Maddie the Christmas Mouse, part 3
Two years ago, we met a determined mouse named Maddie, who stopped at nothing to get her share of holiday goodies. She sat on Santa’s shoulder, enjoying her cookie and milk, and all was well in her world. Last year, despite Jack’s shenanigans and being completely covered in chocolate chip cookie dough, she managed to not only get her sweet snack once again, but she also became friends with the family cat. Everything was at peace in the house….
….at least until Marco showed up….
Who is he, you ask? Well, he’s the new family dog, and you already know the story about dogs and cats. So, you know that he and Jack didn’t get along very well. In fact, this is where the three-peat begins….
Now, Nicholas, age 11, by the way, was making a special batch of cookies this year. Chocolate and peanut butter. The thought of it makes you hungry, doesn’t it? Feel free to go by any store and grab some once the story is over, folks. Anyway, he made two batches, along with caramel glazed cookies, and a nice big bucket of warm milk for Santa. Let me repeat that. FOR SANTA! To ensure that no chaos took place this year, Nicholas pulled Jack and Maddie to the side to make a statement.
“Now, listen, you two. This is a special collection of goodies for Santa Claus, and I do not want any of this to be ruined by either of you. So please, stay where I put you, okay?”
Jack let out a meow and walked around him in agreement, while Maddie smiled and nodded her head, but this is MADDIE we are talking about here! Her fingers were crossed behind her back. Bedtime approached, and Nicholas took off for bed. Meanwhile, Jack was in his little pad, and our mischievous mouse friend was on the shelf behind the family portrait.
Jack opened his eyes first, looking to see where Maddie was. Moments later, she peeks from behind the picture, giving him the thumbs up. “Okay, Maddie,” Jack said. “The lights are out, and the coast is clear. You leap from the shelf, and I’ll keep a look out for Marco.” “Polo!” Maddie replied. All Jack could do was shake his head and laugh. Meanwhile, the big collie knew what he was up against. So, his first act was in the form of a little cage. Maddie was found running across the shelf, flies through the air, catches Jack by the hand, and then flies…. DIRECTLY into Marco’s cage! Jack was stunned and surprised. “You’re next, my feline friend!” he exclaimed. Jack proceeds to run as fast as he can to get away from Marco, but Marco is so quick himself, that he runs in front of Jack and tosses him into the air…. Where does Jack land, you ask? Well, look across the room and you’ll see that the bag of coal used for the fire is bigger than usual. Marco laughs and walks away. “That was too easy,” he thought. “Maddie, we have got to stop Marco.” Jack said. “Polo!!” she replied. “Ugh! Maddie, now is NOT the time for that! Don’t you want your cookie for Christmas?” “As much as you want your milk!” She replied.
Marco pushes the cage near the fireplace with a grin on his face. He then pushes the bag of coal next to the cage. “Any last words before I send you two up in smoke? Nobody’s getting anything, except me! I will be the only one getting my dog bone from Santa.”
Before he can push further and send the two to their fiery doom, the fire goes out, and the three are completely covered in snow. “Maddie?” Jack said. “Brrrrrrrrrrrr!!!” she shouted. It was then, that Marco realized that Santa had appeared. “Hello, Marco. What on earth are you doing with Maddie and Jack?” “Well, I…. uh….. you see….. oh, Santa, I’m sorry!” Marco began to explain. “They do this every year. They wait until it’s quiet and then go after the goodies before you arrive and I wanted to stop them.” Santa replied, “but pushing them into the fireplace wouldn’t solve the situation, Marco….” “Polo!!!!” Maddie yelled. “Hush, Maddie!” Santa said while laughing. “I know you wanted a bone for Christmas, but doing such a mean thing won’t get you anything. If I give you this bone, do you promise to be a good boy from now on?”
Marco stood back with his head down, but then agreed.
“I promise I won’t do any more crazy things to either of these two, Santa. I just want my bone. That’s all.”
“So how about this,” Santa said. “If you apologize to Maddie and Jack right now, I will give you the bone you’ve been asking for all year. What do you say?”
Knowing that he really wanted that bone, he looked the two of them in the eye and gave his most sincere apology. “I’m really sorry for trying to burn you guys. I hope that we can all be friends.”
“Sure!” Maddie shouted. “I’ll be your friend, too, Marco.” Jack replied.
Moments later, Santa was found, once again, in his recliner…. Jack in his pad, drinking his warm milk, Maddie on Jack’s back, eating her cookie…. And Marco was by the fireplace enjoying his new dog bone and collar with his name on it.
“Santa?” Maddie said.
“Yes, Maddie?” Santa replied.
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this!”
Santa laughed hysterically, and then said, “Merry Christmas, you guys. Now next year, I don’t want to come to a messy house. Nicholas’s mom would be pretty angry if she woke up and saw any of what I’ve seen in the last 2 years. So, keep it clean next year. Deal?”
“Deal!!!!” The three replied.
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