Christmas Lawyer for Santa

CHAPTER ONE

THE CANDLE EMPORIUM

Avery Hoarfrost, Esq., had always been full of Christmas magic.

And just like last year at this time, and every year before that, Avery found herself back in her hometown, leaning up against the exterior wall of the Candle Emporium warehouse, eating ice cream, deep in conversation with Santa Claus.

This time, however, the magic seemed to be eluding her. This time, her mom was dead.

Staying home would have been easier. She could barely taste the ice cream; grief had stolen away her taste buds months ago. But right before the end, her mother made Avery promise that she’d go see Santa one last time.

She was out of candles anyway.

“I don’t know, Santa,” she said. “Part of me doesn’t want to bother with Christmas this year without her, you know?

No offense.” She reached a hand behind her head and gathered her unruly golden hair in her fist, tucking it under her shirt collar to keep strands from flying between her mouth and her ice cream cone.

Her light blue eyes squinted against the low, November afternoon sun that flickered and strobed between the branches of the pine trees lining the woods behind the warehouse.

“None taken,” Santa assured her. He swallowed a spoonful of mint chocolate chip ice cream and patted his mustache with a handkerchief. “That’s completely understandable.”

Her mom had brought her here every year on the first of November since she was a baby.

As soon as she was old enough to talk, Avery insisted that all the other kids cut in front of her in line to visit him.

She would bring her report card and a long letter outlining her good deeds for the year, which she would take her time reading out loud to Santa. This Santa.

As she grew, she didn’t care that she was the oldest kid in line.

Santa was a good listener, and he always gave the best advice.

She eventually stopped sitting on his lap; by age ten, she just pulled up a chair.

She stopped asking for presents, too; she simply wanted to talk.

Over the years, they chatted about the ethics of the naughty-and-nice list, elf labor laws, and, as she got older, techniques for keeping Christmas in her heart all year long while everyone around her seemed to be losing their Christmas spirit.

Avery’s mother never once told her she was too old for such things.

“Thanks,” she said, taking another bite. “It’s not you,” she mumbled out while rolling the ice cream around in her mouth, trying to keep her teeth from stinging.

Santa huffed a small laugh and shook his head. “Christmas is a time best spent with loved ones. The holidays can sharpen grief for those we’ve loved and lost.”

At this point, Santa was the closest thing she had to a loved one.

He lived nearby, so she occasionally saw him at big community events, like band concerts and sports games.

It was still a surprise, albeit a welcome one, when he came to her mother’s funeral.

He was now the last remaining soul who’d known Avery her entire life.

Avery nodded and offered him a bite of her ice cream. He politely declined.

“It wouldn’t be so bad if the new head of my firm wasn’t demanding that I work through the holidays this year,” she continued.

“They know what Christmas means to me, I mean, I’ve built my career on it.

But everything’s changing there. Even if I had someone to spend the holidays with, I’d have to miss it to stay at the office and pitch in on this trial.

It’s not my client, it’s not even an important case.

It’s just pushing some deal through to make rich people richer.

I don’t like it. That’s not meaningful work. ”

Avery licked some ice cream that had dripped onto her finger before crunching down on her cone. She finished it off in a couple of bites.

“I can see why that would be an issue, especially for you,” Santa agreed, finishing his dish and throwing the empty cup in the bin next to them. “You’ve always been about helping the little guy. Especially at Christmas.”

A cold breeze tickled the pine trees, and Avery shivered. Santa took off his red velvet jacket and offered it to her. Halloween was only yesterday, but winter was already flirting with the wind.

With a smile, she put her arms through the sleeves of Santa’s coat. “Thanks.” Then she reached down and pulled a candle out of her shopping bag, inspecting the label.

She’d purchased three candles this year: Balsam and Cedar, Christmas Cookie, and Vintage Velvet. She loved to burn multiple candles at once and create new scent combinations, exactly like her mom and grandmother did. But this time around, something seemed off.

“Does this smell like Vintage Velvet to you?” she asked as she took the glass lid off the candle and offered it to Santa. “It says it smells like ‘Rich plum, velvet peach, and golden amber circulating through a vintage train car, blanketing you as you settle in for an unforgettable journey.’”

“Ah, yes, fruit on an old train.” Santa chuckled. He smelled the candle. “That’s it, all right.”

Avery snorted, gave the candle another sniff, and shrugged. “It must be my nose,” she said, returning the candle to her shopping bag.

