The Post Box at the North Pole by Jaimie Admans

Author:Jaimie Admans [Admans, Jaimie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2021-09-15T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Dear Santa,

For Christmas, can you get the teachers to stop giving us homework? And an Xbox to use up some of the time now there won’t be any homework?

From,

Dylan

Tav’s gone when I wake up, and the blanket that was covering him is now over me as well. It feels like so many hours have passed that I expect it to be late afternoon, but the clock beside the bed shows it’s only half past eight. Any hint of the Northern Lights is long gone, and on the bed beside me is Tav’s compass and a piece of paper, and when I pick it up to decipher, it’s a map of the path to follow to get back to the main part of the Christmas village.

He must’ve thought I wouldn’t recognise it because it was dark last night. I smile as I fold up the blankets and return them to the storage chest. My thumb rubs over the face of his compass when I pick it up. He’s the most thoughtful person. He seems to think of everything. It makes him seem caring in a way that no one else in my life is. It was good of him to say what he said about Dad last night. I know he doesn’t want to get involved; I get the feeling he’s the type of guy who stays far away from conflict of any sort, but he knew I needed to hear it.

Thankfully the control panel I saw him open last night is simple to operate and I turn off the heat and step out the door. A fresh dumping of snow has obliterated his footprints already, and I follow his map and emerge next to the post office we left last night.

It won’t be daylight for hours yet, and the lights are on in Dad’s house but I go up to Candy Cane Cabin for a quick shower and change, put my hair up in a neat ponytail, and get back down the hill in record timing.

‘Good morning!’ I call as I open the door and pull my boots off.

‘Didn’t expect to see you so early.’ Dad steps out of the living room with his hands wrapped around a cup of coffee.

I give him a morning hug. ‘Is Tav here?’

‘Not yet.’ He gives me a knowing look. ‘But that explains why you’re so eager. And I did happen to see Tav doing the “walk of shame” this morning.’

I go red even though there’s nothing to be ashamed of. ‘There is no walk of shame. We fell asleep in an igloo under the Northern Lights. That’s it. Nothing happened, certainly nothing like what you’re hinting at.’ I think for a moment. ‘It’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever done with someone I’m not romantically involved with.’

‘And—’

‘And never will be,’ I interrupt. There are enough problems around here without my dad trying to imply something between me and Tav.

‘Ah, so I made it before him …’ I realise what that means. ‘For a change of pace, I’m making breakfast today, and Tav … isn’t.

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