Page 29 of Sleigh Rides With St. Nick

"How did a toymaker even get into that in the first place?"

"Because at one point I worked at court with the Master of Revels creating set pieces.I'd been a toymaker for a hundred years or so and I wanted a change, but at that time, it wasn't as easy to change careers as it is now, so I did something that was adjacent to it, but not the same.While I was there, I became the Lord of Misrule at court."

I raised an eyebrow."So you met royalty?"

He nodded."A few times.But I never interacted with them much."

I finished dicing the tomatoes and slid the chopping board over to him."What now?"

"Could you do the basil?It's in the bottom left drawer of the fridge."

I nodded and went to get it."And then you went back to making toys?"

"Pretty much," he said."I travelled around Europe for a bit too, until the mid-eighteen hundreds.That's where I met Pieter.He was a sweetmaker.When December came around, he'd go out and give sweets to children.The legends say he tosses them, but he'd never waste good sweets like that."

Ah.That must have been what he was giving to the children earlier.

"I can see how you became friends."It was similar to the way he was with toys."Is he a god too?"I shouldn't ask, it was rude, but I was also curious.

Nick nodded."But he became immortal after I did, so it's a more recent thing."

"Were you the one who made him immortal?"

Surprise showed on his face."I didn't realise you knew that was how it worked."

"I don't know anything more about it," I responded."Just that."

"It wasn't me.He was made immortal a few years before we met."

I nodded, thinking through everything he was telling me.

He slid some onions into the pan.It sizzled loudly."When I was ready to return home, he came with me.It was a good thing he did, he's much better at the organisation of a business than I am, and everything was changing a lot by then with methods used to create toys.And everything else too.I'm good at ideas and designing, not so good at the numbers needed to actually put it into practice.We set up Cringle together, and have co-owned it ever since.It was also his idea for us to invest in the railways when we did, which is where most of my money comes from."

I raised an eyebrow."Surprising."

"Perhaps."

"And it was after you came back from Europe that you met Annabelle and her mother?"I checked, setting down the basil now I'd finished tearing it.

"Yes."He stirred his onions."Would you pass me the pepper?"

I picked up the grinder and held it out to him.He cracked it into the pot and added the tomatoes.I had no idea what he was making, but it already smelled great.

"That was when I really became Father Christmas.I didn't mind at first when it was just the local children, but then it started growing and growing.I started hating it because it moved away from what I was trying to do."

"What made you get back into the Christmas spirit?"

He left the pot and opened the fridge, pulling out a bag of fresh pasta."I realised that for the most part, it brought out the right reaction in the world.A lot of people want to help and support those around them.Some people use the season for greed, but most don't.So I embraced it and everything it meant.But don't let that fool you into thinking that Christmas is my personality."

I laughed."Believe me, I didn't think that at all."

"Good."He smiled at me."Dinner is almost ready."

"Do you want me to set the table?"

He nodded."If you wouldn't mind.Cutlery is in the top drawer."

I pulled open the drawer and got out what we needed, taking it over to the rustic wooden table that looked welcoming.It was certainly going to provide a romantic spot for dinner.

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