“Maybe I’ll quit my job in the Big City and stay here,” she continued with a sigh. “I saw there was a job opening at a Christmas tree farm. I think my old high school sweetheart runs it now. Maybe he needs help serving hot cocoa to the customers or something.”

Looking down, Avery scuffed the ground with her boot and ran her hands along the soft velvet of Santa’s coat. True to form, Santa was a large, jolly man, and the oversized jacket wrapped around her like a much-needed hug.

“Avery,” Santa counseled, “you’re one of the greatest lawyers of your generation. You love doing that, helping people. Why, you even helped me get out of that parking ticket for my sleigh!”

“Your reindeer weren’t anywhere near that fire hydrant,” she insisted.

“True,” Santa said. “But I can tell you love what you do. Do you really think you’d be happy giving that up?”

“I know I wouldn’t be happy giving up Christmas for it,” she countered. “So why not double down? Besides, I can still help people by working on the farm. People need help…deciding what tree to get?” She shook her head. It wasn’t her best pitch.

“Christmas isn’t just about trees,” Santa explained. “It’s about opening your heart. Sharing your good fortune. Believing in magic. Haven’t you ever seen a Christmas movie?”

She glared at Santa, who winked. They both started laughing.

“Very funny,” Avery said, rolling her eyes.

He knew that she and her mom had seen nearly every Christmas film ever made.

They would start their movie marathon each year with It’s a Wonderful Life and work their way through a massive, ever-growing list, occasionally supplemented by Santa at their annual visit.

They saved the best for last, of course: every Christmas morning brought waffles, hot chocolate, and The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Toward the end, in her mom’s hospital room, Christmas movies played in the background on an endless, soothing loop, the way others might listen to rainfall or whale songs.

“Oh, you’re right,” she said with another sigh. “The tree farm isn’t the answer. But I need a change. A big one.”

“I wouldn’t give up your legal career just yet. I think you’re destined for great things,” Santa said, patting her reassuringly on the shoulder.

“I only seem to be good at two things,” she lamented. “Managing high-stakes legal operations where the entire world seems to be counting on me, and Christmas.”

Avery looked up at Santa, who was smiling back at her, eyes twinkling. She heard the sound of a bell ringing from somewhere inside the candle warehouse.

“That must be your cue to get back to the workshop,” she said, taking off Santa’s coat and handing it back.

“Oh, that’s not what that bell means,” Santa said, donning his jacket. “But you’re right. I should get going, and so should you, young lady.”

Avery reached into her shopping bag and pulled out a small tin canister of scented room spray. “I’m not feeling very young these days,” she said, spritzing a cloud of perfumed mist in front of herself and Santa. They both leaned forward and inhaled deeply.

“Hmm. What’s that one called?” Santa asked.

Avery showed him the label. “Christmas Magic,” she answered, reading off the back of the bottle. “Balsam, cedar, birch, and eucalyptus. It’s lovely, isn’t it?” She sprayed a little on her shirt so she could smell it on the ride home.

“I love that one,” Santa agreed. “You know, there’s something else you might want to consider before making any decisions.” Santa reached into his pocket, pulled out a green-and-gold business card, and offered it to her.

“Yule of Law,” Avery read with a laugh. “What is it?”

“It’s a Christmas pun on ‘Rule of Law.’ But that’s not important right now,” Santa replied.

“Oh, brother,” Avery said with a groan, mocking exasperation.

“Ho, ho, ho! I couldn’t resist,” Santa said, holding his belly while he laughed. “Yule of Law is a recruiting agency. For lawyers like you, who really love Christmas. They know their stuff.”

Avery smiled but raised a skeptical brow. “That’s…specific.”

“Indeed, it is,” Santa agreed. “But they might be able to find you an opportunity that’s more suitable.”

Avery took the card. At least a job application would keep her mind occupied. It was in the quiet moments that grief searched for an opening. She looked at Santa, cocked her head to the side, and held out her arms for a hug.

Santa smiled and embraced her, patting her solidly on the back and giving her a squeeze. “I’m proud of you, Avery. Whatever you decide.”

Her breath caught in her throat as unexpected tears welled up in her eyes. “Thanks,” she squeaked out.

As they parted ways, the two looked back over their shoulders at the same time.

“Merry Christmas!” they said in unison.

Avery slipped the business card into her shirt pocket and began the drive back to the Big City.