The Legacy

“Daddy? Daddy, are you awake?”

He rolled his head to the other side, burying it in the pillow, hoping he could go back to sleep.

“Daddy?” the voice said impatiently.

He groaned slightly, figuring it was his imagination.

“Jim, your daughter wants you,” a sleepy female voice said.

Letting out a sigh, he rolled his head back to his left, opening his eyes.

In the dim light, he could see their six-year-old daughter with her tousled red curls standing close to the bed. He reached his left arm out and wrapped it around her, pulling Katje close to the bed.

“What is it?” Jim asked softly.

“Something’s on the roof, Daddy,” she said. “I heard something on the roof.”

“It’s probably just the snow loosening up and falling to the ground,” Jim said.

“No, Daddy. It sounded like footsteps.”

Jim released his hold on Katje and pushed himself to a sitting position.

“Katje, it’s late and Santa won’t come if you are awake.”

“But, Daddy, I heard something on the roof.”

Jim slid out of the warm bed. “Come on, Katje. I’ll help you back to bed.”

He scooped Katje up and started to leave the bedroom. He suddenly heard footsteps on the roof and looked toward the ceiling.

“I told you,” Katje said.

“Stay with your mother,” Jim said as he set her on the bed. He quickly grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, and slipped them over his pajamas.

Jim quickly left the room and headed downstairs. He paused only long enough to slip his boots on and grab a flashlight before he stepped out the kitchen door.

He moved away from the house and then turned. He clicked the flashlight on, but never pointed the beam at the house. He stood in disbelief. The full moon lit up the entire roof, including the man dressed all in red standing by a sleigh with eight reindeer.

He rubbed his eyes wondering if he was hallucinating. When he lowered his hands, the same scene was right in front of him.

He watched as the man in red slid down the slanted roof and landed on his feet in the fluffy white snow when he reached the ground. The man walked toward him. Jim saw he had a thick white beard and the most vibrant blue eyes he had ever seen, except when Trixie was thoroughly involved in a mystery.

“Hello, Jim,” he said. “It’s been a long time.”

“You know me?” Jim asked.

“Of course I know you,” he said. “I’ve stopped by your house every year since you were born. And I’m so glad you were able to put good use the saddle when you were five.”

Jim was stunned. The saddle he had gotten for Blackie when he was five had been something he had whispered into the ear of one person. And it hadn’t been either of his parents.

“Is it really you?” Jim asked, still trying to figure out if he was awake or not.

“It really is me.” He reached out and tapped Jim on the nose.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have millions of houses to visit tonight?”

“I do, and I will get there. Bu I need to talk to you about something important.”

Jim groaned. “Please don’t tell me Katje asked for something that is impossible to get.”

“Actually, your first-born has been quite normal in her requests.”

“What a relief.”

“SANTA CLAUS!”

Jim looked past the man as he turned around. Katje came barreling at them in her nightgown and boots.

Katje reached Santa Claus and gave him a hug. She said, “I knew you would come.”

“Of course. You and little Jimmy have been very good this year.”

“Have you left the presents yet?” Katje asked as she leaned back to look him in the face.

“Not yet. I can’t leave them until some little ones are asleep in their beds.”

“I’ll go make sure Jimmy is asleep so that we can get to work.” Katje released her hold and ran back to the house.

“Maybe we should go inside, before she wakes up the entire neighborhood,” Jim suggested.

“All right.”

The two of them entered the house and headed for the living room. The tree was lit up as it had been before they had gone to bed. Some presents Jim and Trixie had gotten each other were piled under the branches, along with a bunch of boxes for Katje and Jimmy.

“Have a seat,” Jim said, motioning for Santa Claus to sit down in the recliner near the tree.

Jim settled on the couch, wondering what was so important.

They heard footsteps coming down the stairs. They turned to see Trixie step into the room with Jimmy in her arms and Katje pulling on her arm.

“I told you Santa was here,” Katje said matter-of-factly.

“Santa Claus?” Trixie asked.

“Hello, Trixie,” he said. “How are you? And how is Jimmy?”

“We’re fine, thank you.”

“He said he had something important to discuss with me,” Jim said.

“Why don’t you join Jim,” Santa suggested. “What I need to talk about will affect you as well.”

