It was the morning of Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, and it was clear that St. Nicholas had been there. The children were nestled...

            It was the Christmas morning and Jung Jaylie was sitting on the edge of her bed, swinging her slippered feet, and staring off into the distance. Her mind was trying to grapple with the events she witnessed last night but she couldn’t make sense of it. The analog clock on her bedside drawer read 7:00. With a deep sigh, Jaylie hopped off her bed and slowly opened her doors, stopping right before it would make its characteristic squeak.

            She padded down the hallway and peered into the nursery. Her baby brother was still asleep, his limbs askew in the air but he remained silent. She let out a breath of relief. If he was awake, he was sure to bring her parents over. “Keep sleeping,” she whispered and tiptoed down to the scene of the crime.

            Jaylie stopped short at the top of the stairs and peered through the bars of the railing. This was where she had been only five hours ago, when she witnessed an event so horrific, she didn’t even want to picture it. She walked down the steps and went to see evidence. It was clear Santa had come. The cookies were all bitten into and half of the milk was finished. The stockings by the fireplace were filled with presents and underneath the Christmas tree were colorfully packaged boxes. However, she found it difficult to find in herself the uncontrollable excitement she used to feel in years past.

            “Jaylie baby! Why didn’t you come wake Mommy up?” The four year old jumped, startled. She saw her mother walk down the stairs with her little brother in her arms. Jaylie stared into her mother’s face, trying to read some sort of intention in them. But all she saw was her mother’s familiar bright smile and eyes filled with love.

            “Oh, I just wanted to see if Santa came,” she replied in a small voice.

            “Of course he did. Look at all the presents! Do you want to come up with me to wake Daddy up?”

            At this, Jaylie perked up. She nodded enthusiastically, but kept a respectful distance from her mother despite her outstretched hand. The moment Jaylie entered her parents’ room, she looked around. Her eyes peered suspiciously over the walls, at the closed closets and then at her father’s still sleeping figure on the bed. Jaylie got on her knees and looked at the bed.

            “Sweetie, what are you looking for?”

            Jaylie said nothing. But just then, Daemin made a tiny squeal and shouted. He started to blabber and Jaylie could see her father start to stir. She climbed onto the bed with her mom and brother and was right by his side as Daehyun finally opened his eyes to see his family smiling down at him.

            “Daddy!” Jaylie threw her arms around his neck and clung on tightly. Her father laughed and struggled to sit up, trying to keep her in his embrace but also do so without choking himself.

            “Good morning, Jaylie. Are you excited to see what Santa brought you today?”

            At the mention of Santa Claus, or now, in Jaylie’s mind, Public Enemy Number One, her face darkened. “No,” she said shortly.

            “No?” Her father exchanged a look with her mother. “Why not sweetheart?”

            At this, Jaylie leaned into her father’s neck. “Daddy will be sad.”

            “Sad? Why?” When the four year old maintained her silence, Daehyun kissed her cheek. “Baby, say something.”

            Jaylie shot her mother a hurt look. “I saw Mommy kiss Santa.”

            The revelation brought on the type of silence she could only equate to shellshock. Jaylie was too afraid to look at her father. “You must have saw wrong.” Jaylie felt a flare of indignation. Her mom was even trying to deny it?

            “I saw!” She started to cry. “I saw you! You were hugging Santa and then your face was near his and you kissed him!”

            Daehyun chuckled. “My love, why are you so upset?”

            Jaylie was even more confused at her father’s lack of reaction. “Because!” She stared up at him as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. “Mommy is only allowed to kiss Daddy!”

            There was a soft ‘aww’ from her mother. “And is Mommy not allowed to kiss Jaylie?”

            “Y-yes, but not like that,” her face was turning red as she tried to find a way to describe why grown-up kisses was different from children kisses.

            “Like what?” her mother and at this, Daehyun cleared his throat.

            “Let’s keep it PG here,” he said firmly. Jaylie didn’t understand and was afraid that finally, her father was getting mad at her mom.

            “Will Mommy and Daddy divorce?” she asked quietly.

            Again, the two adults looked at one another and then even her father burst into laughter. “Of course not.” Daehyun shifted so that Jaylie was snuggled comfortably by his side and her mother slid next to her, completing the puzzle. Daemin crawled his way into the space between his parents, eager to not be left out.

            Her father used his thumb to wipe away at her tears. “I think you saw wrong last night. Santa was having a hard time and Mommy was giving him strength. Maybe it’s because Santa’s beard was too big and you thought you saw something you didn’t. Don’t worry, Mommy would never kiss someone else.”

            “But Daddy, did you even see what happened?”

            “Of course. I was right there. Santa was having a hard time finishing the cookies, and he asked if I could help him choose which were the best ones to eat. I was by the tree, so you probably didn’t see me.”

            Jaylie looked from her father’s smiling face to her mother’s and then at their clasped hands. Her heart settled down a little and the taboo image was slowly dissolving and restructuring into one that was just as innocent as the one her father had just described. “Okay,” she conceded. She allowed herself to be mollified by her parents’ presence and smiled. “So when do we open presents?”

            But that night, after her parents had tucked her in, Jaylie slipped out to her desk and pulled out her set of crayons. She took out a blank piece of paper and decided to write a letter.

            Dear Santa,

            Even though Mommy and Daddy say that Mommy did not kiss you, I think next time you are having a hard time, you should find someone else instead. Mommy can only kiss and hug Daddy like that. And Mommy always told me not to hug strangers (even though you’re technically not a stranger, Santa.) If you really are having a hard time, then you can hug Daemin. He’s a baby, and babies are always allowed to be hugged and kissed by everyone.

                                                                        Thanks,

                                                                        Jung Jaylie

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY LOVELIES

p.s. there may be a double update today ehe