Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“I don’t know about that, sweetie pie. Santa’s reindeers have to work really hard every Christmas, and I’m not sure he’ll be able to do without them. Especially not Rudolph.” I keep smiling as her grin drops. “But… he might be able to get you a really nice pretend one. A fluffy one that looks just like Rudolph. They are so good, almost like the real thing. PLUS, you can give them a cuddle. Real reindeers can be a bit grumpy sometimes, and they are hard to fit in your bedroom.”
Her face lights up as though I’ve just given her a revelation.
“That sounds really cool.”
I give her a pat on the back before I get to my feet, and her mum mouths a thank you.
“Right, toilet time, Penny,” she says. “The grotto opens soon!”
I leave them to it, fighting the urge to burst into tears once I’m out of sight. I take deep, slow breaths and tell myself I can get through this. I can do it. I always fucking do.
The sight of Reuben waiting by the grotto allows my fears to fuck off a little. It brings back the rush of pure oh my fucking God as I see him like that again, trussed up in his red suit and silly beard.
“Ho, ho, ho,” he says when I reach him, and I almost dive in for a hug before I remember that this is the grotto, and I’m just a helper here. A volunteer – not someone who woke up in Reuben Sinclair’s bed this morning, still feeling the shape of his fist in her pussy.
He introduces me to Evelyn and Jen, the other elves, and takes his spot in the Santa cavern. Evelyn is young, in her early twenties – tall and energetic with her long blonde hair in a plait. Jen is a lot older and has a real motherly quality to her. I like her from the off. She’s about the same size as I am, and we are in identical outfits. Ah-ha! No wonder Santa picked my costume just fine.
I get a shiver of panic at the thought there might be some history between them. She has a great smile, and shimmies her ass in her costume, joking as she says she could be my elf mother. She leans in and whispers ‘My husband thinks I look like an idiot in this garb, but he can piss off. I love elf time.’
Phew, she has a husband. I feel the relief in my bones.
The pair of volunteers direct me well and put me at ease, talking me through how they manage the queue and engage with the kids waiting in line, to make sure they don’t get bored. We have a bucket of candy canes each to hand out, and Jen takes the entrance while Evelyn and I stand on each side of the queue. Within no time, it stretches way beyond the grotto entrance – it’s like a bloody snake through the mall. I stop darting my eyes to Santa’s cavern every fifteen seconds in an attempt to catch sight of Reuben, because the hustle and bustle just doesn’t allow it. I have no chance to let my emotions overtake me as I chat to the kids as they pass by, and in no time at all I’m laughing and joking with them.
I get so many questions on what it’s like to be an elf, and I come up with elaborate stories about my experiences with reindeers, and how silly Rudolph can be when he’s in a mood. The kids love it, and the parents appreciate the effort. I get more thank yous mouthed at me than I’ve ever known, and it feels good to be appreciated like this. Really fucking good.
The kids’ happy faces don’t pierce my heart after a while, they make me grin. My silly elf costume doesn’t make me feel like an idiot with my waves of scarlet hair scrunched up in a bun, it makes me feel magical. By lunchtime, I’ve kicked my stilettos off in favour of going barefoot, since they’re so bloody uncomfortable, and with that I start to do silly elf dances and I sing along to jingle bells with groups of kids. It’s hilarious.
“You’re doing a fantastic job!” Jen gushes as we grab a ten minute break. “Where the hell did Reuben find you? I’ve never seen you around here before.”
Fuck, what a question. I turn it into a joke and give her a slap on the arm.
“He found me feeding Rudolph when nobody was looking and snuck me into the grotto!”
She laughs. “No, seriously. Where did he find you?”
Shit.
I can see the way she’s digging.
She gestures to the grotto.
“Come on,” she says. “I know Reuben pretty well. I’ve been working with him for years. I saw the way he looked at you when you appeared in your elf garb.”