Loading...“Bye, guys,” said Lisa as she exited the front door. “Merry Christmas!”
“Bye, Lisa,” said the other two girls in the living room as they watched their housemate leave. Sharon and Kris paid a third of the rent each just as Lisa did, but it was the senior that had found the house and asked around for housemates in the first place. With Lisa gone, the two juniors now had the house to themselves.
“So,” said Sharon to her friend, Kris. “Whaddaya wanna do now?”
“I dunno,” said the brunette. “Shop for Christmas presents?”
Sharon smiled and said, “Sounds great.” With that, Sharon and Kris got their bags together and started on their way to the mall.
Sharon and Kris had met at the beginning of the school year when they moved in with Lisa. Sharon had been going to the same college since freshman year, Kris was a transfer student. Having already completing at least one year of college, they both had a choice to live on-campus or off-campus. Sharon had lived in the dorms for 2 years, and decided to give off-campus housing a try. The blonde found that living in a house was more fun than the dorms. She had a lot more room than a small dorm room and she got to hang out more often with her friends that she shared the house with.
It was then that Sharon realized that Kris might be going home to visit her family for the holidays. “Hey Kris,” asked Sharon, “are you visiting your family over the break?”
“Yeah,” the brunette replied. “What about you?”
Sharon had a slightly sad look on her face. “No,” she replied. “There are some things going on with my family right now.”
“Like what?” Kris asked.
“It’s nothing,” said Sharon. “Just some things I don’t wanna deal with.”
Kris looked at Sharon for a moment, trying to figure out what the blonde was feeling. “Do you mean to tell me that you’re gonna be in that house for a whole month without anybody there to keep you company?”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” Sharon maintained.
“Well that won’t do,” exclaimed Kris. The brunette took out her cell phone and dialed a number. “Hello, Alfred?” she said into the phone. “Yes, it’s Kris. Listen, can I talk to Dad? Thank you.”
“What are you doing?” asked the blonde.
“Hi, Dad,” said Kris, not having time to reply to Sharon’s question. “Things are going just fine. Listen, I need to ask you something. Can I stay at college for Winter Break? I’m keeping my housemate company while Lisa’s gone. I can? Thank you, Dad!” Sharon then heard a man coughing from the phone. “Are you all right, Dad? Are you sure? Okay. I’ll talk to you later. I love you. Thanks again. Bye.” Kris hung up and turned to Sharon. “Hey Sharon,” said the brunette, “good news. My dad said I can stay here for the break. Now you don’t have to be alone for the holidays.” Kris flashed Sharon a big smile that momentarily made the blonde lose track of what she was thinking.
However, Sharon quickly regained herself. “You really don’t have to do this, Kris,” she said. “I can handle on my own.”
“But you’re gonna be so lonely by yourself. I know I couldn’t bare being alone for a whole month. Besides…” Kris took Sharon’s hands in her own and said, “…I would love spending Christmas with my best friend in the whole wide world.”
Kris’ heartfelt speech warmed Sharon’s heart and the blonde could not help but smile at her friend. “Thanks, Kris,” she said. “That means a lot to me.”
“What are friends for?” said Kris, winking at Sharon. Having agreed to share the break together, Sharon and Kris went back to their Christmas shopping.
———-
The two friends were spent after spending several hours at the mall, so when they got back to the house, they decided to lie down on their beds and watch a movie together. They shared a room so it as easy for them to watch movies together. Deciding to get into the Christmas spirit, they both agreed on Miracle on 34th Street, which Kris had on DVD. It seemed that Kris had all of the best holiday movies in her video library.
However, it was about 30 minutes into the movie that Kris’ cell phone started playing Jingle Bells. It was her ring tone. Kris paused the movie and answered the phone. “Hello?” she asked. “Alfred, what is it? He is? That’s horrible.” Then, Kris cried out, “WHAT?!” which made Sharon turn her head toward the brunette. “I can’t, I’m staying here with my–” Kris then stopped talking as if she was interrupted. Her face turned somber and she said, “I understand, Alfred. I’ll be there. Bye.” Kris hung up with a very sad look on her face.
“Kris?” asked Sharon. “What is it?”
“That was my dad’s assistant, Alfred,” said Kris. “It seems that my dad has come down with a case of the flu and he needs me to be his substitute.”
“Substitute?” Sharon asked. “For what?”
“My dad runs a worldwide organization that gives presents to kids to spread the spirit of Christmas.”
“He’s kinda like Santa Claus then.”
Kris looked at Sharon with a blank stare for a moment and then replied with a slight smile, “Yeah, I guess he is.” However, the smile quickly faded. “Since he’s sick, he needs a substitute to spread the cheer. I’m the only other person qualified for the job.”
Sharon said, “You don’t mean…?”
“Yes,” replied the brunette. “I have to go home for Christmas.” Kris grabbed Sharon’s hands, looked straight into her face with sad eyes, and said, “Please understand, Sharon. I want more than anything to be with you this Christmas. But I have to do this for my father.”
“I understand,” said Sharon. “It’s no biggie.”
“I wish that I didn’t have to leave you here all by yourself.”
“Seriously, Kris. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes,” Sharon asserted. “I don’t need to be mothered.”
“You’ll see me off tomorrow, won’t you? Alfred has already booked a flight home for me at Kennedy Airport tomorrow afternoon.”
Sharon smiled and said, “Of course I will.” Kris and Sharon spent the rest of the evening watching Christmas movies, all the while completely silent. Although she would never admit it to anyone, Sharon was suffering inside knowing that she would not be spending Christmas with her best friend like they had planned.
