ROOM 7
Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Santa Clause
The morning after her fever broke, Jay was restless.
She'd been in bed for two days. Two days of soup and medicine and Keifer's hand on her forehead. Two days of Yuri whispering and Ci N calculating and Mica hovering. Two days of staring at the ceiling and listening to the room breathe.
She needed air. She needed movement. She needed ice cream.
Keifer was at the door, jacket on, keys in hand. "I have to go."
She looked up from her bed. "Where?"
"My father's office. Something with the shipping logs. He needs me to sign something." He paused. "I'll be back in a few hours."
She sat up. "Bring ice cream."
He smiled. "No."
She stared at him. "No?"
"You're recovering. You need soup. You need water. You need—"
"I need ice cream."
"You need to rest."
She grabbed her pillow. Held it up. "I'm going to throw this."
He caught it before it left her hand. "You need your strength."
She grabbed another pillow. "I have strength."
He took that one too. "You have a fever."
"I don't have a fever."
"Your face is red."
"It's the heat."
"It's December."
"GLOBAL WARMING."
He laughed. Kissed her forehead. "No ice cream."
He walked out.
She sat on her bed, holding her empty hands, staring at the door. The room was quiet. Yuri was at the window. Mica was in the kitchen. Care and Cole were at the table. Freya was looking at her camera. Erdix was beside her. Ash was on the couch. David was eating chips. Felix was at his desk. Ci N was on his bed, notebook open.
She looked at the door. "He said no ice cream."
"He said no ice cream," Yuri said.
"I need ice cream."
"You need to rest."
She grabbed her phone. Stared at the screen. Her fingers moved before she could stop them.
---
Part One: The Numbers
She typed quickly. The first number. The second. The third. She didn't think. She just typed. When she was done, she looked at the screen. Eleven numbers. Keifer's number. Staring back at her.
She stood up. Walked to the door. Opened it. The hallway was empty. She walked to the stairwell. The stairs were empty. She walked down. The lobby was empty. She walked out.
The street was full. People walking. Cars honking. Children playing on the corner. Three of them. Small. Loud. Running in circles.
She walked toward them. They stopped when they saw her. A boy. A girl. A smaller boy. They stared.
"Do you know what number to call if you need something?" she asked.
The boy shook his head.
She held up her phone. "This number. Call it if you need anything. Anything at all."
"What will happen?" the girl asked.
She smiled. "Someone will come."
She wrote the number on a piece of paper. Handed it to the boy. Walked away.
---
Part Two: The First Call
Keifer was in his father's office when his phone rang.
He looked at the screen. Unknown number. He ignored it. It rang again. He ignored it. It rang a third time. He picked up.
"Hello?"
A small voice. "Is this Santa Claus?"
He blinked. "What?"
"Santa Claus. The number said Santa Claus."
He pulled the phone away from his ear. Looked at the screen. Unknown number. He put it back. "This isn't Santa Claus."
"Oh." The voice was disappointed. "Then who is it?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is Keifer."
"Keifer Claus?"
"No. Just Keifer."
"Oh." Pause. "Do you have toys?"
"I don't have toys."
"Do you have cookies?"
"I don't have cookies."
"Then why did you give me your number?"
He stared at the wall. "I didn't give you my number."
"You did. The girl did. She said call if we need anything."
He went very still. "What girl?"
"Tall. Pretty. With a jacket. She gave us the number. She said someone would come."
He closed his eyes. "What do you need?"
"Cookies. Do you have cookies?"
He took a breath. "I'll see what I can do."
He hung up. Stared at his phone. The screen was dark. His father was talking. Something about shipping logs. Something about signatures. He didn't hear any of it.
---
Part Three: The Second Call
His phone rang again twenty minutes later.
He was in the parking lot, walking to his car. Unknown number. He answered.
"Hello?"
"Is this Santa Claus?"
He stopped walking. "No."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"You sound like Santa Claus."
He looked at the sky. "What do you need?"
"Cookies. The other one said you'd bring cookies."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll bring cookies."
"When?"
"Tomorrow."
"That's too long."
"Today is too short."
The voice was quiet. Then: "Do you have a sleigh?"
He closed his eyes. "No."
"Reindeer?"
"No."
"How do you deliver cookies without a sleigh?"
He took a breath. "I have a car."
