Mistletoe by Lyn Gardner Page A

said.
    “A…a...problem, sir?”
    Momentarily forgetting that his lead elf was also his most nervous elf, when Santa realized his mistake, he shook his head. “Relax, Percy, you haven’t done anything wrong.”
    “I haven’t, sir?” Percy said, his voice raising an octave.
    Amused, Santa asked, “I don’t know, have you?”
    “What? No…no, sir. Of course not, sir. Well, other than the small detail about Miss Diana’s letter in the sack lining, but we’ve taken care of that, or we will after I deliver the last sprig of mistletoe.”
    “Actually, that’s why I called for you. It seems that the last party our Diana is supposed to attend is not on the twenty-first as we were told.”
    “It’s not, sir?”
    “No, apparently He has a new secretary, and she misread His handwriting. I received an e-mail from Him this morning with the correction. It seems that Jamison Nash’s party is on the twenty-fourth.”
    Tilting his head to the side, Percy asked, “The twenty-fourth?”
    “That’s right,” Santa said, waiting for the elf to catch up. It didn’t take long.
    “ The twenty-fourth !” Percy shouted as he jumped from his chair. “Why…why…why…why that’s Christmas Eve, sir! I can’t deliver mistletoe on Christmas Eve, sir. My job is sitting on the sleigh with you. Helping you deliver the gifts. It’s what I work for. It’s what I wait for. It’s what I live for!”
    “I know that, Percy, which is why I called you in here,” Santa said, watching as Percy climbed back onto his chair.
    “You and I have a decision to make.”
    “We do, sir?”
    “Yes, we do. As I see it, we have three options. The first is that I send another elf in your place to deliver the mistletoe.”
    “But no one else has traveled by themselves, sir. They always go in groups, except for me, that is.”
    “Yes, I know,” Santa said. “The next option would be for us to forego the placement of the last sprig, and concentrate on our deliveries for Christmas Eve. We can’t forget that there are millions of children depending on us, so if one wish never gets granted, that’s the way it will have to be.”
    “I don’t like that option, sir,” Percy said quietly, shaking his head.
    “No?”
    “No, sir. Every child gets a wish granted. That’s the rule. We can’t break the rule, sir.”
    “You forget. Miss Diana isn’t a child anymore.”
    “But she never got her wish! You can’t go with option number two, sir. You just can’t .”
    Nodding his head, Santa said, “Well, then…there’s only one other option, isn’t there?”
    Tears formed in Percy’s eyes as he realized what Santa was saying.
    Swallowing back his emotions, the little man took a ragged breath, and then straightening his backbone, sat proud and tall in his chair. “I’ll deliver it, sir. As lead elf it’s my duty to see a job through to the end, no matter what the cost.”
    “Are you sure, Percy? I know how much Christmas Eve means to you.”
    “I’m sure, sir, because while you’re granting the wishes of the children, I will be granting one for an adult. It’s a first, I believe, yes?”
    Smiling, Santa said, “Yes, Percy, it is a first.”
    Jumping off the chair, Percy took a deep breath and straightened his jacket.
    “Well, then, I best go plan for my trip. May I be excused?”
    “Of course.”
    Watching as Percy shuffled across the room, Santa called out, “Percy!”
    Turning around, Percy replied, “Yes, sir.”
    “Make sure you have some eggnog at the party.”
    Smiling, Percy nodded his head.
    “Will do, sir…and I’ll have a cup for you as well.”
    “You do that, my friend. You do that.”

    ~~~

    “Any luck?” Gwen asked, walking into the lounge.
    Setting her cell phone on the coffee table, Diana said, “No, I just keep getting a message that the line is out of order. Must be the storm.”
    “Yeah, well, it’s getting rather nasty out there,” Gwen said as she sat down.
    “Did you run an Internet