Page 4 of I Am Salvation

Mommy frowns. “Are you sure, Dragon? She would love to think her big brother got her such a wonderful gift. Plus, you used your own money.”

“You and Daddy use your own money to buy the Santa gifts,” I say.

Mommy smiles. “That’s different. We’re parents.” She leans down and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “It’s not your job to be Santa. Not until you’re all grown up and have your own kids.”

I think for a minute. Do I want the imaginary fat man in the red suit to get the credit? “Okay. It’ll be from me.”

Mom smiles and gives me a quick hug. “She’ll love them even more since they’re from you.”

Christmas came four days later. I’m always the first one up on Christmas morning. Something inside me just knows it’s time to get up. I jump out of bed, wearing my own flannel pajamas—mine are blue with Superman on the front—and I run into Griffin’s room. She’s just starting to open her eyes.

“Griffin!” I pull on her arm. “It’s Christmas morning! It’s time to get out of bed and see if Santa was here!”

“Do you think he came, Dragon?” she asks, yawning.

I can’t help a grin. “I know he did.”

And that’s true, because Mommy and Daddy let me stay up to help put the presents under the tree.

I grab Griffin’s hand and drag her down the short hallway and out to our living room, where our Christmas tree stands.

And under it…so many presents!

Mommy wrapped them all, and I don’t know what’s inside mine.

But I’m most excited for Griffin to see the pajamas I got her. I want to see the smile on her cute little round cheeks.

“Should we get Mommy and Daddy?” she asks.

“I hear them coming.”

Sure enough, Mom and Dad come rattling out of their room on the other side of our little house.

Mommy lets out a big yawn. “I’ll get some coffee started, Felix. The kids can go ahead and open their presents.”

Dad shakes his head. “Don’t be silly, Stevie. We’ll wait for you.”

“Daddy,” Griffin whines. “Do we have to wait?”

“You waited all night.” Dad’s voice is stern, but his eyes are smiling. “You can wait for your mother to make some coffee.”

Those few minutes for Mom to get the coffee start to seem like hours to Griffin and me.

Finally she comes into the room. “Coffee will be ready in a few minutes. In the meantime, here are some doughnuts.” She sets down a silver tray. “The Osbornes dropped them off last night.”

“That was nice of them,” Dad says.

Mommy shrugs. “I think they were just leftovers. They have a big Christmas Eve dinner with their extended family. But Mack said that he knows how much Griffin likes the powdered sugar ones. He said to make sure to save one for her.”

“Those are my favorite, too.” I step toward the box. “Are there enough for both me and Griffin to have one?”

Mommy peeks inside. “I think you’ll be more than happy.”

Griffin and I each grab one, and soon we both have a powdered sugar mustache all over our top lips.

“Okay, whose turn is it to go first this year?” Daddy asks.

“Griffin can go first,” I say. “She’s younger than I am.”

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