Mom, Dad and Amy grin as Jeffrey jumps in, too, and begins scooping his hands into the water and stuffing handfuls of something in his pockets. He’s soaked, and tiny dogs swim past him in the eighteen-inch-deep water, their heads tipped up, eyes on the prize of Chuckles, who now rules over his domain.
The King of the Mall.
“Money!” Jeffrey shouts. “Fwee money! Look, Mommy. It’s fwee!”
I hear laughter behind us as a crowd of mall shoppers just takes in the scene, a few taping it. Josh is laughing in the crowd, across the large fountain from us, and he pulls his phone out. He snaps a ton of pictures as Mom cries out for Chuckles and the rest us just laugh, the kids throwing handfuls of “fwee money” from the wishing well into the air.
A white-haired old man lingers by Santa’s seat, and I realize it’s Declan’s replacement. He’s standing next to a shapely young woman.
“Hi!” I ask. “Are you the new Santa and elf?”
She eyes me up and down. “I, uh, brought my own suit.”
“What’s ‘O O’ for?” the old man asks, looking at my boobs. I look down.
“Great. More sequins fell off,” I mutter. My breasts tell people what to say when they’re coming. Excellent. Directing them to the changing area, I sigh a big, long blast of relief. We’re done.
We made it through the miracle of Christmas.
Two strong arms wrap around me, bending me backwards in a dip so low my loose hair brushes the carpet. Soft, hot lips cover mine and a fake beard presses into my face, a welcome tongue exploring and teasing as Declan’s hands hold me in place, his heart cradling me, too.
He pulls back and I look up, dizzy with desire and joy. “I love you,” I say.
“I love you, too,” he says back, then leers. “And you’re bringing that costume home.”
“My family Christmas picture! It’s ruined!” Mom cries.
Josh comes over and says something to her, the two hovering over his phone. He taps a bunch of times, then does one final tap.
“I got one. And I think it’s the best family Christmas picture ever.”
And it is.
But I don’t appreciate it when Josh sends it in to the website Awkward Family Photos, because, um, I have another wardrobe malfunction.
And their caption when they post it?
Jolly Old Saint Nip.
THE END