“Sir, can you tell Santa we moved?”—Said A Boy to the Poor Single Mom’s Boss on Christmas Night
Shared Truths at the Diner
After a long moment she nodded. “I’m Emily, Emily Parker, and thank you.”
“We’ve been sitting here for about an hour trying to figure out what to do.”
They gathered the bags. There weren’t many. Alexander noted they were probably everything they owned and walked to the diner.
Noah chattered the whole way, pointing out Christmas lights and decorations.
He was trying to spot reindeer in the sky, asking Alexander if he knew Santa personally.
“I don’t know him personally,” Alexander admitted as they settled into a corner booth. “But I bet we can make sure he knows where to find you.”
“Do you have kids?” Noah asked, settling next to his mother with his teddy bear on his lap. “Do they believe in Santa?”
“I don’t have children,” Alexander said, and felt the familiar ache of that truth.
“Oh you should get some! They’re fun right Mama?”
Emily managed a smile, though Alexander could see her fighting to hold herself together.
“Very fun baby, even when they asked strangers too many questions.”
The waitress came and Alexander ordered them all hot chocolate and the dinner special: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.
As they waited, he gently asked the question he needed to ask. “What happened, Emily? If you’re comfortable telling me.”
Emily wrapped her hands around her water glass as if drawing strength from it.
Noah was distracted by coloring on the kid’s menu the waitress had brought, humming jingle bells to himself.
“I work as a bookkeeper,” Emily said quietly. “Worked at Meridian Properties. You probably know it.”
“It’s one of the bigger real estate companies downtown.”
Alexander nodded. He knew of it.
“I’ve been there for 3 years. The pay wasn’t great but it was steady and it had benefits.”
“Noah and I had a small apartment in Riverside. Nothing fancy but it was ours.”
She paused, her voice thickening. “Last week my boss called me into his office, Carson Price.”
“He said they were restructuring, cutting costs. My position was being eliminated.”
“No severance?” Alexander asked, his business mind already calculating the wrongness of that.
“Two weeks’ pay, which sounds like something until you realize I’m a single mother with no family in the area.”
“No savings because medical bills from when Noah was born ate through everything and rent due on an apartment I could barely afford even with a job.”
Her voice cracked slightly. “I used the severance to pay this month’s rent thinking I’d find something quickly.”
“But it’s Christmas week. Nobody’s hiring.”
“I made it to December 24th before my landlord said I had to be out.”
“He’d rented the place to someone else starting January 1st and he needed it empty.”
“So today?” Alexander prompted gently.
“Today I packed what we could carry. Put the rest in a storage unit I can’t really afford and left.”
“I’ve been calling shelters all day but they’re all full. It’s Christmas Eve.”
“Everyone wants to help on Christmas Eve. But there are more people who need help than there are beds.”
She wiped her eyes quickly. “I was trying to figure out if there was a church or somewhere that would at least let us sit inside where it’s warm.”
“Then Noah would fall asleep and I could make more calls. Figure out tomorrow.”
Their food arrived and Alexander watched Noah’s eyes widen at the plate of hot food.
The boy dove in with the appetite of someone who hadn’t eaten much that day or maybe longer.
“Emily,” Alexander said carefully, “what if I told you I might have a solution at least for tonight?”
She looked at him wearily. “I’m not interested in anything that isn’t… I mean I appreciate your help but nothing like that.”
“Actually I have a guest room in my apartment,” Alexander said quickly, understanding her concern and feeling ashamed that she even had to worry about it.
“Actually I have two guest rooms. They’re sitting empty because I never have guests.”
“You and Noah could stay there tonight, separate rooms, locks on the doors if you want, whatever makes you comfortable.”
“It would be warm and safe and in the morning we can figure out next steps.”
“I can’t accept that,” Emily said automatically.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t know you. Because I don’t accept charity. Because…”
“Because pride is easier than vulnerability,” Alexander interrupted gently. “Trust me I understand that. I’ve lived most of my life that way.”
“But Emily it’s Christmas Eve. Your son is worried about Santa finding him.”
“Let me give you both a safe place to sleep tonight.”
“No strings, no expectations, just one person helping another because it’s the right thing to do.”
Emily looked at Noah who was nearly finished with his meal.
A little bit of gravy was on his chin, and he was happily oblivious to his mother’s internal struggle.
Alexander saw the moment she made her decision.
He saw her pride war with her love for her son, and love win.
“One night,” she said quietly. “And tomorrow I start making calls finding something permanent.”
“Deal,” Alexander agreed.
