A Climax for Christmas (A Holiday Romance Novella)

by Chris Genovese

  “But do you leave the toilet seat up?” she asked.

  She was joking and she didn’t seem to grasp the sincerity in my words. She would soon enough. Because we were leaving for the North Pole first thing in the morning. And she was going to flip the fuck out.

  ***

  Now, seeing her asleep next to me, so sick and so weak, it’s so hard to imagine her as the girl I met in that diner and took to that hotel. God, she’d been such an important part of my life.

  She still is.

  Yes, she’d freaked when we arrived at the North Pole but she got over it surprisingly quick.

  She was like a mother to the elves. She really understood the role of Mrs. Claus. She never stole anything and she never asked me to stay away from work. She was an angel. She protected me too. She was so strong, much stronger than I was.

  Once while visiting Chicago, just the two of us, some guy got an attitude with me because he thought I’d cut in front of him to hail a cab. Mrs. Claus let him have it. I thought she was going to actually hit him with her purse.

  When I was sick, she made me rest. When I was exhausted, she made me sleep. When I was too busy to eat, she forced me to take a break and eat dinner. She’s my lifeline, my life saver, my beacon of light in the darkest of storms.

  Everything was better after her arrival.

  The parties in the North Pole were greater with Marlena there. The music was livelier, the dancing was jollier, the food was tastier, the sex was dirtier…life was just better.

  And we grew old together.

  We got sick and we got better, we got sad and made each other happy, we watched our grandkids grow as Nichols and Madison both had children. But then she got sick and I didn’t join in her in that adventure.

  I eventually sat her down and had the conversation with her, warning her that I wouldn’t get older. She said she knew already since the kids didn’t age. But she’d wondered about herself. And I had to give her the unfortunate news. That she would not live forever like the rest of us and that when she died I’d return to my younger self. That it was an endless cycle.

  And that is why I must take my own life tonight. I want to go with Marlena when she goes. I’m sure you understand. I love you all. I love the children of the world and the parents who try so hard to raise them right. I love my son and my daughter and their children. I love my elven friends.

  And I love Mar. She’s truly the light of my life and when her candle blows out, I need mine to fade with it. This will be my last night.

  Please understand. Love, Santa.

  ***

  And now here we are. The night before Christmas Eve. I’ve asked Nicholas to fill in for me this year. He’s only done it twice before but with Marlena being so sick, I just can’t leave her alone. I haven’t told Nicholas or Madison that I’m quitting this year.

  I don’t even know yet how I’ll do it. Pills won’t work. My immune system is too good. I’d just take a longer than usual nap, crap out the meds, and be normal again. I could slit my wrists but I don’t think I can handle the blood. I’d shoot myself but even that seems a little too brutal. So I’ve decided to hang myself.

  Everything is set. The noose is tied and the beam is solid. My nerves are surprisingly steady. It might be the whiskey coursing through my body but I feel good.

  I set the pad of paper down next to the candle and walk over to my wife.

  “My love, it’s going to end tonight. But don’t be afraid. I’m going with you.”

  I scoot her over and lie down next to her in bed. Somehow I know she has less than an hour to live. She wakes up and nestles her face in the crook of my neck like she always does.

  Then Nathaniel is suddenly standing by my side.

  “You can’t do this,” he says. “Your life is not your own.”

  “I have lived this life for you for a very long time. I just want to go with my wife. Please don’t stop me. Nicholas is more than capable. My son would be the perfect replacement. And he loves the job. And he has his sister by his side to keep him company. Or you guys can do right by them and make their spouses live forever too, a favor you’ve yet to grant me.

  “Marlena is a good woman,” he says.

  “She is,” I agree.

  “She has done some very good deeds.”

  I feel a surge of hope and think it’s possible that I might keep Marlena and go on living. But my hopes are quickly crushed as he speaks his next words.

  “But good deeds are done by many. She has yet to give herself wholeheartedly.”

  “What the fuck does wholeheartedly even mean?” I ask. “I’m not a saint. I’m just a man. Nothing I do is wholeheartedly. I love this woman wholeheartedly.”

  “Yelling at me will not change anything.”

  “Well my past experiences tell me that nothing will change anything. Once you have your mind set up, there’s no swaying it.”

  “Very well. But you cannot take your own life. We will not allow it.”

  Nathaniel disappears leaving me again in the dark.

  “Watch me,” I say under my breath.

  Marlena moves a little and then her crackly voice comes out.

  “Mi amor,” she says. “Is everything okay?”

  “Everything is fine,” I say.

  “Good. I just want to rest.”

  “You go ahead. I’ll be here with you, don’t worry.”

