Christmas Spirit

Brian pulled the Jeep into a parking space in the last row of the parking lot. They were at least a mile from the mall, but he had said he would do this, and he would. He got out and opened the back door to help Briana get out of her booster seat.

"Thanks for coming with me, Gus," Brian said to his son who was waiting for Bree to climb down out of the big SUV.

"No problem," Gus said. At sixteen he would have liked to have been doing something else, but he knew his father hated the mall. The least he could do for his Dad was to accompany him with his little sister to see Santa. Besides, it might be fun to see the great and finicky Brian Kinney standing in line with hundreds of children. Gus smiled to himself.

"What are you smiling about?" Brian demanded as he locked the car. "This is going to be torture."

"Calm, father dearest, calm. 'Tis the season of peace and good will," Gus said with a chuckle.

"'Tis the season of excess and stupidity," Brian retorted as he took Bree's hand and they started towards the distant mall.

Finally they found Santa ensconced on his throne in the center of the mall. Brian eyed the line of about sixty kids with their mothers waiting to see the Jolly Old Elf.

"Tell me again why we're doing this," Brian scowled at his son.

"Because Bree wants to see Santa and she wanted you to take her," Gus said. He knew there wasn't much that Brian wouldn't do for his daughter. But the fact that they were in the mall about to get in line to see Santa really surprised Gus.

"Look, Dada," Bree called. "Elmo!"

In a shop near the end of the line of people waiting to see Santa was the latest version of Elmo singing and obviously calling to the children who passed by.

"We need to get in line," Brian said.

"Mine," Bree declared pulling on her father's hand to get him to go over to Elmo. "Mine," she repeated as Brian followed along behind her.

"If I get you this, can we go home?" Brian asked hopefully.

"Have to talk to Santa," Bree replied.

"Then let's get into line," Brian said.

"Pweese, Dada, mine," Bree replied staring at Elmo and then looking up into her father's eyes.

"You are so screwed," Gus laughed.

"Okay," Brian sighed. "We'll get Elmo. Gus, here's my credit card. Go buy Elmo and I'll get in the fucking line with Bree."

Gus took the credit card and went into the store. Brian got into line. Bree wanted up, so he held her in his arms while they waited for Gus to return.

It wasn't long until a woman wearing a threadbare coat and holding the hand of a little girl with dark curls moved into line behind them.

"Joey," the woman said calling to a little boy maybe a year or two older than Bree. "Come over here and get into line."

The little boy looked wistfully at the toy train that was going around the track near Santa. He ran over and stood next to his mother and sister.

"Got it," Gus said moving over to stand next to his father and Bree.

"Mine," Bree said reaching for the bag.

"No, Squirt, it's for Christmas," Brian said. "One less thing to ask Santa for."

Bree looked like she might throw a tantrum and then thought better of it. She could wait till Christmas and then she would have Elmo to play with. "'Kay, Dada," she said patting Brian's face. "Down."

Brian set her down and she smiled at the little girl behind her. The girl seemed shy and stepped closer to her mother. The line was moving well. It might only be another hour till they reached Santa.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Brian sighed. He could see a kid up on Santa's lap crying his eyes out. "This has to be the sixth circle of hell for all concerned."

Gus laughed. "You could be right."

They shuffled along a little farther as the line continued to move slowly.

"Mama," they heard the little boy behind them say, can I ask Santa for a train set like that one?" He pointed to the train that continued to speed around its track in the Santa display area.

Gus listened for the answer.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," the lady said with a sigh. "I think you should ask for a new winter coat like we discussed. This one barely fits you anymore."

The little boy looked sad, but he said, "Okay, Mama."

"And I apposed to ask for boots. Right, Mama?" the little girl asked.

"That's right, honey," the lady said caressing the little girl's sweet face. She hated having to tell her children that they had to ask for clothes, but they needed the clothes more. They could only afford either the clothes or the toy, not both.

Bree had been watching the little girl and her mother. Bree had a long list of things she wanted to ask Santa for and none of them were clothes. Brian was glaring at the line in front of him willing the people to move faster. He didn't seem to have heard any of what was going on.

"Dad, I'm going to go get something. Can I charge it on your credit card and pay you back later?" Gus asked.

"Sure," Brian said absently as the line inched forward. He wondered when this day of torture would end.