———-
Sharon drove Kris to the airport the next day. It was difficult getting to the airport as New York City was jammed, as always, and the snow on the ground made driving conditions even worse. It seemed that Alfred had anticipated harsh winter conditions by booking a flight in the afternoon.
As Kris was about to go through the security checkpoint, Sharon asked her, “When will you be back?”
Kris replied, “I’ll be back on January first.”
“So you’re gonna be away for a month after all.”
Kris held Sharon in her arms and said, “I’m so sorry that I have to leave you alone all by yourself, Sharon. You know that I wanted to be with you this Christmas.”
“Kris,” said Sharon, smiling at her friend, “please don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine by myself.”
“I just get the feeling that you’ll be lonely without anybody around,” Kris said, her voice overflowing with guilt and compassion.
“I wanted to spend Christmas with you too,” said the blonde, “but it’s really not a problem. Your dad needs you and you should be there for him.”
Kris sighed. “All right,” she said. “But you have to promise me that you’ll have a good time while I’m gone. If you don’t, I could never forgive myself for leaving you alone for the month.”
“I promise I’ll have a good time, Kris,” Sharon reassured.
“All right,” said Kris, hugging her friend again. “I’ll see you in a month, okay?”
“Okay.” The two friends released each other and Kris passed the security checkpoint, waving goodbye to Sharon all the way. As soon as Kris was out of sight, Sharon’s smile faded completely. In fact, it took all she had to keep tears from dripping from her green eyes.
———-
Sharon returned to the house and entered the room that she and Kris shared. The room seemed so empty with Kris’ bed vacant. With nobody around to see her misery, Sharon was now free to express the emotions that she hid from Kris. She threw herself down on her bed, buried her face in her hands and cried. Never before had Sharon felt so lonely. She also felt guilty for lying to her best friend about having a good time while they were apart. However, Sharon knew that it was necessary so that Kris would not worry about her wellbeing. The last thing that Sharon wanted was for Kris to suffer on her account.
Living together since they had first met, Sharon had never bothered to ask for Kris’ phone number. If she ever wanted to talk, Kris was always there, so there was no need to have her phone number. The only other person that knew Kris’ cell phone number was Lisa, and she had already left the day before. Not being able to spend Winter Break with Kris was bad enough. But not even being able to talk with her on the phone was the worst thing that Sharon could imagine. Having absolutely no contact with Kris whatsoever was devastating to Sharon. However, Sharon had been on her own since she was 18. She had managed for 2 years, and she felt that she could manage now.
It was difficult spending the next few weeks by herself. Although solitude had been her friend for so long, Sharon somehow managed to replace solitude with Kris’ company. Now that Kris was gone, it was difficult for Sharon to take solitude back. She spent most of her time lazing about the house, only going outside to get food. Without classes to distract her, the next few weeks were unbearably boring.
As Christmas approached, Sharon became more and more depressed. She had gained several pounds from a lack of activity and was becoming more and more withdrawn from a lack of company. December 24th was hardest for Sharon. With Christmas the very next day, the knowledge that she could not be with Kris on that day was so clear. Sharon did not even bother to get out of bed on the 24th.
As she lay in her bed, for the first time in almost 3 weeks, Sharon spoke when not speaking to a store clerk. She said, “All I want is to be with Kris. I don’t want anything else. I don’t want clothes or movies or any presents of any kind under the Christmas tree. All I want for Christmas is to be with Kris.”
———-
On Christmas Eve, late at night, Sharon was awoken by strange noises coming from the living room. Sharon knew that neither Lisa nor Kris were supposed to be back before three days from then. ‘Is it a burglar?’ Sharon feared. Distracted for the moment from her loneliness, Sharon got out of bed, picked up her baseball bat from her closet, and quietly made her way to the living room.
Sharon peeked around the corner into the living room to see who the intruder was. It was a person wearing a Santa Suit. ‘Probably wearing that suit to convince children that he’s Santa to not make them worry,’ Sharon thought to herself. ‘Well, he’s not gonna trick me!’ Sharon clutched her baseball bat tightly and rushed into the living room, yelling a battle cry as she prepared to strike the intruder down with the bat.
Just as Sharon was in striking range of the intruder, the figure, having heard the blonde’s battle cry, turned and looked at the girl rushing at her. Sharon stopped dead in her tracks as she looked into the blue eyes of the young woman before her. Sharon dropped the bat, staggered backward, and fell on her butt, looking up at the figure that was standing in her living room. “K–K–K–Kris?” the girl stammered.
“Yes, Sharon,” replied the brunette in the Santa Suit. “It’s me.”
B–But what…? Why…?”
Sharon was very surprised and confused as to why Kris was standing in the living room wearing a Santa Suit. The brunette answered the question that Sharon was too speechless to ask. “I’m Kris Kringle,” she said.
“You are NOT Kris Kringle,” Sharon exclaimed, still not fully believing what she was seeing.
“You’re right,” said Kris, “I am not the person that you know as Santa Claus. But my name is Kris Kringle, Kristine Kringle to be precise. I was named after my father, Kris Kringle the First. My father is the real Santa Claus.”
“You’re father…”
“The head of a global organization that brings presents to children around the world to spread the spirit of Christmas,” Kris stated. “So you see, when you said my father was like Santa Claus, you were much closer than you thought.” Kris held out her hand toward the blond-haired girl, sitting in front of her in her green pajamas. “Come on,” said the brunette, “and stop beating yourself up over little ol’ me.”
Sharon looked up at Kris’ face. Kris looked back at Sharon with eyes full of compassion and a smile full of encouragement. Slowly, Sharon extended her hand toward Kris’. Their fingers touched and their hands clasped. Kris pulled Sharon up off of the ground with a strength that a normal human should not have possessed. However, Kris’ inhuman strength was nowhere to be found in Sharon’s mind. All that mattered to Sharon was the fact that her best friend was with her on Christmas Eve.