  The door to the office barges open and in steps my right-hand elf, Bradley. He’s holding a strange amulet or something in his hand. He rushes over to me, looking worried and hectic, and drops to his knees by my side.

  “I’m so sorry, Sir,” he says. “I know this is a horrible time but I need your advice.”

  “What is it, my friend?”

  He’s my oldest friend. He’s the only elf given everlasting life. The rest have all grown old and died, replaced by either others from their dimension or their children. I can never get angry with him and I know if he’s entering my office like this, it must be serious.

  “Okay, I know this probably won’t sound so important, but do you remember little Carey Long?”

  I think about it but the name doesn’t really ring a bell. I have a list of who’s naughty or nice but to remember the name of every child on earth would be impossible.

  “I’m sorry. I’m trying to remember but I can’t.”

  “She’s got leukemia and she asked for a mood necklace. A special kind. Well, we got the necklace and I was about to load it into the sleigh, but look…”

  He hands me the amulet and I don’t see anything wrong with it.

  I tilt my head, trying to understand the problem.

  “The chain is missing, Papi,” Marlena says over my shoulder.

  She’s awake and smiling at Bradley.

  “It’s a beautiful mood necklace,” she says.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Claus.”

  “So what’s the problem, Bradley? Just put another necklace on it.”

  “It’s not that easy,” he says. “It wasn’t just a regular chain or rope. It was kind of like…twine I guess is the best way to describe it.”

  “And you think little Carrie Long will know the difference?”

  “Definitely,” Bradley says. “You don’t understand. She asked for this specific necklace.”

  “Will this work?” Marlena says.

  She reaches into her gown and takes out her twine necklace and pulls it over her head. It’s the one she kept playing with during our dinner at the hotel so many years ago.

  “That’s almost exactly the same,” Bradley says, a huge grin on his face. “It’s perfect.”

  “It’s not perfect,” I say. “That was given to you by your mother. You never take it off.”

  “I don’t need it anymore,” she says. “I’m old and I’m sick. Bradley, please wash it up and use it for the little girl’s necklace.”

  “Mar, no.”

  “Yes, now enough. I’ve made up my mind.”

  She hands the piece of
twine over to Bradley who beams like the present was for him personally.

  “You’re the best, Mrs. Claus! Thank you so much!”

  He darts out of the room.

  “Baby,” I say as I hold her head against my chest. “That was sweet.”

  “It was,” Nathaniel’s voice suddenly thunders from above.

  I look up to see him and for the first time Marlena does too. It seems she’s able to see the figure of the golden angel watching over us.

  “He is real,” she says.

  “You didn’t believe me?”

  “I did, but I never thought I would be able to see him.”

  “You’ve done a remarkable deed, Marlena Claus. You’ve given wholeheartedly.”

  Butterflies fill my chest and I wonder if he’s saying what I think he’s saying.

  “In the eyes of the Lord, you are worthy of a life of good deeds and from this moment forth will be by the side of Nicholas Claus where you will both live for eternity as saints with the duty of giving back and bringing smiles to the faces of the world’s children.”

  I can’t believe it. She’ll live.

  “I don’t understand,” she says.

  “Are you saying she’s going to live?” I ask.

  I can’t see Nathaniel’s face but I can tell he’s nodding his head.

  “As Nicholas, your son, will fill your shoes this Christmas, enjoy the beginning of your long life together.”

  With a wave of his hand I feel my body rejuvenating, the way it has every year since it all began, and I see Marlena’s doing the same. Her hair returns to its original black color, her skin smooths out, and her lungs settle down and sound empty and clear. She breathes easily. Her breasts tighten and her body strengthens.

  I’m in awe. I never thought I’d see the day that I’d have a partner for life. And I know that for the rest of my life I will always be happy. I’m no longer alone. I have my best friend by my side.

  Alone again in our room, I lock the door, strip naked, and gesture for Mrs. Claus to do the same. She asked me just yesterday, while still sick, what I want for Christmas. I didn’t know the answer then, but I do now.

  I want a climax for Christmas.

  THE END

  I hope you like this special holiday edition of Chris’s Erotic Bedtime Stories. There’s plenty more to come. If there’s any old fairytale or nursery rhyme you’d like to see turned into an erotic bedtime story, send me an email at eroticmayberry@gmail.com and I’ll consider adding it to the list.

  If you’ve never visited my website, please go to http://www.eroticmayberry.com. We’re working on spicing up the site a little bit by adding some author spotlights, reviews, fun interviews, poetry, and all kinds of other cool erotica kind of stuff.

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  Take care,

  Chris Genovese