Have Some Cake
Christmas: Ontario, CA
Ontario, California, USA
Kale Clague sits by the window of his small apartment. Sun rays shine through the window, giving Kale’s face a glow. Yet Kale’s expression contrasts the rays: his eyes are sharp and sullen, his eyebrows lowered, and his mouth is a frown.
Footsteps sound from behind Kale before Drake Rymsha appears into view and halts behind him.
He gazes at his friend with confused eyes. “Whatcha doing looking at the window, Claguer?”
“There’s no snow,” Kale murmurs at the window.
Drake turns his attention to the window.
Displayed through the glass is a beautiful scenery of crystal clear skies with streaked, white clouds. Full, green trees are scattered throughout the idyllic neighbourhood. Birds pass by the white, luminous sun.
Drake tilts his head as surprise takes over his face. “Are you sure it’s December?”
Kale just sighs.
Drake pulls out his smartphone from his short’s pocket and navigates to the calendar app. On the white calendar, a red dot is on the twenty-fourth of December, indicating the current date.
Drake peers back at the window. He appears more scared than surprise. “Weird.” He then whirls around and walks away.
Kale peers behind his shoulder to look at his departing friend. “Where’re you going?”
Drake halts in the middle of the living room and turns to him. “I’m gonna start putting up the Christmas tree! Wanna help?”
A scowl sets on Kale’s face. “No.”
Drake’s elated expression drops. “But I...need help.”
Kale lets out a huge sigh. “It doesn’t feel like Christmas.”
Drake groans and throws his hands in the air. “I know, but it’s December and if we don’t have our Christmas tree up, Santa won’t give us presents.”
“If Santa even comes here.” Kale whirls to the window and holds his hands out at it. “There’s no snow! How would his sleigh work?”
Drake holds a confused look at the glass. “Oh yeah…” Worry crosses his face. “...oh man…” He dips his head. “...that’s right…”
Kale stands up and approaches his teammate. “We can’t have Christmas here! It’s seventy degrees outside! The evergreen scent isn’t anywhere near! And the spirit, it’s just not…” He halts his stepping and shrugs. “...there.”
Knocking sounds from the front door. The two men freeze.
“Who’s here?” Drake asks with furrowed eyebrows.
“I’ll get it.” Kale trudges to the front door, which is right by the window, and opens it.
On the other side is Jack Kopacka with a grin. He is wearing an Anaheim Ducks black ugly sweater with a matching Ducks Santa hat; despite his winter attire, he has shorts and flip-flops as well.
“Hey, Claguer!” Jack pipes up. “I gotcha cookies!” He holds his hands up, revealing a plate of chocolate chip cookies.
Drake steps next to Kale and gazes at the visitor. A look of disapproval overcomes his face with a cross of his arms before he turns to his teammate. “You had to invite the Gull again?”
“He invited himself,” Kale remarks to him.
Jack scans the two from head to toe; concern forms on his face. “What’s up, guys?” He cocks his head. “You’re not wearing any Christmas attire or do the Kings not sell any?”
Kale turns to him with crossed arms. “There’s no Christmas this year.”
Jack scoffs and casts his eyes high up above. “Hah, like as if holidays can be cancelled.” He lands his eyes back on the two with a playful smile. “How could you say Christmas is cancelled? It’s tomorrow!”
“No snow,” Kale states.
“No spirit,” Drake adds.
“No Christmas.” Kale frowns at him.
Jack peers behind his shoulder at the sunny neighbourhood and cranes his head to gaze up at the blinding blue sky. He then lands his attention back at them, the pom-pom from his hat flopping against his cheek.
“You guys think you’re the only ones who are used to a white Christmas?” He flicks head back to move the pom-pom from his face. “I’ve always had white Christmases my whole life!”
Kale holds his hands out from his side. “And now there’s none! And it…” The strength of his voice fades as he lowers his hands. “...it doesn’t feel like Christmas.”
“It feels more like July than December to me,” Drake remarks flatly.
“It’ll feel weird to celebrate Christmas like this.” Kale gives Jack an uncertain grimace. “Doesn’t it feel weird?”
Jack casts his eyes. “Well…” He lifts his eyes back at two. “...I’ve also learned from a very young age that the spirit of Christmas doesn’t depend on the environment.” He straightens up, gazing at the sunlit scene. “I mean, there’s millions of people who celebrate Christmas without seeing snow! But the spirit of Christmas comes from within your heart.” He lands his eyes back on the two. “It’s up to you to create it or ignore it. And I choose to celebrate it! Which is how I got to baking these cookies.” He juts the plate of cookies out at the two.
