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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Love stories / Romance
- Subject: Adventure
- Published: 10/14/2012
The Magic of a Christmas Wish
Born 1978, F, from Vancouver, WA, United States.jpg)
COLLEGE CAMPUS - DECEMBER 18th, 1997:
Jesslyn Brewer, in her college dorm-room, sitting at the little shared desk, paused from her studies to write a quick note. Scribbling on a paper under a tiny lamp, she became lost deep in thought.
“What are you writing?” Kami, her tall roommate, said looking over Jesslyn “Jess” Brewer’s shoulder. Kami had a sly grin leaning over to cover the note.
“Nothing.” Jess said hiding the letter. Kami sighed.
“A love letter?”
“No, just a note…” Jess lied hoping Kami would go away.
Jess was a pretty, uncomplicated college girl, with long mahogany hair and bright blue eyes. Kami started to leave, then stopped.
“We’re having a Christmas party at Monica’s if you want to come. Beats sitting here all alone.” Kami waited by the door.
“I’m going to spend Christmas with my dad.” Jess said, “Thanks anyway.”
Once Kami left the room, Jess closed her eyes taking a deep breath. “Okay Santa work your magic,” Jess said as she slid the note into a red envelope, licked the flap, then pressed it shut.
NORTH POLE - DECEMBER 20th, 1997
“Wow, this one of the most magical letters I have ever read,” Santa said looking at the curvy handwriting. One of his elves, Oliver, took a peak over his shoulder.
“Who sent it?” Oliver asked picking up the red envelope. The elf was almost as tall as Santa, with a striped stocking cap over his sandy blonde hair that covered the tips of his pointed ears. He looked like a human except for pointed ears.
“Jesslyn Brewer,” Santa announced, reading the letter. “Sweet girl. You know she has never missed a year sending a letter to me, not even when her mother died.”
“That might mean her Christmas Spirit is a special, rare gem. We’ll have to investigate, but she just may be one of only a handful of humans to make it to adulthood without ever doubting you.” Oliver said to Santa. “If so, her Christmas spirit is very powerful magic.”
Santa sighed as he read the last line in the letter. He didn’t announce it because it was a private wish. “You got everything ready?” Santa tucked the letter away.
“Yes Sir, the sleigh is packed and ready to for the test run,” Oliver said to him.
Christmas Eve 1997
RURAL HIGHWAY:
In her blue pick up, Jess reached out her window to hand-wipe her windshield. So much snow fell so fast, that her truck was getting buried. Jess floored it flying out from under the snow; she was determined to make it to her dad‘s house for Christmas.
At about the same time Santa and Oliver were high over the Midwest following the map and list, delivering gifts to children. Santa turned to his elf after they had left their drop, “Thank you again for filling in on such short notice… Bart‘s rash looked really nasty so I thought it was best he sit this one out.”
“Not a problem Santa,” Oliver said, just as red lights on the dash of the sleigh flashed on. A siren wailed indicating a problem. Oliver worked feverishly, pressing buttons and pulling levers, but his efforts were of no use. “We’re losing altitude; hang on, we’re going down!” Oliver called.
They braced for impact; thankfully there was enough snow on the little road to cushion most of it. Oliver jumped down from the sleigh going to check the reindeer. After some poking at them he looked back, “they’re fine but we’re not going anywhere.”
Santa came down to join him. “We gotta get the sleigh out of the middle of the road.” Santa said to him. They went behind the sleigh to push it but it fastened to the ground as if it weighed a million pounds. Santa and Oliver had to give up.
A deep honk shook the ground. Oliver pushed Santa into a ditch. A large Big Rig truck slowed to a halt skirting around the reindeer in the road. The driver peaked out the window with fog rolling out of his mouth.
“You guys alright?” The truck driver called out.
Santa went to the cab of truck, “Our sleigh is stuck, and the communications are down.”
“It’s only a few miles to town; I can give you a lift.” The driver offered.
Santa turned to Oliver, “you want to go?”
“You go ahead, I’ll stay here with the sleigh.” Oliver said to the Big-Man of Christmas, “I’ll keep trying to reach the North Pole.” Oliver climbed into the sleigh and tried over and over to get radio contact.
The big truck drove off with Santa, leaving Oliver all alone in the sleigh.
About an hour later, a blue pick-up raced up the road. Red flashed in Jess’s headlights. She slammed on the brakes. The truck spun around skidding on the ice, finally resting her bumper gently against a reindeer’s harness.
