Page 4 of Christmas Wishes
“He was here for the cookies.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“I know you don’t, but what you happen to believe just isn’t true. So, you might as well forget it.”
“Nope. I think he wants you as much as you want him.”
“You’ve been sniffing the magic peppermint too much.”
Pixie had the grace to blush. “That’s beside the point. Anyway, I heard a rumor earlier when I was out at the market.”
Finally, something to take her mind of Rand. “Okay. Spill. Is it a juicy rumor?”
“Rand doesn’t want to lead the sleigh team.”
Blix’s jaw dropped open. “What? That can’t be true.”
Pixie nodded. “Apparently, he’s unhappy with the way humans treat Christmas and he doesn’t think they’re worth everything we sacrifice all year for.”
“But that means, doubt and doubt leads to… Oh no. Pix…”
“Doubt leads to banishment,” Pixie confirmed. “If you don’t believe wholeheartedly, you might as well not believe at all.”
“He’s Santa’s son. How can he not believe?”
Tears pooled in Blix’s eyes and when she lowered her head to hide them, they fell anyway, small droplets of glitter and snow. If Santa’s only son didn’t think they did something special for the whole world at the North Pole, then… What hope did any of them have? What hope did humanity have?
“How long does he have? Do you know?” she asked, but Pixie just shook her head.
“I think it’s usually forty-eight hours and some pretty intense therapy during that time, but for Rand? I… I don’t know. He’s special. Second in command and…” Pixie looked as helpless as Blix felt.
“Can you watch the bakery for a bit? Please?”
“Of course, I can. Where are you going?”
“I…” Blix untied her apron. “I need to check on something. I’ll be right back.” She touched a kiss to her best friend’s sparkling cheek, then dashed out the kitchen door.
Wishes Bakerywas on the corner of Main Street and Santa Lane. Santa Lane led directly to the Claus house, and if Blix had any kind of courage she’d march her little elf self up to the front door and beg them not to send Rand away. They were his parents. Surely, they wouldn’t banish their own son from his home just because he had doubts? Right?
But if they didn’t, if they showed him preferential treatment, that wouldn’t be setting a good example.
She turned away from Santa Lane and headed in the opposite direction toward the paddock. Tomas would be there. He was married to the only human in the North Pole, Maria. She was Blix’s sister, or sort of. She was raised by Blix’s parents when she was brought in by one of the polar bears that lived outside the gates.
Maria had been found wandering the wilderness as a child. No one knew what had happened to her parents and she’d never been able to tell anyone. The bears had watched her for a couple of days. She was near death when they picked her up and brought her in.
Blix’s father was one of three doctors in the North Pole and he’d put Maria under his care.
And with Maria being very nearly her sister, that made Tomas very nearly her brother-in-law. Or reindeer-in-law.
“Blix?”
She blinked and looked up. “Oh. Santa! I’m so sorry. I was lost in thought.” He smiled down at her and that twinkle in his eye and that twitch of his lip… She suddenly felt exposed.
“Indeed, you were,” he said. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“I… I need to see Tomas.”
“Tomas, yes?” Santa nodded in that all knowing way. “He’s very busy, but for you, I think he could find a few moments.”
