true.”
Nicholas helped her down the steps. He revisited the urge to swing her up in his arms and carry her to the car.
“Well, well, Mr. Claus. This doesn’t look like any sleigh I have ever seen,” Neeva teased.
“This is an entirely different kind of sleigh, baby,” Nicholas replied as he helped her into the passenger seat. “Hey, I may be Santa, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a piece of fine machinery.” He slid behind the wheel of the car, and when he inserted the key into the ignition the engine purred to life. As he put the top up so her hair wouldn’t be blown out of place, he asked with a grin, “Are you ready to enjoy a night on the town?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be, Nicholas Kringle.”
The night was dark as they drove through the island. But even as cruised along, the holiday cheer punctuated the darkness whenever they passed a house or neighborhood. Every house they passed was decorated. Multicolored lights formed elves and snowmen on the lawns. Glowing icicles hung from awnings and rooftops. And some had even covered driveways with white gravel to emulate snow. The scene was something that Nicholas had seen, but never up close. When Christmas Eve came around, he was moving so fast that he never had time to enjoy any of the holiday scenery or traditions in any country. So to him, it was all knew and beautiful.
“Is there snow where you come from?” Neeva asked out of the blue.
Nicholas grinned. “It’s the North Pole, sweetheart. There’s nothing but snow.”
She frowned. “I’m serious, Nicholas, trying to know more about you so, if you’re going . . .”
Nicholas sighed. “Fine. Yes, where I am from has a lot of snow in the winter.”
“I was going to move once. I thought about
New York
or Canada. I wanted to be someplace where there would be snow and isolated.” Neeva gave a soft laugh, and he could hear the sadness in her voice. “Anywhere was better than here.”
“Are you going to tell me why?”
“Let’s enjoy the night. That would be story for another time.”
They rode in silence for the rest of the trip. Nicholas reached over and held her hand as he drove. Neeva didn’t pull away as the car ate the miles of road to Port-au-Spain the capital of Trinidad. Nicholas knew when they found the festival even before he saw it. The music came through the windows on the breeze loud and filled with merriment. There was no place to park, so he had to park the car in the first free space he found after backtracking to one of the emptier streets they passed.
He got out and helped Neeva from the car. Hand in hand, they followed the throngs of people and headed into the midst of the revelry. Everything was a sensory experience. Nicholas looked around in awe. Costumes to depict the holiday glittered in colorful glory. Bands of musicians who Neeva told him were called Tuck Bands walked between the crowd playing flutes and drums. The mouth-watering smells of meat roasting on outside fire pits, of fish frying in flavorful oils, and of sweet breads and cakes filled the air with their aromas. It was a chaotic atmosphere, but everything came together to form the most lively celebrations he had ever seen. Islanders and tourists played together in the merriment, and for this one day, everyone was family in the spirit of the holiday. This was what Christmas was all about. These people weren’t rich by any means, but they loved and cared about each other, and that is what some had forgotten.
As they walked, Nicholas felt Neeva hold on tighter to him. He could feel her panic, and he made sure he had her secure to his side to let her know she was not alone. He felt Neeva begin to relax against him as they made their way at a snail’s pace through the crowd. The main street parade was going strong when they finally got to a place where they could watch. A float with a makeshift sleigh and Santa Claus passed by at
Nicholas helped her down the steps. He revisited the urge to swing her up in his arms and carry her to the car.
“Well, well, Mr. Claus. This doesn’t look like any sleigh I have ever seen,” Neeva teased.
“This is an entirely different kind of sleigh, baby,” Nicholas replied as he helped her into the passenger seat. “Hey, I may be Santa, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a piece of fine machinery.” He slid behind the wheel of the car, and when he inserted the key into the ignition the engine purred to life. As he put the top up so her hair wouldn’t be blown out of place, he asked with a grin, “Are you ready to enjoy a night on the town?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be, Nicholas Kringle.”
The night was dark as they drove through the island. But even as cruised along, the holiday cheer punctuated the darkness whenever they passed a house or neighborhood. Every house they passed was decorated. Multicolored lights formed elves and snowmen on the lawns. Glowing icicles hung from awnings and rooftops. And some had even covered driveways with white gravel to emulate snow. The scene was something that Nicholas had seen, but never up close. When Christmas Eve came around, he was moving so fast that he never had time to enjoy any of the holiday scenery or traditions in any country. So to him, it was all knew and beautiful.
“Is there snow where you come from?” Neeva asked out of the blue.
Nicholas grinned. “It’s the North Pole, sweetheart. There’s nothing but snow.”
She frowned. “I’m serious, Nicholas, trying to know more about you so, if you’re going . . .”
Nicholas sighed. “Fine. Yes, where I am from has a lot of snow in the winter.”
“I was going to move once. I thought about
New York
or Canada. I wanted to be someplace where there would be snow and isolated.” Neeva gave a soft laugh, and he could hear the sadness in her voice. “Anywhere was better than here.”
“Are you going to tell me why?”
“Let’s enjoy the night. That would be story for another time.”
They rode in silence for the rest of the trip. Nicholas reached over and held her hand as he drove. Neeva didn’t pull away as the car ate the miles of road to Port-au-Spain the capital of Trinidad. Nicholas knew when they found the festival even before he saw it. The music came through the windows on the breeze loud and filled with merriment. There was no place to park, so he had to park the car in the first free space he found after backtracking to one of the emptier streets they passed.
He got out and helped Neeva from the car. Hand in hand, they followed the throngs of people and headed into the midst of the revelry. Everything was a sensory experience. Nicholas looked around in awe. Costumes to depict the holiday glittered in colorful glory. Bands of musicians who Neeva told him were called Tuck Bands walked between the crowd playing flutes and drums. The mouth-watering smells of meat roasting on outside fire pits, of fish frying in flavorful oils, and of sweet breads and cakes filled the air with their aromas. It was a chaotic atmosphere, but everything came together to form the most lively celebrations he had ever seen. Islanders and tourists played together in the merriment, and for this one day, everyone was family in the spirit of the holiday. This was what Christmas was all about. These people weren’t rich by any means, but they loved and cared about each other, and that is what some had forgotten.
As they walked, Nicholas felt Neeva hold on tighter to him. He could feel her panic, and he made sure he had her secure to his side to let her know she was not alone. He felt Neeva begin to relax against him as they made their way at a snail’s pace through the crowd. The main street parade was going strong when they finally got to a place where they could watch. A float with a makeshift sleigh and Santa Claus passed by at
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