You are Santa?
1587 Words
I get to my cabin feeling more alive than I have been my entire life. I must have been exhausted because I drift off to sleep the moment my head rests on the pillow. It is just after seven on Christmas morning when I head out to join the carols. I don’t think I have ever been so excited about something like this.
“Lily, you made it! Come, we are about to begin,” Tracy, one of the angels’ beams.
I get pulled into a hug by Lucy. She is dressed as Mary. “Merry Christmas, Darling. Your costume is in the first change room.”
It feels weird to have people excited to see me.
“Thank you. Merry Christmas to you too, Ladies. Where is Vince?”
They giggle before pointing at the man in a familiar red and white attire, who immediately approaches me.
“Merry Christmas. Ho! Ho! Ho!”
I can’t believe my eyes when I see his face.
“You are Father Christmas?” I can’t help but laugh. Of course, he can only be Santa. He fits the personality and all.
“Of course, my red-nosed friend. Want to touch my healthy round belly?”
That is my cue to go and change before everyone sees me blushing because of Santa.
The carols are as fun as the rehearsal. The cruise guests have come out in their numbers. I am glad that no one can identify me in this costume when I spot my family. They have not seen me in over a day and don’t seem the least worried. We are dispesing when I spot Phoebe and Paul holding hands and taking a lot of selfies next to the Christmas tree.
“Is that him?”
I did not even notice Vince approach.
“Yep.”
“Oh, he is so ordinary,” he smirks. “His replacement is way hotter.”
I can’t help but laugh. Paul is one of the illegible bachelors back home, but he seems very ordinary now that I have met this man.
My heart flutters when he unexpectedly wraps his arms around my waist.
“We are almost at Jeffee. How about you go change while I do my Santa duties. We have a date you and I,” he reminds me. I nod my head like an i***t and head back to my cabin. I take out every gown I brought along. I have never worried about what to wear until now. I have changed three times when I hear a knock on my door, and I am still not so sure about what I am wearing.
“You look great!” he exclaims the moment I let him in.
“Really?” I can’t help but blush at the way he is looking at me. It does not help that he happens to be the sexiest Santa I have ever seen. No longer puffed up with a round belly like he was during the carols. Just tight black pants, white shirt, sophisticated long red coat and a Santa’s hat.
He lifts his eyebrow and curls his lips. Lord, he is so hot!
“I…kind of make my own clothes, so…”
“You are talented and perfect. Shall we go and paint Jeffee island red?”
I can’t help but laugh. I am looking forward to exploring the island.
Vince must have been here before because he knows his way around. He even gives me facts about the statues we see as we explore. The Jeffee people must love fountains, because there are a lot of them. Each has some beliefs attached to it.
“That is the spring of love and happiness. One sip and you will never be sad again. A sip costs five-thousand dollars,” Vince tells me when we come across the nineth fountain.
“That’s madness! No one actually believes that!”
“But they do, My Lady. Many people travel from far and wide for this. Want a sip?”
“Are you insane?”
“Maybe. I have this uncontrollable desire to see you truly happy.”
“Why?” I ask when I realise that he is serious. Besides him being a good person and me agreeing to play his pretend girlfriend, he does not know me.
“I don’t know. You are special. I can’t quite explain it.”
“Okay, Charmer boy. It is almost five. We should head back to the ship.”
We have exactly thirty minutes to return to the ship before it sails of to the next island. It will pick up more passengers there, also elite and maybe some royals. The next island will be Noan, then Lore. The cruise, if all goes as planned, which it usually does, will reach my favorite, the Jolly Island by new year’s and that will be the end of the tour.
“Go ahead, I need to get a Christmas gift for my girlfriend.”
I don’t respond to that, but head back to the ship. This was perfect day, until I run into my and Paul’s families. They are seated at the communal dinning area. I contemplate hiding, but they have already seen me. Paul looks away the moment our eyes meet.
“Lily, where have you been? We were worried sick about you,” my dramatic stepmother cries, acting all worried. I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“Can we just stop pretending that we care about Lily.”
I don’t know when dad got on his feet, but he has slapped me hard across my face. Everyone is now looking at us.
“Watch your words, you, ungrateful child!” he roars with veins bulging on his neck.
I clench and unclench my fists, my suppressed rage threatening to explode.
“What exactly should I be grateful for, Dad? Being punished and suffering for the sins I did not commit? I am a product of your infidelity not the cause!” I yell back, finally saying something I have wanted to say for a long time.
“I disown you, cursed and wretched child! You shall no longer bare my name. You better stay in this island because I am cancelling your cabin!” he shouts with his face trembling with rage.
I should be hurt that my own father hates me so much, but I feel free. I guess I adopt my mother’s surname from now on, except I have no idea what it was.
I hurry to my cabin and pack my bags before rushing out. I will not be able to afford the space in this ship if it sails off with me.
“My Lady.”
I am at the exit when I hear that voice. I turn around to look at him.
“I have been officially disowned. I…”
“I heard about the altercation between you and that ill-mannered brute. I am sorry,” he interjects. His description of my father is spot on.
“Its okay. I am fine with it. I must go now.”
He grabs my hand, stopping me from walking.
“Where do you think you are going?”
“I cannot afford this ship.”
“You are forgetting the part where you are my pretend girlfriend,” he reminds me, while I look at him in disbelief before untangling my hand from his grip. I don’t think he gets it.
“Look, it was great meeting you. I hope we will meet again one day, but I have to go now,” I say right when the ship’s engines start. I have to get out of here now, but he grabs my arm.
“Don’t go. I have enough space in my floor.”
“You are hot and all, but I am not sharing a cabin with you.”
He chuckles and tightens his grip on my arm.
“You will have your own, I promise. Please.”
He flashes me a cute puppy face that makes me roll my eyes at his manipulation. His victorious smile when the ship sails off is priceless. I guess I am staying.
He takes my bag, and I quietly follow behind him. My jaw drops when we reach the top floor of the ship.
“This is the premium floor, Vince,” I point out and he just shrugs. I don’t dig any further. My jaw is on the floor when he swipes his card and the entrance to the premium suite opens. I have been to the balcony of this floor and thought I have seen everything this ship has to offer, I was wrong. This is like an exquisite hotel with its own private pool and courtyards. I am speechless by the time he ushers me to the tenth cabin, which looks nothing like the one I have used for the past eleven years.
“We will share the kitchen, lounge and entertainment area, but you have your own sleeping cabin and privacy as promised.”
I am not surprised that he has the card to access this place. He is part of the staff. I am, however, curious to know if the ship’s management know that he is using this floor. I am flattered that he is trying to impress me. I hope we don’t get into trouble for this. I don’t say anything to him, but I thank him instead.
“It is a pleasure, My Reindeer.”
- Writer
