Phone Call from Santa

I can't believe so many people like this story. I'm dead serious. I can't believe it. I'm seriously awed.

Phone Call from Santa
Chapter Three: The Truth Hurts

Adrienne nodded sadly as Mike opened the screen door, unnoticed by a man who couldn't see him.

"Billie?"

But the older man just kept on crying and sucking on the self-inflicted cigarette burn on his finger. "It's not fair." he whispered to the dark. "Why would he think I'd cheat on him?"

"He did that to himself." the nine-year-old Adrienne said, gesturing at the cigarette burn. "He questioned his self-worth. He wanted to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He's mad at himself for believing in Santa."

"But Santa's not real." Mike said, barely registering the words as the left him. It wasn't fair that Billie was crying. Tre or Adie had probably made the call.

"We most certainly did not!" Adrienne protested.

"What the fuck are you? In my fucking head?" Mike snapped.

Adrienne grinned, then frowned. "Tre and my older version were sitting on the couch playing with the kids. And what makes you so sure Santa isn't real?"

"Because I saw my dad putting shit in my stocking." Mike said. "And my parents told me."

"I can't believe you." Adrienne said, stomping on his foot.

"Jesus Christ!" Mike yelped. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Remind me, the next time I see the older version of you, I'm bitching the fuck out of her. I mean, you. I mean ... oh, fuck it."

"Have you ever given Santa the chance to fill your daughters' stockings?" Adrienne asked. "Or to actually eat the cookies they leave him?"

"Of course not." Mike said, glancing at Billie Joe again and then looking down at Adrienne. "Santa's not real. If I didn't do that stuff, then it wouldn't happen."

Adrienne crossed her arms. "You're so damn sure of yourself, aren't you? Let's go to my house." She put her hands on her hips. "Well?"

"What?" Mike asked.

"Pick me up, dammit. You're too fucking tall."

"Watch your language." Mike said as he picked mini-Adie up.

*

"You and Tre aren't having sex, are you?" Mike asked the nine-year-old girl as they opened the door.

"No." she said, rolling her eyes. "You're so stupid. I'm glad your kids took after Billie Joe in mannerisms, at least."

Adrienne and Tre were sitting on the bed talking about Billie's phone call. "You don't think Mike made it, do you?" Adrienne asked.

"I can't believe I'm so stupid." the smaller Adrienne said, looking at herself. "At least I'm pretty."

Tre snorted. "Mike? Make that phone call? Pigs might fly. If Billie Joe weren't so damn innocent Mike'd probably tell the girls the 'truth' about Santa." He used his fingers as quotation marks.

"It is kind of sad." Adrienne said. "He's always so tense around Christmas. I don't get it. Everyone's always happy except him."

"Apparently he caught his dad putting stuff in his stocking when he was six." Tre informed his wife.

"Well, we all need a little help now and then, don't we?" Adrienne asked.

Mike looked at the girl next to him. "What do they mean by that?"

The nine-year-old shook her head stubbornly. "If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not going to tell you."

Mike looked confused, but moved closer to the bed to hear what Adrienne was saying.

"... I just wish there was something we could do. He scares me sometimes with how against the Christmas thing he is."

Tre hugged his wife. "It's Mike, babe. He'll be fine after the New Year."

"I know." Adrienne said wistfully. "But I don't think he's had a good Christmas in forever."

"Have you?" the younger Adrienne said.

"I love watching the kids." Mike said honestly.

"And Billie?"

"He's cute." Mike said. "But sometimes he's so annoying."

"Because he's happy?"

"Because he acts like he's fucking ten years old." Mike snapped. "I love him to death, but I don't understand why he insists on doing shit like that."

Both Adriennes sighed at the same time. "I think it's time for you to meet someone." The younger girl said, tugging on Mike's hand.

*

Mike sat up on the couch again. "Jesus Christ."

"Yeah, it's his birthday if you believe in that." A girl said from the fireplace. She stood up and turned. "Hello, Daddy."

"Wh-What?" Mike stood up.

"It's me, Kayla. Twenty years from now. I think Dad might want to see you." she held her hand out.

"What the fuck is--"

"Daddy, don't use language in front of me." Kayla said reproachfully. "Now, let's go see Dad."

---

[b]R&R?[/b]