Christmas with the Calvins

Chapter Forty-Three

"MmmMorning Bernard." Jessie mumbled when she woke up Christmas morning. She rolled over to give her husband a good morning kiss, but he wasn't there. "Overachiever." She groaned, sitting up in the bed. Christmas Eve was officially a whole year away, but Bernard was probably already at the workshop prepping for the next big day. Knowing full well that if Barnard had started working there'd be no getting him back in bed, Jess searched out a pair of slippers and a robe and shuffled out into the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas, darling!" Bernard called over his shoulder. He was standing in the kitchen cooking up a bountiful breakfast of waffles, bacon and eggs. It was warm in the kitchen. Maybe a little too warm making Jess regret her bathrobe.

"Merry Christmas, Bernard." She greeted him cheerily. "This is unexpected." She added about the breakfast. "I thought for sure you'd be at work."

"It's Christmas Day." Her husband snorted. "Even I have to take a break some time."

"I suppose you're right." Jessie chuckled. "Besides, it smells..." Jess inhaled a breath of breakfast smells. "...excuse me!" With her had covering her mouth Jess ran from the kitchen.

"Jessie?" Bernard turned off the stove. "Jessica?" He found his young wife looking very green as she knelt next to the toilet. "Jess are you alright?" Jess shook her head.

"I feel sick." She whined.

"Ok, let's get you back to bed." Bernard helped his wife to her feet and carried her back to their bed. He put the top of his hand to her forehead and frowned. "You don't have a fever, but maybe you should stay in bed and rest today."

"But it's Christmas." She tried to argue with him. "Everyone will be expecting me. Lucy, Charlie..."

"They will understand if you are sick." Her husband interrupted. "The last thing anyone is going to want is for you to get sicker or to get sick themselves. No, you're staying here in bed. I'll make it an order if I have to."

"You're such a grumpy Head Elf." She mumbled rolling over.

"Get some rest, Jessie." Bernard kissed his wife on the cheek. He then returned to the kitchen and ate a quick breakfast before heading out to the main workshop. Curtis was there waiting in the Head Elf's office with a long list of problems that needed to be solved.

"Oh good, you're here!" Curtis smiled. "The workshop is mostly cleaned up and the Tin Soldiers have been melted down, but there are few departments that have suffered major damage."

"Have you told Santa all of this?" Bernard asked, throwing himself into his office chair.

"No." Curtis shook his head. "Santa and Mrs. Claus have gone back to Illinois so she can collect her things. Then they're going to spend the day with Charlie. I know you and Jessica are suppose to join them there later, so if you want to just leave me a list of which projects to start..."

"Jessica and I won't be going to the Miller's this year." Bernard sighed. He pulled the list of damages out of Curtis' hand and started to skim through them.

"Not going? But why not?" Curtis was confused. Jess had never missed Christmas with her family. She looked forward to it every year and if Curtis was being perfectly honest, so did the rest of the elves. Christmas Day was the only day that Bernard officially took off. That left Curtis in charge, officially, and he loved to be in charge of the pole on Christmas Day. It was the easiest day of the year. Most everyone else was on vacation and the few elves that did stay behind worked on personal projects or did their own thing.

"Jessie is sick. So I'll be working today." Bernard explained, looking up from the parchment in his hands.

"Sick, is she alright?" Curtis questioned. "Is it serious?"

"Probably not." Bernard shrugged. "She didn't even have a fever. I told her to stay in bed and rest. Charlie and the Millers will understand."

"So I should just leave the list with you then?" Curtis tried his best to not sound disappointed.

"I'll tell you what number two," Bernard held the parchment out to Curtis. "You decide what projects to work on."

"Really?" His eyes grew wide as he took the paper from his boss. "Why?"

"Well, you did a good job this year, and I know how much you like being in charge, Abby told me," The number one elf smiled. "Jessie's department is on the list of sever damages. I'm going to spend the day down there, send me anyone from paints that is not on vacation. Everyone else is under your command, temporary number one."

"Thank you, Bernard!" Curtis grinned. "I won't let you down sir!"

"I have no doubt. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to call my wife's family and tell them not to wait up."

Jessica spent most of the day in bed. She felt nauseous most of the morning and slept most of the afternoon. Every time she attempted to get up or out of the bed another wave of dizziness would wash over her. Bernard came by at lunch time and tried to get her to eat something, but all that did was turn her stomach once more. So after the Head Elf ate his own lunch, he sat in bed with his wife for awhile. Grateful for the company, Jess laid her head in her husband's lap. He stroked her hair and told her how he'd decided to put Curtis in charge of the Pole. She closed her eyes and listened as he told her about what a good job the number two elf was doing. Two hours later she was sound asleep. Bernard slipped out of bed and returned to the paint shop. He wanted to make sure everything was perfect for his wife once she was well enough to return to work.