Page 57 of Confessions of a Christmasholic

Gus sent her a ‘help me’ look but Sutton shook her head. This was between him and his mother-in-law. Besides, she agreed with Moira. At four, the wonder and magic of Christmas were starting to resonate with the twins, and Gus needed to be there to witness memories being made. And at the very least, he needed to take photos of the kids’ first interaction with Santa, real or fake.

In the queue, a child sneezed, and they all winced at the volume of snot coming out of one little person. ‘To stand in that queue, I’d need a stiff drink. And an antibiotic,’ Gus muttered.

Moira sent him a cheerful smile. ‘Good thing Sutton and I are much, much tougher than you and we’ll do the bulk of the queue-standing.’ She waved Gus away. ‘Go now, so that you can get back.’

Moira and Sutton watched him walk away and, when he was out of earshot, Sutton turned back to Moira. ‘That’s a nice jersey you bought him,’ she commented. Did she know what she’d bought? Sutton wasn’t sure.

‘Isn’t it?’ Moira replied so blandly that Sutton wasn’t sure whether she was taking the piss or not.

‘Um…uh…did you take a proper look at the jersey? Did you notice the reindeer look like they are…’ Oh God, how could she put this delicately?

Moira gurgled with laughter. ‘It looks like one reindeer is doing the other doggy style,’ she said through her snorts. ‘I couldn’t resist.’

Sutton belly-laughed. ‘I wonder how many people have noticed?’ she asked, wiping the tears out of her eyes.

‘Lots, I hope.’

‘You do know he’s going to kill you, right?’ Sutton was unable to stop giggling.

‘Pfft!He doesn’t scare me. Our Mr Christmas is a bit too serious about his responsibilities to the town.’ Moira squeezed her arm before stopping and tucking a loose strand of her hair beneath her beanie. The sweet gesture made Sutton swallow. Damn, she liked this woman.

‘I don’t know why you are here or how you came to be in his life, Sutton, but you’re helping him to enjoy life more,’ Moira said.

‘Doesn’t he always?’ Sutton asked, choosing her words carefully.

‘We both know he doesn’t, Sutton. Or not as much as our resident Mr Christmas should.’

* * *

Sutton held back when the twins approached Santa sitting on his glorious throne – a throne in a grotto? – but Gus placed his hand on her back and pushed her forward so she stood in front of him and next to Moira, close enough to hear the twins as they greeted Santa. Rosie, deciding Santa wasn’t an imposter or, more likely, hedging her bets, decided it was okay to sit on the arm of his chair. Felix bounced on Santa’s knee and Gus thought about all the little hands and streaming noses he’d encountered that day. He hoped the dude had a decent immunity from coughs and colds.

An exhausted-looking elf, around Sutton’s age, leaned against the throne, and Gus saw her swallow a yawn.

Santa released a couple of rather authentic-sounding ‘hohoho’s’ and asked the twins their names. They were off.

‘Rosie Kate Langston,’ Rosie immediately responded, never shy about putting her best foot forward.

‘Hello, Rosie,’ Santa replied. He patted Felix’s knee. ‘And you are?’

Felix darted him an anxious look. Rosie was extroverted and forthright, but Felix could be shy and reserved, and Felix wasn’t a fan of new situations. Gus knew he desperately wanted to run over to him but also knew he would lose face with his sister, so he sat there, looking like a petrified mouse.

‘He’s Felix Angus Langston,’ Rosie informed him, and everyone else within a two-mile radius. Did she think Santa was deaf?

‘Keep it down, Rosie,’ Gus told her.

Santa looked grateful. ‘Have you been a good girl, Rosie?’

Rosie considered her answer. ‘Mostly,’ she replied, with her normal candid honesty. ‘I have good days and bad days.’

‘Don’t we all,’ Tired Elf muttered.

‘I can work with that,’ Santa answered. ‘And you, Felix?’

Felix slowly nodded. ‘I’ve been good.’ Yeah, sure. Earlier they’d screamed blue murder when Sutton stirred their hot chocolate anti-clockwise instead of clockwise. She’d thought they wouldn’t notice. They did.Loudly.

‘Then what can I bring you for Christmas?’ Santa asked.

Rosie took a deep breath. ‘Here we go,’ Gus muttered in Sutton’s ear.

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