Chapter 13 -Matty
“Merry Christmas Eve!” Allison says to us and gives us each a hug and kiss on the cheek.
I smile at her. She always smells good and has pretty hair. Huddy and I do our handshake that his Uncle Ronan helped us make up yesterday.
We jump into the backseat while Dad opens Allison’s door for her.
They smile at each other a lot.
“When we get there, we need to get Op number two in motion.” Huddy whispers. He really likes playing spies.
“What could we possibly do at the lake? We are just skating.”
“Make them hold hands, duh!” Huddy shakes his head at me.
“Maybe that will be easy if your mom is bad at skating.” I shrug my shoulders.
It’s hard to help grownups fall in love, especially when they’re as difficult as our parents.
They didn’t win a single game together yesterday. Dad invited some of the people there to come today.
Mr King is coming, too. I’m excited because he told us he’s on our side and will try to help us. He also said we could be brothers even if they don’t get married.
I don’t think he understands how being a family works though.
Allison puts on Christmas music for the drive. I think this is the only music she listens to. At least she’s a good singer. We all sing along with her until we finally pull up the lake.
There are already some people there playing hockey and doing twirls.
Hudson and I run over and get our skates tied tight so we can join.
“Hey, kiddos. Why don’t you both be team captains?” Mr Jordan says.
“Do we get to pick teams?”
“Sure thing, Matty.”
“I pick Tate.” Huddy shouts. My dad is a really good hockey player, and he always steals the puck from the other team.
“I pick Allison!” I say. We can win if Dad doesn’t want to hurt her feelings.
“Oh, you know what you’re doing don’t ya?” Ronan laughs loudly. “Playing on his weaknesses? I’ll let you in on a secret though, Alli played college hockey. She’s good.”
“Really?” I look back at her, surprised. She’s so nice. How did she check people on the boards and steal the puck?
“I bet your dad is in for a surprise.” Mr King chuckles, spinning his hockey stick.
“I choose Uncle Ronan.” Huddy decides. Game on.
“Mr King.”
“Fitz.” Huddy narrows his eyes.
“Ripley.”
“Aunt Emalyn.”
“Is going to be over there with the figure skaters, Huddy. You’ll have to take the rookie.” She throws a thumb at Quade. Huddy huffs and rolls his eyes.
“Fine.”
“Hey. I’m right here, man.” The rookie calls out holding his arms and stick out. Then calls to our parents, “Your kids are brutal.”
“You have no idea.” Dad huffs shooting me a wink.
I line up for the face off against Huddy. We fight for it, but he sweeps it out to where Fitz is waiting.
Mr. King is on him though. He doesn’t make it easy.
When he gets the puck from Fitz, he makes his way down the ice with it.
He scores on Ronan.
The next play goes quickly, and holy smokes Allison can play!
She gets the puck from my dad.
“Coming to you, Matty!” She calls as she swipes it sideways to avoid Mr Liam.
I’m wide open when I shoot the puck. I hold my breath as it sails through the air and pings off the top of the net.
I try to keep my head up like Dad always says but it tips down anyways as it gets taken down the ice. Huddy scores on Ripley.
“Hey kiddo.” Allison says and wraps her arm around my shoulders. “That was still a beautiful slapshot.”
“Yea but I missed.”
“True. You had really great form though. Especially for a nine-year-old.”
“Really?” My head snaps up. She smiles.
“Really. Now let’s go kick their butts. Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
We don’t win. It’s okay though. Dad is skating around the lake with Allison, and they hold hands when they think no one’s watching.
“I think it’s working!” Huddy says, turning his skates sideways to stop in front of us. Ronan and Ripley come too. “I thought of another idea!”
“Well, what is it?” Fitz asks, leaning on his stick. He’s more excited about our plan now.
“You have to spend the night at my house tonight, so Santa brings your presents there! Then we can spend Christmas as a family!”
“Don’t you think Santa will still drop his presents off at his house though?” Ripley asks, rubbing his eyebrow.
“Santa knows.” Hudson rolls his eyes. We watch Emalyn do cool spins and jumps around the ice.
“Look. That’s how your dad is always looking at mom.” We snicker at Ronan watching with his mouth hanging open.
Mr King chuckles behind us and we nearly fall out of our skates. He has hot cocoa for both of us.
It was a good day.
Allison blasts her christmas music on the drive home. This time she pretends to have a microphone in her hand. Huddy and I sing alone when she holds it out to us.
Dad agrees to our sleepover after Allison says it's really really okay.
Huddy lets me borrow some of his Christmas pajamas.
We set up the fort again and pretend to sleep when Allison checks on us. She pulls my blanket up over my shoulder and pushes my hair away from my forehead.
The door clicks shut as she leaves. Hudson shoots up.
“Okay. I have our go bag. We can camp on the stairs, so we have a clear view of the tree and the chimney.” He says and shows me the bag full of snacks.
We tiptoe down the hall. I’ve tried to catch Santa the last three Christmases, but I never do. We sit in our spot on the stairs.
We wait so long that Huddy falls asleep on my shoulder. I’m about to give up when I hear the alarm chirp and the quiet voice says front door. My heart pounds in my chest.
“Huddy. Wake up. Santa!” I whisper and shake him hard.
Santa comes inside with his big bag of presents. His head is tilted down but I can see the fluffy white beard and even the small glasses on the tip of his nose.
“It’s really him!” Huddy whispers
“Should we go ask him now or wait for him to put the presents under the tree?”
“Definitely wait. We don’t want to distract him.”
“Good thinking.” I nod.
Santa tip toes to the tree carefully placing each present. Then he moves to the mantle and fills the stockings, even the one Allison hung for me before bed.
Huddy and I both gasp when Allison comes from the kitchen with milk and cookies for Santa.
“Here you go, Santa.” She smiles up at him. “Thanks, Alli.” He says. Even his voice. He really is Santa. And he knew her name.
She hands him the cup. He leans down to hug her with one arm.
Then she kisses his cheek.
My heart drops and my insides feel yucky. I put my hand on Hudson’s shoulder who keeps staring down at his mom in shock.
“Come on. Let’s go.” His head drops and we trudge up the stairs together. Back to the fort. “I’m sorry, Huddy. I don’t think Dad can compete with Santa.”
“Yeah… Poor Tate.” Huddy sighs. We lay side by side and I pretend I don’t hear his sniffles. That makes me think of what Mr King said.
“Remember what Mr King said about being brothers? Well, I didn’t believe him before, but I do now. You’re my brother Huddy. Even if we don’t get to share our parents.”
“Thanks, Matty.”