Chapter 21
Boris
I watch as Simon leaves the room. I'm not sure where we stand, but it's later's problem. I pour more batter into the skillet and focus on Ira. "Write it down. Seashell chocolate."
He grabs the pen and pulls one of the lists to him. Can he write? I move a little closer and watch as he writes Boris on the line for the name. It's a little crooked but readable.
"How do you spell chocolate?"
I spell it out for him one letter at a time, smiling at Simon as he comes back. He looks between Ira and me and gives me the tiniest head shake before grabbing another pen from the drawer.
"What else?" Ira looks up at me.
"Fuzzy socks."
"Fuzzy socks?"
"Of course." I throw my hands in the air, though I'm holding the spatula in one of them, so the effect isn't as impressive as it normally would've been.
Ira adds my fuzzy socks to the list.
"How many things are there room for?"
"Ten."
Fuck. Do I have to come up with ten things? I glance at Simon, who's busy filling out his list. I need to get hold of it when he isn't looking.
"Glow-in-the-dark pens."
Ira frowns at me. "Glow-in-the-dark pens?"
"Yes, Ira, glow-in-the-dark pens. Who doesn't want glow-in-the-dark pens?"
He shrugs, then nods, and I make a mental note to get him glow-in-the-dark pens for Christmas.
"Glitter balloons."
This time, he shakes his head, but I see him add it to the list. Shit, I need six more things. "Slime!"
Simon looks up from his list and gapes at me. I shrug in reply. I remember loving slime as a kid.
"Which color?" Ira is focused on writing.
"Eh...pink. Like hot pink, not some meek salmon pink or anything else pathetic."
Simon sighs but adds something to his list. I want to walk closer, so I can read, but the pancakes are almost done.
I grab three plates from the cupboard and put them on the kitchen table.
"Ice cream molds."
Ira doesn't reply, but he adds it to the list. Okay, four more things. What else?
"Oh, Zahrah has a bracelet with rainbow beads. I want that."
"A bracelet or rainbow beads?"
"Eh...it doesn't matter. Write rainbow beads."
He nods.
"A book about butterflies."
"Butterflies?" The look Ira gives me tells me he isn't convinced.
"Yeah, I saw a butterfly back in summer, and I don't think I've ever seen one like it before. I have no idea what kind it was."
Two more things. I send a desperate look at Simon, but he's busy writing and ignores me. Fuck.
"I know! A rechargeable lighter. I saw some you can charge with a USB cord. I want one of those."
Ira frowns. "Rechargeable, how do you spell it?"
I spell it, then wonder if I spelled it right. Fuck it, if Santa sees the error, he'll think it was Ira's fault.
One more thing. I need one more thing. "Duct tape!"
Both Ira and Simon stare at me.
"What?"
"Duct tape?" Simon doesn't sound impressed.
"You can never have too much duct tape."
He snorts, then looks at his list, meets my gaze, and gives me a nod. I grin. "You're sad you didn't think of it now, aren't you?"
"There is no rule saying we can't wish for the same thing." He writes duct tape on his list, and I huff.
"That's cheating. You stole my idea."
"If Santa reads my list first, he'll think you stole my idea."
I mock gasp. "Ira, you have to make sure my list is on the top. Put Simon's at the bottom."
Ira shakes his head. "I think he'll have too many lists to read to be able to remember what everyone's wishing for."
"True, and it's most likely the elves who read them anyway."
Ira looks up at me, and I wince. Was I wrong to mention elves? Don't the elves read them? It's not plausible that Santa will have time to read them all.
Simon clears his throat. "I'm done." He holds his list out to Ira, who puts it underneath mine, the little shit. It was what I said I wanted, but how am I to read it now?
"Pancakes!" I bring the pancakes to the table. "Do you want me to put the lists in your backpack, Ira?"
He eyes me suspiciously. "Okay."
I grin at him, grab the papers, and hurry into the hallway, where I swap them around and grab my phone. I snap a photo of Simon's, change back the order, and put them in Ira's backpack.
I check the photo and read the list:
Socks
Vegetable chopper
Ninja blender
Pyrex measuring cups
Duct tape
Heated blanket
Mittens
Beanie
Scarf
Winter boots
I groan low to myself. There was nothing fun on the list, or I enjoy a good blender as much as the next guy, but they're all practical things. No slime in sight.
When I walk into the kitchen again, Ira is already chewing. Good. I place myself next to Simon and pull my plate closer. "What are your plans for the day?" I look at him before reaching for the pancakes.
He shrugs but says nothing else.
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