Trixie moved over to the couch and sat down beside Jim. Katje had moved over and settled on the arm of the recliner with Santa.

“What is so important?” Jim finally asked.

“I’ve come here this evening because I have to ask you something,” Santa said. “Each year I look at the people of the word and see what they are doing with their lives. I check to see if they are still reaching the goals they’ve set for themselves when they were younger. If they have changed their goals, are they still attaining them. I also check to see what type of person they are, if they are pure of heart and love the world as a whole.”

“Why do you look at people for these things?” Trixie asked.

“Because he has to figure out if they are naughty or nice and make sure they get on the right list,” Katje answered.

“That’s part of it,” Santa said with a chuckle. “The other part is that when a Santa’s time is nearing its end, he needs to find someone to take his place – to become the symbol that children look for every year.”

“I don’t see what that has to do with me,” Jim said.

“As Santa Claus, I get to choose my replacement. I want someone who is kind and caring, always ready to help out a stranger in need, understands the people of the world and that their needs are different. The person has goals that have never wavered and works hard to see that the job is accomplished in a timely manner.”

“That definitely sounds like Jim,” Trixie said.

“Exactly,” Santa Claus said as he stared at the redheaded man who looked utterly confused.

“You want me to be Santa Claus?” Jim asked.

“Not right now,” he answered. “I do want you to be my replacement when the time comes. I still have a few years to put the joy on children’s faces. But I wanted to talk to you beforehand. That movie where Santa fell off the roof and the man became Santa because he put on the suit made me a little uneasy. It made me realize this gift could end up in the wrong hands and the children of the world would suffer.”

“That would be awful,” Trixie said.

“Exactly. That is why I want my replacement to know the role he will play when the time comes.”

“And I will be the replacement?” Jim asked.

“Jim, you are my only choice,” Santa Claus said.  “I have known you were the one for years. You opened up a school where young boys would not have to suffer the way you did or your friend, Dan Mangan.  You’ve given them opportunities that others wouldn’t have ever imagined. Because of you and your generosity, the future for these young men is very bright.”

Jim looked at Trixie. He couldn’t believe what he was to do, but he couldn’t leave Trixie or the children. If he did become Santa’s replacement, he would have to move to the North Pole.

“You would not leave them behind,” Santa said.

He spun his gaze to the man in red. “How did you…?”

“Because I know how much Trixie and the children mean to you. The love is evident on your face when you look at them. When you take your place, they would come with you.”

“I get to be Mrs. Claus?” Trixie asked. “I hope that doesn’t mean I have to wear red skirts.”

“No.” Santa chuckled. “Each Mrs. Claus has their own style and they are encouraged to show it. That is what makes them unique.”

“What about the school?” Jim asked. “And our families? If we just up and leave, they’ll get very suspicious.”

“The information you share will have to be limited, but nothing will happen right now. And the school will keep going. When the time comes, the school will be fine. This is not going to happen now.”

“This all seems so surreal,” Jim said.

“If you are interested, I can show you what will be yours in the future.”

“You mean we can go to the North Pole?” Trixie asked.

“Of course.”

Jim looked at his wife and saw the excitement on her face. He glanced at his daughter and saw the exact expression. He knew there was no way he could deny them this chance.

“We need to change first,” Jim said.

“YEAH!!!” Katje yelled. She jumped off the arm of the chair and ran upstairs.

“I’ll wait here,” Santa said.

Trixie and Jim retreated to their room to find some warm clothes to wear if they were going to the North Pole.

Within a short time, the Frayne family was bundled in warm clothes and standing beside Santa. The reindeer had brought the sleigh to the ground and they climbed in.

Trixie sat between Jim and Santa Claus with Jimmy held tightly against her chest. Katje was settled on Jim’s lap, but she couldn’t stop looking around. With a snap of the reins, the reindeer began moving. They quickly began prancing and then kicked it into a run. Before they knew it, they were flying through the air.

None of them said a word. They were awestruck at seeing the countryside pass by below them at such a fast pace.

Jim kept an eye on Santa, amazed at how easily the reindeer responded to the slightest movement of the reins. Santa was extremely relaxed and Jim felt that was normal for him after so many years of traveling the world.