Jess backed up fast, not realizing that the harness of one of the deer had tangled on her bumper. The harness snapped! The deer bawled when the loose leather harness whipped back, stinging his hide. He reared up then took off racing into the woods.
Oliver jumped down from the sleigh, “What did you do?” Oliver shouted as she stepped out of her truck. When he saw her, he paused for a moment. His heart skipped a beat.
She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her red-brown hair was warm like a summer sunset; her blue eyes were crystal clear and refreshing. He snapped out of it when he stood at the broken harness.
“I am so sorry,” Jess said looking at Oliver then the reindeer. A huge smile dawned over her face. She went to the remaining deer and looked them over, reaching up to pet them.
“Hey, who gave you permission to touch them?” Oliver followed her. Jess ran her fingers over their velvet, tan fur. She turned to Oliver.
“You’re a real elf?” Jess said looking at him, she grabbed his hat and pulled it off, looking at his ears. “I’ve never seen an elf before.”
“Excuse me,” Oliver took his hat back, “I don’t go pulling stuff off of you.” Oliver put his hat back on. Jess looked at the sleigh in awe. She touched the side, then climbed in. “Hey, that is private property!” Oliver followed after her.
Jess looked back and opened the sack of presents. Oliver grabbed the sack closing it on her, “I can’t believe the lack of respect…” Jess touched the buttons on the sleigh’s dash board. Oliver tried to cover them with his hands, “this is not a toy!”
Jess looked at Oliver for a moment, “you’re so cute; I didn’t know elves were this adorable.”
“I got two words for you miss: illegal harassment,” Oliver said folding his arms over his chest. Her eyes glistened at him. Finally Jess looked around.
“Where’s Santa?” Jess asked him.
“Aren’t you a little old to believe in Santa Claus?” Oliver asked her.
“Why?” Jess asked him.
“Oh I don’t know, just that people your age might think you are crazy!” Oliver said to her. Jess jumped down from the sleigh… “Santa went to get help… I have to wait here until he gets back.” He said to her.
“It’s freezing out here, why don’t you come and wait at my dad’s house; it’s just down the road.” Jess said to him.
“It’s Christmas Eve and I have to get these packages delivered! This is a nightmare!” The elf cried.
“It’s up to you but your nose has icicles on it,” Jess said. “Leave him a note.” Jess went back to her truck.
Oliver touched his nose, realizing that it had grown very cold. After some debate, the elf couldn‘t take the cold anymore. “I suppose but as soon as he gets back I have to go look for the reindeer you ran over.”
“I didn’t run over him; his harness just snapped off.” Jess said looking back at him from her truck.
The doors to the truck slammed shut. Jess kicked the truck into gear. They flew down the road. The truck sped through stops, sliding around turns so hard it nearly rolled over on its side.
The blue pickup finally skidded to a stop in the driveway, spraying snow like white dust into the air. Oliver jumped out into the snow collapsing to his knees in the driveway of the log house.
Jess went over to where Oliver was catching his breath. The poor elf looked up at her, “You call that driving?”
“Hey, out here, if you’re not on top of your game, you’re road kill,” Jess said as the elf got up off the ground.
A tall, rugged man in a baggy Santa suit loaded presents into a black Hummer in the driveway. The man: Jack Brewer. Jess ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck.
“Dad!” Jess said. Jack turned to her with a wide smile. They hugged. Jess turned to the elf, “this is… um…”
“Oliver,” Oliver said walking up to Jack holding out his hand. Jack looked at him for a moment.
“Where did you find this one?” Jack reached out and shook the elf’s hand.
“Dad, he’s an elf. His sleigh broke down out on the highway and he’s going to wait at the house for his ride.” Jess said as Jack eyed the elf suspiciously.
“Really?” Jack tossed a Christmas box into the Hummer, never taking his eyes off of the elf.
“We’ll get it out of the road as soon as we can,” Oliver said to Jack. Jack stared at him for a long moment.
Jess finally turned to Oliver, “Let’s go inside.” She led the elf to the house.
“Why is he dressed up like Santa?” Oliver asked as they climbed the icy wooden steps.
“Ever year he does this thing where he dresses up like Santa Claus and takes gifts to the neighbors.” Jess paused at the front door as the Hummer backed down the driveway.
