14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Nick

It never ceased to amaze me just how tired I could be after my big Christmas Eve run. I managed to make it to New Year’s, where the elves and I had one last hurrah before we all went into our slow time. Slow time. That sounded wonderful.

Cleaning and reorganizing filled the week between Christmas and New Year’s. We tried to keep things in order all year long, and we did a really good job of it… until the last few weeks. Once the rush was on, everything else fell apart. It was fine. We had the time set aside to deal with it.

New Year’s had always been a favorite of mine. The entire North Pole gathered for a gigantic party, for lack of a better word. It was so much more than a party; it was a celebration of the past and a welcoming of the future. And this year, I was attending with my future. I could think of nothing more fitting.

Percy stayed at my side the entire evening. We kissed under the fireworks that lit up the sky to ring in the new year while drinking our hot cocoa. It was a gorgeous evening and an even more gorgeous display. But it was late, and my mate was feeling the tiredness that came with pregnancy. After a few quick goodbyes, we retreated to our suite, where the two of us slept for what seemed like the entirety of January.

Since my mate was in his first trimester, his body was resting and preparing for all the changes it was going through. Meanwhile, I was trying to recover from my busy season. We spent an inordinate amount of time cuddled in bed together—reading baby books, organizing the gifts we had received so far, planning out the nursery and how it would look, and just getting to know even more about each other.

Also, the sleeping. So much sleeping.

Some days, it seemed like we never even got out of bed. Thankfully, my staff was used to the odd January schedule I’d been known for holding. They brought us food, handled our laundry, and truly spoiled us. It was the perfect way for us to settle into our new lives together as a mated couple.

“We’re going to be late,” Percy said. We had one appointment all month—one thing we absolutely had to attend—and we were going to be late. And even as I was pushing Nick to hurry up, I was ready to climb back into bed with him instead. I was ridiculous.

“Percy, you are the only pregnant elf I know of at this workshop,” I teased. “They can wait.” But also, I was actively getting ready to leave. So there was that.

“The only one at the moment that we know of.”

Sure, we had mated elves all around, but Percy was the only expecting. Santa’s Naughty Workshop wasn’t exactly the most family-friendly atmosphere. And even if it was, not all elves jumped right into parenthood the way we did. Having our mating when he was in heat, heat brought on by spending time with me, had a lot to do with that. Not that I would change a single thing about it. I was thrilled to become a parent, to grow a family with Percy.

“Pretty sure Dr. Jigglesnap won’t mind if we’re a tiny bit late.” Although now that I said it, I was thinking maybe he might. He was the one who sent a reminder of the time via cookie gram.

“It’s the principle of the matter,” Percy said, pulling on his red fluffy robe over his fuzzy pajama pants. We might’ve been heading to an appointment, but we would be comfortable for it.

“You’re right.”

He looked up and smiled. “Thank you for saying that. Not all alphas would.”

“I’m not all alphas.” I stepped into my boots.

“I am well aware.” I stood up, ready to go.

It was just a short walk across the town square, and the snow had finally let up. I loved the beauty of fresh fallen snow. Our walk was going to be stunning.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

I threw on my coat. “Whenever you are, mate.”

I laced my fingers into his, and we left my suite, making our way through the building and out into the square. It was quiet now that Christmas had come and gone. Of course, it was still decorated like Christmas was tomorrow, and it always would be for the rest of eternity. This was Christmas central, after all.

There weren’t as many elves running about—just a few of the younger ones playing in the square, enjoying the new snow. There were also a few reindeer who were frolicking and having a good time as we walked through the crisp, snowy air.

“Did you bring your list of questions?” I should’ve asked before we left, but there was still time to go back, if need be.

Every time Percy came up with something he wanted to talk to the doctor about, he wrote it down. He had an entire interrogation ready for the poor healer. I had a feeling he was neither the first nor the last elf to do so, either.

“Yes, I finally typed it. It’s on my phone. I sent him an email before we left, just so he has a copy as well.”

“That’s smart.” And far more efficient than the writing it on whatever scratch paper was available at the time method we had been using.

I couldn’t help but smile. My mate was hyper-preparing for this magical event of ours. I wished I could do more—make the time go faster or make things more comfortable for him. So far, it was mostly fatigue that he dealt with, but I knew other symptoms would eventually appear.

The healer’s office, like the rest of the town we lived in, was decked out in Christmas garland wrapped around the edges of the lobby. A single receptionist, who also doubled as a nurse, waited for us.

“Welcome, Santa,” she said. “Let me take you back. How are you feeling, Percy?”

“Fine, so far.”

“That’s outstanding to hear. Dr. J is really looking forward to seeing you. I’m just going to grab some vitals.”

She got us settled in the room and took his blood pressure, pulse, and other measurements. I assumed if anything was wrong, she would say something out loud, but she quietly charted it all down. Meanwhile, my mate’s leg bounced uncontrollably.

She smiled kindly. “Dr. J will be just a minute.”

Thankfully, the doctor didn’t keep us waiting long. He came in with a broad smile on his face. Sensing the urgency, he got right down to business.

“Why don’t we go ahead and get this ultrasound done so we know what we’re working with? Then you can ask all your questions, Percy. I did get a chance to go through all of them, and I can assure you, all of your questions are normal. I get this sort of thing a lot.”

That seemed to set Percy at ease. He laid back on the bed as the doctor pulled out the portable ultrasound. With a squirt of warm gel and a wave of the wand, it was like Christmas magic.

There, on the screen mounted on the wall, was our baby’s picture.

“Aha! Looks like you have a little one in there, which we already knew, and they’re growing quite well,” the doctor said.

“He?” Percy asked.

“Oh, that’s just me speaking generically. Do you wish to know the gender?”

Both Percy and I shook our heads. “We want to be surprised.”

“Then ‘they’ it is,” Dr. J said. “They are growing well, tracking along nicely. You are due in September. Did you know the week of September 10 has the most common birthdays in the world? Seems that your activities this December weren’t unique to you two,” he added with a chuckle.

I laughed. “That makes sense. ‘Tis the season, indeed.”

“Now, here is their heartbeat—running normally,” the doctor continued. “Do you have any questions that you didn’t email to me?”

“No,” Percy said, his voice soft. “I’m just happy to see that everything is on track.”

“It is indeed, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on you. I want to see you monthly for now, and then around six months, we’ll change that to every two weeks. By eight months, it’ll be every week. Okay?”

Percy nodded. “Okay.”

“Now let’s go through the rest of your questions so we can ease some of those nerves you’ve built up.”

Not once did he rush us, taking the time to explain everything in detail. When it was time to leave, Percy was more relaxed than I’d seen him since the cookie-gram reminder showed up.

“Want to build a snowman?” He tugged on my hand, pulling me toward some virgin snow.

I hadn’t played in the snow in years. “Think we can make one as tall as me?”

“I bet we can build one even taller.” And we did with the help of some of the local youth who saw how much fun we were having and had to join in.

I knew that Percy sometimes worried that he didn’t fit into his role as Santa Mate, but he was a natural. These weren’t even elves from our division that were drawn to him. He was made for the job—and for me. I was the luckiest Santa there was.