They continued north and finally saw a light in the distance.

Katje pointed. “Is that the North Pole?”

“It is,” Santa said. “We’ll be landing in just a few minutes.”

True to his word, the reindeer descended to the ground and landed. They finally pulled to a stop in front of a building that had “STABLE” written in white on a red sign.

Trixie and Jim looked around at the buildings. Many of the small buildings were made of brick and reminded them both of the Dutch villages they had visited when they went to the Netherlands to see Jim’s cousin, Julianna and her family.

“This is amazing,” Trixie said.

“You’re back early,” a female voice said.

They all turned to see an older woman with gray curly hair wearing a red dress with a white apron standing in front of one of the buildings.

Santa climbed down and gave her a kiss. “We decided to come back so that I could show the Frayne family the North Pole.”

“Welcome,” she said. “I’m…”

“You’re Mrs. Claus,” Katje said sliding off Jim’s lap.

Everyone laughed.

“Yes, I am,” she said. “I’m also known as Martha.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Trixie said, shaking her hand after climbing out of the sleigh.

“The pleasure is mine,” Martha said. “It’s nice to meet the people who will keep the magic of the season going for more generations of children.”

“Thank you,” Jim said.

“Trixie, why don’t I give you and the children a tour of the village while Jim and Santa talk business. I have a feeling your husband has a lot of questions.”

“All right.” Trixie looked at Jim. “We’ll see you in a bit.”

“Okay.”

He watched as Trixie started to follow Martha. It was then that he noticed Katje was still at his side.

“Katje, go with your mother,” Jim said.

“I want to stay with you,” Katje said with a pout.

“We’ll meet up in a little bit,” Jim said.

“I think Martha just finished a batch of her gingerbread cookies and will probably need some help decorating if you’re interested,” Santa said.

“Bye, Daddy,” Katje said as she hurried after her mother and Mrs. Claus.

Jim watched them disappear into the darkness before he turned to Santa.

“You can call me Wilhelm,” he said. “I think it might help you adjust to this news.”

“I just can’t believe that I’m going to be Santa Claus someday.”

“It is a shock,” Wilhelm admitted. “I was stunned for days until it really sank in. But then I realized the enormity of the role that I was to play. My job was to make the children of the world happy by answering their letters and giving them the gifts they deserved.”

“It is a lot of responsibility,” Jim said.

“It is, but it’s not a job you do alone. Trixie will be here to help you and all the elves know the work that needs to be done. Everyone will be here to help you adjust to this new life.”

“I just still can’t believe it.”

“It’ll make more sense in time,” Wilhelm said. “Come on, let me show you around.”

They entered the stable and Jim saw all the stalls where the reindeer rested. On the door to each one was a green plaque with the reindeer’s name written in white. Jim looked into a couple and saw there was plenty of room for the animals with large antlers.  At the back of the stable there were three young ones nestled against each other, sound asleep.

“The three of them were born in June,” Wilhelm said. “They’ve got a lot of spirit and I think they will one day be a great addition to the team.”

“Are there a lot of newborns each year?” Jim asked as one opened its eyes and looked at him quizzically.

“We usually have anywhere from three to eight,” Wilhelm answered as the young one got to its feet and moved to Jim. “No matter how many we have, they get a lot of attention. No one can miss coming to these precious animals.”

The reindeer moved to Jim and sniffed his outstretched hand. It nuzzled Jim’s hand and then head-butted it to get more attention.

“Midnight is a little pushy,” Wilhelm said.

“Midnight?”

Wilhelm nodded. “He was born at the stroke of midnight.”

“That is a perfect name,” Jim said, scratching behind Midnight’s ear.

“Come on. There’s more to see.”

Jim patted Midnight on the head and then followed Wilhelm out of the stable.

“Right here is the candy factory,” Wilhelm said. “We have several people who work year round making candy canes and some special chocolate that is left in the stockings.”

“I didn’t know the candy canes were made here,” Jim said, glancing in the window at the display of sweet treats.

“These are the special candy canes that I leave behind.”

“I remember those candy canes,” Jim said.

“They are good,” Wilhelm said, patting his round belly. “Martha tells me to take it easy on the sweets, but they taste so good.”

Jim chuckled.