Overcome with a rush of emotion, Sharon simply collapsed into Kris’ arms, buried her face in Kris’ shoulder, and cried. She was so happy that she could not hold back the tears of joy. She tried her best to hide her emotions from Kris, but the tears just kept coming. Kris held Sharon tightly, and suddenly, the blonde no longer cared if her friend saw her cry. So, she kept crying into Kris’ shoulder, all of her incredible happiness pouring out of her.
The two girls stood there for what seemed like hours until Sharon’s sobs died down and she was able to look up at Kris’ face again. The brunette was still looking at Sharon with bright blue eyes and a smile so full of love and compassion. Sharon smiled back at her, her green eyes still damp with tears. Kris simply wiped the tears from her friend’s eyes. “Come on,” said Kris, walking toward the fireplace. “I’ll show you everything.” Sharon followed Kris until they both stood fully in the fireplace. Kris held Sharon’s hand tightly and said, “Hold on tight.” Just as Kris stopped speaking, she touched her free hand to the side of her nose and her body started rising up through the chimney. Sharon clutched Kris’ hand and was dragged up the chimney with her.
As the two girls exited the chimney at the roof of the house, they landed safely next to a very large sleigh, with eight reindeer harnessed in front of the sleigh, obviously meant to pull it like sled dogs. The sleigh had two rows, the front row reserved for a driver to sit in, the back row filled completely by a large, white bag, filled with what could only be toys and other goodies. Kris gestured to the sleigh, “Please watch your step as you enter the sleigh,” said the brunette as if she were a flight attendant, “and please enjoy your flight.” The blonde stepped up into the sleigh and sat down at the far end of it. Kris followed Sharon into the vehicle and sat down beside her.
Holding the reins in her hands, Kris called out, “Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen! On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!” Hearing the magic words spoken by their driver, the reindeer dashed forward. Sharon looked on in fear as the reindeer approached the edge of the roof. However, instead of falling off the side of the house, they simply kept moving forward. They were flying! “Here we go!” said Kris as she pulled back on the reins. As she did so, the reindeer aimed their noses skyward and they all ascended.
It was several minutes for Sharon to come down from the shock of riding ride off the roof of the house. When she had recovered, she managed to look over the side of the sleigh and see the world below her. As the City that Never Sleeps, the lights of New York City glistened, even in the middle of the night. It was a wondrous sight that Sharon had never dreamed of seeing. The reality of the moment finally starting to dawn upon her, Sharon looked forward, held out her arms, and let the wind fall upon her face. “WHOOO-HOOO!!!” the blonde cried in excitement as she flew through the air on Santa’s sleigh.
Kris piloted the reindeer in twists, rolls, and loops, obviously giving Sharon the time of her life. The blonde felt like she was on a roller coaster and the adrenaline that her body was producing was just the rush she needed to break out of her previous weeks of little or no activity.
———-
When she felt that she had had enough excitement, Sharon lowered her arms and Kris returned to her steady flying. “That was amazing!” Sharon cried in happiness.
“This is my first time piloting my dad’s reindeer,” said Kris. “It’s pretty exciting for me too.” Sharon’s expression suddenly changed from one of excitement to discomfort. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. “Oh my God,” cried Kris, “you’re freezing!” In only her pajamas, it was cold to the point of near-agony. Kris hastily pulled off her red coat and handed it to Sharon. “Put this on,” she said.
“Won’t you be cold?” the blonde asked.
“Sharon,” said Kris in a motherly tone, “stop doing everything by yourself and let your friend help you for a change! You need this coat more than I do.” Kris was wearing a black, long-sleeved T-shirt underneath her coat, probably colored to absorb as much heat as possible. Sharon reluctantly held out her hand and took the coat from Kris. She put the coat on and wrapped herself up in it. Kris let go of the reins, causing the reindeer to fly in the same direction, in essence, putting the sleigh on cruise control. “Come clean with me, Sharon,” said Kris in a surprisingly concerned tone of voice. “Why do you insist on doing everything on your own? Why don’t you let your best friend do what she can to help you?”
Sharon looked at her friend with a look that Kris had never seen before, sadness and a hint of resentment. “It’s something that has been going on for a few years,” said Sharon.
“Tell me,” said Kris, listening intently so that she may help her friend.
“I haven’t talked with my family in two years,” Sharon explained. “I’ve been on my own ever since I graduated from high school. I’ve learned to take care of myself, and I’m not used to others looking after me.”
“You haven’t talked with your family in two years?!” exclaimed Kris. “Why?”
“It was something that happened on the day of graduation. We were at a graduation party at one of my friend’s houses. Anyway, what I didn’t know was that my parents wanted me home before midnight. So, they came to pick me up. When they came to the house, they found me in my friend’s room…” Sharon hesitated for a moment. “My friend was lying on her bed and I was sitting on her face, grinding my crotch into her mouth.” Kris looked at Sharon in stun. “My parents were furious with me, saying that no daughter of theirs was a lesbian. I told them that I couldn’t change who I was, and they disowned me.” Sharon’s emotions were beginning to show themselves again. “I gathered what little money I had saved over the years, went off on my own, got a job in the city, and started at the college. I got a student loan, so I’ve been able to sustain myself without any help from anybody else. I had become so used to the solitude that I felt that I didn’t need any help.” Sharon paused before saying, “…until I met you.”
The two girls looked into each other’s eyes. “Kris,” Sharon continued, “I lied to you when I said I would have fun while you were gone. In fact, I was miserable without you. The house felt so empty without my best friend to keep me company as we had planned. Nothing held its appeal to me any more. I didn’t do much of anything for these past few weeks.”
