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Authors: Kate Hardy
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godmother—and this was definitely the best way to spend Christmas. Well, second-best. Her first choice would’ve been four thousand miles away. But she couldn’t face another day of sympathy and kindness from her family, especially on Christmas Day. She’d had more than enough of the pity party. Putting a little sparkle into someone else’s Christmas was much better than thinking about the lack of sparkle in her own.
And it humbled Ellie to see that there actually was sparkle here. The children really appreciated the Christmas party. They’d played party games and sung carols and eaten their fill of the food Ellie had laid out for them. Just for a little while, they could almost forget that they had a sick brother or sister as an inpatient who wouldn’t be coming home again. Just for a few minutes they could enjoy being children. Enjoy the magic of Christmas.
All they needed now was Santa.
C.J. Holford. Even though they’d planned the party together for nearly a quarter of a century, Betty didn’t actually know the man’s first name, just the initials that he went by.
Ellie glanced at her watch. Ten to three. Santa was supposed to make an appearance at three, but surely this C.J. person would need time to change into the Santa suit and get himself ready? He was cutting it close. Or maybe she was being uncharitable—maybe he’d been held up and hadn’t had the chance to contact the hospice to let them know he was going to be late.
If he wasn’t here in the next five minutes, she’d just have to tell them that Santa had had to rush off in his sleigh because of an emergency and had asked his Chief Elf to help out here. She hoped they wouldn’t mind too much that they wouldn’t get to see the man in red himself.
Just then, a dark-haired man walked in to the playroom, carrying a bag that Ellie assumed contained a Christmas gift for someone at the hospice. He glanced around, looking slightly lost.
She went over to him. “Are you visiting someone?” she asked, ready to direct him to the wards.
He looked surprised. “You’re English.”
“Ye-es.” What did that have to do with anything?
He gestured to the badge she wore saying “Chief Elf.” “If that means you’re in charge, I assume you’re Betty?”
“Betty’s my godmother. She’s in the hospital, having a hip replacement. I’m her stand-in this year.” Ellie frowned. “So, are you C.J.?” She’d expected him to be much older, around Betty’s age rather than her own.
“No. I’m a stand-in, too.”
She noticed that that the stand-in Santa didn’t bother giving her his name or asking hers. And she had the distinct feeling that he didn’t want to be here. With his designer suit and what she’d guess were handmade shoes, he didn’t look as if he belonged here, either. He didn’t look like the kind of guy who was used to kids; he seemed more like some of her old clients at the restaurant in London, the sort who were focused on business to the exclusion of everything else. Media or finance, she’d guess.
His expression was inscrutable, but his slate-blue eyes were filled with panic. What scared him? she wondered. The fact that this was a hospice? Or was this the first time he’d ever had to be Santa and he didn’t think he’d be able to handle it?
Well, tough. Today was about the kids, not about him. He’d just have to shape up. “Everything’s ready.” She lowered her voice so the kids wouldn’t overhear her. “You can change in the charge nurse’s office—it’s the first door on the left when you leave the playroom. The supplies are all in there.”
“Supplies?”
Oh, for goodness’ sake, did she have to spell it out for him? Forget what she’d thought about him being focused. He might be beautifully dressed and gorgeous to look at, but he clearly didn’t have a clue. “Supplies for the man in red.” She forced herself to smile. This wasn’t the time or place to have a fight with him. “Is there anything
And it humbled Ellie to see that there actually was sparkle here. The children really appreciated the Christmas party. They’d played party games and sung carols and eaten their fill of the food Ellie had laid out for them. Just for a little while, they could almost forget that they had a sick brother or sister as an inpatient who wouldn’t be coming home again. Just for a few minutes they could enjoy being children. Enjoy the magic of Christmas.
All they needed now was Santa.
C.J. Holford. Even though they’d planned the party together for nearly a quarter of a century, Betty didn’t actually know the man’s first name, just the initials that he went by.
Ellie glanced at her watch. Ten to three. Santa was supposed to make an appearance at three, but surely this C.J. person would need time to change into the Santa suit and get himself ready? He was cutting it close. Or maybe she was being uncharitable—maybe he’d been held up and hadn’t had the chance to contact the hospice to let them know he was going to be late.
If he wasn’t here in the next five minutes, she’d just have to tell them that Santa had had to rush off in his sleigh because of an emergency and had asked his Chief Elf to help out here. She hoped they wouldn’t mind too much that they wouldn’t get to see the man in red himself.
Just then, a dark-haired man walked in to the playroom, carrying a bag that Ellie assumed contained a Christmas gift for someone at the hospice. He glanced around, looking slightly lost.
She went over to him. “Are you visiting someone?” she asked, ready to direct him to the wards.
He looked surprised. “You’re English.”
“Ye-es.” What did that have to do with anything?
He gestured to the badge she wore saying “Chief Elf.” “If that means you’re in charge, I assume you’re Betty?”
“Betty’s my godmother. She’s in the hospital, having a hip replacement. I’m her stand-in this year.” Ellie frowned. “So, are you C.J.?” She’d expected him to be much older, around Betty’s age rather than her own.
“No. I’m a stand-in, too.”
She noticed that that the stand-in Santa didn’t bother giving her his name or asking hers. And she had the distinct feeling that he didn’t want to be here. With his designer suit and what she’d guess were handmade shoes, he didn’t look as if he belonged here, either. He didn’t look like the kind of guy who was used to kids; he seemed more like some of her old clients at the restaurant in London, the sort who were focused on business to the exclusion of everything else. Media or finance, she’d guess.
His expression was inscrutable, but his slate-blue eyes were filled with panic. What scared him? she wondered. The fact that this was a hospice? Or was this the first time he’d ever had to be Santa and he didn’t think he’d be able to handle it?
Well, tough. Today was about the kids, not about him. He’d just have to shape up. “Everything’s ready.” She lowered her voice so the kids wouldn’t overhear her. “You can change in the charge nurse’s office—it’s the first door on the left when you leave the playroom. The supplies are all in there.”
“Supplies?”
Oh, for goodness’ sake, did she have to spell it out for him? Forget what she’d thought about him being focused. He might be beautifully dressed and gorgeous to look at, but he clearly didn’t have a clue. “Supplies for the man in red.” She forced herself to smile. This wasn’t the time or place to have a fight with him. “Is there anything
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