Santa's Daughter | ✓|Book One| ❅ (2015)

Chapter Ten

I opened door number nineteen the next day, six more days to go, and called Keith.
"Hello?"
"Hi Clara."
I told him about my plan to make Jake happy, and he was in. He's meeting with me at my house later, so I cleaned up and switched on the kettle. Gina and Clyde went last minute food shopping, so it was just me.
There was a knock on the door. I rush to it, and let Keith in. He was wearing a cheesy christmas jumper, which made me laugh.
"Where's Gina and Clyde?"
"Last minute food shopping downtown."
He nodded.
"Want coffee?"
"Yes. I shall make it."
"No, you don't have to do that."
"Excuse me, miss Clara Foster. I'm the expert. The last time you made me coffee, I almost had to ring the ambulance for my tongue. And the fire brigade."
We laughed. Keith and his good funny jokes.
A few minutes later, Keith returned with two mugs of coffee.
"There's mince pies on the table if you want some, Keith."
He smiled.
"I be right back."
He returned a few seconds later with the whole plate of mince pies.
We ate through the pies and drank half a mug of coffee.
"So, what's the big plan?"
I was so excited, I couldn't even tell him properly without screaming.
"Okay, we will plant a tree for his parents!"
"How thoughtful, after everything he's been through as a child."
"Yeah."
"Mum would of been proud of me. Who I am today. My sexuality. My half relationship with Nathan. She loved me."
"She did."
"If it wasn't for motor neuron disease, then she would of still be alive."
"What a shame. She was only taken last year. Upsetting."
I sighed and sipped my coffee, without saying a word.
"Clara?"
"Hmm?"
"What's up? Why pause like that?"
I smiled at him weakly.
"Santa's dying."
"Woah, what?"
"Yeah. None of us are ready, but he seems prepared."
"Sorry to hear that. He will always be an childhood dream to children."
"Yeah."
I put my mug down on the floor.
"So.", said Keith. "What's the plan?"
"Jake's out of town for this convention thing for a few days, so we will plant a tree at his house, decorate it and make it all about his parents."
"How?"
I grabbed his hand and got out of the house, and disappearing behind the door.
We bought fertilizers and lights and decorations and I lead him into his back garden. We planted a tree, and watched  it grow.
And grow.
And grow.
It didn't take long, not that long. We expected it to.
We decorated the tree with dazzling, blinding lights and colourful baubles, and we had to fetch a ladder to put the photo frame that is shaped of a star, with a picture of his parents, on the tree.
Me and Keith sat on a bench in his back garden, and talked for quite a bit. News about Nathan, his late Mum ans Santa's illness.
Then he asked me a risky question.
"Do you have feelings for Jake?"
"What? No!", I said, even though that it was true.
"Oh come on. I can tell whether you're lying."
I sighed.
"Okay, so maybe I do."
He squealed, excited.
"So you moved on from Mason! He's perfect for you. I just know. Judging the amount of times you spent together."
I blushed.
"You look so cute doing that."
"Shut up!" I started laughing.
A few minutes later, he came home. He didn't notice Keith at first, because he was so focused on me.
"Clara! You never said that you were coming."
"Surprise!"
He laughed. Keith appeared.
"Who's your friend, who is dressed like a human Christmas tree?"
"This is my friend. Keith. Keith, this is Jake Daniels."
"Oh! The lad in the cafè!"
"Sir!"
"Please just call me Jake. Calling me that makes me seem old."
We laughed and we followed him outside.
"I need to go to the back garden to see if the foxes came back."
He disappeared as me and Keith squeezed our hands excitedly.
But he didn't scream.
Or laugh.
We didn't hear a reaction.
We went to the back garden and cane across a stunned Jake. He just stared at the tree.
"What do you think?"
He was speechless.
"Take it down.", he said silently.
"What?"
"I said take it down! I hate this season for goodness sake! I hate this tree! Take it down at once!"