EPILOGUE
Lindy recognized the man in the red suit the minute she got into the line with the other mothers, holding their toddlers. She would always remember this particular Santa. He didn’t seem to have aged at all since the last time she’d seen him, all those winters ago.
“Where’s Daddy?” Adam, her three-year-old son asked.
“He’ll be here soon.” Billy had dropped her off at the Children’s Closet, where Lindy had once had the role of Santa’s helper, and now she was working with them as one of her many clients.
Sure enough, not more than five minutes later, Billy arrived, just in time for their son’s turn to sit on Santa’s lap.
Santa’s eyes twinkled as he smiled first at Adam, and then Lindy. “And who do we have here?” the big man asked.
“This is Adam,” Lindy answered, seeing that her son appeared unable to speak. The little boy, who resembled his father in so many ways, looked upon Santa with complete awe. His mouth hung open, and his gaze remained riveted on Santa’s white beard.
“Well, hello, Adam,” Santa said. “I know your mommy and daddy. Your mommy used to write me letters.”
Adam remained speechless.
“What would you like for Christmas, young man?”
Without a pause, Adam said, “A brother.”
Hearing him, Billy’s eyes connected with Lindy’s. “Guess we need to get to work,” he mumbled, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
Santa glanced toward them and grinned. “I’ll see what I can do, young fellow. Now, you be a good little boy for your mom and dad.”
Adam nodded, and scooted off Santa’s lap and hurried back to Lindy.
“Thanks, Santa,” she said.
“You’re welcome, Lindy.” And then, with a twinkle in his eye, he winked.
The three left the store and headed across the street for hot cocoa before heading to Lindy’s parents’ for Christmas Eve.
“Did you hear Adam say he wanted a little brother?” Billy asked her after delivering the cocoa to the table.
“I did.”
Adam looked from his mom to his dad. “Can I have a brother real soon?”
“I’d say in about eight months,” Lindy told him.
Billy’s eyes grew wide. “Did you say eight months?”
Lindy’s face broke into a big smile. “I did.”
Billy started to laugh, pausing only long enough to take hold of Lindy and kiss her.
“Daddy,” Adam asked, “what do you want from Santa?”
“I already have everything I could have ever wished for,” he told his son.
For that matter, so did Lindy.