“And now we will enter the workshop,” Wilhelm said as they entered another building.

Wilhelm stepped in first and turned on a light. Jim stood there with is mouth hanging open. From the outside, the building looked very small. But once inside, it seemed like you could go for miles.

“This is amazing,” Jim said, slowly taking in everything around them.

Workbenches were scattered about with different projects on each one in various stages of completion. To his left were pieces of dollhouses with furniture set next to it. He saw small chairs and tables along with beds and dressers made out of fine wood.

He ran his hand over the roof and was impressed at how smooth the wood was as well as the craftsmanship. He had never seen anything put together so well.

A little further back he saw pieces for a wooden wagon. Each piece of the rail had been painted red. The black wheels were stacked on a shelf nearby. The wood was as smooth as the dollhouse.

He turned and looked at Wilhelm. “This is absolutely amazing.”

“The elves take extreme care with each item they assemble,” Wilhelm said as he moved up beside Jim. “They know that children will be using these items and want to make sure nothing on them will hurt the youngsters. Everything goes through a rigorous quality control test.”

“Very impressive,” Jim said as he continued moving about.

He was amazed at the enormity of the facility. Jim had always heard stories about Santa’s workshop in the North Pole, but never expected to see it.

There were dolls in various stages of completion with clothes and stuffing lining one wall. Near the dolls were bears, cats and dogs.

“How do you know what each child should receive?” Jim asked as he picked up a soft bear and gave it a squeeze. It reminded him of the bear he had when he was a little boy.

“You’ll know it as soon as you see the child’s name,” Wilhelm said. “That is one of the perks of being Santa Claus. When you receive the list and start reviewing the names, it comes to you whether they’ve been good or bad.”

“I’m not sure I’ll do this job justice,” Jim said.

“I’m sure you will,” Wilhelm said and motioned for Jim to sit down. “I know this because I know the person you are. I know you had a rough time when you were a teenager, losing your parents and then living with that man. But while that experience may hold some bad memories, it helped lay the foundation for who you are today. You have a strength and determination that makes you reach the goals that you set for yourself and never let anything stand in your way.”

“I just wish I could be sure that I will meet the expectations of this job,” Jim said. “This is a lot of responsibility.”

“Opening a school for boys and running it is not a big responsibility?”

Jim stared at him. The school was a lot of responsibility. He had to make sure there were the right teachers instructing the students; the students were getting the lessons they needed to succeed as well as fun activities to keep them out of trouble; attending events to find individuals who would donate to a worthy cause, and dealing with the mounds of paperwork that seemed to grow each day on his desk.

“I guess you’re right.”

“I know I am,” Wilhelm said. “It will be several years before you need to come here and begin this work. I just wanted to make sure you knew what the future held. You are the only person who would fill my shoes.”

“Thank you.”

Wilhelm smiled. “Come on. Let’s head to the house and see if there are any cookies left. Martha makes the most delicious butter cookies.”

“That sounds great,” Jim said as he stood up and placed the bear on the table where it had been. “I just hope the children of the world don’t expect tasty treats from Trixie. She’s not the world’s best cook.”

“That will come with time,” Wilhelm said as they stepped out of the workshop. He closed the door and they started down the street to a well-lit house. “Martha became an excellent cook when we got here. It seemed as if her skills just needed some refinement.”

“Trixie needs more than a little refinement,” Jim said. “She can handle dishes if they’ve already been made and all she has to do is put it in the oven to heat it up. Most of the time anyway.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Wilhelm said.

They reached the cottage at the end of the street that was decorated with lights around the roof like the other buildings. Here again there were candles in each window with a wreath on the front door.

Wilhelm opened the door and Jim followed him inside. They could hear laughter coming from their right.

Jim unzipped his coat, feeling the warmth of the home washing over him. They stepped into the kitchen to see the room all aglow. Trixie was seated at the table with Jimmy settled on her lap. He was playing with an old fashioned wooden rattle.

Martha was decorating the cookies with Katje’s assistance. Katje had different colors of frosting on her face and Jim figured most of it had ended up on her instead of on the cookies.

“Did you save any for us?” Wilhelm asked.

Katje spun around smiling. “Santa!”

“Are the cookies any good?” Wilhelm asked. “I’m very picky about my cookies.”