“I can tell,” said Kris. “I can see that you’ve gained some weight.” Kris then took Sharon’s hands in her own and said, “But don’t worry, Sharon. I’m here now. We’re together for Christmas, just like we planned.”
“I’m still wondering how this is all possible,” said the blonde. “I stopped believing in Santa Claus a long time ago. I didn’t hang my stockings, I didn’t write a wish list, and I didn’t wish for any presents.”
“Yes you did, Sharon,” Kris then said. “Oh, yes you did! You didn’t say it as if it was a wish, but at the most basic level, it was a wish, pure and simple.”
“I did?”
“I believe your exact words were, ‘All I want is to be with Kris. I don’t want anything else. I don’t want clothes or movies or any presents of any kind under the Christmas tree. All I want for Christmas is to be with Kris.’ That’s what you said.”
Sharon looked at the brown-haired girl in stun. “How…?” she stammered. “How did you know what I said?”
Quoting Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Kris said, “He sees you when you’re sleeping, he known when you’re awake.” She continued to say, “It’s an ability that we Kringles have. We are similar to elves in many ways, with magical abilities and all. We can look into people’s hearts and see what they desire most of all. But only people that believe in Santa Claus.”
“Why is that?”
“A person’s belief is a very powerful force. It acts like a beacon for the elves, and it’s something that we are drawn to. Once we sense a person’s strong belief, we can listen to that person’s desires. That’s why so many people don’t get exactly what they want for Christmas, because their belief in Santa Claus is not strong enough. But when they do believe, they get all the presents that they want. Usually it’s just toys and candy. This is the first time that I’ve known an adult to believe so strongly in Santa Claus.”
“But that’s just it. I stopped believing in Santa Claus a long time ago.”
“That may be true,” said Kris. “But tonight, you were willing to believe in anything. You wanted so badly to be with me this Christmas that if there was even a small possibility of something happening that would bring me to you, you would believe in that possibility. You needed something to believe in, so you chose to believe in Santa Claus. And voila. Here I am, spending Christmas with you just like you wished.”
“Oh, Kris,” cried Sharon. She jumped toward Kris and embraced her friend, sobbing into her shoulder like she had done before. Kris was so happy that Sharon was finally finding the courage to express her emotions to her. She embraced Sharon, channeling her thoughts of love and wellbeing to her friend, letting Sharon know that Kris was there for her.
———-
When Sharon had shed all of her tears and was ready to continue with her life, Kris grabbed a hold of the reins again and piloted the sleigh earthward. They landed on the roof of a house and came to a stop. Kris jumped out of the sleigh and asked Sharon, “Would you like to help me do my rounds? I could use a hand.”
“Sure thing,” Sharon said cheerfully. The blonde jumped out of the sleigh as well and helped Kris pick up the large bag in the back row of the sleigh. Sharon held on to one end of the bag while Kris held on to the other. Sharon went down the chimney first, then the bag, then Kris.
———-
Sharon and Kris made their way westward across North America fairly quickly. There were only about a hundred houses that they visited. Both girls were somewhat disappointed by the fact that so few people believed in Santa Claus enough to be visited by at least one of the Kringles.
Even though it took several hours for them to traverse the continent, they were given an extra hour every 1,255 miles west that they traveled. Using the time zones to get her around the world in one night, Kris had started her journey in eastern Siberia, just west of the International Date Line. The last stop that Kris and Sharon made as Santa’s substitutes was in Alaska. However, since the population of the high latitude territories was so sparse to begin with, they did not have to spend much time delivering presents that far north.
After making their final delivery, Kris and Sharon took off again on Santa’s sleigh, but simply circled around a small area for a bit. “Well, that was the last of my deliveries,” said Kris. “Whaddaya wanna do now?”
“I dunno,” Sharon replied. “I doubt you would let me go back to the house as I would be alone for the next week.”
“I know,” said Kris, her voice taking on a small bit of excitement. “Why don’t you spend the next week with me at the North Pole?”
Sharon gave Kris a surprised look. “Is that allowed?” she asked. “For a human to stay at Santa’s home?”
“I’ll tell my parents the situation, let them know that you would be all alone otherwise. I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“Thank you, Kris,” said Sharon, resting her head on Kris’ shoulder. Using one arm to wrap around Sharon, Kris used her free hand to hold onto the reins. She moved the reindeer out of their circular path, and aimed them directly north, and called out to the world, “Merry Christmas to all…” However, she trailed off at the end. She turned to Sharon and asked, “Would you like to finish?”
Sharon looked at Kris for a moment, slightly puzzled. However, Kris’ encouraging smile made it impossible for Sharon to resist. The blonde looked down at the world below her and finished Kris’ phrase, “…and to all a good night!” The friends laughed in jollity as they continued their journey northward.
———-
It was very cold when the reindeer returned to the ground. Although not as cold as the South Pole, the North Pole was about 40 degrees below 0. However, as they reindeer and the sleigh landed, a large cave suddenly opened up in front of them, which the reindeer simply went into as they continued their deceleration.
As soon as they had cleared the mouth of the cave, the mouth closed up behind them. The sight inside the cave amazed Sharon. It was a gigantic factory, full of cranes, conveyer belts, and all manner of machines. At the controls of every machine, and every crane was a person, mostly humanoid, but with pointed ears. Sharon knew that they had to be elves.
“This is where all of the toys are made,” said Kris. “Well, all of the toys that aren’t made by other factories. If a child wants a Nintendo Wii for Christmas, then we simply buy one from Best Buy or some other store that sells Wiis.”
