Hillary said.
He glanced down, feeling suddenly guilty. He knew he should let the children have their fun. “Sorry,” he managed to say. “Carol, why don’t you help us find our seats? That way you can get in costume and we’ll all go home together after the performance.”
Carol stood looking at him without saying a word. Until Nick nudged her.
“That’s right, Carol, help them find their seats. Unless you’d like me to take them for you? I’d be happy to if it’s easier for you.”
“No thank you, Nick. It’s something I need to do.”
Why did she look so stricken? Ben wanted to reach out to her, to pull her close and reassure her but this wasn’t the place or the time. They’d have to wait until after the show was over and they were home, but what could that be, a matter of a few hours?
“Nice to meet you all,” Nick said, and with a quick kiss for Carol and a wave to the children, he was swept up in to yet another wave of gift carrying elves all heading down the hallway.
Carol didn’t meet Ben’s eye or say a word as they wound through the seemingly never-ending corridor. Ben marveled at the sheer size of the cast as well as the size of the set. Once he got home he wanted to google this production company to see what he could learn, there had to be some serious clout behind a show this size. Obviously no expense had been spared. Even the air smelled like evergreens. Amazing.
They stopped outside a wooden door with a brass plate that read ‘Christmas Magic’. He did as she asked and waited while Carol slipped through the door to what he assumed was the box office.
“This is going to be some kind of show,” he said to his children.
“Daddy, what are you talking about?” Hillary demanded. “We’re at the North Pole.”
“Are we?” He might as well play along. “What do you think Patrick?”
His son didn’t miss a beat. “We’ve ridden in a sleigh, we’ve seen Santa, met the elves and got to see Santa’s workshop. Yeah, we’re so at the North Pole.”
With a sad smile, Carol rejoined them. “Thanks for waiting, we’re almost there.” She took ahold of both children’s hands and continued on the way. Ben followed, thinking that all the craziness aside, it felt so right to see Carol with his children. He knew she’d love them as her own. A new mother and a happy family, this was the perfect Christmas present for his children. For him too.
True to her word they arrived in front of a door marked ‘Departures’ a few moments later. He followed as Carol pushed the double doors open. The smell of livestock assailed his senses, immediately followed by a blast of air colder than he’d ever felt.
“Let’s get you into your jackets,” Carol said as she took them off the rack and handed them out.
Ben took his from her. “Thank you,” and then wishing he could bring a smile to her face, he teased her, “We must be VIP’s to have our jackets ready and waiting.”
“Daddy, what’s a VIP?” Patrick asked.
Carol, her eyes moist with tears, bent down to kiss Patrick’s cheek. “Very important person.” She gave Hillary a kiss as well and then hugged them both. “And you will always be very important to me.” She straightened and wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye before letting out a low whistle.
Within seconds a sleigh with eight animals harnessed to it pulled up in front of them. His children clapped and danced in place. He didn’t share their excitement. He stared at the animals and at the wizened elf actor who sat in the driver’s seat. “What are these animals, Carol? Caribou?”
“Reindeer, Daddy, aren’t you silly that you don’t know that. Come on.” Patrick ran to the sleigh and climbed in. His sister was only a step behind them.
“They’re safe, Ben.”
He wasn’t so sure. “Just sit down and don’t move. I’ll be right there.” The sight of his children in the sleigh triggered his memory, at least partially. “They took a ride
He glanced down, feeling suddenly guilty. He knew he should let the children have their fun. “Sorry,” he managed to say. “Carol, why don’t you help us find our seats? That way you can get in costume and we’ll all go home together after the performance.”
Carol stood looking at him without saying a word. Until Nick nudged her.
“That’s right, Carol, help them find their seats. Unless you’d like me to take them for you? I’d be happy to if it’s easier for you.”
“No thank you, Nick. It’s something I need to do.”
Why did she look so stricken? Ben wanted to reach out to her, to pull her close and reassure her but this wasn’t the place or the time. They’d have to wait until after the show was over and they were home, but what could that be, a matter of a few hours?
“Nice to meet you all,” Nick said, and with a quick kiss for Carol and a wave to the children, he was swept up in to yet another wave of gift carrying elves all heading down the hallway.
Carol didn’t meet Ben’s eye or say a word as they wound through the seemingly never-ending corridor. Ben marveled at the sheer size of the cast as well as the size of the set. Once he got home he wanted to google this production company to see what he could learn, there had to be some serious clout behind a show this size. Obviously no expense had been spared. Even the air smelled like evergreens. Amazing.
They stopped outside a wooden door with a brass plate that read ‘Christmas Magic’. He did as she asked and waited while Carol slipped through the door to what he assumed was the box office.
“This is going to be some kind of show,” he said to his children.
“Daddy, what are you talking about?” Hillary demanded. “We’re at the North Pole.”
“Are we?” He might as well play along. “What do you think Patrick?”
His son didn’t miss a beat. “We’ve ridden in a sleigh, we’ve seen Santa, met the elves and got to see Santa’s workshop. Yeah, we’re so at the North Pole.”
With a sad smile, Carol rejoined them. “Thanks for waiting, we’re almost there.” She took ahold of both children’s hands and continued on the way. Ben followed, thinking that all the craziness aside, it felt so right to see Carol with his children. He knew she’d love them as her own. A new mother and a happy family, this was the perfect Christmas present for his children. For him too.
True to her word they arrived in front of a door marked ‘Departures’ a few moments later. He followed as Carol pushed the double doors open. The smell of livestock assailed his senses, immediately followed by a blast of air colder than he’d ever felt.
“Let’s get you into your jackets,” Carol said as she took them off the rack and handed them out.
Ben took his from her. “Thank you,” and then wishing he could bring a smile to her face, he teased her, “We must be VIP’s to have our jackets ready and waiting.”
“Daddy, what’s a VIP?” Patrick asked.
Carol, her eyes moist with tears, bent down to kiss Patrick’s cheek. “Very important person.” She gave Hillary a kiss as well and then hugged them both. “And you will always be very important to me.” She straightened and wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye before letting out a low whistle.
Within seconds a sleigh with eight animals harnessed to it pulled up in front of them. His children clapped and danced in place. He didn’t share their excitement. He stared at the animals and at the wizened elf actor who sat in the driver’s seat. “What are these animals, Carol? Caribou?”
“Reindeer, Daddy, aren’t you silly that you don’t know that. Come on.” Patrick ran to the sleigh and climbed in. His sister was only a step behind them.
“They’re safe, Ben.”
He wasn’t so sure. “Just sit down and don’t move. I’ll be right there.” The sight of his children in the sleigh triggered his memory, at least partially. “They took a ride
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