“They are perfectly perfect, just like Aunt Honey says,” Katje answered as she picked up a gingerbread man and held it out to Santa Claus. “Try it.”

“All right.” He took the cookie and bit one of the arms off. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing.

“Well?” Katje asked.

“That’s one of the best cookies I’ve ever had,” Wilhelm said.

“I helped make it,” Katje said proudly.

“That’s why it tastes so good.”

“Here, Daddy,” Katje said, holding one out to him.

“Thank you.” Jim accepted the cookie and then settled in the chair beside Trixie. He munched on the cookie, savoring every bite. There was something very familiar about the taste.  He wished he could put his finger on it.

“Did you have a nice tour?” Trixie asked softly.

He met his wife’s gaze. “It was amazing. I never expected to see this place and here we are.”

“It is amazing,” Trixie said. “And you should see the tree they have in the living room. It’s the most beautiful tree I’ve ever seen.”

“Really?”

Trixie nodded. “I’ll show you.”

They got to their feet and left the kitchen. They went through the dining room and Jim saw holiday decorations were everywhere, including a village on fake white snow displayed on the buffet. A small ceramic Christmas tree with little lights stood on the table by the window. A Poinsettia was in the center of the table.

They went into the living room and Jim saw the full Christmas tree adorned with white lights and silver garland. A star with white lights stood atop the tree. Across the room from the tree was a brick fireplace, warming the room with candles aglow on the mantle.  Garlands of holly leaves were draped over the window frames and the scent of pine mixed with fresh baked cookies was strong.

Moving closer to the tree, Jim saw there were hundreds of ornaments hanging from the branches, many made out of paper and yarn.

“Martha said Santa comes home from his trip around the world with little ornaments left for him by the children. And when he gets home, he puts them on the tree. She said he hasn’t removed one yet.”

“That’s a nice thought,” Jim said. “The children make something for him in return for what he brings them.”

“I thought so too,” Trixie said. She shifted Jimmy on her hip and looked at her husband. “This feels so much like home.”

Jim looked at her. “I have to agree. And it’s an honor that will be bestowed upon us. Who would have thought that one day we would be Santa and Mrs. Claus?”

“This is unbelievable.”

Jim wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. They stared at the beautiful tree that stood before them and took in its beauty.

Jimmy began fussing and Trixie looked at her son. “He’s due for a change.”

“We should probably see when Santa wants to head out,” Jim said. “He has a lot of work still to do.”

“You’re right,” Trixie said.

“And I’m ready to go whenever you are,” Wilhelm said.

They turned to see him standing in the doorway.

“Let me change Jimmy and I’ll be ready,” Trixie said. “And I’ll try to drag Katje away from the cookies.”

“Good luck,” Jim said.

Trixie left the room as Wilhelm moved over to Jim.

“I wanted to let you know that I think your tree is magnificent,” Jim said.

“Thank you,” Wilhelm said. “Martha tells me I should get rid of some of the ornaments, but I can’t. The children who made them did so with so much love that I can’t part with them.”

“I understand. It’s the meaning behind it, not just the ornament.”

“Exactly.” Wilhelm placed a hand on Jim’s shoulder and got the young man’s attention. “I am positive that I have picked the right person to fill my shoes.”

“Thank you,” Jim said.

“I’m going to go get the sleigh and reindeer. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“We’ll be ready,” Jim said.

Wilhelm left the house, closing the door behind him.

Jim gazed around the room, knowing a day would come when he and Trixie would live there year round.  He moved over to the fireplace and ran his hand over the brickwork, amazed at the quality of the craftsmanship.

His gaze moved across the mantle past the candles and pictures, catching a glimpse of the images captured in a moment in time. Jim stopped when he saw a photograph that seemed very familiar. He moved closer to the photograph in a silver frame and picked it up.

Staring back at him was a man and woman who looked very familiar. Somewhere he had seen them before, but he couldn’t place it. The black and white photograph made it difficult to tell the man’s hair color, but the woman’s was light, so he figured it was blonde. But what was so familiar were the eyes. Jim wished he could place those eyes.

“Jim? We’re ready.”

“Okay,” he said as he set the frame back where it belonged.

