s father in a car accident four years ago, she’d moved back to Kingston from Montego Bay, Jamaica’s second city.

The memories of their lives together in their dream house were too much for Gina to bear. Everywhere she turned, scenes of happy times with Chase assaulted her. Her descent into grief was so deep, she lost interest in everything except the son that connected her to Chase.

On a wellness check-in disguised as a week-long visit to spend time with her grandson, Mom sat Gina down and reminded her that Luca was depending on her to do more than survive. After five days, Mom convinced Gina she needed to be with family.

With the other side of their five-bedroom home vacant, Mom and Dad insisted she take the two-bedroom self-contained portion under a peppercorn rental agreement. That way, she paid them a rate below market value, and they wouldn’t hear of taking more money from her.

Only the need to provide for Luca finally dragged Gina out of the black hole she fell into after Chase’s funeral. The insurance money wouldn’t last forever, nor would their combined savings. She thanked God for her mother every day because if she hadn’t intervened, Gina would still be existing, instead of living.

“I have to tell Grandpa about what happened today.”

Luca woke Gina from her thoughts as he slid the door open, jumped down, and headed for his grandparents’ side of the house.

Gina suspected he was trying to escape from carting minor items inside, but she let him go. Sometimes Luca’s help slowed her down. The phone buzzed in the side of her handbag and she pulled it out, balancing a plastic box under her other arm. She looked at the screen, then put the phone to her ear. “Hey, Seya, what’s up?”

“Just checking in to find out how today went. Sorry I couldn’t come by and see my sugar plum, who I’m sure had a ball.”

Her sister’s cheerful tone helped Gina forget she was dog tired. “Yoursugar plumembarrassed me with Santa, of all people.”

They laughed over Luca’s antics as Gina moved back and forth, emptying the van. When she closed the door and stood in the kitchen placing items in the sink, she activated the speaker function and rested the cellular on the counter.

“By the way, I need you over here this weekend to help me with some orders.”

“That, I can do. From Monday onward, don’t call me. Work is going to be a beast.”

Seya worked for a production company and this time of year was hectic. Even as she asked, knowing what the answer would be, Gina’s heart sank. “I was hoping you’d have time to stay with Luca during the holidays.”

“Normally, I’d be able to squeeze some time here and there, but everybody and his mother are putting on a party or a show this year.”

“I understand.” Gina held in a sigh as she squeezed dishwashing liquid on the sponge.

“What about Mom and Dad? If you allowed it, he’d be with them all the time.”

Gina chuckled. “I guess you haven’t heard that Julian is sweeping them away to Florida for Christmas.”

“Bummer.”

“Sis!” This time, Gina laughed.

“What? I’m just being honest. This trip won’t help you, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want them to have a good time.”

“I know, but it would be better to think before you say what’s on your mind.” She rinsed the dishes she’d washed and propped them in the drainer. “I’ll work something out.”

“I don’t know what that’s going to be, since there’s no one else you can ask. What about Summer?”

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