December 10, 2021
Still flying high on the excitement of yesterday’s Wish List, Viv folds 20 paper airplanes—one for each of the presents she requested from Santa. As he releases one perfectly folded, remarkably aerodynamic paper plane after another, Ned contemplates the elephant in the room.
What made Santa decide this year with the Heffrons would come with training duties? “Babysitting duty”—the disparaging term elves use when Santa’s out of earshot—is traditionally bestowed upon only the top percentile of elves when nearing the end of their careers. Ned, however, is middling in both age and performance. Sitting high across the room from Viv, Ned can’t shake the feeling that he’s the one being babysat.