“Amazing,” the blonde uttered, astounded by the enormity of the factory she was in.
At the far end of the factory was a doorway, which the reindeer were pulling the sleigh towards. As they reached the doorway, the doors swung open and let the reindeer and the sleigh inside. It was a stable. As soon as the sleigh was safely through the doorway, the reindeer and the sleigh came to a complete stop. Waiting for Kris was a man, seemingly in his late twenties, standing by the side of the sleigh. “Welcome back, Miss Kringle,” the man said.
“Thank you, Alfred,” the brunette replied.
The man then noticed the blond-haired girl in the sleigh and his jaw dropped. “You brought someone with you?!” he cried in surprise.
“Oh, her,” Kris said. “This is my housemate, Sharon. She was all alone in the house with me gone, so I went to keep her company.”
“Humans aren’t allowed to see this place!” exclaimed Alfred, obviously very angry with Kris.
“It was her Christmas wish.” Alfred froze. “Sharon wished to be with me this Christmas,” Kris said. “It was my duty to bring presents to those who believed in Santa Claus, and I WAS the present that Sharon wished for.” Kris’ voice was rising. “Don’t go quoting my father’s rules to me because I followed them to the best of my ability!”
“My apologies, Miss,” Alfred said, bowing to Kris. It was then that Sharon noticed that Alfred also had pointed ears. He was an elf as well!
Kris and Sharon got out of the sleigh. “Come on,” said Kris, taking a hold of Sharon’s hand. “I’ll show you the residential hall.” Kris started walking toward a door leading from the sleigh while Alfred undid the harnesses that kept the reindeer connected to the sleigh and one another.
———-
Just on the other side of the door was a long hall with doors on either side with numbers, as if it were a hotel or apartment complex. “These are where all of the workers stay at night when they’re not working. However, they’re only here from the beginning of autumn to the end of winter. Sometimes, the weather gets so warm that the North Pole starts melting. It’s only when the water freezes that we have a solid ground to set foot on.”
“I see,” Sharon said.
At the end of the hallway was a very large door, covered in red velvet. On the door was knitted white letters: “SC”. “As you can expect,” said Kris, “this is my parents’ room.”
“Santa Claus’ living quarters…” said Sharon in awe.
“Again, only during the cold seasons,” Kris said.
“Can I meet your father?” Sharon asked, surprisingly excited for a 20-year-old.
“No,” said Kris. “Remember why I had to come home in the first place? My dad has the flu. I couldn’t let you catch it too. You would feel horrible for weeks. My dad is only just starting to get over it.” Just then, there was a loud coughing from behind the door. “As you can hear,” said Kris, “he’s still in pretty bad shape.”
Right next to the large velvet door was another velvet door, although smaller than the main door. Kris opened the door and walked in, followed by Sharon. Behind the door was what seemed to Sharon like a normal sized house! “This place is huge!” Sharon exclaimed. If the daughter of Santa Claus got a residence that large, Sharon had no way of imagining how large the residence of Santa Claus himself was!
“This is where I stay when I’m visiting my parents for the winter,” the brunette explained. “My parents live in Germany most of the year. They’re only here at the North Pole during the winter holidays in preparation for this year’s Christmas and to get something of a head start on next year’s Christmas. January First is usually the day that my parents go back to Germany and all of the elves go back to their respective homes around the world. In fact, you may have seen a few without ever realizing it. They do a very good job of hiding their ears with hats, wigs, and long hair.”
“Are there any that live in New York?” Sharon asked.
“A few, I think,” said Kris. “My dad is the only one that knows who lives where. It’s not my responsibility to make sure that all the helpers are accounted for. I may fly toys to children around the world when Santa Claus is sick, but Alfred is the one who does all of the…” Kris trailed off as she made a large yawn. She then finished her sentence, “…all if the executive work when my father can’t.”
“You’re tired,” Sharon said.
Kris made a small smile and said, “It happens when you’re up for twenty-four hours straight.”
“I’m kinda tired also. I don’t think I was asleep for very long before you broke into the house.”
Kris laughed, “Ha ha ha.” Sharon thought it sounded almost like the “Ho ho ho” sound that Santa Claus made when he laughed. “I’ll show you to my boudoir,” said the brunette. Kris walked to another part of the “house” and Sharon followed.
———-
Kris’ bedroom was just as magnificent as the rest of the “house” that she lived in. It was large, about twice the size of a bedroom for the daughter of normal parents. The walls were white and the floor was covered by a soft, red carpet. The bed was a queen-sized mattress with red silk for the blanket, white pillows, and transparent, pink curtains hanging from the ceiling. Kris told Sharon, “We don’t usually have visitors, as you can imagine. So you have to sleep in my bed.”
“I don’t mind,” Sharon said. “In fact, I think it would be nice to sleep in the same bed as you.”
Kris smiled, her heart obviously warmed. “Just make yourself comfortable and I’ll be out in a minute.” Kris went to her dresser beside the bed and took out a set of red pajamas. Kris entered an adjacent bathroom as Sharon got onto the bed. She took off Santa’s coat and slipped under the covers. It felt like she was lying on a cloud, the bed was so soft. It was so relaxing that it was difficult for the blonde to keep her eyes open as she waited for Kris to exit from the bathroom.
Kris exited in her red pajamas. She walked to the side of the bed, where there was a small knob on the wall. She turned the knob counter-clockwise and the lights dimmed. She did not turn the lights down all the way, just enough so that the room seemed to be lit by candles instead of incandescent lamps. She then got into bed next to Sharon. “I’m so glad you’re with me this Christmas,” Sharon said to her brown-haired friend.
“Me too,” said Kris. The brunette then said, “Can I ask you something, Sharon?”
