Christmas Joy by Shanna Murchison

This short story was part of an online competition, and took 2nd place.

God, the messes his friends got him into! Who'd ever heard of a six foot five skinny Santa?
But Ben Evans had insisted that his best buddy Daniel was his last hope. Ben's wife Penny, an already stressed-out social worker, had added her heartfelt plea.
"Come on, Danny, you can't let the kids down! It is bad enough being an orphan, as you well know, without having to cope with Christmas. If you back out now, they'll not only be missing out on a family Christmas, they'll lose all faith in Santa to boot. God knows they have little enough to look forward to, with the local officials threatening to condemn the home as unsafe."
Daniel had scowled at the mention of his deprived background, which he had tried to put behind him when he'd joined the Marines ten years before as an arrogant teenager.
But the friends he had made back then were still his best buddies now, the family he had never had. He had always loathed Christmas, the commercialism, the fake cheer.
He knew he was old and cynical, had been from an early age. Wouldn't it be a shame if he turned the kids at the State home into carbon copies of himself, just because he couldn't be bothered to give up an hour of his time, and felt stupid in the red velvet suit ten sizes too big and six inches too short?
"All right, Pen, I'll give it a go. But don't blame me if one of the little brats pukes all over your sofa cushions!" he had grumbled as he'd struggled to give himself a credibly plump look with several floral throw-pillows.
Now here he was in the orphanage's main reception room, surrounded by a swarm of wide-eyed kids all struggling to get ahead of each other in the line.
He wondered if he could get away with ordering them to stand at attention. The children were wriggling and squirming like demented puppies, desperately trying to cut in ahead of each other to be next to see Santa.
Daniel thought wistfully that he'd give anything for a Santa's helper right now.
Suddenly the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on walked straight through the archway and began making her way toward him.
Her petite figure was dressed from head to toe in a clinging green velvet elf ensemble which left little to even his sluggish imagination.
A vision of loveliness, even the children stopped their antics to stare. Her shimmering auburn hair, slanting green eyes, and slightly upturned nose were utterly captivating.
Daniel felt himself begin to perspire even more profusely under his heavy red velvet costume and mountain of cushions.
Who was she? And why had Penny and his brother never introduced her to him before!
God, she couldn't already be married, could she? Or perhaps this was the "welcome home surprise" they had warned him about when he had arrived home on holiday leave from the Corps yesterday evening?
He gaped at the elf for another few moments until the tiny girl in his lap began to tug at his beard alarmingly.
"Here you are, little girl, Merry Christmas!" he muttered, fobbing her off with a blue-wrapped parcel which he only too late realised was a Tonka truck.
"Here dear, I think this was the one Santa meant to pick up! So many lovely boys and girls, so many marvellous presents, and only little old me to help him."
The lovely elf winked at the little girl as she handed her a pink-wrapped parcel, and then stood by Daniel's side to help with the next child.
"I'm Danny Evans, Penny's brother in law. Who are you?" he whispered as another child moved forward from the line.
"Your Christmas wish, of course," came the disconcerting reply.
Her green eyes gazed into his dark brown ones intimately, and for a brief second he ardently wished it were true. But it was impossible. He lived miles away, in the barracks, never knowing where he would be assigned from one day to the next.
A wife, kids, they were for other guys, not him. And she didn't look they type who would settle for a simple fling. Whoever she fell for, she'd fall for keeps.
Daniel deliberately tried to keep his eyes off her lovely face as he sat in his garishly-painted cardboard grotto making small talk with the children about their hopes, wishes and dreams.
As he listened, he wondered, had he even been so innocent? So eager to learn at school, to make friends? To love and be loved?
"You still are, you know," the mysterious elf's voice intruded upon his thoughts, though she was standing so far away from him that he wondered how he could possibly hear her above the delighted squeals of the children opening their parcels as each left his lap to find a place in the crowded room to shred the paper off and reveal the treasure within.
He lifted his eyes to gaze directly at her, and again the voice came into his head, though her lips never moved.
"We all want love and happiness. You gave your time and love to these children tonight, even though you yourself are one of the neediest people in this room. One good turn deserves another. I am your present, if you want me."
Daniel's mouth went dry. If he wanted her?
But it was impossible. Ridiculous, even. It was just like something out of those silly old Hollywood movies they flooded the TV stations with every holiday season.
There was no such thing as the magic of Christmas, except for Ebeneezer Scrooge and the shop owners listening to the jingling bells of their cash registers.
Resisting the temptation to shout, "Bah, humbug!" he handed another gift-wrapped package to the boy on his lap, and counted the remaining children impatiently. Good, only another ten to go.
"But just think of the thousands out there who aren't even lucky enough to have this place to come to for Christmas," the elf reproached him now, in her own voice.
"Look, lady, I don't know who you are, but if you want me to tell you stories about this wonderful place..."
He stopped himself just in time, before he utterly destroyed the illusion he was trying to create for the children. And the girl, wide-eyed and innocent, also didn't deserve his tirade.
The people who had tried to support and encourage him at school and on the football field all those years ago, when all he had ever really wanted was a family of his own, didn't deserve his anger and resentment.