He turned to see Trixie and the children were bundled in their winter clothes once again. Martha stood beside them.

Jim looked at Martha. “Thank you for all this.”

“You’re welcome, Jim,” she said as she moved over to him to give him a hug.  “It was an honor to finally meet you.”

“The honor is ours,” Jim said, returning the hug.

“I think we are all honored,” Wilhelm said.

“We are,” Trixie agreed.

“Our sleigh awaits,” Wilhelm said.

“Bye, Mrs. Claus,” Katje said, moving to the woman and giving her a hug.

“Bye, Katje. Be good.”

“I will.” Katje turned and headed out to the sleigh with Wilhelm.

“Thanks again,” Trixie said, giving the woman a hug. “This is something I will always remember.”

Martha smiled with tears in her eyes.

Jim and Trixie left the house and climbed in the sleigh. Katje climbed on Jim’s lap as Wilhelm gathered the reins.

“Off to Ten Acres,” Wilhelm said.

They waved goodbye to Martha as the reindeer gathered speed and took them into the darkness of Christmas Eve.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jim sighed as he rolled his head to the other side, snuggling deeper underneath the warm comforter. He could hear voices in the distance, but he didn’t care. He was comfortable and ready to go back to sleep.

“Can’t we open presents?” a small voice asked.

“Not until Daddy wakes up,” an older female voice said.

“But, Mom.”

“But Katje. Now, go on downstairs, but do not touch any of the presents.”

“Okay,” Katje said sadly.

He heard the footsteps head down the stairs and a moment later the bedroom door opened. He listened as a pair of footsteps moved around the bed and stopped beside him.

When a cool hand touched his forehead, he opened his eyes to see Trixie standing there.

“Hi,” Jim said, surprised at how rough his voice sounded.

“Hi yourself,” Trixie said, removing her hand from his forehead before settling on the edge of the bed beside him. “How are you feeling?”

Jim took stock of his body. His head throbbed a little and he felt like he could fall back to sleep right then. It had been a long time since he felt so exhausted. His stomach fluttered a little as he swallowed.

“I’m ready to go back to sleep,” Jim admitted.

“I’m not surprised,” Trixie said. “You’ve been sick for the last four days.”

“Four days?”

Trixie nodded. “You came home the other day feeling tired. You decided to just rest for a little bit. I came to check on you a while later and realized you had a fever. You’ve been sleeping most of the time, waking up when it’s time to take the prescription Dr. Ferris prescribed.”

“I can’t believe it’s been four days,” Jim said, running his hand through his thick red hair.

“Katje was worried that Santa Claus wouldn’t stop by because you were sick. But she got a big surprise when she saw the tree and presents this morning.”

The events of the night rushed back to him. “Santa Claus was here?”

“Of course. It is Christmas.”

“You saw him?” Jim asked, struggling to a sitting position.

“Easy,” Trixie said, helping him sit up, concern marking her face. “Santa came during the night when we were all asleep.”

“No,” Jim said. “Santa was here. He talked to us and then we went to the North Pole with him.”

“Jim, you were dreaming. We didn’t go anywhere. You’ve spent the last couple days asleep trying to beat the flu.”

Jim closed his eyes wondering if he had been dreaming. It had seemed so real riding in the sleigh, checking out the stable with the young reindeer and walking through the workshop. He could still smell the pine from the tree and the cookies that Martha had made with Katje.

“I’m calling Dr. Ferris,” Trixie said.

Jim opened his eyes and grabbed Trixie’s hand before she picked up the receiver.

“No, I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” Trixie asked slowly.

“Yeah.” Jim nodded. “You’re right. I must have been dreaming.”

“It must have been a good dream if it involved Santa Claus and a trip to the North Pole.”

“It was.”

“Do you feel up to coming downstairs to open presents?” Trixie asked. “I told Katje she had to wait for you.”

“Yeah. Let me change and I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

“Okay. I’ll get some juice for you.”

“Thanks, Trix.”

“You’re welcome.”

Trixie left the room as Jim slowly made his way to the master bathroom.

He washed his face and then stared at his pale reflection in the mirror.

Was I really that sick that I dreamed the entire trip to the North Pole? he wondered. I guess it’s true because Trixie has no recollection of it. But it seemed so real.  I can still feel the smoothness of the wood projects the elves had worked on and the softness of the bear I held.

