The Christmas Elf

"Noooo... It Kissmas..." Jacob said as he danced in place.

"Well, you two go in your bathroom and go before you wet your big boy pants. I've got to get Mommy's robe and then we can see what Santa brought you... okay...?"

That morning, I could see why kids went all gaga over this day. It was fun watching them tear open their presents. I also loved the look on Beth's face when she was given hers.

"How did you know my size?" she asked as she held them up to check the fit.

"I cheated. I looked at what you had and went a size smaller. I hope everything fits or we'll be caught up in the long return lines." I laughed, and looked at the clock.

"I didn't get you anything." She blushed.

"You gave me the best thing. I didn't realize how much I missed having a family."

"You hear that Cob... Miss Kissty said we family!" Joey nudged his brother as they played with their new toys.

"We home?" Jacob asked me bit his big eyes shining.

"Yes, Jacob you're home for now." I said and gave him a kiss on the nose.

"Home..." He sighed. "I go play in my room." He said with conviction and toddled off to the room they shared.

"Are you sure? This has happened so fast. What if...." Beth fretted as silent tears fell down her pretty face.

"Honey, haven't you ever trusted God enough to let you know when it's right? This feels right to me. We'll take it day by day... okay." I brushed her hair back and kissed her fears away, forgetting about Joey who was at our feet.

"Lub you...!' He said and ran after his brother. "Cob... Cob... Guess what. I saw mommy kissing Santa's elf." The door slammed ad we were alone for a little while.

"How can love happen this fast? Are you sure?" Beth cried. "I do love you. I was so afraid. I..."

"Shhh, just remember that later... okay. I'm sure we'll have our share of fights. But that's all a part of love." I told her, and hugged her against me. "Hey, I'm hungry. Let me teach you how to fix Latkes. The boy's will love them. We put apples on top." I smiled and pulled my new found love into the kitchen.

It was almost noon by the time we cleaned up the mess in the kitchen and the used wrapping paper out of the living room. We made sure the boys were occupied, playing with the new cars Beth had got them, as I pulled her into a much needed shower.

We kissed and washed each other until the now working water tank started spitting out cold water. We took the time to blow drying the others' hair and I watched as she put on the clothes I gave her. I found a complementary outfit as she watched me with a look of wonder on her face.

After we finished, we worked close together to put a full Christmas dinner on the table. We had a roast I had been saving for a special occasion, with fried potatoes and stuffed boiled eggs. I made my mom's famous fruit and marshmallow salad that I knew the kids would love.

"How are we ever going to eat all this?" Beth laughed.

"Oh, it will get eaten." I said nervously and checked the clock again.

"What have you done now my little elf?" She bumped me, smiling down into my eyes.

"I've invited some people over..." I let it hang, not knowing how she would take my interference.

"Who...?" She asked looking at me.

"Saved by the bell." I smiled. "I hope you really love me... I'll get the door." I said and ran for it.

"You brat...!" She chased after me as I opened the door. "Dad...?! MOM! What are you doing here?" She stopped in her tracks.

"Mr. Mrs. Cradock... welcome to my home." I said as I opened the door wider for them.

"There's my girl." Beth's father rushed in past me and hugged a startled Beth.

"Where are the boys?" Her mother looked down at me and asked.

"They're in their room." Beth said automatically. Still unable to comprehend how her parents were at my house.

"I missed you girl!" the bear of a man refused to let Beth go.

"I'll take your coats." I offered, trying to break the tension.

"How did you find me?" Beth asked next to tears again.

"Dinner is on the table, we're going to have to take turns holding Joey and Jacob since we don't have any highchairs yet." I said, leading them into the living room. "I'll explain at dinner." I told Beth, as her dad kept running his hands down over her face, trying to convince himself she was really there.

"Dad... I have to get the boys." She pulled away and called out. "Jacob, Joey... dinner time," as she walked down the hall. "We have visitors." She added as the door burst open.

