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Chapter 1

Nicolas Kringle

Friday, December 20th, 2019

At thirty-five, I’ fa As the holidays are upon us, I’er on it, but whatever it is, it’s so close I can almost taste it I’ve been amped up for at least a week now For the third day in a row, I ale Worldwide Health Subsidiaries, wearing a Santa suit isn’t really in my job description but I do it anyway KWHS owns thirty-seven hospitals ide Three of which are in New York, where we are headquartered I have done two of the hospitals already and a into the third one I wave to the security guard at the desk

“Have a good day, Mr Kringle,” he says as I breeze past him

“You too, Pauley,” I say going aboutof presents fros in here for the kids

This is the hospital I visit most Once a day, at least It means the most to me San Tropez Hospital in Queens is a special hospital It’s the only hospital in our network that sees insurance-less patients free of charge This includes surgeries,hospital I visit kids who are stuck here over Christ it when I took over for my father after he retired He started this company many years before I was born and o to him for advice He’s the best damn hospital adood as he was, I’ll rest easy knowing that I gave it e and I love et around to all thirty-seven locations, especially for the holidays but that just isn’t feasible Too often I am pulled in tooaffordable, quality health care is this cooal I’ve never had time for women because I only focus on work That’s not entirely true though No wolance and I’m okay with that Fro and it’s not your dick I’m inclined to believe hiers, the lot of them

I step up to the elevator which opens as soon as I push the UP button Inside, I push the button indicating 12 The twelfth floor begins the pediatric ward It houses one hundred beds in fifty-five rooms, plus a quarantine area with twenty additional beds There are also five operating theatres so classes can observe any surgeries taking place All in all, the ward spans the top three floors of the building Three hundred pediatricians have privileges at this hospital and see patients here daily

To say that I am proud of San Tropez would be an understate’s different I’ly yet delicate floral scent fillsit in,ever has before I step out of the elevator, calht for the playroom The kids who are able to, play here every day I don’t bla systee TV’s in the room

“Santa’s here!” a kid shouts as best he can upon spotting me

“Ho, ho, ho,” I say in my best Santa voice I have perfected it over the last five years The staff has set up a large chair, and I hired a photographer, who is already set up and waiting Volunteers are dressed as elves and nursestheir patients

For the next several hours, I learn what they want for Christmas I’d expect these kids to want toys, Xboxes, and bikes, but all they really want is to spend Christmas at home with their families and it breaksthis time is really what’s best for them

Afterward, Iskin to skin contact with a nairl as abandoned at the safe haven the hospital provides She was ht She’ll reo into foster care I may have used my influence to hold that part of the process up I can’t explain the pull I have toward the tiny baby girl We aren’t even one hundred percent sure how old she is Our best guess is a little less than two months She needs ives her what her birth parents could not A nurse brings her out to me, after I openmy own dark one She cuddles on my chest and I nuzzle her head She really needs a name