The Christmas Chronicles by Tim Slover Page A

that is something new, too,
Klaus thought, marveling.
    “Know what?” he asked. Anna glanced at the Elves looking curiously at them and wondering what was transpiring. Klaus followed her gaze. “Good Elevated Spirits,” Klaus called out, “will you be so kind as to give my wife and me a moment?” The Elves made polite noises and backed arespectful distance away. “Now then, Anna, won’t you please,
please
tell me what is troubling you? What was I never meant to know?”
    Well, Anna could see that there was nothing for it now but to confess. And so she did. And it would, according to her later report, be untrue to say that her voice did not catch once or twice as she poured out her heart to her husband. Halfway through she heard Klaus murmur to himself, “All those years! How could I not have seen it?” And she saw the complete astonishment on his face when, after she was entirely finished, he turned to her and said, “But still, Anna, it’s really very hard to believe. You say you find delivering Christmas presents
boring
?”
    Anna nodded through her tears. “Tedious beyond belief,” she sobbed. How good it felt finally to say it! “I’ve tried to like it for your sake, but—all those houses, more each year! And me waiting while you check off each toy on all your bits of paper, and then waiting some more while you let them down the chimney. I hate waiting! I hate doing the same thing again and again! I know you like my company—and I treasure yours, too, Klaus, on all other occasions—and I never wanted to hurt your feelings, but the truth is—I don’t like going out with you on Christmas Eve.” It was the most terrible thing Anna had ever said toanyone, and she had just said it to the person she cared most about in all the world. What, she wondered desperately, would come of it?
    Klaus was stunned. He wondered how he could have been so blind to his wife’s feelings for so long. And he was worried:
How will it be not to have her beside me on the most important night of the year?
He could not speak for several moments while Anna stood by in agony. And then, unexpectedly, a new understanding came to him like a dove settling on his heart. “It is another discovery,” he said at last.
    “What is?” Anna asked.
    “Why, that happiness is the result when the truth is spoken in love. Anna, you have given me a great gift this Christmas Eve. I thank you.” And he actually bowed to her.
    “Don’t make me cry again,” Anna said gruffly. “I already feel like such a
girl
! Especially in front of the reindeer.”
    “Ho, ho, ho! Then laugh with me, instead!” said Klaus. And she did, because who can resist that laugh? “Now I will give
you
a gift. You will never,
ever
have to come with me again on Christmas Eve!”
    Anna clapped her hands with glee. “Really? Oh, Klaus, it’s the best present you ever gave me!”
    And so it was that thereafter Klaus made his ChristmasEve flights without Anna. And while it was true that they grew lonely and missed each other when they were apart, it was also true that they came to know the deep pleasure of returning to each other and eagerly sharing all their doings when they came back together. For them, as they have often said, it is the very best way to live. And Anna, as will be seen, was seldom idle while her husband was away.
    On that first Christmas Eve in the True North, Klaus gave his wife a lingering hug, jumped into his sleigh, and held on while his reindeer (
Finally!
they thought) thundered out of the courtyard, down the Straight Road, and off to make their deliveries. Anna joined the Elves in cheering and waving as they shot through the castle gates.
    And then the glad years had taken wing, one after the other, and flown away. How many years? It was hard to count them in the True North. You will get an idea of life there if you think of being on holiday. When you are on holiday, you fill each precious day with just what you like to do and with just whom you