And it’s a crazy notion that Santa Claus would pick the person who would succeed him when his time comes to an end. It probably is true that whoever puts the suit on after him becomes Santa. That movie is probably right on. I guess it’s not something I need to worry about.

Jim left the master bathroom, changed and grabbed his robe and slippers before heading downstairs.

He slowly entered the living room to see Katje standing near the presents, straining to see what was stacked behind the tree. Jimmy was in his carrier, staring at the colors flashing on the tree.

Jim cleared his throat. “Merry Christmas, Katje.”

She spun around and when she saw him, she yelled, “DADDY!”

Katje ran at Jim and hugged his legs. He hugged her in return.

“Santa left a lot of presents for us,” she said as she turned to the mound, billowing out from beneath the tree.

“He sure did.” Jim moved over to the couch and sat down as he began to feel a little light-headed.

He was amazed at the amount of gifts that were wrapped underneath the tree. He wondered if he and Trixie had gone overboard.

“Here you go.”

Jim looked up to see Trixie holding out a glass of apple juice to him. He accepted the glass and took a couple sips, welcoming the cold drink as it slid down his throat.

“I also got your prescription,” Trixie said opening her other hand to reveal two white caplets.

“Thanks.” Jim took the pills, popped them in his mouth and swallowed them with some juice.

Trixie grabbed the afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over Jim’s legs so he wouldn’t get cold.

“Mommy, can we open presents now?” Katje asked. “You said I had to wait until Daddy could join us and he is here now so it must be okay for us to open presents since Daddy is here.”

“Katje,” Trixie said.

“Sorry,” Katje said.

“It’s all right,” Trixie said as she settled on the couch beside Jim. “Why don’t you see if you can find a present for each of us?”

“Okay.”

Katje moved around the pile, searching for the perfect gift. She pulled one out and placed it on Jimmy’s lap. She pulled a large box with snowmen on it for herself.

She looked at her parents, and when they nodded, she tore the paper away in a frenzy to see what was hidden inside.

Trixie pulled Jimmy closer to her and opened his gift, which included several teething rings.

“Wow,” Katje said, lifting up a box that showed a little girl with red-hair riding a horse. “That looks like Jupiter.”

“It sure does,” Trixie said.

“What did you get?” Katje asked.

Trixie and Jim tore into their packages. Trixie had received a light blue bathrobe and Jim had a pair of dark green slippers.

Katje returned to the pile and found presents for everyone again. The routine continued as the pile of gifts dwindled and the pile of wrapping paper grew.

As the last gifts were opened, Katje seemed disappointed that there weren’t anymore. They had received more than they ever expected.

“I’m going to go get a garbage bag for all this paper,” Trixie said.

“We’ll be here.”

Trixie left the living room and Jim looked at the children. Katje was looking at each toy in turn, contemplating which one would need to be assembled first. Jimmy was asleep in his carrier and it seemed as if the morning festivities had tired him out.

Seeing that some of the used wrapping paper had rolled back under the tree. Jim decided to help Trixie out.

He left the warmth of the couch and moved to the tree. He knelt down and crumpled the paper. He tossed it away from the tree and continued gathering pieces.

He saw a piece of paper near the back and reached for it. As his fingers came in contact with it, he realized it was another package.

“Trixie?”

“Yeah?”

He turned to see her coming into the room with a garbage bag. “Did you put anything very far back?”

Trixie shook her head. “Everything was right here near the front.”

“Something was put here.” Jim reached behind the tree and pulled the large box out. The package was wrapped in solid red paper with reindeer all over it.

Jim searched for a tag and didn’t seem to find one.

“Did you put that back there?” Trixie asked.

Jim looked at Trixie. “When would I have done that? That last thing I truly remember is going upstairs to take a nap.”

“Good point.” Trixie moved over to Jim. “I wonder who this is from.”

“I guess there’s only one way to find out,” Jim said.

“Is that for me?” Katje asked, staring wide-eyed at the large item.

“We’ll see after we open it,” Trixie said.  “Come help us.”

Katje left her new toys behind and hurried to the mysterious package.

