Christopher’s mother made delicious peanut butter blossoms with a Hershey’s Kiss right in the middle of each one. The heat from the cookie melted the Kiss just a little bit. She would kiss his cheeks and ask, “Where are my kisses?” And he would laugh, and then Christopher gathered the cookies on a plate with a nice glass of milk and left them under the tree for Santa.
He suddenly remembered waking up really early one Christmas. It was still dark out. And even though his mother warned him not to leave bed or else Santa would know he was being naughty, Christopher couldn’t help himself. He had asked Santa for a Bad Cat stuffed animal, and he just had to know if Santa brought it. Christopher tiptoed down the hallway of their railroad apartment and peeked his head into their living room.
That’s when he saw his father.
Eating the cookies and drinking the milk.
Christopher’s father put down Santa’s snack, then went to the closet. He grabbed a big, white pillowcase hidden behind ordinary bedsheets. Then, he pulled a bunch of wrapped presents out of the case and put them under the tree. The last was a nice big present, wrapped in Bad Cat paper. Christopher’s father then went to the kitchen, where he finished the cookies. One by one in silence. Then, Christopher went back down the hallway and went to sleep.
The next morning, Christopher chose that big present with the Bad Cat wrapping paper as his very first gift.
“What do you think it is, Christopher?” his mother asked.
“I don’t know,” he said quietly.
Christopher opened the gift wrap and saw his beloved Bad Cat stuffed animal.
“Isn’t that a nice present from Santa?” his father asked.
Christopher nodded dutifully even though he knew his father was the only person who put presents under the tree. Christopher went to church later that day and heard the other kids excited for the presents that Santa brought them that morning. Christopher didn’t have the heart to blow it for the other kids. He never told anyone that Santa was an imaginary friend. He just pretended for the rest of the day and smiled when his mother took a picture of his father in front of that old Christmas tree. The picture that rested in the silver frame on his bookshelf upstairs. That was the last year his father was there at Christmas. His father died in the bathtub a week later. And when the next Christmas came around, his mother made the cookies with the Hershey’s Kiss in the middle. She said, “Where are my kisses?” as she put them under the tree. And the next morning, the cookies and milk were gone, replaced by presents. Christopher didn’t have a father anymore. But he still had Santa Claus.
Christopher set down the milk and cookies on the side table and went to the old suitcase. He opened it up and looked at the old clothes, which still smelled a little like tobacco smoke. His father had a favorite sweater that was warm but not scratchy. He also had a pair of smooth cotton slacks that he’d owned for so long, they were as soft as pajamas. Christopher took the outfit, an old sleeping bag, and a pillow, and laid them on the sofa. Then, without making a sound, he tried to think as loud as he could for the nice man to hear him.
I don’t know if it’s safe for you to hide here. And I know I can’t talk to you out loud because she might be listening. But I hope you can hear me thinking. I got you some food because you must be hungry from eating that dog food all the time. I will pretend I forgot it here in case she’s watching. And I’ll leave you a sleeping bag so you can rest on the couch.
Christopher laid out his father’s old clothes.
These are my dad’s clothes. I don’t know if they’ll fit you, but I know that your clothes are covered in blood and dirt. So, I hope you can fit in them and be more comfortable. Oh, and one last thing…
Christopher reached into his pocket and pulled out all the aspirin he had.
I always have a headache now, so I take these all the time. They also make my fever stop a little. But I saw how much she hurt you, so I want you to have them to take away your pain. I’ll get more tomorrow. I know you need to