Page 117 of Santa Daddies
I shifted my gaze from the pigs to a very tall, shiny red tower that had a large silver object leaning against it. “It’s red like the bags and look, Daddy, there’s a mallet! Like the ones with the piggies!”
“I see,” Daddy said, holding me a bit tighter before pointing his finger.
I followed it to see a large silver jingle bell was at the very top of the tower. “It’s one of those, I don’t know the name, but you know, that game where the hawker hollers to hit the thingy with the hammer?”
Daddy chuckled. “It’s actually called a high striker, but I think I like your description far better.”
I giggled and squirmed until I was facing him again and tugged on his hand. “Can we play?”
“We can, but I’m afraid there won’t be any prize even if you ring the bell.”
“I just want to… wait, what do you mean there won’t be a prize? I thought the piggies on the table meant… aren’t they supposed to… isn’t this where?—”
“They do, they are, and this was, but it isn’t any longer.”
I suppose all that practice with Santa Daddy’s coded lists was what enabled me to decipher that quickly. Still, I couldn’t make real sense of it. I stopped pulling on his hand and looked up at him, back at the booth, then back up at him and still, I had no clue as to what he meant by “it isn’t any longer,” but I gave it a shot.
“Does that mean someone broke it by hitting it too hard?”
“No. Look closer at the tower, babygirl, right in the center. What do you see?”
I studied the tower and realized that while the majority of it was indeed a bright shiny red, there was a line of green running up the center. “It looks like a piece of Christmas ribbon candy,” I said, looking back at my Daddy.
He chuckled. “It does, but I think you’ll find this even better than candy.”
I scoffed, “I doubt it, Daddy.”
“What would you say if I told you that the green you see isn’t made of sugar, but is made up of all the money that people have donated for the foster children’s Christmas fund?”
I’d have saidno wayorohmygod, or any of a thousand thingsifI could have said anything, but I couldn’t. I was too overwhelmed, too astonished, too full of so many emotions I could do nothing but stare at the tower. Daddy knew it as well because he simply picked me up and hugged me hard against his chest.
“Congratulations, babygirl. Your idea wasn’t only a good one, it was embraced by every single person who heard about it. Aunt Tildy told me they’d sold most of the pigs before they even opened the doors tonight. And that the center is almost full all the way to the very top.”
“Oh, Daddy, I don’t know what to say. Think of all the presents we can buy, all the children all our friends are going to make so happy. How can I thank everyone for, for this?”
“You can thank everybody by making that bell ring,” Aunt Tildy said as she and the rest of our group joined us.
It was only then that I realized the dance music had stopped and all our guests had turned to come toward the booth where Clarence, Noel, and Baby Tucker were so proudly standing in all their plush pink porkiness.
I scrubbed my fists over my eyes to push the tears from them and smiled so wide I finally understood what one meant by ear-to-ear. “Lift me up, Daddy!” I commanded, pointing skyward.
He lifted me high and then ducked his head between my legs. Before I could gasp, his head reappeared and I was sitting piggy-back, straddling his shoulders, his hands holding my legs secure against his body.
“Turn around, Daddy!”
He chuckled but again obeyed without admonishing me for being so bossy.
Once I faced our huge chosen family, I threw my arms wide and then caught a glance of Holly holding Holly. “Hi, Holly!” I shouted, then laughed and added, “And hi to you too, Holly Hoggie.”
“Isn’t she just the cutest?” Holly declared, using the stuffy’s front left hoof to wave back.
“Yes, I’m so happy your Daddy knew where she belonged. And I want to thank you all. Every single one of you is just like Santa Claus. You’ve given not only your hard-earned money, but your hearts tonight, and I honestly can’t think of a way to say what my heart feels, but… thank you and Merry Christmas!”
“Ring the bell!” Henry shouted.
“Ring the bell!” voices echoed and then feet began to stomp, and hands began to clap as the three words were repeated again and again. “Ring-The-Bell! Ring-The-Bell!”
“Santa Daddy, to the tower!” I called, pointing and laughing so hard it was a really good thing that he had hold of my legs.
