Page 9 of Magic in Mistletoe
“Dad, you’re Santa. Everyone loves Santa.”
Martin chuckled. “True, but I’m nottheSanta. I’maSanta, along with my siblings and cousins, right? So, even on the slightest chance that someone believes me, they’d find it hard to accept the reality over what they know from lore.”
“I guess,” Nora said, taking a bite of pancake. “But what’s baffling is that the legend assumes that only one person delivers all the gifts all over the world in one night.”
“Agreed,” Martin said and ruffled his daughter’s hair.
“Dad, I’m not a kid. You’re going to mess up my hair.”
“Sorry, sweetie.” Sometimes raising a teenager was more exhausting than Christmas Eve.
Nora finished her breakfast and helped Martin clean up the dishes before they bundled up in their coats and scarves and set off toward the candy store. Thoughts of the next couple of weeks preoccupied Martin on their journey into town. Since his village and toy factory were under construction, they had to import their toys from the other Santa villages. Luckily, his assistant, Ellie, had a business degree specializing in logistics. He’d check in with her later.
But first, he had to make sure the candy order was in top shape.
As they approached the store, they could see Sadie and Rosie through the window, surrounded by stacks of candy boxes and wrapping paper. Nora’s eyes widened as she took in the scene. “Wow, Dad, they really are making a lot of candy.”
Martin chuckled. “Yes, they are. Let’s go say hi.”
“This place is amazing,” Nora said as they walked in.
Martin smiled and headed to the counter, where Sadie and Rosie were busy packing boxes of peppermint candy. “Good morning,” he said.
Sadie glanced up and smiled. Martin realized she’d been so focused, he’d caught her off guard, and for a brief instant, her smile had been soft, radiating warmth like a candle flame. Sadly, it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
“Good morning, Martin. How can I help you today?”
Martin stood there, still as a statue, frozen in his musings. His eyes were distant and unfocused, drawn to the slight curve of her lips as she spoke. He wondered if he could make it happen again—that moment when her mouth curved up into a genuine smile.
“Dad,” Nora whispered, giving him a gentle elbow to the gut.
“Oh, right. Good morning, ladies. My daughter Nora, here, was curious about the candy order, so I told her I’d bring her in.”
“Well, nice to meet you, Nora. I’m Sadie, and this is Rosie. Rosie is the one you can thank for all this delicious candy.” Sadie turned to face Martin. “It’s coming along nicely. There is still a ton to make, but we’re getting there.”
“I have no doubt it will all get done,” Martin said. “And Rosie, it’s a pleasure to meet you in person. I’m a huge fan of your Instagram page.”
“Thank you,” Rosie said, her cheeks reddening. “And you’re the man whose candy order practically gave me a heart attack.”
Martin held up his hands in surrender. “Guilty as charged.”
Rosie laughed, then turned to Nora. “Nora, would you give us a hand?”
Nora’s eyes lit up. “Really? I can help?”
“That’s a great idea,” Sadie said. “We could use all the help we can get. How about you help us wrap some of these boxes?”
Nora nodded eagerly and joined Sadie and Rosie at the wrapping station. For a moment, Martin forgot about the stresses of the season, the work that lay ahead, and the secret he kept hidden from almost everyone in the world. He simply enjoyed watching his daughter wrap candy.
“If you’re going to stand there, you may as well help.”
“What?” he asked, Sadie’s voice snapping him out of the moment.
“I said if you’re just going to stand there, wash your hands, grab an apron, and get to work.” Her tone was stiff, but he could make out the tiniest hint of humor.
“All right then,” Martin said, Sadie’s quip making him feel like one of the community. A regular person. He rolled up his sleeves. “I’ll show you what this old toymaker can do.”
There it was again. Sadie’s brief but genuine smile pierced his heart like the first beam of sunlight after a long, dark night. As they worked, Martin couldn’t help but notice how Sadie’s eyes sparkled one moment, then turned distant and unreadable the next. It was as if she forgot her worries for a moment, then remembered and her armor would go up like a force field. He had secrets, but they weren’t painful, merely inconvenient. Sadie, on the other hand, had been hurt.