"Who...?" Joey asked and stopped his grandparents. "Gamma, Poppa...? Whatcha doin here? Do you know Santa found us here this year? Miss Kissty works for him and we got everything we askeded for." He and his almost silent brother ran up for hugs.

"Uh huh..." Jacob said, taking his thumb out of his mouth. "We got new stuffed animals and a wagon and cars and a home. We live with Miss Kissty now." He beamed up at the astonished adults.

"Yeah.... yeah... I even saw mommy and Miss Kissty kissing on it. She's one of Santa's Elves and everything." Joey prattled and tattled.

"Well I never." Beth's mother gasped. "I thought you'd have learned better." She hissed at Beth. "We'll take the boys and will be going." She huffed indignant. "Tomas, get our coats."

"Bonny... hush up!" Beth's father said with heat. "We're not leaving. So, you just sit there and get comfortable, or you can start walking!" He added and smiled down at his grandsons. "What else happened?" He said ignoring the daggers his wife eyes were throwing at him.

"We had to move from shelter to shelter and Mr. Quan let us have his leftover pizza. We walked in all the malls and saw all the pretty decorations. We even got a picture on Santa's lap. That's when we met Miss Kissty." Joey played with one of the buttons on his grandfather's shirt.

"Yeah and she pickeded us up in a bad, bad storm and brought us home. Momma had to fix the heater and stuff and we got us a tree and everything." Jacob added bouncing on the opposite knee.

"We...we, was extra good and not sinful, so Santa would find us and he did." Joey smiled.

"Dinner is getting cold." I said blushing at what the boy were unknowingly saying.

"It sure smells good. What we having." He gave his wife a telling look.

"Christy made potato latkes, roast beef and all the trimmings." Beth said in a bewildered voice.

"I'm sorry Beth, your dad asked me to keep it a surprise." I said coming up to Beth, hoping it wasn't too much for her. "He found me a couple of days ago while I was working in the mall."

"I was frantic... I bet she thought I was some lunatic. They found your car abandoned in the middle of the Nevada desert, next to a canyon. No tracks or sign of the boys. I feared the worst."

"If she just abided by the rules... she'd have a place to stay." Her mother interjected.

"And lie about who and what I am? In your eyes it's sin either way." Beth hissed with suppressed emotion.

"What sin is that?" I had to ask.

"Living in sin with another woman... you should know. It seems like you one of them hussies too." She spat out.

"Bonny it's thirty miles and snowing...." Tomas warned.

"You know what?" I asked rhetorically. "If you're talking about sins of the flesh; we all have them. If you're talking about the sin of two people playing together. It's only mentioned once about women and three times with men in the Torah. Since the Torah is what you base your bible after. I think it is good to point out, that it is mentioned over twenty times the sin of eating the unclean flesh of the pig. When was the last time you had ham Mrs. Cradock?" I smiled sweetly.

"You're Jewish?" She asked agog.

"I knew I'd like you!" Tomas said. "Good point that. I personally think we need to let God worry about which mistakes we made and how he's going to forgive us for them. Like making your own flesh and blood homeless in the middle of winter. I'm starving. We can talk more later. Come on boys, you lead the way." He said to the big eyed kids in his lap.

We did have a good dinner even with the chill from Beth's mother. But given the nature of the boys, even she thawed out after awhile. Of course the boys were head to toe messes by the time they got enough food in their stomachs, that they needed another bath. As Beth cleaned one and sent him out in his towel for me to put dry clothes on, Mrs. Cradock asked.

"So where do they sleep?" After I showed her their room she asked. "How much rent do you pay? This is a pretty big house for just one person."

"I don't pay rent. I own the house. My parents gave it to me when they passed." I didn't want to tell her she was being rude, but she was.

"I didn't think your kind celebrated Christmas." She huffed.

"We celebrate Chanukah, the festival of lights. I'm not celebrating Christmas, they are. How could I ever refuse those two adorable little boys? I think God put them in my path, so I'm just doing what is right." I shrugged.

