Mrs. C: A Holiday Fantasy

By S. P. Perone

When a computer matchmaking service connects her to Nick, a man with an astonishing secret agenda, Margo Sanchez is drawn into the most bizarre courtship of all time. Finding herself falling for Nick, she is stunned when he claims to be Santa Claus and wants to make Margo the next Mrs. C.

Disbelieving, Margo challenges Nick for proof. Abruptly, she is transported from her San Francisco home to Nicks magical realm at the top of the world. There she encounters elves hiding ancient secrets and engages in bristling debates with her suitor, while surprisingly being drawn to him and his enchanted world.

Despite Nicks gallant courtship, Margo turns him down and returns home. But shortly before Christmas, a calamity in Nicks world summons her back. There she is alarmed to learn that the crisis threatens cataclysmic global devastationand that only Margo might be able to stop it.

Before she can act, however, the previously untold secrets of Santas realm, its elves, and their true mission on earth must be revealed to her. These shocking realities impel her on an unprecedented odysseyan epic round-the-world journey that provides a surprising climax to a most remarkable holiday romance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 8, 2017
• ISBN: 9781532029011

S. P. Perone

Sam Perone has worked in academic and government arenas and as a consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has published numerous technical articles, two textbooks, nine novels and two memoirs. He and his wife live in the Sierra foothills of Northern California. Visit his web site at www.samperone.com.

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Copyright © 2017 S. P. Perone .

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5320-2900-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-2901-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017911463

iUniverse rev. date: 08/07/2017

Contents

Dedication

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 My Name is Margo

Chapter 2 Nick Explains it All

Chapter 3 Nick’s Domain

Chapter 4 Meet and Greet

Chapter 5 What Do You Do?

Chapter 6 The Grand Tour

Chapter 7 The Grilling

Chapter 8 Top of the World

Chapter 9 The Day After

Chapter 10 Higher Learning

Chapter 11 Reading, Writing, and….

Chapter 12 Current Affairs

Chapter 13 Heart-to-heart

Chapter 14 Revelations

Chapter 15 Nick of Time

Chapter 16 Home Alone

Chapter 17 Ancient Secrets

Chapter 18 Reunion

Chapter 19 The Weight of the World

Chapter 20 Leader of the Free World

Chapter 21 Worlds Apart

Chapter 22 A Crazy Idea

Chapter 23 World News Tonight

Chapter 24 Happy Landing

Epilogue

Dedication

For Nora

Preface

I haven’t always been a big fan of Christmas.

As a child, of course, I loved it. But as an adult, I began to chafe at the sometimes overwhelming spike in commitments—gift lists, shopping, spending, church events, greeting cards, family gatherings, and on and on.

Now that I have matured, in years and in attitude, I love it once again.

And my fondness for this time of the year goes beyond the spiritual celebration of Christmas.

We all know that one need not be a Christian to participate in the wonderful atmosphere of fellowship and love that define this season. Moreover, when you look into it, you find that people of other faiths, non-Christians around the world, have similar annual celebrations, albeit sometimes at different seasons. And even those of no particular religion are likely to participate in these celebrations of peace and good will.

These traits do not belong exclusively to people of faith.

And this brings us to the widespread adoption of the legend of Santa Claus, whose origins are clearly tied to Christianity. But a child need not believe in God or Jesus Christ to enjoy and believe in Santa Claus.

Santa belongs to everyone.

These two thoughts prompted me to write this story. It is a whimsical tale, to be sure, with some very human, and possibly disturbing, real-world elements woven into a fantasy world of saints and elves. It is intended to be thought-provoking, yet uplifting, with a message or two.

Most of all, I hope all readers find the story entertaining for the holidays.

Buon Natale!

Sam Perone

July, 2017

Acknowledgments

I want to thank that small army of dedicated reviewers who critiqued the early versions of Mrs. C. Because this was so different from my previous books, reviewer inputs were invaluable, catalyzing revisions that hopefully produced the entertaining fantasy I intended.