“Of course most of them have moved away since his ammo-shed caught fire last summer and went off like the 4th of July fireworks. It would have been fine except for the hail of bullets and shrapnel that rained down over the block. Poor old Mr. Peters went back to the hospital with a relapse of his War flash-backs.”
Inside, Oliver stopped, frozen to the floor; he gulped at the sight. The place had the heads of animals staring down at him from every wall. Clear Christmas lights were strung across their antlers and horns. Rifles were mounted in cases; dead game animals were sporting morbid Santa hats and garland frozen in their stiff little paws.
“You want something to drink?” Jess asked from another room. She came over to stand beside Oliver, noticing his expression looking at the hunting stuff. “My dad is a big hunter; I never quite caught the bug myself. I think he was disappointed for a while but he‘s over it now.” Jess turned to go to the kitchen, “I only shoot living things with a camera.”
He followed her to the kitchen. Jess got out two mugs, filled them with water then poured powdered coca into them. She stirred them, then put the cups into the microwave, “I’m sure you have better stuff at the North Pole.”
“Wow,” Oliver said looking at fading photographs of Jess as a little girl on the fridge, her freckle-face smiling from beneath the Christmas tree, “I remember that Christmas,” Oliver said to her, “you asked for a Smurf-”
“…smurf Lego-set, I didn‘t get it until the next day…” Jess said at the same time. She glanced back at the elf looking at the photographs tacked to the fridge. “How did you know?” Jess asked.
“Magic,” Oliver said to her, starting to realize who she was.
“If I had only known it was the last Christmas with my mom, I would have asked for… well, something else.” Oliver looked at Jess’s painful eyes with a heavy heart.
“I’m sorry.” Oliver said going to sit down at the oak table.
The microwave beep broke the silence. Jess took the cups out and set them on the table. Oliver looked into the pain of her blue eyes, “You really do believe me?”
“Well, yeah,” Jess sat down stirring her cup. “Why wouldn‘t I?”
“Jesslyn Brewer…” Oliver said just above a whisper, remembering her letter to Santa. His eyes widened, “it’s you!” Oliver grew more excited. “You wrote that letter to Santa this year, he said it was one of the most magical letters he‘s ever read. You have never stopped believing! Do have any idea what this means?”
“No,” Jess said waiting.
“Most humans stop believing in Santa by age twelve. Once you stop believing it’s over, the magic is gone. But no matter what anyone told you, you never stopped believing. Now your Christmas Spirit has matured and holds very powerful magic.” Oliver said to her, glistening snowflakes sparkling in his eyes, looking at her. Jess brushed her hair back behind her ear.
“Magic?” Jess said with an awkward puzzled look.
“Yes, just about anything you wish for with all of your heart around Christmas time…” he trailed off, it took a moment but Oliver put it all together, “What did you wish for this year?” The elf asked her. Jess looked down at her cup unable to speak for a moment.
“Just to meet someone special,” Jess said. She looked up slowly with a shy smile. “I guess I got it.”
“Jess!” Jack yelled from outside. The horn honked from the driveway, “Jesslyn come out here!”
Jess and Oliver ran out to the driveway slipping on the snow. They froze at the sight! The poor reindeer that had broken free of the sleigh was strapped to the roof of Jack’s hummer. The reindeer was still alive, uninjured, and struggling against the ropes.
“He was just wandering in the driveway, it’s a Christmas Miracle!” Jack said looking up at the sky. Oliver marched up to Jack.
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to let him go!” Oliver slid to a stop making Jess run into him, when Jack flashed a large knife blade. Jess pushed the elf out of her way.
“Dad!” Jess stood in front of Oliver, “Dad, it’s Christmas, let the deer go!” Jess pleaded with her dad.
“But honey, this one would get my name on a really big plaque at the lodge.” Jack said to his daughter. “Do you have any idea how the boys would envy me, if I brought his head in tomorrow morning?”
“Dad, no bloodshed on Christmas, please.“ Jess waited.
Jack sighed, “Fine.” Jack reached up and snapped the ropes with the blade of his knife. The deer struggled free, then jumped down and ran off into the woods.
“Thank you,” Oliver said to Jess. “You just saved Christmas.”
“Maybe we’re even now. Sorry if my wish ruined Christmas.” Jess said huddling into her sweater in the cold. Snow began to fall again.