“Mm-hm,” Sharon said.
“You seemed very sad before I came to pick you up. Why were you so sad?”
“I was lonely,” replied Sharon.
“But I thought that you were used to it. Haven’t you had to fend for yourself for two years?”
“Well, I had made friends since then. I missed you, Kris.”
“Wasn’t that girl you slept with also your friend?”
“Yeah, but she was only a friend. I wasn’t it love with her.” Sharon suddenly gasped and covered her mouth, hardly able to believe what she had just said. She turned to Kris, her eyes wide with astonishment.
Kris had almost the same expression on her face, but to a lesser degree. She seemed to be expecting what Sharon had said. “Sharon…” the brunette said very slowly, moving closer to the blonde until their faces were mere inches apart, “…are you in love with me?”
Sharon slowly removed her hand from her mouth and looked deep into Kris’ eyes. Although full of surprise, the brunette’s blue eyes were still full of warmth and compassion, and Sharon knew that no matter what she said, Kris would still love her, even if it wasn’t the love that Sharon felt. Still slightly dazed from the realization she had about her own feelings, she responded, “Yes, Kris. I am.”
Kris stared into Sharon’s green eyes for a moment. After she had fully comprehended what Sharon had just confessed, Kris flashed the blonde another one of her dazzling smiles. However, this smile was different from the others Sharon had seen. It was less of a friendly, sisterly smile and more of a loving, caring, compassionate smile that a person would only make when thinking about a person that she passionately loved. “I love you too, Sharon,” Kris said softly. Kris leaned in and gently kissed Sharon’s lips.
Even though the contact was very light, the feeling was electric to Sharon. Warmth filled the blonde’s body and she felt such happiness at knowing that Kris felt for her just as she felt for Kris. Sharon wrapped her arms around Kris and pulled herself up, pressing her lips into Kris’, letting her friend know just how much she loved her.
———-
As they continued and the kiss intensified, Sharon moved her tongue past her lips and pushed it against Kris’. Kris parted her lips and let Sharon’s tongue roam freely inside. The heat it the girls’ bodies began rising as they kissed passionately, their tongues dancing around inside each other’s mouths.
As they broke for air, Kris took that opportunity away from Sharon’s mouth to go for the buttons of Sharon’s green pajama top. The brunette undid the top button, exposing Sharon’s collarbone. She then moved down to the second button, revealing the blonde’s cleavage. She unbuttoned Sharon’s top very slowly and methodically while Sharon stayed completely still. The blonde was getting the same thrill from being undressed as Kris was getting for doing the undressing.
The third button came undone, and the fourth, and finally the fifth. In the same slow and sensual manner that Kris had unbuttoned Sharon’s top, she pulled the blonde’s top open, revealing Sharon’s bare torso. Even with the pounds that Sharon had gained, her stomach was still flat and taught. Kris marveled at Sharon’s breasts and the pink nipples that had become erect initially from the cold and now from the excitement.
Kris leaned in to kiss Sharon again, this time with a desire that Sharon had never expected from Kris. The brunette hungrily sucked on Sharon’s tongue as her hands went to the blonde’s exposed breasts. Sharon moaned into Kris’ mouth as she felt her friend’s hands grope and kneed her flesh. Sharon’s hands roamed Kris’ back, stopping at the hem of her red pajamas to move her hands up the brunette’s back.
Again, Kris broke for air and looked down upon her lover. Sharon’s hands were still touching the skin under Kris’ pajama top. Wanting to give Sharon the same view that she was seeing, Kris unbuttoned her top and showed Sharon her own, naked breasts. The blonde was captivated by the sight and could not help but let her hands glide over Kris’ globes, feeling how round and firm they were.
Fueled by desire, Sharon quickly shucked the red garment from Kris’ shoulders and pulled Kris’ body down on top of her, pressing their breasts together. Their lips met in a passionate kiss again as Kris started rocking her body up and down, rubbing her erect nipples against Sharon’s. They both moaned in pleasure as they felt the other girl’s bare skin rub against their own.
With her left hand holding the back of Sharon’s head, Kris moved her right hand up and down the length of Sharon’s body. She grasped the blonde’s left breast, causing a soft moan to escape Sharon’s lips. She felt the nipple in between her thumb and index finger, and could not resist the urge to give the hard nubbin a little squeeze. The sensation was like electricity shooting through Sharon’s body as her friend pinched her nipple and the blonde moaned loudly. The thrust her body upwards, pushing herself against Kris, wanting to feel as much of her as she could.
Sharon groaned in frustration as Kris’ hand left her breast and continued roaming her front side. However, her frustration soon faded as Kris’ hand found the hem of Sharon’s pajama bottoms and entered her pants. Her right hand still gliding up and down Kris’ back, Sharon brought her left hand to Kris’ arm and guided her between her legs. Kris felt just how wet Sharon had gotten. Her pubic hair was damp with arousal and her labia were dripping with desire. Sharon lightly ran her fingers up and down the length of Sharon’s slit, causing shivers to run up and down Sharon’s spine.
As Kris continued stimulating Sharon’s vagina, she started to feel the blonde’s erect clitoris emerge from its hood. Sharon was moaning with desire, her body begging to be touched. Starting off gently, Kris began rubbing the tiny button atop Sharon’s opening. Sharon gasped in surprise and her hand clenched Kris’ arm. Giving Sharon time to grow accustomed to the feeling, Kris stopped moving for just a moment. As she started up again, Sharon moaned loudly, her hips starting to rock against Kris’ hand.