The three of them made short work of the paper. They found a brown box that had no markings, except for a note that said, “Lift here.”

Jim found the spot and slowly lifted the lid open.

They all gasped at what they saw. Standing inside the box were four sections. In the biggest section on the bottom stood a wood dollhouse with tiny furniture and people to inhabit the dwelling. In the top left section there was a teddy bear wearing a red hat and scarf. The other two held smaller boxes – one square and one rectangular.

A white envelope hung from inside of the box.

Trixie took the envelope and opened it up. She pulled out a white piece of paper with red candy canes printed on it. She read aloud. “Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy these gifts I’ve picked especially for you.  The dollhouse is for Katje.”

“Yeah!!!” Katje yelled.

“The teddy bear is for Jimmy,” Katje continued. “The red box is for Trixie and the green one is for Jim. Merry Christmas. Santa Claus.”

Jim stared in disbelief at the items the box held. He had seen the dollhouse and bear when he was at the North Pole. He knew he hadn’t been dreaming.

“Open your boxes,” Katje insisted.

“All right,” Trixie said, reaching for the red box that was tied together with a white ribbon.  She pulled the ribbon off and set it down when it released the box.

She lifted the lid to reveal two gingerbread people charms, a boy and a girl, on a gold chain.

“This is absolutely beautiful,” Trixie said, fingering each piece.

Jim looked and saw that the charms held the same birthstone as Katje and Jimmy.

He couldn’t believe it. He had seen Martha wearing the exact same necklace. This wasn’t a coincidence.

“What’s in your box?” Trixie asked.

Jim slowly picked up the box and removed the white ribbon from the thin rectangular box. He lifted the lid and pushed the white tissue paper back. Nestled in the white paper was a silver picture frame with a black and white photograph. It was the same photograph he had seen on the mantle in the Claus home at the North Pole.

“That’s a beautiful frame,” Trixie said. “And the people in the picture look vaguely familiar.”

“I know,” Jim said. “I wish I could place them.” He also couldn’t understand why he received the picture frame. It didn’t make sense.

“It’ll probably come to both of us later.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Will you hook the necklace for me?” Trixie asked.

“Sure.”

Jim set the picture frame down and took the necklace from Trixie. He hooked it around her neck. When she turned to face him, he thought it looked perfect.

He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Trix.”

She smiled at him. “Merry Christmas, Jim.”

“Daddy, will you read the Christmas story?” Katje asked.

They turned and saw Katje holding the Frayne family Bible.

“Sure”

Jim slowly got to his feet and moved over to the couch as Katje hurried toward him. She tripped over one of her new toys and the Bible went flying. It landed on the floor in front of him with the front cover open to the family names.

He picked up the Bible, missing Katje’s tearful apology for dropping the book. His gaze swept down the names and stopped when he saw Wilhelm and Martha, which were handwritten above another name.

“No,” Jim said softly.

“What is it?” Trixie asked as she moved to his side.

He saw where the names were placed and couldn’t believe it. He now knew why the photograph looked familiar. He had seen the resemblance in a person who played an important role in his early years of life.

The people in the photograph were his birth mother’s parents, his grandparents, Wilhelm and Martha.

“Jim?” He felt his arm being shook and turned his head to meet Trixie’s worried gaze. “Are you all right?”

Jim smiled and kissed her forehead. “I’m fine. Come on. Let’s read the story.”

“All right.”

The Frayne family settled on the couch. Jim opened the Bible to the section with the Christmas story and began reading the passage.

In the back of Jim’s mind, he wondered why he had been told his grandparents had died when in fact they were alive and well. He wondered why he had been lied to and knew once he was feeling better, he was going to find the answers he needed to solve this mystery.

But for now, he was going to enjoy the holidays with his family.

-The End-

Author’s Notes: Once again my esteemed appreciation goes to Amy for the edit. I really do appreciate all your hard work and for making my site look as good as it does. You definitely rock.  

This story came when I was watching The Santa Clause with Tim Allen and it just seemed like it would be a fun scenario for one of the Bob-Whites. 

This story was written for the 2007 holidays. I hope every one stays safe and has a very happy holiday season.

Disclaimer: This is an unauthorized fan fiction site and is not affiliated with Random House in any way. No profit is being made from these pages.