Jingle bells rang out in the night growing louder. Oliver smiled. The sleigh came down in the Brewer’s driveway. All eight reindeer were present. Jack pulled his Santa hat off watching the sleigh descend onto his driveway.
“You didn’t ruin Christmas. You saved it. And I am honored that I got to be your Christmas wish,” Oliver said to her. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Oliver ran to join Santa at the waiting sleigh.
“See you next year,” Jess said waving through her baggy sleeve. Oliver didn’t smile back as he climbed into the sleigh. The Big-Man of Christmas yanked the reigns and the sleigh flew down the driveway then took off into the sky.
“Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas.” Rang out in the cold night sky.
Jack looked up where the sleigh disappeared. “Sweetheart, what did you put in those cookies you sent from school?” Jack asked. Jess hugged her dad’s arm as they stood watching the last light of the sleigh disappear.
Later that same evening, Jess cleared the mugs off the table and put them into the sink; her heart was heavy for reasons she couldn‘t understand.
Jack came in from outside, covered in snow, trekking melting snow over the floor. He dropped an armload of firewood by the fireplace. The elf had brought her wish to life. It had been so magical; but now he was gone and everything would just be: just a crazy memory. Why did her heart ache so much? She got her wish.
“Jess, did that boy leave this?” Jack said standing up with a green and red box in his hand. He stood up from the tree next to the fireplace. Jess took the box from her dad. Her name was on the tag.
The ribbon popped off as Jess opened the top, to find a baseball sized snow globe inside. A small card under it, read: “Follow the light.” The ground, inside the globe, turned into a little map of the Brewer house. A red light blinked on a spot behind the garage.
Jess threw on her coat and stepped into her boots. She didn’t even bother to lace them up. She ran as fast as she could to where the red dot remained blinking. The elf, Oliver, stood there waiting, with a warm smile.
“Next year is a long time.” Oliver said. Jess smiled back.
“Actually it’s only a week away…”
“So I was wondering if you’d like to celebrate New Years at the North Pole with me?” Oliver asked. Jess smiled even wider, if that were at all possible. “You can be back in time for school or whatever.”
“Only if you promise me one thing…” Jess said. He waited. She leaned in to him, “be my first kiss of the New Year.” He smiled back leaning in to kiss her. Their lips met to share a sweet kiss. Tiny flakes of snow trickled down covering them in Christmas magic.
The Magic of a Christmas Wish(Kiann Ann)
COLLEGE CAMPUS - DECEMBER 18th, 1997:
Jesslyn Brewer, in her college dorm-room, sitting at the little shared desk, paused from her studies to write a quick note. Scribbling on a paper under a tiny lamp, she became lost deep in thought.
“What are you writing?” Kami, her tall roommate, said looking over Jesslyn “Jess” Brewer’s shoulder. Kami had a sly grin leaning over to cover the note.
“Nothing.” Jess said hiding the letter. Kami sighed.
“A love letter?”
“No, just a note…” Jess lied hoping Kami would go away.
Jess was a pretty, uncomplicated college girl, with long mahogany hair and bright blue eyes. Kami started to leave, then stopped.
“We’re having a Christmas party at Monica’s if you want to come. Beats sitting here all alone.” Kami waited by the door.
“I’m going to spend Christmas with my dad.” Jess said, “Thanks anyway.”
Once Kami left the room, Jess closed her eyes taking a deep breath. “Okay Santa work your magic,” Jess said as she slid the note into a red envelope, licked the flap, then pressed it shut.
NORTH POLE - DECEMBER 20th, 1997
“Wow, this one of the most magical letters I have ever read,” Santa said looking at the curvy handwriting. One of his elves, Oliver, took a peak over his shoulder.
“Who sent it?” Oliver asked picking up the red envelope. The elf was almost as tall as Santa, with a striped stocking cap over his sandy blonde hair that covered the tips of his pointed ears. He looked like a human except for pointed ears.
“Jesslyn Brewer,” Santa announced, reading the letter. “Sweet girl. You know she has never missed a year sending a letter to me, not even when her mother died.”
“That might mean her Christmas Spirit is a special, rare gem. We’ll have to investigate, but she just may be one of only a handful of humans to make it to adulthood without ever doubting you.” Oliver said to Santa. “If so, her Christmas spirit is very powerful magic.”
Santa sighed as he read the last line in the letter. He didn’t announce it because it was a private wish. “You got everything ready?” Santa tucked the letter away.
“Yes Sir, the sleigh is packed and ready to for the test run,” Oliver said to him.
