Tracy Tam: Santa Command (16 page)

“Congratulations,” Tracy snapped. “You know it doesn’t change anything, right?” She knew she sounded rude, but she couldn't help it. Even though the sun was up, the night was still pressing down on her. There was nothing anyone could do. She only wanted to curl up in her bed and sleep for the next three days. She didn't even care about presents.

Phil lifted her chin so their eyes met. “Did you forget? I said I would pay for her operation.”

Tracy shook her head. “Weren't you just shouting it wasn't your fault? You don't have to anymore.”

“But I want to.” He was no longer sad. In fact, it was the first time all night that he had been excited about something. “I joined Santa Command so I could make magic, and this is the most magical thing I can imagine doing. Please, let me do this.”

“But how? I can't take a check from a stranger home to my parents.”

Beth had an idea. “He could make it anonymous.”

“That might work,” Phil said. “I'll include a note saying I heard about her operation from a friend, and I wanted to make sure she got it.”

“You'll really do this?” Tracy couldn't believe that she had gotten what she came for. It just didn't happen in the way she expected.

“Just let me know where to send the check.”

“Thank you.” Tracy threw her arms around Phil's neck, knocking him to the ground. The two of them laughed hysterically for the first time in a very long time.

“Wait,” Tracy said after their laughter had settled down. “Are you still in trouble?” There was one guy sitting on the couch that she didn't recognize. Was he the boss? If so, she was ready to do some big time groveling. Phil was going to fix her cousin. The least she could do was make sure he kept his job.

Everyone stared at the guy on the couch, who in turn, stared back. “What do you expect me to do? I can't let something like tonight happen again.”

Chris cleared his throat, and everyone turned to him. “I'm pretty sure I'm the boss, and I say Phil has a job for as long as he wants it. He brought you here, Tracy, because he was afraid for your health. He stopped time because he was protecting children. He's giving up on his dream for a little girl he doesn’t even know. He's exactly the type of person I want working for me.”

Walt couldn't argue with that, so he simply said, “Glad you're still on board, Phil.”

Everyone in the room cheered while Tracy hugged Phil again.

“Well, I'm glad we were able to work everything out,” said Chris while he pushed himself off of the couch. “If you'll excuse me, I have a wife waiting for me at…” His voice faded out, and his body started to shake. He reached for the couch arm, but not soon enough. He collapsed to the floor.

Santa Command—Dressing Room

December 25
^th

0546 hours

Phil was the first one by Chris' side. The old guy was still in his Santa suit. That should have been the first clue that something was wrong. Chris would have changed back to his normal clothes the moment he got to Santa Command if he had the magic. But he didn't. The night had taken it all out of him.

Tracy knelt next to Phil. “What happened? What's wrong?”

Jared knelt on his other side. “He's still breathing. That's good, right?”

“Yeah,” said Phil. “That's good. But he needs magic. He's centuries old. He can't survive without it.”

“Is that why he doesn't deliver presents anymore?” Tracy asked. “Because it's too hard?”

Beth nodded. “When the world became too big, the job became too much. His magic is limited, and over the years, he's used a lot of it up. He has enough to keep both him and Mary alive, but as you can see, even an hour of deliveries weakens him.”

“So he created Santa Command?”

“Several hundred stations worldwide. It's far from perfect,” Beth shared a look with Phil that said they both agreed, “but he couldn't stand for kids not to get what they needed.”

Sasha climbed onto Chris' chest and placed her tiny hand over his heart. “We need to get him home. Back to his magic box.”

Phil looked to Tracy and Jared. “You two ready to go through the portal again?”

Jared

Magic existed in the world. It was all around him, and it was important. And now, it was going to save Chris' life.

Jared and Tracy carried Chris through the portal on an improvised stretcher made from Santa coats. Mary met them on the other side and helped them lay Chris down in the center of the library. Phil had contacted Mary already, and the magic box was waiting for them in the room.

Chris seemed so small and fragile lying there on the floor. His cheeks were sunken in. His skin was white and thin as paper. It was even worse that he was still in his Santa outfit and not in his normal clothes.

Jared had no idea what to do. He looked to Mary and said, “Well?”

Mary opened the lid. “How about you do it?”

Inside the box was a brilliant galaxy of stars, leaping and dancing together. It was so bright, it hurt his eyes to look at it, yet he couldn't look away. He knelt beside the box and scooped up a handful of the magic. He smiled at the way it tingled. Everything about it was real. He accepted that now.

“Your turn,” Mary said to Tracy.

Tracy knelt next to Jared. She hesitated, and he nodded, encouraging her. She scooped up her own handful, and the two of them carried the magic over to Chris.

“Now what?” Jared asked.

Mary stood behind them and put her hands on their shoulders. “You know what to do.”

