[ WP ] Santa Fulfills a Wish - Details Inside

Mr Clause looked at the long line of eager kids tied to their exhausted parents and sighed. Why had he agreed to do this? Oh yes, that ’ s right, Mrs Clause had mentioned that it might give them a boost in belief, get children ’ s spirits up and a good PR move. Too bad Mrs Clause hadn ’ t been down to New York before, Santa Clause did not need a PR boost here, if anything, he needed to be downgraded; too many imposters made kids sceptical. One of the children near the front of the line, in a blue and green knitted sweater, a little too big for him and ripped, faded jeans a little too short for him, asked his mother, a little too loudly, if “ Santa could use his special magic to get Dad out of jail ”. Santa chuckled, kids say the darnest things he thought. His photographic memory was scrolling through the Excel spreadsheet of names and recalled that the boy was Jacob Brinley and Jacob was on the Nice list, unlike the spoilt brat with ratty pigtails and a little pink dress that hurt Santa ’ s eyes, who was currently sitting on his lap; Kelly Owen – Naughty. Santa heard chatter but ignored it all, she wasn ’ t going to get anything from him, not that it mattered, Kelly ’ s parents were wealthy and would just buy what she was currently wishing for, and add a tag saying ‘ Santa ’. A few more kids passed through Santa ’ s lap ( three Naughty, one Nice ) until it was Jacob ’ s turn. “ Ho, Ho, Ho. ” cried Santa. “ Now, my dear boy Jacob, ” Jacob ’ s eyes widened – how did Santa know his name? “ I hear that you would like your father out of jail. ” Jacob sighed, “ Yes, but Mommy said that even your magical powers wouldn ’ t be enough to set him free. So, I suppose, I would like a nice car for my brother please. ” 
 
 
 Santa, wary that he couldn ’ t give away that he was actually THE Santa, felt his heart breaking. He desperately wanted to feel Jacob; he knew the Brinleys weren ’ t exactly wealthy and Jacob ’ s father had gone to jail innocently accused of king-hitting a man, when he was trying to protect a woman from being raped. Sure, Santa probably had enough power to get Jacob ’ s dad out of jail; Santa could stop time for heaven ’ s sake, but Mrs Clause would probably divorce him for breaking the law, although she was fine with him breaking and entering to give little children presents. Santa gave a hearty laugh and said, “ Of course my boy, I ’ ll see what I can do. ” Jacob climbed up to give Santa a proper hug and whispered in his ear, “ If you are the real Santa, all I want for Christmas is to see my dad, please. ” Jacob then got off Santa ’ s lap and walked towards his mother. Jacob turned to wave good-bye to Santa and swear he saw Santa wink… 
 
 
 On Christmas Eve, Jacob went to bed early, so not to hear his mother crying because Jacob ’ s father was not with them. Jacob sighed, he knew Santa wasn ’ t real; every year he went and sat on his lap and asked for such and such, and every year he got exactly what he wanted, with “ From Santa ” written in his mother ’ s handwriting. Still, he was only eight and still held the childish optimism that maybe, just maybe, there actually was a Santa out there that gave some children what they really wanted. In the middle of the night, Jacob felt a tug on his shoulder and mentally dragged himself awake. Rubbing his eyes, he saw that there was a man in a big, red suit standing at the end of his bed. “ Santa? Is that really you? ” Santa nodded and said, “ Yes sir-y, it is me. The great Santa, ta-da! ” Jacob was a little startled by Santa ’ s loud, cheerful voice and impromptu song and dance, but figured it was Christmas so what the hell. In truth, Santa was a little sleep-deprived, sure to everyone else, time stopped, but his body didn ’ t know that. “ I have a surprise for you Jacob Brinley. We ’ re going on a rescue mission! ” cried Santa. 
 
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