Christmas Eve 1997
RURAL HIGHWAY:
In her blue pick up, Jess reached out her window to hand-wipe her windshield. So much snow fell so fast, that her truck was getting buried. Jess floored it flying out from under the snow; she was determined to make it to her dad‘s house for Christmas.
At about the same time Santa and Oliver were high over the Midwest following the map and list, delivering gifts to children. Santa turned to his elf after they had left their drop, “Thank you again for filling in on such short notice… Bart‘s rash looked really nasty so I thought it was best he sit this one out.”
“Not a problem Santa,” Oliver said, just as red lights on the dash of the sleigh flashed on. A siren wailed indicating a problem. Oliver worked feverishly, pressing buttons and pulling levers, but his efforts were of no use. “We’re losing altitude; hang on, we’re going down!” Oliver called.
They braced for impact; thankfully there was enough snow on the little road to cushion most of it. Oliver jumped down from the sleigh going to check the reindeer. After some poking at them he looked back, “they’re fine but we’re not going anywhere.”
Santa came down to join him. “We gotta get the sleigh out of the middle of the road.” Santa said to him. They went behind the sleigh to push it but it fastened to the ground as if it weighed a million pounds. Santa and Oliver had to give up.
A deep honk shook the ground. Oliver pushed Santa into a ditch. A large Big Rig truck slowed to a halt skirting around the reindeer in the road. The driver peaked out the window with fog rolling out of his mouth.
“You guys alright?” The truck driver called out.
Santa went to the cab of truck, “Our sleigh is stuck, and the communications are down.”
“It’s only a few miles to town; I can give you a lift.” The driver offered.
Santa turned to Oliver, “you want to go?”
“You go ahead, I’ll stay here with the sleigh.” Oliver said to the Big-Man of Christmas, “I’ll keep trying to reach the North Pole.” Oliver climbed into the sleigh and tried over and over to get radio contact.
The big truck drove off with Santa, leaving Oliver all alone in the sleigh.
About an hour later, a blue pick-up raced up the road. Red flashed in Jess’s headlights. She slammed on the brakes. The truck spun around skidding on the ice, finally resting her bumper gently against a reindeer’s harness.
Jess backed up fast, not realizing that the harness of one of the deer had tangled on her bumper. The harness snapped! The deer bawled when the loose leather harness whipped back, stinging his hide. He reared up then took off racing into the woods.
Oliver jumped down from the sleigh, “What did you do?” Oliver shouted as she stepped out of her truck. When he saw her, he paused for a moment. His heart skipped a beat.
She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her red-brown hair was warm like a summer sunset; her blue eyes were crystal clear and refreshing. He snapped out of it when he stood at the broken harness.
“I am so sorry,” Jess said looking at Oliver then the reindeer. A huge smile dawned over her face. She went to the remaining deer and looked them over, reaching up to pet them.
“Hey, who gave you permission to touch them?” Oliver followed her. Jess ran her fingers over their velvet, tan fur. She turned to Oliver.
“You’re a real elf?” Jess said looking at him, she grabbed his hat and pulled it off, looking at his ears. “I’ve never seen an elf before.”
“Excuse me,” Oliver took his hat back, “I don’t go pulling stuff off of you.” Oliver put his hat back on. Jess looked at the sleigh in awe. She touched the side, then climbed in. “Hey, that is private property!” Oliver followed after her.
Jess looked back and opened the sack of presents. Oliver grabbed the sack closing it on her, “I can’t believe the lack of respect…” Jess touched the buttons on the sleigh’s dash board. Oliver tried to cover them with his hands, “this is not a toy!”
Jess looked at Oliver for a moment, “you’re so cute; I didn’t know elves were this adorable.”
“I got two words for you miss: illegal harassment,” Oliver said folding his arms over his chest. Her eyes glistened at him. Finally Jess looked around.
“Where’s Santa?” Jess asked him.
“Aren’t you a little old to believe in Santa Claus?” Oliver asked her.
“Why?” Jess asked him.
“Oh I don’t know, just that people your age might think you are crazy!” Oliver said to her. Jess jumped down from the sleigh… “Santa went to get help… I have to wait here until he gets back.” He said to her.
“It’s freezing out here, why don’t you come and wait at my dad’s house; it’s just down the road.” Jess said to him.
“It’s Christmas Eve and I have to get these packages delivered! This is a nightmare!” The elf cried.
