The Christmas Wish

Santa's Gift

"I'm not sure how you take it," she said, placing the mug in front of Robin. "Milk? Creamer? Sugar? Sweetener?"

"Milk and sugar is fine," he replied. "Though I also wouldn't say no to whiskey and Bailey's instead."

She let out a snort. "An Irish coffee sounds great. Though I don't think you're supposed to drink it at eight in the morning."

"It's five o'clock somewhere, right?" He tilted his head, watching her as she grabbed the milk and sugar for him. As she set them down on the table, he whispered: "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Regina retrieved her coffee, using some caramel creamer and sweetener before joining him at the table.

She picked up the photograph Henry and Roland had been talking about. It showed her in a white pantsuit that showed a generous amount of cleavage with a silk wrap shirt under the white blazer. A gold necklace hung around her neck and her dark hair fell in well-coiffed waves. She beamed at the camera, one arm wrapped around Robin and the other around Henry.

Both wore tuxedos, as did Roland, with white roses pinned to their lapels. Robin's hair was loose, a lock falling into his eyes as he gazed adoringly at her. He held his son close, the two boys looking overjoyed.

"I can't tell where that supposedly was taken," he said, sipping his coffee.

"Town Hall," she replied, looking closely at the photograph. "That window in the background looks like the one celebrating miners. It would be right where they perform weddings."

Robin sighed. "So we eloped?"

"It seems so. Why? You've never struck me as a religious man." She tossed down the photograph with a frown.

He shrugged. "I'm not. But I do believe in getting married before a priest in a church."

That surprised her. "Oh. I guess...I guess I've never really cared where I got married. Just as long as I did."

"Is this real?" he asked, handing her the marriage certificate they had found along with two envelopes.

She scanned, recognizing the signatures of the town clerk and the mayor. Regina nodded. "It looks legit to me."

He pressed his lips together, shifting in his chair. "So do you think Santa really married us so Henry and Roland could be brothers?"

"While I could see Tink pulling off an elaborate photoshopped wedding picture and a forged marriage certificate...I can't see someone being able to move you, Roland and all your stuff without anyone waking up," she said.

Regina watched him come to the same conclusion she was slowly starting to accept--Santa was not only real, he had also made them a family through marriage without asking them first.

(He also owed her for several presents she had bought that he could've easily brought).

"Mom?" Henry peaked his head into the kitchen. "Are we going to open the presents soon? I'm getting hungry."

"And I want to see what else I got!" Roland appeared behind him, grinning.

Regina glanced over at Robin, who rubbed his face. "We need a few more minutes, you two. We still haven't read Santa's letter to us."

Henry's eyes lit up. "Our letter, Ro! We should read it too!"

"We should," Roland agreed, bounding into the kitchen to stand by his father. "Papa, can you hand me our envelope, please?"