Christmas Wishes

“Do you think we’re going to have a white Christmas Momma?” my seven year old boy, Carson asked me as we were waiting in line to see Santa Claus.

“I don’t know sweetie,” I replied looking around the mall to see that we were in the mass of chaos.

There were parents with their children who were either crying or throwing a fit because the toy they wanted for Christmas wasn’t there.

“So what are you going to ask Santa for?” I asked turning my attention back to Carson who was taking in his surroundings as well.

“I don’t know,” Carson said shrugging his shoulders, “I guess we’ll find out when I get up there.”

Carson was a very indecisive child which he got sadly from me. He never really truly made a decision until he had to. The only thing he got from his father was the way he held himself in public. He was so confident which I was grateful for since it was how he made so many friends.

“Well you’ve got about four people to decide,” I said as I smiled at him and he gave me a small smile.

“Are we go shopping after this?” he asked.

“For a little,” I replied, “We have to get something for your nana and papa. Which I have on hold in Best Buy.”

“What is it?” he asked.

“A laptop,” I replied, “They wanted one so they could skype with your Uncle Luke and Aunt Becky.”

“Are they coming for Christmas this year?” Carson asked me as the line moved and I shrugged my shoulders.

“I have no clue,” I said, “The last time I talked to your uncle he was planning on coming down for the week.”

“I sure hope so,” Carson said, “He promised me he’d teach me how to play the drums.”

“I think he will,” I said as it came to Carson’s turn.

The elves came to get him and I stood to the side of the line while he went to go talk to the guy playing Santa. I did have to say that the mall this year got a very believable Santa. His cheeks were just the right rosy shade and his fluffy white beard was absolutely real. What made him a remarkable Santa was that his eyes were sparkling. I was watching Carson and then he pointed over to me and I tilted my head to the side. Santa and I made eye contact and he grinned widely and nodded his head towards my son. They continued talking and then he hopped off of Santa’s lap and rushed over to me.

“So what did you ask Santa for?” I asked.

“Can’t tell you,” he said, “It’s like wishing on a shooting star if I tell you it won’t come true.”

I nodded my head and I smiled at my seven year old son.

“Alright then,” I said, “Should we headed to Best Buy before we go to the coffee shop or on our way home?”

“On our way home,” Carson said, “You and I both know that it’s going to be crazy in that place.”

“You have a point,” I said as we walked towards the family business in the food court of the mall.

The Family Bean has been open in the Huntington Beach Mall for over fifteen years. My parents started this business when I was fifteen because it was their own dream to own their own coffee shop. Both of my parents were coffee nuts growing up and they were always mixing and concocting different coffee drinks. When they had enough money saved up they bought the failed Mexican restaurant that had occupied the shop before and opened The Family Bean. We walked in and I smiled when I saw the two girls that my mom hired working.

“Morning Noelle, Morning Kat,” I said as Carson headed straight to the back to see if his papa was in the office.

“Morning Macie,” the girls said as I headed into the back to find my younger sister Lennox mixing something together in a bowl.

“Whatcha making?” I asked smiling at her as I hung my coat up.

“Christmas cookies,” Lennox said, “We’re short for the display and I need to make about four dozen for the Christmas party that Brian is dragging me to.”

“Speaking of Brian,” I said, “When do I get to meet this boy that you have shockingly went on five dates with?”

“If this Christmas party goes well tonight I’ll bring him into the shop tomorrow how’s that?” she asked sassily and I just laughed as I put on my apron.

Lennox and I were the bakers in the family so we were put in charge of making all the goodies we sold in the shop. Lennox was the cookie maker while I was the brownie and cake maker so I did all of the breads, brownies, and small cakes we sold.

“Sounds like a plan,” I said chuckling as I started making some of my infamous Christmas brownies.

Lennox and I were baking like we normally do when Carson came out of the office with my dad and he smiled at me.

“Hey Macie,” he said kissing my head as he walked by.

“Hi Dad,” I said as I pulled out Lennox’s cookies.

“Hey Mace can you decorate?” Lennox asked me, “Brian said he’s coming here with his friends now and I don’t want Dad and Carson to scare them.”

“Why are you nervous about Carson meeting him?” I asked, “He’s seven.”

“And one of the important boys in my life,” Lennox said and I just laughed and nodded my head.

“Get out there then,” I said, “but come here you have flour on your cheek.”

She came over to me and I wiped her face clean and then she disappeared to the front of the shop while I got to making the frosting and put together the different piping bags. Many people said I needed to go to culinary school because I was such an artist at this but I knew it wasn’t for me. I did this because I absolutely enjoyed this and wanted to do something I enjoyed not turn into something I hated. I was decorating about my third dozen of Christmas cookies when Carson burst through the back door and I looked up at him.

“Where’s the fire kiddo?” I asked.

“Come meet Brian and his friend!” Carson exclaimed, “They are so cool!”

“Let me finish this and then I’ll come out okay,” I said, “I’m on my last dozen.”