Feeling Sharon’s wetness flow over her hand, Kris could no longer resist the urge to taste her friend. The brunette moved down Sharon’s body until her face was when her hand was. She could see the dark spot on the crotch of Sharon’s pajamas, the smell of the blonde’s arousal filling Kris’ nostrils. In one swift motion, Sharon pulled Sharon’s pajama bottoms down and off her legs, exposing a beautiful, wet, pink vagina with curly, blond pubic hair growing from just above her slit. Kris looked up at Sharon’s face one more time, as if asking for Sharon’s approval to continue. Sharon nodded to Kris, telling the brunette that she was ready to be eaten. Kris grabbed Sharon’s hips and brought her lips to Sharon’s. The blonde cried out in delight as Kris pleasured her most sensitive zone.
“Sharon,” moaned Kris into her friend’s mound, “You taste so good.”
“Oh Kris,” cried Sharon, “I wanna taste you too.” Without removing her mouth from Sharon’s vulva, Kris rotated her body so that her crotch was in front of Sharon’s face. Sharon pulled Kris’ pajama bottoms down to her knees, revealing the brunette’s moist nether region. Grabbing a hold of Kris’ buttocks, Sharon pulled the hole closer to her, bringing it down to her mouth.
Kris moaned loudly as Sharon started licking her vagina. Tasting Kris’ juices for the first time, Sharon was intoxicated by the flavor and buried her mouth between Kris’ legs. The brunette cried out in bliss and went down on Sharon even harder.
Sharon could feel herself nearing her peak. Her legs spasmed uncontrollably as the pressure began to build inside her. “Oh, Kris!” she cried out. “I’m gonna come soon!”
“Yes,” Kris cooed. “I want you to come. Come as much as you like.”
Sharon’s cries of pleasure increased in both pitch and volume as she neared her climax. Her teeth clenched and her body went rigid as she reached her peak. Sensing that one last bit of stimulation would push Sharon over the edge, Kris closed her lips tightly around Sharon’s pulsing clitoris and lashed at it violently with her tongue. Sharon screamed in ecstasy as her orgasm hit. Her body convulsed and she held on to Kris’ body for dear life, never wanting her pleasure to end. She buried her face in Kris’ pubic mound to muffle her cries of bliss.
Sharon’s orgasmic screams sent vibrations straight into Kris’ vulva, driving the brunette over the edge as well. Kris cried out in bliss and she started coming as well. Both girls held on to each other as their bodies writhed and rocked in orgasm.
Sharon and Kris came down from their pleasure highs after a minute and sighed in satisfaction, enjoying the feel of their warm bodies pressed against one another. As they recovered, Kris heard quiet sobs from Sharon. The brunette turned her body around so that she could look at her lover’s face. Sure enough, tears were streaming down Sharon’s cheeks. “Sharon?” asked Kris. “What is it?”
Sharon opened her eyes and smiled at Kris. “Oh, Kris,” she cried. “I’m so happy. I’m so happy to know that I can be with you this Christmas, and that I can be with you always.” The blonde wrapped her arms around Kris and pulled their bodies together. “I love you so much, Kris! I love you so much!”
“I love you too, Sharon,” said Kris, embracing her lover. “I love you too.”
“Thank you for loving me,” the blonde said. Kris brought her lips to Sharon’s and they both kissed each other, so happy that they were able to express their love for each other.
———-
Sharon had no idea how long she slept for. She knew that both night and day lasted for 6 months straight at the North and South Poles. So soon after the winter solstice, the sky was still going to be completely dark for almost 3 more months. At that time, she did not really care. All that mattered to Sharon at that moment was the brown-haired girl sleeping next to her. Even though she knew that the Kringles were related to elves, Sharon was still surprised by how angelic Kris looked as she slept.
Sharon felt completely rested, but suspected that because Kris had been awake for so much longer that she should let the brunette sleep. Trying not to disturb her, just to feel her body next to her, Sharon very gently draped her arm over Kris and kissed her ever so lightly on the lips. Sharon was surprised when Kris wrapped her arms around her and returned the kiss. However, the surprise soon faded as Sharon sank into the kiss and just accepted the love that Kris gave her.
Even though it was probably only a few seconds, it felt like minutes before the two girlfriends broke for air. They simply looked into each other’s eyes and smiled at one another. “Good morning,” said Kris.
“Good morning,” Sharon returned the remark. “I thought you would be asleep for at least a few more hours.”
“We Kringles recover quickly from sleep deprivation. It’s really a good thing after Christmas Eve.”
“I don’t even know what time it is,” said Sharon. “I dunno about you, but I feel so full of energy!”
“I’m happy about this bed. It really does help me sleep.”
“I don’t think the bed was the main reason,” said Sharon. “I think I just slept better knowing that you were there next to me. I feel so safe when I’m next to you.” The two girls embraced each other, feeling the warmth of their bodies and the love in their hearts pass between them.
Despite being perfectly content to just lie in each other’s arms for the rest of eternity, both girls knew that they had to get out of bed eventually. Kris got into a pair of white pants and a red T-shirt. Sharon not having brought a change of clothes, Kris gave her a pair of green pants and a white tank top. Kris’ clothes actually fit Sharon well.
The girls exited the room only to hear a loud, “Ho ho ho,” from behind Santa Claus’ door. It was a little raspy, but still moderately healthy.
“That’s my dad!” Kris cried.
“That doesn’t sound like someone with the flu,” said Sharon.
“No, it doesn’t! I told you that he’s starting to get over it. I’ll be right back, I’ll let you know if it’s okay to come in.” Kris opened Santa’s door and entered, the door closing behind her.
[i]’Does this mean I can actually meet Santa Claus?'[/i] Sharon wondered.
A moment later, Kris opened the door with a very excited and relieved expression on her face. “It’s okay!” she cried in joy. “He’s not contagious anymore! Come in, Sharon!”