And these children didn't deserve to have all their fantasies shattered by a Santa with anger management issues and no self-control.
Not for the first time, he began to wonder about his future in the Marines. He was good at his job, but he had to admit he envied Penny her ability to help people in a way which really counted, however much she complained about her long hours, low pay, and often dangerous encounters with the people she was trying to help.
"You have a good heart, you listen well to others, you're sensitive to people's needs. Why not leave the Marines, and do something really meaningful with the rest of your life?" the green-eyed beauty asked softly.
"I wouldn't even know where to start!" Daniel shook his head, both annoyed and amused at his strange companion, who seemed to be able to read every one of his most intimate thoughts, and embody all sorts of undreamt-of possibilities.
"Make a wish, then and see," she suggested, a warm smile curving her cherry red lips.
"All right, I wish that the building would not be condemned, that Penny and her colleagues would each get a big raise, the children all get fabulous presents, and that all of them find a wonderful, loving home as quickly as possible."
Daniel laughed then, surprised at how easy it had been to speak the truth for once without being afraid of people thinking him too soft.
Her eyes sparkled. "That's actually four wishes, Daniel, but we shall take them one at a time, shall we?"
Daniel stared in stunned amazement as the mayor of their city now entered the orphanage foyer with a crowd of reporters following in his wake.
The mayor declared, "I've just come from an emergency meeting, which has blocked the proposals for developing this site into a new shopping mall. This is a listed historical building, and I shall personally ensure the funds are provided to modernize the interior, whilst still preserving the charming exterior. I am also going to double its budget."
He now signalled impatiently for his wife to come forward, and she entered the orphanage carrying a hamper of toys which was full to overflowing. In her wake were other men and women, of all ages, also carrying baskets of presents, as well as cake, cookies, and candy.
The mayor motioned them all to silence, and then announced with a proud smile, "My wife and I have decided to bring all of our friends here, because we wish to lead the way forward ourselves. I am declaring an adoption drive. I shall not rest until every single one of these children is placed in a good and loving home. After all, that's what Christmas is all about, love.
"We are all one big happy family in our little community, so why not make that family a reality? We wish to adopt a boy and a girl, so please, children, come say hello to us all, and tell us all about yourselves."
The multitudes which had swarmed around Santa only moments before now ran towards the tall, distinguished-looking visitor, leaving Daniel alone with his strange companion.
"It's amazing what politicians will do to get re-elected," he drawled.
The petite woman looked up at him then, the hurt unmistakable in her green eyes. "Are you rejecting the gifts I can bring?"
He shook his head and sighed. "Not rejecting them, no. It's just that this is all so sudden. I mean, I'm just an ordinary guy. Nothing, well, supernatural has ever happened to me before. Can you really make everyone's wishes come true?"
"Within reason, yes, and only at Christmas. And only if, like yourself, they don't ask for anything, but wish to give selflessly to others. But I find myself in need of a helper. You wouldn't be interested in applying for the job, would you?"
Her green eyes glinted up at him challengingly.
"Only if we don't have to live at the North Pole," he found himself joking.
"We can live wherever you like, but I warn you, elf families have many children."
"The more the merrier, that's what I always say," Daniel murmured, kissing her ripe lips.
"Shall we go then?" she asked breathily. "I find my wish is more than I bargained for."
"So is mine, but I wouldn't dream of complaining. The only thing I want to know is, do I get as many wishes as I like, or is there a limit?"
"For my husband, no limit at all."
"Then Merry Christmas, darling, and will you please marry me?"
Daniel asked, getting down on one knee.
"Of course, Daniel. But don't you even want to know my name?"
"I already do. It's Joy."
Joy took his arm and led him out of the orphanage and over to a waiting sleigh. As she wrapped him in a warm fur-lined rug, he looked up at sky, and suddenly declared, "Look, a shooting star!"
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Not as lovely as you. And now I need never wish on one again, with you by my side."
The reindeer pulled away from the curb then, and Daniel clung on to Joy's tiny hand, as they ascended above the clouds, to their magical new life together.