Advent Day 13

as requested

“That Vulcan you like is here.”

Amanda glanced up from her spot on the floor where she was finishing up wrapping a gift for a child.

It was a holiday party for Federation children of all races and religions. Some had been orphaned, some just had parents off planet doing things for the Federation and Starfleet. Many hundreds of toys had been donated and Amanda was helping to wrap them.

“Sarek?”

Her friend, Ellie, smirked. “Is there more than one Vulcan you like?’

Amanda felt herself blush. “I didn’t expect him to come to the party.”

“He arrived with several other ambassadors. I heard he was looking for you.”

She bit her lip. She wanted to see him. It was true she had something of a strong crush on him, but she did say she would wrap these gifts.

“Oh take a break, Amanda. I’ll wrap these toys.”

“Well…” She smiled. “Okay!”

She struggled up from the floor, smoothed out her blue and silver gown she had chosen to wear and walked out of the private room to the main room of the party.

A waiter passed by, and she snagged a glass of sparkling cider off his tray. Her gaze sought out her Vulcan and spotted him only a moment later approaching her.

He wore severe black from head to toe but somehow it managed to make him look more attractive. Amanda was aware he’d been married before to a Vulcan woman and that they had a son together. She’d been told that Vulcan woman had died, and she knew absolutely nothing about the son.

“Ms. Grayson,” he greeted her and bowed slightly. “It is quite pleasant to see you here. I had been told you were a volunteer at this event.”

Amanda dared to hope that was why he had come.

“It’s Amanda, please. And it’s equally pleasurable to see you, Ambassador.”

“Amanda, then. And I give you the use of my name as well.”

She smiled widely. “I’d ask you to dance but it’s not that sort of gathering.”

“Amanda!”  Ellie suddenly rushed up to her. Amanda realized she was clutching the Santa costume in her hands. “It’s an absolute disaster.”

“What’s happened?”

“The Santa we hired has canceled.”

Sarek arched a brow. “That hardly seems to be a disaster.”

She chuckled. “It is for the children, believe me.” Amanda sighed. “We’ll have to find another to play him.” A thought occurred and she glanced at Sarek. “Ambassador—”

“Sarek.”

“You could play Santa Claus.”

“Me?”

Ellie closed her mouth and shoved the costume into Amanda’s hands. “I’ll, uh, get back to wrapping. Good luck.”

Amanda muttered ‘coward’ as her friend scurried away. She turned back to the Vulcan who looked downright owlish at the moment.

“All it takes is wearing this costume with a bit of padding and a fake beard.”

“Amanda—”

“You wouldn’t want to distress all those children who will be arriving to see Santa any minute, would you? You just sit on that throne over there and the child sits on your lap—”

“On my person?”

“Well, just for a moment,” Amanda explained. “Long enough to tell you what they want from Santa Claus.”

“I do not understand.”

She moved closer to him and patted his arm. “I know. Let me summarize it. You put this on, pretend to be Santa, go ho ho ho and all that, speak softly and kindly to the children, ask them what they want from Santa, no need to make promises or anything, and hand them a candy cane, and they move off to another part of the party where the wrapped gifts are. Once you’ve seen every child who wants to visit with you, you’re finished and can take off the costume.”

Sarek frowned. “How many children?”

“Oh…perhaps fifty or sixty.”

“That is a lot.”

“It will go fast. Please?”

Sarek looked away and then back at her. “This is quite illogical.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “My family is Jewish. But…the children were promised Santa.”

“If I agree then you must accompany me to dinner tomorrow night.”

Amanda smiled. “I would have agreed to that anyway.”

Sarek nodded. “Then you have made quite the bargain.”

She laughed. “Indeed.” She pushed the costume at him. “Thank you.” She leaned close and kissed his cheek.

Sarek took hold of the costume and with one hand, held out two fingers. She looked a question at him.

“You touch your same two fingers to mine.”

Amanda exhaled and touched the pads of her fingers to his. “Is this right?”

“Yes.”

Both of their eyes were shining.

****

A bit later, Amanda snuck close to Santa’s throne to listen in on the children visiting the very serious “Santa.”

“And what is your name, child?’

“Billy.”

“Very well, Billy, what logical present do you wish Santa to bring you?”

Amanda covered her mouth to stop her laugh from bursting forth.  

“Huh?”

“What is it you want?”

“A bicycle.”

“Santa” nodded. “A practical present for traveling to school.”

Billy frowned. “No. I wanna ride it around the neighborhood.”

“Want to.”

“Huh?”

“The proper way to make your request is to say, I want to ride it around the neighborhood.”

“Oh.” Billy nodded. “Can I have my candy cane now?”

“Santa” sighed and presented the candy cane to Billy. “Ho ho ho.”