Maddie the Christmas Mouse, part 5

The fun thing about Christmas is you never know what to expect during this joyous time of year. Who would’ve thought that a mouse named Maddie, a cat named Jack, a dog named Marco (insert Polo here, you know you want to yell it out), and a snake named Stella would all tell Santa the one thing they wanted the most? Did you find it funny how at the end of every part of this story, Santa is always sitting in his recliner? If you think a snake being added to the family was a twist, take a deep breath before you read this, because this part is filled with twists and turns. Nicholas was now a teenager. Yeah, I said it. Let THAT sink in for a moment or two. The same little boy who adopted Maddie, Jack, Marco, and Stella, and even placed them in separate areas of the house last year to keep them from getting to Santa’s goodies…. is now a 13 year old young adult who spent most of his time studying and helping his mother keep the house clean. The summer was different…. Nicholas wrote no letter. Instead, his friends did. He didn’t go to the pet shop to pick out the new family pet. His friends did. He didn’t even prepare Santa’s plate of cookies and milk…. his friends did. Ready, set, GO! It was Christmas Eve, and we find Maddie asleep on Jack’s back…. and they are both out COLD. It’s bound to happen when you have warm milk and honey before bedtime, folks. I know this firsthand. Marco was asleep near the warm fireplace, bone in his mouth and all. Stella was asleep in her snake pin, teeth hanging out. It seemed like the house was going to be nice and quiet before Santa arrived. “Polo….” Maddie said in her sleep. “It’s too early for breakfast, I’ll have another milk, please….” Jack said in his. Nicholas laughed as the pets spoke, not knowing what they were saying. “Santa will be pleased to know that I sent them all to bed early.” Suddenly, there was a squawk heard in the living room. “Send them to bed early. Sent them to bed early.” “Angelica! Stop mocking me!” Nicholas shouted. “Stop mocking me. Stop mocking me, Angelica.” I think it’s safe to say what her name is here. Angelica was a pretty bright red and yellow parrot with a shiny beak. She was a year old. He didn’t really like her too much, but he knew that in order for things to go smooth for Santa, he had to rely on her to be the one to make sure no one did anything, said anything, or went anywhere. “Keep an eye out for my 4 friends, okay?” He said. “Keep an eye out for my 4 friends,” she replied. Finally amused, he placed her in her cage and went to bed. Shortly after the lights went out…. Maddie woke up. Looking around to see if the coast was clear, she tapped Jack on his shoulder and pointed to the table. “Okay, Jack,” she whispered. “We’ll have to talk like this because that parrot is in here and she’ll imitate everything we say.” Marco tip toes near the table, and Stella slithers her way there. Can you believe it? A snake wanting Christmas goodies. Well, do you think it sounds any different from a mouse wanting a cookie? Anyway, Maddie looks to Stella for support. Stella defangs and allows Maddie to sit in her mouth as Marco swings the snake around like a cowboy in a movie. Maddie then flies through the air and lands on the table, but to her surprise….. There were NO cookies or milk on the table! “Hold on a minute,” Maddie thought. “Where are the cookies and milk? Surely Nicholas didn’t forget to put the goodies out, did he?” “Maddie, look!” Jack yelled. Flying over the table was Angelica! “Cookies for Santa, not for you. Cookies for Santa, not for you.” Maddie was not about to go down without a fight, especially to a parrot. Angelica grabbed the carton of eggs and began to drop them all over Jack and Marco. Stella was fortunate to escape the wrath, but Angelica had something else in mind for our snake friend. She flew to the freezer in the kitchen, opened the door, and set the temperature to 0. Stella then began to freeze. “Perfect, perfect!” she squawked. With Marco, Jack, and Stella out of the way, she then turned her focus to Maddie. She began to fly towards our mouse friend, picked her up by her ears, and proceeded to fly around the kitchen. “I’m getting dizzy!!! STOP!!!” Maddie screamed, but Angelica was not having any of that. She flew around and around and around. “No cookies for Maddie. No cookies for Maddie.” She squawked. Suddenly, Nicholas wakes up, comes down the stairs, and catches Angelica in the act. Instead of saying something, he went to try and catch her, himself. Now, Nicholas was the one making the mess. There was flour everywhere, cookie dough, a frozen snake, a cat and a dog covered in eggs, a parrot flying around in the kitchen like crazy, and a mouse who was in deep trouble…. Wait, maybe I should say Nicholas, too, because he wasn’t making the situation any better. “Nicholas, Maddie wanted cookies. Maddie wanted cookies.” Angelica squawked. “You’re gonna be in BIG trouble when I catch you. Bad parrot!” He replied. “Parrot food, parrot food from Santa!” “You won’t get anything doing this…. BE STILL!” he shouted. He tried everything in his power to catch her, but then…. Midnight struck. The house was a complete disaster, and on top of that, Nicholas wasn’t asleep…. but wait, it gets worse. There were footsteps coming down the stairs…. “WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON DOWN HERE?” his mother screamed. “Mom, I…..” Nicholas said. “Nicholas Michael Robinson, Jr. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY HOUSE?” “Mom, let me explain….” “No. Let ME explain.” Said Santa, who magically appeared next to Nicholas. “You see, it all started with his pet mouse Maddie, who wanted a cookie. Every year, you got a new pet. Jack, then Marco….” “POLO!!!!!” Maddie screamed. Everyone looked at Maddie with a look of disbelief on their faces. “Sorry.” Maddie said as she chuckled. “Last year, I met Stella, and now there’s a parrot flying around in here. What’s next, a horse?” Santa said. “I just want my baby to have a good Christmas, that’s all.” His mother said. “But mom, I’m not a baby anymore. I’m a teenager now.” His mother began to cry…. Maddie ran up to her with tissue and Marco pushed the ottoman underneath her. “You don’t understand how much it hurts to know that you’re not that little baby anymore. All I want for Christmas is for you to be happy. I wish you could be a little baby again.” “Hmmmm,” Santa thought. “While I can’t turn him back into a baby, I CAN do this….” Santa presented her with a portrait of Nicholas as a little baby, which made her cry even more. “Thank you, Santa.” From there, with a finger snap, the entire house was cleaned from top to bottom. Moments later, Santa was in his recliner enjoying his goodies, Maddie was on Jack’s back asleep with a full stomach, and he was asleep after drinking warm milk and honey. Marco was in Nicholas’ lap asleep. Stella was in her snake pad asleep. And Angelica? Well, look on top of the fireplace where Maddie used to hide. You’ll find her there, eating parrot food, whatever that is. “Mom?” Nicholas said. “Yes honey?” she replied. “Do you think it might be time for us to open a zoo for these guys?” “Maybe after one more pet.” His mother said while laughing.

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