"Bonny if I have to tell you again. I'll drop you off at the shelter and let you see what it's like to be homeless. I'm at the end of my rope with you. Quit badgering that poor girl and spend time with your grandchildren. That's what you told me you wanted for Christmas." He pulled his wife into the boy's room and shoved a book in her hands. "Here, you read them a story and be a proper grandmother... for once."

I had to chuckle at the way Beth's dad handled her mom. "Is he always like that?"

"Only if you put his back against the wall. This is the first time I've ever seen him treat mom that way." She said and leaned her head on my shoulder, as I stood in front of where she was sitting.

"That ought to keep her busy for a minute." Tomas huffed. "I think I'm going to have to have a chat with that snooty church group she's been going to. They wouldn't know a good Christian action, if it bit them in the ass!" He added as I started to pull away. "Don't move on my account. You two look comfortable."

"Mozeltof..! I think you could say that about any religion." I smiled and petted Beth's hair.

"And why in the hell didn't you call me when that idgit pulled that stunt?" He glared at his daughter.

"I was so mad and hurt. She gave them my keys when I wasn't looking. By the time I noticed, she was yelling at me and telling me I was worthless and wasn't welcome in your house anymore. Then she threatened to take the boys away from me. I just ran." Beth shrugged.

"She did what? Why I ought to... Hmmm I see we need to have another one of them talks. Where in the blazes she got that high horse she gets up onto from time to time, I'll never know. Like she's never made a mistake." He rubbed his head. "I don't know how to thank you for taking care of my girl. If you need anything for her or them boys, just let me know."

"So, you're okay with me... us...." Beth asked astonished.

"Sweetie, it's like I told you when you turned eighteen. It's your life to live. You will always be my daughter, but you have to make the life you live. Every decision you make has a price. You got to pay it, not me. We all have to answer for our lives when the time comes. As long as you can live with it, who am I to cast stones."

"Thank you daddy...!" Beth got up and hugged her father. "Besides finding Christy, you've just given me the best Christmas gift ever."

"Oh, geez you're going to make a fool out of me, if you don't stop." He wiped his eyes of the tears that threatened to fall. "I'll get your mother out of your hair as soon as she comes out." He reached over and hauled me into the family hug. "If you two need a baby sitter, let me know. I'd love to spoil my grandsons. I hope you two make a go of it. It's never easy." He kissed my cheek and patted my back.

"Thanks... I think." I smiled as he hugged Beth one more time.

"Bonny, kiss them boys good night. It's time to get ourselves home." He winked at us.

We walked Beth's parents to the door and Beth even gave her mother a kiss on the cheek in well wishes. I hugged her as they walked to her father's truck.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds, but your father was so insistent that he wanted to surprise you." I told her.

"Does the bible really say that about pork? I thought my mom would faint when you had the nerve to correct her." She looked down at me with her eyes watering.

"Actually it's about all unclean meat, but yeah the Torah does. According to my Rabbi, we have to have Yom Kippur to atone for all of our sins. He says; in God's eyes all sin is dirty. It doesn't make a difference, sin is sin, and we all need forgiveness." I pulled her after me as we checked on the boys, who were sound asleep, sprawled across the bed clutching their stuffed toys.

"I hope to see them looking like that, ten years from now, when Christmas isn't such a big deal." Beth sighed.

"Oh, sweetheart; Christmas should always be a big deal. Sure I'll teach them about Chanukah and my traditions, but it was Christmas that brought us together. That to me is a big deal." I said as I held her hand. "Are you ready for bed dear?"

"Where am I sleeping?" She asked, looking down.

"Right next to my heart my love." I smiled my best elf smile and told her. "We can make the other room into a play room until they are old enough to want their own space. They've already found us in bed together. Let's not make a big deal about it... besides I would have to put you on Santa's naughty list if you made me sleep alone."

"I'll show you naughty, my little Christmas Elf." Beth smiled as she pulled her lover into their room and showed her just how naughty they could be together.

MERRY CHRISTMAS:

I hope you enjoyed my little story. May you have a Very Merry Christmas 2010, wherever you are and with whomever you love.