Drake gazes at the cookie with twinkling eyes. “Well, there’s cookies do look good…!” He reaches a hand out at them. He then pauses and flicks his eyes up at him. “Can I?”
Jack lifts his thick eyebrows. “Certainly!”
Drake plucks the top cookie and takes a bite out of it. His eyes instantly light up. “Mmmm!!!” He swallows. “These are the bomb!” He whirls to his teammate. “Claguer, you should have some!”
“No.” Kale shakes his head with a slight frown. “It just wouldn’t feel right.”
Drake rolls his eyes. “You’re such a party pooper.” He takes another bite of his cookie.
Jack shoots Kale a warm smile. “Don’t worry, Claguer, I miss the snow too.”
Drake swallows and exclaims to his friend, “Same here! But the spirit actually puts ya in a good mood!” He stuffs the rest of the cookie in his mouth before taking another one from Jack’s plate.
Kale casts his eyes aside and huffs. “If only it’d snow in California.”
Jack instantly gasps as eyes lit up, gazing beyond the two. “Actually…” He lowers his eyes to the two, his excitement settling into anticipation. “...it does snow...”
Kale gazes up at him with surprise.
“...just not here." He then plops his plate of cookies into Drake’s arms.
Drake’s face lights up at the unexpected gift. He takes the plate into one hand uses the other one to stuff more cookies into his mouth.
Jack pulls out his smartphone and types on it. He then holds the screen out to Kale.
Kale leans forward to peer at it. The dim smartphone displays a spectacular picture of a snow-covered peninsula cutting into a crisp, deep blue lake. Cabins dot the white land among bushy, snow-dusted evergreens.
“This is Big Bear Lake,” Jack explains behind the picture. “It’s over an hour away from here. And it has snow this time of year.” He then pulls the phone away, allowing Kale to straighten up and gaze up at him.
“Really?” Kale breathes out with hope in his eyes.
Jack smirks. “Yup!”
Kale whirls to Drake, catching him finishing off the last cookie with his cheeks puffed and his mouth coated with crumbles. Nevertheless, Drake nods vigorously with raised eyebrows
“Yes!” Kale spins back to Jack, his open grin growing. “Let’s go! Let’s go to the snow and celebrate Christmas!” He holds his hands out by his sides.
“It’s a deal!” Jack slips his smartphone into his shorts’ pocket. “I’ll pick ya guys up tomorrow and we’ll take off for the day!”
“Oh yes!” Kale pats his shoulder. “Thanks, Packs!”
Jack juts his chin to him. “No prob!” He then turns to the other Reign player.
Drake turns his eyes up at him; they grow large with guilt. He gulps. In his hands is the now empty plate with scattered crumbles.
Jack chortles at him through his smirk. “I’m glad my cookies didn’t go to waste.” He holds the edge of his plate. “Can I take this?”
Drake keeps his grasp on it. He leans his face into it and licks up the crumbles. He then straightens up and lets go.
With pursed lips, Jack pulls the plate from Drake’s possession and lowers his arm. He then faces the two, a smile popping up on his face. “I’ll text ya guys the details! Bye for now!” Then with a wave of his plate, Jack whirls around and ambles away.
Kale waves at him. “Bye, Packs! Can’t wait for tomorrow!”
Drake, with a crumb-coated mouth, shouts at him, “Bye! Thanks for the cookies and the trip!” He then turns to his teammate.
Kale gazes at him with his signature gawking grin.
“First time you’re in the Christmas spirit without snow?” Drake asks with raised eyebrows.
“Yup…” Kale then pauses as he fixes his eyes beyond him with realization. “And it doesn’t feel strange!” He gazes back at him. “It actually feels good!”
Drake leans closer to him and eyes the stairsteps Jack used to exit. “I low-key think Kopacka is Santa in disguise.”
Kale eyes him with doubt. “But you’re the one who ate the cookies.”
Drake pulls away from him with a small smirk. “So they were delicious.” He wipes the crumbs from his mouth.
Kale’s eyes then light up in a realization; he gasps. “Hey…! Wanna put up the Christmas tree?”
Drake points at him with a click of his tongue. “I was just about to ask ya that!”
“Let’s go!”
The two happily rush into their apartment and close the door behind them.
The End.