"Oh." Pause. "What color?"
"Gray."
"That's boring."
He stared at his phone. "I'll work on it."
He hung up. Got in his car. Sat there. His phone buzzed. Another call. Unknown number. He didn't answer.
---
Part Four: The Third Call
He was driving when his phone rang again.
He looked at the screen. Unknown number. He let it ring. It rang again. He let it ring. It rang a third time. He pulled over.
"Hello?"
"Is this the cookie man?"
He rested his head on the steering wheel. "Yes."
"The cookie man," the voice said. "The one who brings cookies."
"That's me."
"When are you coming?"
He closed his eyes. "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow is too long."
"Today is too short."
The voice was quiet. Then: "Do you have chocolate chip?"
"I can get chocolate chip."
"What about sugar?"
"I can get sugar."
"What about oatmeal?"
He took a breath. "I can get oatmeal."
The voice giggled. "You're a good cookie man."
He smiled. "Thank you."
"When are you coming?"
He looked out the window. "Tomorrow."
"Promise?"
He was quiet for a moment. "I promise."
He hung up. Put the car in gear. Drove toward the store.
---
Part Five: The Store
He bought three boxes. Chocolate chip. Sugar. Oatmeal. He paid. Walked out. His phone rang.
Unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Is this the cookie man?"
He stopped walking. "Yes."
"We need more cookies."
"I have cookies."
"How many?"
"Three boxes."
"That's not enough."
He looked at the boxes in his hand. "How many do you need?"
"More."
He walked back into the store. Bought three more boxes. Walked out.
His phone rang. Another unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Are you the cookie man?"
He closed his eyes. "Yes."
"We heard you have cookies."
"I have cookies."
"Can we have some?"
He looked at the boxes in his arms. "I'll bring them tomorrow."
"Where do you live?"
He stared at the sky. "I live in a dorm."
"What's a dorm?"
"A building. With rooms. With people."
"Are you Santa Claus?"
He took a breath. "No."
"Then why are you bringing cookies?"
He didn't have an answer.
---
Part Six: The Return
He walked into Room 7 at dusk. His arms were full of boxes. His phone was buzzing. Unknown number. He ignored it.
Jay was on her bed. The shark was beside her. Her face was innocent. Too innocent.
"Where were you?" she asked.
"Buying cookies."
She tilted her head. "Cookies?"
He set the boxes on the table. "For the children."
"What children?"
He pulled out his phone. Held it up. The screen was full of missed calls. Unknown numbers. Dozens of them.
"The children who think I'm Santa Claus."
She blinked. "Santa Claus?"
"The children who called my number. The number someone gave them. The number someone said was Santa Claus."
She stared at him. Her face was red. Her hands were in her lap.
"That's strange," she said.
He sat beside her. "Very strange."
"Who would do that?"
He looked at her. "I don't know. Someone who wanted ice cream."
She looked away. "Ice cream?"
"You asked for ice cream. I said no. You got upset. I left. And then—" He held up his phone. "This happened."
She stared at the screen. At the missed calls. At the unknown numbers.
"That's a lot of calls," she said.
"That's a lot of calls."
She looked at him. Her face was red. Her lips were pressed together. She was trying not to smile.
He waited.
She cracked. "I made that."
He stared at her. "What?"
"I made that. The number. I gave it to some kids. I said it was Santa Claus."
He stared at her. "You gave my number to children. And told them I was Santa Claus."
She nodded. "I wanted ice cream."
He stared at her. She stared back. Her face was red. Her hands were shaking. She was trying not to laugh.
"You wanted ice cream," he said.
"I wanted ice cream."
"So you gave my number to children."
"Three children."
"Who told other children."
She nodded. "It spread."
He looked at his phone. At the dozens of missed calls. At the unknown numbers. At the voicemails he hadn't listened to.
"You gave my number to three children," he said. "And now—" He held up his phone.
She looked at the screen. "That's more than three."
"That's more than three."
She looked at him. Her face was bright. Her eyes were shining. "I wanted ice cream."
He laughed. He couldn't help it. The laugh came out of nowhere, surprising him, surprising her.
"You gave my number to children," he said. "You told them I was Santa Claus."
"You said no to ice cream."
"So you made me Santa Claus."
She nodded. "You're very Santa-like."
He stared at her. "I'm Santa-like?"