Bree watched the little girl who was trying not to look at Bree. She kept ducking behind her mother and looking at other people. Bree wondered why she wasn't friendlier.

"Hi," Bree said finally when the little girl looked at her again. The girl didn't say anything. "My name's Bree. Who you?"

"Lily," the little girl finally said in a soft voice.

"Hi, Lily."

"Say hi to Bree," her mother prodded the little girl.

"Hi, Bree."

Bree smiled. "I got a Elmo in that bag," she said proudly.

Lily looked longingly at the bag. "Could I ask Santa for Elmo?" Lily asked her mother.

The lady sighed and looked about ready to cry. "No, honey, remember the boots."

Lily looked at the floor, "'Kay, Mama," she whispered.

Bree frowned and looked up at her Dada. "Up, Dada," she said. Brian picked her up awkwardly as he was still holding the Elmo bag.

"We're almost there, Bree," he said as the child ahead of them went to sit on Santa's knee.

"Santa," Bree smiled as her attention went to the man with the white beard and the red suit.

"I wonder what's taking Gus so long," Brian said as he looked around for his son.

"Sir, sir," Santa's elf said. "Your daughter is next."

Brian set Bree down and she ran up the steps to Santa. There were no tears from Bree as she happily sat on Santa's lap, had her picture taken and told Santa her list of toys.

Brian moved around to the other side where Bree would come down when she was finished. He paid for the pictures of Bree with Santa that Justin insisted they should have. Then Bree ran down the ramp and clung to Brian's leg.

"I tell Santa everything," she said.

"I bet you did."

"Home now?" Bree asked.

"As soon as I get your photos, and we find Gus."

"There Gus," Bree said pointing to her brother who was hurrying towards them carrying a big bag from the same store where he had got Elmo.

"What have you got there?" Brian asked as they finally handed him the photos.

"Um … where's the lady who was behind you in line?" Gus asked.

"How the hell should I know?" Brian demanded.

The woman was just moving over to wait where they were standing. Lily and her brother were sitting on Santa's knee.

"Would you like the photos of your children?" Santa's elf asked her.

The lady shook her head with a look of regret on her face.

"Let's go, Gus," Brian said.

"Just a minute," Gus replied. "Ma'am, I hope you don't mind but I heard your little boy say he wanted a train set. I loved trains when I was little, so Merry Christmas." Gus handed the woman the bag he had returned with.

"Oh my, I couldn't take that," she protested refusing to accept the bag.

"Sure you can," Gus said. "I hope you and your son have a Merry Christmas."

"Are you sure?" the woman asked looking into Gus' eyes.

"Very sure."

She took the bag from Gus.

Bree had been watching all this. "Dada, give Lily Elmo," Bree said having watched her brother carefully.

"Who's Lily?" Brian asked bewildered at what was happening.

"That Lily," Bree said pointing at the little girl still up on Santa's knee.

Gus took the bag from Brian and handed it to the lady. "For Lily," he said as the woman wiped a tear from her eye. "That was great, Bree," Gus said picking up his sister and kissing her cheek. "I'm very proud of you."

"I share," Bree replied with her winning smile.

"You have wonderful children," the woman said to Brian as he stepped back from the photo booth.

"I know I do. I'm very proud of both of them," Brian said kissing Bree and squeezing Gus' shoulder.

"You're sure this is all right," the lady asked indicating the bags in her hands.

"As Gus said, very sure. And if you wait a minute or two, your photos will be ready to take home," Brian said as the two children ran down the ramp to their mother. "Have a Merry Christmas."

"Thank you all so much," the lady said with tears of joy in her eyes.

Brian ushered his children out of the mall. He picked up Bree and they started the long walk towards the SUV.

"I'll pay you back for the train set," Gus told his father.

"No you won't," Brian stated. "That was a wonderful thing to do, Gus. I have the best children in the whole world." Brian felt like crying. He was so proud of them both.

"Love you, Dad."

"Love you, Dada," Bree chimed in as she kissed her father's face.

"I think Kinnetik is going to make a large donation to the local toy drive," Brian added.

"That's great," Gus smiled. "Merry Christmas, Dad."

"Merry Christmas, son."

"Merrwy Chwistmas, Dada, Gus," Bree said not to be outdone. They were all happily laughing as they reached the SUV. The Christmas spirit had actually hit the Kinney family, and at the mall of all places.

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