Comet’s First Christmas by Delilah Night

Author:Delilah Night [Night, Delilah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-10-19T22:00:00+00:00

6

Following my nose, I found Jillian in the kitchen, watching the coffee maker as if it were about to share the secrets of the universe. I was a little selfishly glad that everyone else was at the Pole with Rudolph, planning the worldwide route.

“Good morning,” I said shyly.

Jillian looked up and gave me a wide smile. Her voice was flirty in a way that made me glow inside. “Hi, you. Can I kiss you?”

“I’d like that.”

She cradled my face as gently as you would a spun-glass ornament. Her kiss was sweet, and all too brief. “Have you heard from Blitzen?”

I glanced at the phone. “No, not yet.”

She handed me the first cup of coffee. “Lee is hoping we need her again. Working with us yesterday made her feel so special.”

I smiled. “I can relate. I’ve spent my whole life wanting to help the Pole. And now they’re letting me help guide the sleigh this year and next.”

“Then what?”

“I don’t know what will happen. I’m trying to enjoy every minute I have.”

“Why for only two years?”

“The real Comet—Wendy—is having babies. Well, you knew that. She’s too pregnant to fly this year, and next year the babies will be too little. But the year after that? If she wants to be Comet again, it’s her job to have. I’m hoping for something that will give me time on the team after next year. Maybe a retirement.”

Jillian bit her lip. “Too bad they couldn’t just add you to the team.”

“Ten reindeer? That would be sacrilege. It’s eight reindeer plus Rudolph. The song says so,” I teased. “All joking aside, guiding the sleigh, even if only twice, is the honor of my lifetime.”

“I’m truly happy for you. Do you want breakfast?”

“Yes. I’m starving!”

“What would you like to try that you’ve never had before? I’m not the best chef, but I can make a lot of different breakfast foods,” Jillian offered.

“Pancakes?” I’d had some of the typical elf food on dates and as part of the training program, but that was different. There wasn’t a huge amount of variety in the typical elf diet at the Pole. I was more curious about all this unfamiliar human food.

I should really tell them it’s a weakness of the training program. We don’t get to try human food, really. And elf food and human food are different—human food is so varied.

Pole food was more like a Nordic diet than an American one. I’d had rugbrod, the dense sourdough rye bread, lots of fatty fish, and more root vegetables than I necessarily ever wanted again. Any sweets associated with Santa were also eaten, so lots of peppermint and gingerbread, but not so much when it came to steak or rice. Call me ungrateful but I wanted to try pizza, bulgogi, and rogan josh instead. I guess we always look down on the familiar.

“I can make pancakes. Plain, chocolate chip, or blueberry?”

“Chocolate chip sounds great.”

“Want to help?” Jillian asked.

Jillian and I worked together in the gleaming kitchen. I put on an apron that said Life is too short; Lick the bowl.

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