that would make John go back to playing Santa Claus. She just had to bring him back. The photographer, Ella, and all those children were depending on her.
What would the Winter Wonderland be without its Santa Claus?
Katie wandered through the mall, searching for John. But she didn’t see him anwhere. It was like he’d magically disappeared or something.
She turned down a small hallway. It didn’t have any stores in it, just a big door that led to one of the loading docks. She looked around to see if John was there. But the hallway was completely empty.
Katie stood there for a minute and leaned against the wall. A tear ran down her cheek. She felt really bad about ruining the Winter Wonderland for everyone.
Just then, Katie felt a cold, wintry breeze blowing on the back of her neck. She turned quickly to see if the door that led to the loading dock was open.
Nope. It was shut tight. But there was definitely a wind blowing in the hallway.
That could mean only one thing. The magic wind was back!
Instantly, the magic wind picked up speed. It was blowing wildly now, circling faster and faster around Katie.
It was a cold wind. Like the kind you would find at the North Pole.
And then, suddenly, the magic wind stopped blowing. It had disappeared just as suddenly as it had come.
The wind was gone. But Katie was back!
She smiled. It was good to be wearing her own clothes again. She was happy not to smell like baby throw-up anymore.
Unfortunately, the photographer probably wasn’t too happy right now. He still didn’t have his Santa.
At least not yet.
Katie might not have found John, but she did know a way the photographer could have a Santa for his Winter Wonderland. She couldn’t wait to tell him. Quickly she ran out of the hallway toward the center of the mall.
By the time Katie had arrived back at the Winter Wonderland, most of the parents and children were gone. But the photographer was still there. And so was the real Ella.
“What do you mean you don’t know what I’m talking about?” Katie heard the photographer demand. “I told you to go find John and talk him into coming back here.”
“I—I sort of remember you saying something about that,” Ella said.
“Sort of?” the photographer shouted. “What do you mean, sort of?”
“The thing is, I don’t really know what I remember,” Ella explained. “It’s all sort of fuzzy.”
“Um . . . excuse me,” Katie interrupted.
“Oh, no. It’s you again,” Ella said. “Didn’t you and your friend cause enough trouble by telling that boy that the man in the chair wasn’t the real Santa?”
Katie blushed. She still felt bad about that. “I didn’t mean to talk so loudly,” she assured Ella. “But that guy really didn’t seem like Santa. He didn’t like babies unless they were clean, and he didn’t smile or say, ‘Ho ho ho’ a lot.”
“Well, he was the best I could find,” the photographer told Katie. “And now he’s gone.”
Katie blushed. She was really glad Ella and the photographer didn’t know that was her fault, too.
“I could help you solve your problem,” Katie volunteered.
“You?” Ella asked. “What could a kid like you do?”
“It’s not like we have a kid-sized Santa costume here,” the photographer told Katie.
“I don’t need a costume,” Katie assured him. “I just need a cell phone.”
“A cell phone? Why?” the photographer asked.
“To call my grandmother,” Katie explained. “She has a friend who would be perfect for the job!”
Chapter 12
On Thursday morning, the kids in class 4A were practically bouncing out of their seats. They couldn’t seem to learn a thing. All anyone could think about was the Secret Santa gift exchange.
Everyone really wanted to know who their Secret Santa was. And they couldn’t wait to get their big gifts.
Everyone but Katie, that is. She wasn’t looking forward to another gag gift. What would it be this time? Gum that tasted like pepper? A fake ice
What would the Winter Wonderland be without its Santa Claus?
Katie wandered through the mall, searching for John. But she didn’t see him anwhere. It was like he’d magically disappeared or something.
She turned down a small hallway. It didn’t have any stores in it, just a big door that led to one of the loading docks. She looked around to see if John was there. But the hallway was completely empty.
Katie stood there for a minute and leaned against the wall. A tear ran down her cheek. She felt really bad about ruining the Winter Wonderland for everyone.
Just then, Katie felt a cold, wintry breeze blowing on the back of her neck. She turned quickly to see if the door that led to the loading dock was open.
Nope. It was shut tight. But there was definitely a wind blowing in the hallway.
That could mean only one thing. The magic wind was back!
Instantly, the magic wind picked up speed. It was blowing wildly now, circling faster and faster around Katie.
It was a cold wind. Like the kind you would find at the North Pole.
And then, suddenly, the magic wind stopped blowing. It had disappeared just as suddenly as it had come.
The wind was gone. But Katie was back!
She smiled. It was good to be wearing her own clothes again. She was happy not to smell like baby throw-up anymore.
Unfortunately, the photographer probably wasn’t too happy right now. He still didn’t have his Santa.
At least not yet.
Katie might not have found John, but she did know a way the photographer could have a Santa for his Winter Wonderland. She couldn’t wait to tell him. Quickly she ran out of the hallway toward the center of the mall.
By the time Katie had arrived back at the Winter Wonderland, most of the parents and children were gone. But the photographer was still there. And so was the real Ella.
“What do you mean you don’t know what I’m talking about?” Katie heard the photographer demand. “I told you to go find John and talk him into coming back here.”
“I—I sort of remember you saying something about that,” Ella said.
“Sort of?” the photographer shouted. “What do you mean, sort of?”
“The thing is, I don’t really know what I remember,” Ella explained. “It’s all sort of fuzzy.”
“Um . . . excuse me,” Katie interrupted.
“Oh, no. It’s you again,” Ella said. “Didn’t you and your friend cause enough trouble by telling that boy that the man in the chair wasn’t the real Santa?”
Katie blushed. She still felt bad about that. “I didn’t mean to talk so loudly,” she assured Ella. “But that guy really didn’t seem like Santa. He didn’t like babies unless they were clean, and he didn’t smile or say, ‘Ho ho ho’ a lot.”
“Well, he was the best I could find,” the photographer told Katie. “And now he’s gone.”
Katie blushed. She was really glad Ella and the photographer didn’t know that was her fault, too.
“I could help you solve your problem,” Katie volunteered.
“You?” Ella asked. “What could a kid like you do?”
“It’s not like we have a kid-sized Santa costume here,” the photographer told Katie.
“I don’t need a costume,” Katie assured him. “I just need a cell phone.”
“A cell phone? Why?” the photographer asked.
“To call my grandmother,” Katie explained. “She has a friend who would be perfect for the job!”
Chapter 12
On Thursday morning, the kids in class 4A were practically bouncing out of their seats. They couldn’t seem to learn a thing. All anyone could think about was the Secret Santa gift exchange.
Everyone really wanted to know who their Secret Santa was. And they couldn’t wait to get their big gifts.
Everyone but Katie, that is. She wasn’t looking forward to another gag gift. What would it be this time? Gum that tasted like pepper? A fake ice
Similar Books