Together, Jared and Tracy opened their hands and let the magic spill onto Chris' body. A thousand yellow stars dipped and swirled across his chest, around his head, and down to his toes. As the magic did its work, Chris' body transformed. His cheeks filled out and regained their rosy color, his beard disappeared and was replaced by a warm smile, and finally, his eyes opened.

He blinked a few times, then Mary helped him to his feet. A few seconds later, he was back in his navy blue suit and looked just like he had the day Jared met him.

Tracy and Jared hovered around him, unsure of what to do. A moment before, he had seemed so fragile.

“Come here, you two.” Chris opened his arms, and the two children ran into them. “Is there anything I can do for you to thank you for your help?”

Jared didn't know how he had helped, but there was only one thing he wanted anyway. “I'd like to go home.”

“Me too,” said Tracy.

***

Jared and Beth walked through the door of their apartment. Beth made it about two steps before she collapsed on the couch, but Jared wasn't ready for sleep yet.

He went to his bedroom closet and dug through the pile of dirty clothes. Beneath his favorite pair of jeans, he found the CD. He'd buried it at the bottom of his closet when Chris had given it to him. At the time, Jared thought Chris was just trying to remind him of his dad's favorite band, but after seeing Sophie unwrap the book, Jared knew the present wasn't from Chris. It was from his dad. Just as he suspected, on the inside was a note written on a yellow Post-It.

Jared, Every time I listen to this CD I think of you. I hope you'll listen to it and think of me. Love, Dad

Jared clutched the CD to his chest. Maybe it was time to think of his dad again. Of both of his parents.

He put the CD in his player, set it to repeat, and crawled into bed, listening as the music crept into his dreams.

Tracy

Sasha offered to take Tracy home. Their first stop was Pim's house. It was barely after 6 am, and no one was up yet. Tracy was glad for that, because she wasn't there to talk to anyone. Sasha popped the two of them into the living room, and Tracy pulled a plain white envelope out of her pocket. She placed it on one of the lower branches of the Christmas tree, making sure the words “For Pim” were facing out, and smiled.

Her next stop was home, more specifically, her bed. Her parents would expect her to wake up soon, and she was certain she'd hear her mother screaming happily when the call came from Pim's parents telling them about the envelope. But for now, Tracy wanted to lie in bed and remember the night.

It had been magical. Not just because of the actual magic, but because of everything she'd seen and done. She wanted to relive every detail before she forgot it. She even wondered if she could do it again next year, minus the breaking things.

“Here,” Sasha reached into one of her bags.

For a second, Tracy thought about ducking under her covers. Were they going to wipe her memory after all?

But Sasha didn't pull out a handful of dust. It was Tracy's phone. “Phil asked me to give this to you.”

It was in perfect shape, not a scratch on it, but Tracy had the feeling a few pictures had been deleted from it. She placed it on her night stand and snuggled under her comforter. “Thanks. It's been a crazy night, hasn't it?”

“What makes you say that?”

Tracy ticked a list off on her fingers. “Well, there was the computer, and Chris, and the million different Santas.”

Sasha laughed so loud that Tracy thought her parents might hear her and wake up. But they didn't. Sasha placed her hand on Tracy's arm. “Oh, honey. You think Santa Command is crazy? You should see Tooth Fairy Central. Now that place will blow your mind.”

Tracy smiled, but kept her mouth shut, because an idea was forming in her head. Maybe she wouldn't have to wait a year for another adventure. She stuck her tongue on one of her molars and wiggled it. In a few days, it would be loose enough to pull.

This book would not exist if it weren't for my critique partner, Dianne K. Salerni. She encouraged me to keep going when I thought it was pointless. I also need to thank her for saying, “I'd really like to meet Beth's son.” Confession time—Jared wasn't even a spark of an idea until she asked to meet him. Thank you, also, to Amy Christine Parker and Jennifer Baker for your invaluable insight.

I am, of course, very grateful to my husband who understands that I must escape to the bookstore on Saturday mornings. My productivity increases ten-fold when I have my quiet table and my chocolate caramel mocha.

I'd also like to thank everyone at Month9Books for believing in my story and for loving Tracy, Jared, and Phil as much as I do. You are all rock stars and helped me to bring out the best parts of this book.

And thank you to everyone who believes in the magic of Santa Claus.

Krystalyn spent thirteen years working at Walt Disney World in a variety of roles: entertainer, talent coordinator, and character captain. Her degree in theatre as well as many, many hours spent in a dance studio, helped with her job there. Her various other day jobs have included working in zoology at Sea World, as an elementary teacher, and currently as a support technician for a website. In the evenings, she does mad writing challenges with her sister, who is also an author. Krystalyn lives near Orlando, Florida with her husband, son, a were cat, and a Yorkie with a Napoleon complex.

Visit
www.month9books.com/tantrumbooks