Sharon excitedly rushed through the door and into the room. It was a mansion in itself! Kris took Sharon’s hand and dragged her through the “house” to Santa’s bedroom. Lying on the bed was a large, very round man. He had rosy cheeks, a cherry nose, and a long beard as white as snow. It was he, Kris Kringle himself! Sitting in a chair next to Santa Claus’ bed was a middle-aged woman, obviously tending to Santa.
“Mom, Dad,” said Kristine, “this is my friend, Sharon.”
“Ho ho ho,” the man laughed. “Welcome, Sharon.”
“Thank you, Sir,” said Sharon in a shaky, nervous voice.
“Nice to meet you, Sharon,” said the woman.
“So, you must be Missus Claus,” Sharon said.
The woman smiled and said, “Only by reputation. My name is actually Mary Kringle.”
Just then, Santa was overcome with a fit of coughing. “Are you all right?” Sharon asked, suddenly worried about the man’s health.
“Just fine, Sharon,” said Santa. “Just fine. I’m not fully recovered yet, but I am on the mend. I suspect that I’ll be up and about in no time.”
“That’s good to hear,” said Sharon, smiling. “It’ll be good to know that Santa Claus will be well enough to bring presents to all of those children that believe in him, next year.”
“This is the last winter he goes without getting flu shots,” said Mary. “So, you are the one that our daughter has told us all about.”
“What has she said about me?”
“She says you’re very independent and very kind.”
Sharon smiled nervously. “Kind, I can believe. But, Kris taught me last night that I’m really not all that independent.”
“Oh?” asked the round man.
“When I learned that she had to go home for winter break, I was devastated because we wouldn’t be able to spend Christmas together like we had planned. I didn’t want her to worry about me, so I said that I would be fine without her. But as the days went by and Christmas approached, I started feeling really depressed. And then, when Kris came to me on Christmas Eve, I was so happy that we would be able to spend Christmas together after all. I would never admit it before now, but I need Kris. I am not independent like I thought I was.”
“Well, Sharon,” said Santa, “I am glad that you got your wish. Merry Christmas!”
“Thank you, Sir,” Sharon said again.
“Merry Christmas,” Mary said.
“Thank you, Ma’am,” the blonde responded.
“And Kris,” said Santa.
“Yes, Dad?” asked the brunette.
“Thank you for riding my sleigh last night. Already I can sense the happiness of children around the world. You make a fine substitute Santa Claus.”
“Thank you, Dad,” said Kris. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, my daughter. Ho ho ho!”
Kris and Sharon exited Santa’s residential quarters. As soon as they were outside the velvet door, Sharon nearly passed out. However, Kris was there to catch her before she hit the ground. “Wow,” Sharon said. “Santa Claus. The Santa Claus!”
“It’s a rare honor for a human to meet Kris Kringle, especially someone as old as you,” said the brunette. “You’re a very lucky person.”
“I am,” said Sharon. “But not because I met Kris Kringle.” She looked at the girl holding her and said. “I’m lucky because I got to meet KRISTINE Kringle.”
“Oh, Sharon.” The two girls kissed, so happy that they had realized their feelings for each other.
“Ahem,” a male voice said beside them. Their lips parted and they looked at the direction of the voice. Standing in front of them was Alfred, looking at them with a quizzical expression that looked somewhat irritated.
“Alfred!” cried Kris. “Uh…” the brunette trailed off, trying to come up with something to say. “Oh, boy.”
“Don’t worry about it,” said the elf, “just be a little more cautious. There are people from all over the world in this place, and some of them come from less…accepting backgrounds.”
“Sorry, Alfred,” said Kris.
“Thanks for warning us,” Sharon said.
“We have a King Air B200 waiting for you for December thirty-first at seven pm. I will fly you to Barrow, Alaska. You will catch a series of flights from Barrow to Fairbanks, to Anchorage, to Seattle, and then back to New York. I must inform you, Sharon that such a journey will take almost twenty-four hours.”
Although amazed by how long the journey home would take, Sharon simply smiled and said, “I’m sure I’ll do just fine. I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t handle. Besides…” Sharon looked at Kris and said, “…I have Kris by my side.”
———-
After another five nights at the North Pole, Alfred flew Sharon and Kris to Barrow, Alaska. After making several exchanges in Alaska to Seattle, Washington, they got on a flight back to New York. Sharon and Kris arrived back at their house at about 7:00 pm on January 1st. Lisa was there to greet them. “Happy New Year!” yelled the senior as Sharon and Kris returned.
“Hi, Lisa,” said Sharon halfheartedly.
“Where were you two all day?” asked Lisa.
“Out,” said Kris.
“Out where?” Lisa inquired.
“Exploring,” answered Kris.
“On New Years Day?”
“It was a different kind of exploring,” said Sharon, walking to Kris.
“Oh?” asked Lisa with a quizzical look on her face.
“An exploration of our feelings,” said the blonde, wrapping her arms around Kris.
“OH!” cried Lisa, her expression changing to stunned realization. After a moment of coming to grips with the fact that her housemates were going out, Lisa simply smiled and said, “Well, I’ll just leave you two be, then. Happy New Year!” The senior then went to the living room and sat down in front of the television.
Kris and Sharon went to their room and lied down on the bed that was closest to the door, which happened to be Kris’ bed. Holding each other in their arms, Kris and Sharon looked deeply and lovingly into each other’s eyes. “Happy New Year, Kris,” said Sharon.
“Happy New Year, Sharon,” said Kris.
“Do you think we’ll have as much fun next Christmas as we did this year?” asked Sharon.
Kris kissed Sharon briefly and then said with a wink, “You can count on it!”