“It’s up to you but your nose has icicles on it,” Jess said. “Leave him a note.” Jess went back to her truck.
Oliver touched his nose, realizing that it had grown very cold. After some debate, the elf couldn‘t take the cold anymore. “I suppose but as soon as he gets back I have to go look for the reindeer you ran over.”
“I didn’t run over him; his harness just snapped off.” Jess said looking back at him from her truck.
The doors to the truck slammed shut. Jess kicked the truck into gear. They flew down the road. The truck sped through stops, sliding around turns so hard it nearly rolled over on its side.
The blue pickup finally skidded to a stop in the driveway, spraying snow like white dust into the air. Oliver jumped out into the snow collapsing to his knees in the driveway of the log house.
Jess went over to where Oliver was catching his breath. The poor elf looked up at her, “You call that driving?”
“Hey, out here, if you’re not on top of your game, you’re road kill,” Jess said as the elf got up off the ground.
A tall, rugged man in a baggy Santa suit loaded presents into a black Hummer in the driveway. The man: Jack Brewer. Jess ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck.
“Dad!” Jess said. Jack turned to her with a wide smile. They hugged. Jess turned to the elf, “this is… um…”
“Oliver,” Oliver said walking up to Jack holding out his hand. Jack looked at him for a moment.
“Where did you find this one?” Jack reached out and shook the elf’s hand.
“Dad, he’s an elf. His sleigh broke down out on the highway and he’s going to wait at the house for his ride.” Jess said as Jack eyed the elf suspiciously.
“Really?” Jack tossed a Christmas box into the Hummer, never taking his eyes off of the elf.
“We’ll get it out of the road as soon as we can,” Oliver said to Jack. Jack stared at him for a long moment.
Jess finally turned to Oliver, “Let’s go inside.” She led the elf to the house.
“Why is he dressed up like Santa?” Oliver asked as they climbed the icy wooden steps.
“Ever year he does this thing where he dresses up like Santa Claus and takes gifts to the neighbors.” Jess paused at the front door as the Hummer backed down the driveway.
“Of course most of them have moved away since his ammo-shed caught fire last summer and went off like the 4th of July fireworks. It would have been fine except for the hail of bullets and shrapnel that rained down over the block. Poor old Mr. Peters went back to the hospital with a relapse of his War flash-backs.”
Inside, Oliver stopped, frozen to the floor; he gulped at the sight. The place had the heads of animals staring down at him from every wall. Clear Christmas lights were strung across their antlers and horns. Rifles were mounted in cases; dead game animals were sporting morbid Santa hats and garland frozen in their stiff little paws.
“You want something to drink?” Jess asked from another room. She came over to stand beside Oliver, noticing his expression looking at the hunting stuff. “My dad is a big hunter; I never quite caught the bug myself. I think he was disappointed for a while but he‘s over it now.” Jess turned to go to the kitchen, “I only shoot living things with a camera.”
He followed her to the kitchen. Jess got out two mugs, filled them with water then poured powdered coca into them. She stirred them, then put the cups into the microwave, “I’m sure you have better stuff at the North Pole.”
“Wow,” Oliver said looking at fading photographs of Jess as a little girl on the fridge, her freckle-face smiling from beneath the Christmas tree, “I remember that Christmas,” Oliver said to her, “you asked for a Smurf-”
“…smurf Lego-set, I didn‘t get it until the next day…” Jess said at the same time. She glanced back at the elf looking at the photographs tacked to the fridge. “How did you know?” Jess asked.
“Magic,” Oliver said to her, starting to realize who she was.
“If I had only known it was the last Christmas with my mom, I would have asked for… well, something else.” Oliver looked at Jess’s painful eyes with a heavy heart.
“I’m sorry.” Oliver said going to sit down at the oak table.
The microwave beep broke the silence. Jess took the cups out and set them on the table. Oliver looked into the pain of her blue eyes, “You really do believe me?”
“Well, yeah,” Jess sat down stirring her cup. “Why wouldn‘t I?”
“Jesslyn Brewer…” Oliver said just above a whisper, remembering her letter to Santa. His eyes widened, “it’s you!” Oliver grew more excited. “You wrote that letter to Santa this year, he said it was one of the most magical letters he‘s ever read. You have never stopped believing! Do have any idea what this means?”
“No,” Jess said waiting.
