Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
NICK
O ne moment, I’m standing in Penelope’s living room, the scent of pine and turkey filling the air, and the next, I’m engulfed in a whirlwind of tinsel and twinkling lights. My stomach lurches as if I’m on a roller coaster, and then suddenly, I’m falling. I land with a soft thud on something plush and familiar.
As I blink away the disorientation, the room around me comes into focus. The warm wooden paneling, the crackling fireplace, the overstuffed couch I’ve just landed on—I’m in the Kringle family room at the North Pole.
My mind reels, trying to process what just happened. Penelope’s angry words echo in my ears: “I wish you’d get whatever it is you came here for and just leave!” The pain in her voice, the hurt, and the betrayal in her eyes—it’s all seared into my memory.
I’ve ruined everything.
A soft, tinkling sound pulls me from my thoughts. I look up to see a gentle snowfall drifting down from the ceiling, each flake shimmering with an otherworldly glow. In the center of the room stands my nephew, Gavin. His face passive with boredom as he waves his hands, directing the magical snowfall.
I force a smile, not wanting the kid to know about all the heartache in the world—especially mine that’s tearing my heart to shreds even as I work to keep my face neutral. “That’s amazing, Gavin. You’ve really got a handle on your magic.”
Gavin blinks at me. “How’d you get there?” He looks over his shoulder at the door. “I didn’t see you come in.”
I rub his head. “Magic, kid.”
He giggles, but after a few seconds, his smile fades. He looks around the room, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I wish I had a real job to do for Christmas Eve,” he sighs. “Everyone else is so busy, but I’m just... here.”
Before I can respond, the door bursts open. Frost strides in, her icy white hair swirling around her face like a winter storm. Her piercing purple eyes scan the room, landing on Gavin.
“There you are,” she says, her voice full of relief. “Why aren’t you curling ribbons? We need all hands on deck tonight.”
Gavin’s eyes widen in confusion. “Curling ribbons? I didn’t know I was supposed to be doing that.”
Frost pinches the bridge of her nose. “How else would we get the packages wrapped? We can’t do this without you, buddy. If you don’t get going, Christmas will be ruined.” She motions for him to follow her. “Welcome home, Nick,” she calls over her shoulder as if I’m an afterthought in the rush of Christmas Eve.
I am.
We all are up here.
Except Gavin. Bless him, he’s suddenly the most important Kringle at the North Pole. He scrambles to the door, shooting me an apologetic look before scurrying after Frost. The door slams shut behind them, leaving me alone in the suddenly quiet room.
Well, that was nice of Frost. I’m not sure how she knew her nephew needed to feel included. She’s always been intuitive, though.
Now that I’m truly alone, the weight of everything that’s happened crashes down on me. I collapse into one of the rocking chairs by the fire, burying my face in my hands.
My thoughts turn to Penelope, and my heart aches. Her beautiful eyes, usually so warm and full of love, had been filled with anger and hurt. I can still feel the softness of her chestnut curls between my fingers, can still smell the sweet vanilla scent of her perfume. I love her more than I love myself and it wasn’t enough. Am I ever going to be enough? I’ve spent my whole life saying goodbye to people I love—this was supposed to be different.
My heart squeezes. Noelle—sweet, innocent Noelle with her infectious giggles and tiny, trusting hands. I can still see how her mouth worked as she slept. I could barely tear my eyes off of her. She is so perfect. I almost had a daughter.
I’ve lost them both .
I’ve ruined the best thing that’s ever happened to me. All because I couldn’t find a way to explain my world to Penelope. A hundred ways I could have done that differently flood my mind.
For the love of Yule logs! I had a reindeer in my barn that I could have shown her. I could have taken her on a flight in the sleigh. I could have done a half-dozen magical things just to show her instead of dropping it in her lap that I’m Santa’s adopted son.
What an idiot I am.
The crackling of the fire and the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner are the only sounds in the room. I stare at the family photo hanging above the mantle—all of us Kringles, smiling and happy.
Do I even belong there anymore?
The door creaks open, and I look up to see Harvey’s jolly face peering in. His eyes widen as he spots me, and a grin spreads across his face, his rosy cheeks dimpling.