"You bring people things. Coffee. Blankets. Sharks. Cookies." She pointed at the boxes on the table. "You brought cookies."
He looked at the boxes. At the chocolate chip. At the sugar. At the oatmeal. At the children who were waiting.
"I'm not Santa Claus," he said.
She smiled. "You could be."
He grabbed her. Pulled her close. Kissed her.
From across the room, Yuri's voice: "THEY'RE KISSING AGAIN."
Ci N's voice: "Page 294. Kiss recorded. Probability of more kisses: 100 percent."
Jay pulled back. Looked at Keifer. "I wanted ice cream."
He stood up. Walked to the door. "I'll get ice cream."
She smiled. "Vanilla."
"I know."
He walked out. She lay back on her bed. The shark was beside her. The room was quiet. Yuri was staring. Mica was staring. Care was staring. Freya was taking photos. Erdix was filming. Ash was laughing. David was eating chips. Ci N was writing.
Lyra was on the couch. Alex beside her. She was watching Jay.
"You gave his number to children," Lyra said.
Jay looked at her. "I wanted ice cream."
Lyra smiled. "You're terrifying."
Jay smiled back. "I know."
---
Part Seven: The Cookies
Keifer came back with ice cream. Vanilla. Two cups. He handed one to Jay. Sat beside her.
"You're still getting calls," he said.
She looked at his phone. The screen was lit. Unknown number.
"Are you going to answer?" she asked.
He looked at the phone. At the screen. At the number.
He answered.
"Hello?"
A small voice. "Is this the cookie man?"
He looked at Jay. She was eating ice cream. Her face was innocent. Too innocent.
"Yes," he said. "This is the cookie man."
"When are you bringing cookies?"
He smiled. "Tomorrow."
"Do you have chocolate chip?"
"I have chocolate chip."
"What about sugar?"
"I have sugar."
"What about oatmeal?"
He looked at the boxes on the table. "I have oatmeal."
The voice giggled. "You're the best cookie man."
He leaned back on the bed. "I know."
He hung up. Jay was watching him. Her ice cream was half gone.
"You answered," she said.
"I answered."
"You said you were the cookie man."
He put his phone down. "I am the cookie man."
She smiled. He smiled. The room was quiet. The sun was setting. The lights were coming on.
---
Part Eight: The Night
The room was quiet that night.
Lyra was on the couch. Alex beside her. Her head was on his shoulder. His arm was around her. She was sleeping. He was watching her breathe.
Ci N was on his bed. Notebook open. Pen in hand.
"Page 295. Keifer became Santa Claus. Probability of more cookie requests: 98.3 percent. Probability of him delivering: 100 percent."
Rakki watched him. "You calculated the probability of cookie delivery?"
He nodded. "I calculate everything."
She closed his notebook. "You need to sleep."
He looked at her. "I'm not tired."
"You've been calculating all day."
He looked at Jay's bed. She was lying down. Keifer was beside her. The shark was between them. Two cups of ice cream were empty on the table.
"She wanted ice cream," he said.
Rakki looked at the cups. "She wanted ice cream."
He picked up his fox. Held it. "She got ice cream."
She kissed his cheek. He closed his eyes.
---
Across the room, Jay lay in her bed. The shark was beside her. Keifer was beside her. His arm was around her. Her head was on his chest.
"You're the cookie man," she said.
He smiled. "I'm the cookie man."
"You're Santa Claus."
"I'm Santa Claus."
She looked up at him. "You brought me ice cream."
He kissed her forehead. "I brought you ice cream."
She smiled. He smiled. The room was quiet. The city was bright. The world was waiting.
From across the room, Ci N's voice: "Page 296. Goodnight recorded. Probability of more goodnights: 100 percent."
"Ci N," Jay said.
"I'm sleeping."
"You're talking."
"I'm sleeping and talking. My brain works at one hundred sixty percent. I can do both."
"Ci N."
"Goodnight, Mother. Goodnight, Father."
She smiled into Keifer's chest. "Goodnight, Ci N."
The room was quiet. Sixteen people. Sixteen people who were something to each other. Something that didn't need a name.
Jay closed her eyes. Keifer was beside her. The shark was beside her. He was the cookie man. He was Santa Claus. He was hers.
She slept.
---
End of Chapter Thirty-Eight