What's more Christmassy than a train near the tree? As long as the engine driver's cool with it, of course. Nobody should be forced to work on Christmas.

"We've got good kids, Michelle."

Michelle laughed and hugged Tim back. "What brought this on?"

"Jake. He's in the living room with his Thomas Crane & Cargo Set. Come and see."

In the living room, Jake was lying beside the Thomas Crane & Cargo Set. Reading a book. Not turning the knob to control the crane. Not helping Thomas chug around the classic figure 8. Not loading cargo into the cargo cars. Just sitting. Sitting quietly.

"Jake?" asked Michelle. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," Jake said into his book. Michelle looked at Tim. Tim motioned for her to go on.

"Jake? Aren't you playing with that Thomas Crane & Cargo Set?"

"Yeah," Jake said into the book. "But it's Christmas. So I gave all the workers the weekend off to be with their families. They'll be back next week and things will be back to normal."

Michelle turned back to Tim.

"You're right," she said. "We do have good kids."

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