I am particularly indebted to Don Ebert for his preparation of the attractive cover artwork and wish to acknowledge Depositphoto, Inc., for stock imagery.

Finally, I must thank my readers, who make the writing worthwhile, and my wife, Sylvia, whose unfailing support and encouragement make it all possible.

Chapter 1

My Name is Margo

Margo, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? he asked, on bended knee.

Nick! I exclaimed, pulling away. You can’t be serious. We’ve just met. I strained to keep a smile on. His eyes never left mine, as he rose slowly to sit beside me on the wooden bench. The ocean waves beating against the nearby rocks provided an incongruous fanfare for his next words.

I know it seems sudden, he said, but I know everything I need to know about you.

His face exuded a sincerity that belied the absurdity of his words. It seemed wrong to laugh at him, so I didn’t. I liked him too much.

Our first date had been a dream. He was older—thirty-nine compared to my twenty-six years—and accustomed to a very different lifestyle. He sent me flowers; showed up in a limo; and took me to Vineyards, the most exclusive restaurant in San Francisco. We dined in a semi-private alcove, with a grand view of the city skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. Then he took me to the Keynote Room at the top of the historic Gold Coast Hotel, where we danced till dawn to the sounds of a thirty-piece orchestra, playing standards from long ago.

It wasn’t like he pulled me out of some nowhere place. I was a college graduate and a business major, working for a hedge fund in the San Francisco financial district. I had a six-figure income and an expensive apartment in a new South-of-Market high-rise; and I hung out with other young, affluent singles who were in tune with all the hip clubs and bistros of the City.

And yet, that first date with Nick had been surprisingly elegant and enchanting.

Nick was slightly shorter, totally gray, with a neatly-trimmed partial beard and a slight paunch. He certainly didn’t measure up, physically, to the young studs in my circle of friends.

Nevertheless, I found him fascinating and strangely irresistible.

So now, on our second date—a day spent driving south to Monterey Bay, eating fresh seafood, drinking wine at The Vista, and then walking the beaches—he was charming me with his simplicity and candor.

I knew I wanted to see more of Nick. But marriage? That was crazy.

How did this happen, I wondered, thinking back to how we had been brought together….

Despite the urging of my friends, I had stuck to my longstanding determination not to use one of those online dating sites. I considered myself a modern woman in every sense of the word, but I had drawn the line at computerized matchmaking.

But then my best friend, Scarlett, had generated my profile for FirstSight, the new, popular service that promised to let you meet your destiny. With that profile in hand—and her awareness of my prolonged dating drought—Scarlett had persuaded me to let her click send.

So there I was—with unexpected anticipation—looking forward to screening potential candidates for my affections.

And I had gotten many—from all sorts. But none had impressed me, until the invitation from Nick.

Even now, I can’t explain why I responded. His profile had described someone with whom I could not see myself in a million years.

But something had compelled me to respond. And whatever it was, that same compulsion prompted me now to say, I need to know much more about you, Nick, before I can respond to your question.

"So you’re not saying no?"

I’m saying I like you, Nick, and I want to know you better.

You’ll get to know me … after we’re married.

I couldn’t hold back a laugh. Get serious, Nick, I insisted, still grinning. "This isn’t the Dark Ages. People don’t rush to the altar. Most couples I know have never made it legal."

But you responded to my computer invitation, Nick protested. I thought that meant—

That I wanted to get married? You’re kidding! I pulled away sharply and glared at Nick through a new, alarming prism.

Please, don’t be upset, Margo, he said quickly, reaching for my hand. I … perhaps I didn’t fully understand.… He paused, seemingly confused.

Again, his simplistic lack of guile softened me. Nick, what did you think FirstSight was about?

He shrugged. I … my assistant, Jeremy, took care of everything. He looked off into space. He insisted that I had to find a wife the new way; the modern way; by computer; not by the traditional methods I’ve used in the past.

What past? I cried, as all my internal alarms suddenly went ballistic.

"Why,