“Okay!” he said and I laughed.

He then disappeared into the front of the shop and I quickly finished the cookies. I put them in their respectable containers and stacked them on the table and checked on my brownies. They were just finished but needed to be cooled so I put a timer on my phone so I would come back and decorate them and walked into the front of the store to see it was packed. Kat and Noelle looked a bit overwhelmed and I quickly stepped behind the counter and started making drinks.

“Need some help?” I asked the girls and they gave me grateful looks.

“Thanks Macie,” Noelle said as I started helping Kat make drinks.

“No problem girls,” I said.

We had gotten through the line I looked over to see five men from a band that my son was always listening to and I sighed shaking my head.

“If you’re not here to buy anything I need you to leave. We’re getting passed capacity and it’s becoming a fire hazard,” I announced loudly.

We heard a lot of grumbling and I just shook my head and laughed lightly as I watched a bunch of women dressed very skimpily leave the coffee shop and I heard laughing from the corner of the shop.

“Momma!” Carson exclaimed running up to me, “Come meet Brian!”

I just laughed as he grabbed my hand and dragged me over to the table. When he stopped I smiled at the table and noticed that all of the guys sitting at a couple of tables pushed together looking at me and then at Lennox.

“Hi,” I said, “I’m Macie, Lennox’s older sister. Which one of you is Brian?”

“That would be me,” the man with dark brown hair and chocolate colored eyes smiled sticking his hand out, “Nice to meet you.”

“You too,” I smiled shaking his hand, “And might I say you’re music is amazing. Carson and I listen all the time don’t we buddy.”

“Yes!” Carson exclaimed and I just laughed.

“Wait then why did you have to ask who Brian was if you knew who we are?” the man with black hair and green eyes asked confused.

“Lennox told me Brian was a part of Avenged Sevenfold,” I smiled, “I’ve just never seen who’s in the band.”

“Well it’s nice to meet you Macie,” I had deemed the burliest man I had ever seen smiled at me, “I’m Matt.”

“I’m Zacky,” the man with green eyes said.

“I’m Johnny,” the guy who seemed to be the shortest said.

“And I’m Arin,” the boy with black curly hair said.

“Nice to meet you all,” I said smiling at them.

They all smiled at me and then I looked at Lennox who looked a bit relieved.

“Did Lennox get you boys anything to drink and eat?” I asked.

“Not quite yet,” Lennox said, “Dad and Carson intercepted them before I could.”

“Well why don’t you all just talk and I’ll get your drinks,” I smiled, “What do you boys want?”

The five men told me their drinks and I looked over at my dad, Lennox, and Carson.

“Usuals?” I asked and they nodded.

I smiled at them and then disappeared behind the counter and I started making the drinks. I was about to start on the fifth drink when someone came up to the counter. I quickly looked up and smiled lightly when I saw Matt standing in front of me without his sunglasses on.

“Can I help you?” I asked smiling at the very tall man in front of me.

“I was just coming to see if there are any drinks that I could bring back to the table,” Matt said and I smiled lightly.

“Give me two seconds and I’ll have four drinks done,” I said.

Matt nodded his head and I continued making the latte that was ordered.

“So how long have you lived in Huntington Beach?” Matt asked trying to make small talk.

“My entire life,” I smiled lightly at him.

“I wonder why we’ve never met,” Matt said frowning and I smiled lightly.

“I went to Marina High School,” I smiled and Matt nodded his head.

“It explains a lot,” he chuckled as I handed him his drinks.

“Here’s five of them,” I smiled, “Let me finish the last three and then get you all something to eat.”

I then went to go make the last three drinks and brought them over to the table.

“These are amazing drinks Macie,” Johnny said, “You have to come to my house and make them all the time.”

I laughed and I could see that Carson was smiling brightly.

“Wait until you try my mom’s brownies!” Carson said and I laughed and ruffled his hair.

“I guess I know what I’m bringing out then huh kiddo,” I laughed and Carson smiled brightly at me.

I disappeared into the back and grabbed a couple tins of my brownies and quickly decorated them and brought them back.

“Here you boys go,” I smiled as I put them on the table, “They just finished cooling off some.”

They then started eating and I went to go take care of shop since I had sent Kat and Noelle on their lunch breaks. I could hear the boys talking about how they wanted to hire me as their band baker and I just smiled to myself as I finished picking up all the dirty dishes off the table. I put the dishes in the sink in the back and came back out and found that the boys had all left except Matt who was talking to Carson who was animatedly describing something to him. I smiled at the sight and my dad came up next to me.

“I think Carson found a new friend,” my dad said smirking at me.

“I’m pretty sure he’s just being nice Dad,” I said and he just gave me a knowing smile.

“He wanted to wait to thank you for waiting on them,” Dad said, “He has manners. I like him.”

Again I rolled my eyes and shook my head. That last thing on my mind was dating. Heath and I had been divorced almost six months and I was nowhere near ready to date again.