“Most humans stop believing in Santa by age twelve. Once you stop believing it’s over, the magic is gone. But no matter what anyone told you, you never stopped believing. Now your Christmas Spirit has matured and holds very powerful magic.” Oliver said to her, glistening snowflakes sparkling in his eyes, looking at her. Jess brushed her hair back behind her ear.
“Magic?” Jess said with an awkward puzzled look.
“Yes, just about anything you wish for with all of your heart around Christmas time…” he trailed off, it took a moment but Oliver put it all together, “What did you wish for this year?” The elf asked her. Jess looked down at her cup unable to speak for a moment.
“Just to meet someone special,” Jess said. She looked up slowly with a shy smile. “I guess I got it.”
“Jess!” Jack yelled from outside. The horn honked from the driveway, “Jesslyn come out here!”
Jess and Oliver ran out to the driveway slipping on the snow. They froze at the sight! The poor reindeer that had broken free of the sleigh was strapped to the roof of Jack’s hummer. The reindeer was still alive, uninjured, and struggling against the ropes.
“He was just wandering in the driveway, it’s a Christmas Miracle!” Jack said looking up at the sky. Oliver marched up to Jack.
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to let him go!” Oliver slid to a stop making Jess run into him, when Jack flashed a large knife blade. Jess pushed the elf out of her way.
“Dad!” Jess stood in front of Oliver, “Dad, it’s Christmas, let the deer go!” Jess pleaded with her dad.
“But honey, this one would get my name on a really big plaque at the lodge.” Jack said to his daughter. “Do you have any idea how the boys would envy me, if I brought his head in tomorrow morning?”
“Dad, no bloodshed on Christmas, please.“ Jess waited.
Jack sighed, “Fine.” Jack reached up and snapped the ropes with the blade of his knife. The deer struggled free, then jumped down and ran off into the woods.
“Thank you,” Oliver said to Jess. “You just saved Christmas.”
“Maybe we’re even now. Sorry if my wish ruined Christmas.” Jess said huddling into her sweater in the cold. Snow began to fall again.
Jingle bells rang out in the night growing louder. Oliver smiled. The sleigh came down in the Brewer’s driveway. All eight reindeer were present. Jack pulled his Santa hat off watching the sleigh descend onto his driveway.
“You didn’t ruin Christmas. You saved it. And I am honored that I got to be your Christmas wish,” Oliver said to her. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Oliver ran to join Santa at the waiting sleigh.
“See you next year,” Jess said waving through her baggy sleeve. Oliver didn’t smile back as he climbed into the sleigh. The Big-Man of Christmas yanked the reigns and the sleigh flew down the driveway then took off into the sky.
“Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas.” Rang out in the cold night sky.
Jack looked up where the sleigh disappeared. “Sweetheart, what did you put in those cookies you sent from school?” Jack asked. Jess hugged her dad’s arm as they stood watching the last light of the sleigh disappear.
Later that same evening, Jess cleared the mugs off the table and put them into the sink; her heart was heavy for reasons she couldn‘t understand.
Jack came in from outside, covered in snow, trekking melting snow over the floor. He dropped an armload of firewood by the fireplace. The elf had brought her wish to life. It had been so magical; but now he was gone and everything would just be: just a crazy memory. Why did her heart ache so much? She got her wish.
“Jess, did that boy leave this?” Jack said standing up with a green and red box in his hand. He stood up from the tree next to the fireplace. Jess took the box from her dad. Her name was on the tag.
The ribbon popped off as Jess opened the top, to find a baseball sized snow globe inside. A small card under it, read: “Follow the light.” The ground, inside the globe, turned into a little map of the Brewer house. A red light blinked on a spot behind the garage.
Jess threw on her coat and stepped into her boots. She didn’t even bother to lace them up. She ran as fast as she could to where the red dot remained blinking. The elf, Oliver, stood there waiting, with a warm smile.
“Next year is a long time.” Oliver said. Jess smiled back.
“Actually it’s only a week away…”
“So I was wondering if you’d like to celebrate New Years at the North Pole with me?” Oliver asked. Jess smiled even wider, if that were at all possible. “You can be back in time for school or whatever.”
“Only if you promise me one thing…” Jess said. He waited. She leaned in to him, “be my first kiss of the New Year.” He smiled back leaning in to kiss her. Their lips met to share a sweet kiss. Tiny flakes of snow trickled down covering them in Christmas magic.
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