“Nick!” he booms, rushing over to envelop me in a bear hug. The scent of peppermint and chocolate chip cookies washes over me as he squeezes me tight. “You’re back!”
I return the hug halfheartedly, unable to match his enthusiasm. Harvey pulls back, his brow furrowing as he takes in my expression. “What’s wrong?”
I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. How can I explain the mess I’ve made?
Harvey’s eyes soften with understanding. That’s the Santa in him—reading people and anticipating their needs and wants. Robyn has that skill. She’s usually half a second faster than Harvey. “Ah, I see. Things didn’t go quite as planned in Founder's Grove, did they?”
Apparently, I need empathy.
I shake my head, swallowing past the lump in my throat. “I messed up. I fell in love, and I tried to tell her about us, about the magic, but... she didn’t believe me. She thought I was making fun of her or trying to dump her. She was so angry... she wished me away.”
Harvey’s bushy eyebrows shoot up. “She wished you away? With the coin.”
I nod.
“And it worked? That’s... interesting.”
Before I can ask what he means by that, Harvey starts patting his pockets. “Now, where did I put my phone? I need to let everyone know you’re back.”
He checks all his pockets, then looks under the couch cushions and behind the snow globes on the bookshelf. Coming up empty-handed, he scratches his beard thoughtfully. “Well, I’ll be a sugarplum’s uncle. Where could it have gone?” With a shrug, he absentmindedly says, “I wish I had it in my pocket.”
To both our surprises, there’s a sudden weight in Harvey’s pocket. He reaches in and pulls out his phone, staring at it in amazement. Then his eyes flick to me, a question forming on his lips.
“Nick, did you...?”
I shake my head, just as confused as he is. “I didn’t do anything.”
Before either of us can say anything more, the phone in Harvey’s hand begins to ring. He answers it, putting it on speaker.
“Hello?”
Lux’s voice comes through, clear and excited. “Is Nick back?”
Harvey’s eyes narrow as he looks at me. “Why do you ask?”
“My purse is fixed,” Lux replies. “I assumed that meant he’d fixed things.”
A slow grin spreads across Harvey’s face, and he lets out a Ho Ho Ho that shakes the ornaments on the nearby Christmas tree. “You did it,” he exclaims, slapping me on the back. “You’re a wish granter. That’s one of the rarest Santa magic there is.”
I shake my head vehemently. “No, I can’t be. I failed, Harvey.”
Harvey’s eyes twinkle mischievously. “Then how do you explain this?” He clears his throat dramatically. “I wish I had a Pi?a colada flavored hot chocolate in my hand.”
To my astonishment, a tall glass filled with creamy, pineapple-and-chocolate-scented liquid appears in Harvey’s outstretched hand, complete with a tiny paper umbrella and a maraschino cherry.
Harvey takes a sip of his magically conjured drink. “You didn’t fail. You brought Christmas cheer to Founder's Grove, and you were given Santa abilities. I’m so proud of you.”
I stare at the drink in disbelief, then down at my own hands. This is everything I’ve ever wanted, the validation I’ve been seeking for so long. I should be overjoyed, but instead, I feel... empty. Hollow. Because the cost of this achievement was losing Penelope and Noelle.
Harvey must see the conflict on my face, because he sets down his drink and pulls me into another hug. This time, I feel a warmth spreading through me that has nothing to do with the crackling fire. It’s pure love and acceptance, the kind that only family can provide.
I sink into his embrace.
“You may have lost someone special.”
“Two someones,” I correct him.
“Two someones. But you still have a purpose. You have the power to bring joy and wonder to people all over the world.”
I let out a heavy breath. “Maybe... maybe if I lose myself in Christmas, I’ll forget how much I love Penelope.”
Harvey pulls back, his eyes serious despite the smile on his face. “Oh, Nick. You don’t forget love. You learn to live with it, to let it shape you into a better person. But for now, let’s focus on the positive. You’ve achieved something amazing, and we have a lot of work to do tonight.”
I nod, straightening my shoulders. The pain of losing Penelope is still there, a raging ache in my chest. I may not have her, but I can still be the man she believed I could be.
You know, before she called me a liar and stuff.
As Harvey leads me out of the family room, I take one last look at the photo above the mantle. My place in that picture feels more secure now, even if my heart is torn between two worlds.