Hope for Christmas

They lined up in a mishmash of huddled humanity outside the brightly lit retail haven. Mere minutes separated them from the stroke of midnight and the latest piece of overpriced Christmas materialism. Amongst this sea of unbridled impatience was Regina Carter, recently divorced mother of one, and proudly ensconced near the main entrance of the store. The wait had been dull and interminable at times, but she was about to receive the payoff-snapping up a copy of the hottest video game for her 6 year-old son, Jayden.

An unwelcome interruption of the final moments came however when her cell phone rang. “Hello?” she answered, irritation simmering beneath. “Oh, hey Amelia, are you on your way back?” During the response she made a quick check of the doorway for signs of movement. “Great. I really appreciate you picking up mom at the airport. Is Jayden ok?” Another check, nothing worthwhile occurred. “He’s asleep? Good. Ok, see you soon.”

“Got family coming in for the holidays?” a frail voice said.

Regina then noticed the hunched figure of an elderly woman standing behind her. It was strange how she hadn’t spotted her until now, but then again she had paid little attention to her line companions for most of the day. “Why yes,” she replied with a warm smile. “My mother is flying in. It’s the first time she’s ever flown out West to see us.”

“Oh, how wonderful,” the lady said and shifted her weight on her walker. “That’s truly a Christmas miracle.”

“Yes, I suppose.” Regina said reluctantly and took note of the woman’s burden of bags filled with gifts. “You seem to have a handful there. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Oh, well if you could hold onto one of these just for a bit.”

It must have been the generous holiday spirit that prompted Regina to accept the bag, because it also convinced her to allow the older woman to supplant her place in line. She regretted it instantly when the call came for the crowd to make their way inside. A hard push from the group propelled her through the doors and she lost sight of the grey-haired woman and her handle on the bag almost immediately.

When Regina finally reached the much sought after employees conducting the game disbursement she was floored with abject horror. They informed her that they had just surrendered the last of them, an elderly woman was said to be the last lucky patron and the retail stock boy was kind enough to point her out. The discovery that it was the same woman Regina had relented her spot in line must have felt like a kick in the gut, and seeing the old lady, sans the walker, sprinting for the parking lot was surmount to a punch in the jaw.

“Excuse me! Wait minute!” she hollered and chased after the duplicitous woman as she quickened her pace. Regina managed to catch her a few steps outside the entrance. “I was getting that for my son.”

“Sorry sweetie,” the old woman replied with a smarmy expression. “Grandma’s got a big payday coming when I sell this sucker on eBay for three times the price!”

Regina was shocked at the woman’s callous greed. “But my son, you don’t understand,” she said flabbergasted. “I have to get him that game. It’s been a rough year for us and-“

“Save me the sob story, honey,” she interrupted and tucked the game into one of her bags before walking away.

Another plea for sympathy couldn’t be mustered by Regina and she opted instead to sulk back to her vehicle. But seconds later, the sound of a stumble, a cat’s whine, and a tirade of curses drew her attention. An investigation of the noise led her to the same conniving old woman brushing herself off before disappearing behind a row of cars. The conclusion that she must have tripped and fell made sense to Regina. The obvious culprit was a black and white cat nearby. But what the feline was perched upon was utterly astounding-it was the video game that she had wanted so desperately!

Regina approached cautiously and the cat stepped off the game casing without hesitation. She picked it up and gawked. A Christmas miracle was indeed at work here and she acknowledged the feline with a tentative pat on the head. Then, not wanting to be thwarted again, she hastily departed with her bounty.

But while basking in the glow of her victory, Regina was distracted from the fact that the frisky feline followed her home.

Descending like two golden-haired matrons, Regina and her sister Amelia lifted open the rear door of the large sport-utility vehicle and proceeded to divvy up the wrapped gifts stashed aboard. The plan was to quietly whisk the presents up the high rise apartment complex and carefully hide them in a closet until the pre-designated time of their unveiling. This would all be accomplished while the young Jayden slept, none the wiser of his mother’s escapades tonight.

“She was just going to sell it on eBay?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What a bitch!” Amelia exclaimed as she stacked her burden off to the side. “Speaking of bitch, have you heard from Rick since he left on his Bermuda honeymoon with his new bimbo wife?”

Regina shrugged her shoulders in response and then concentrated on assembling the presents she was going to carry. “No, not yet,” she said. “And go easy on her, she’s not that bad.”

“Come on, Genie, you’re too soft.” her sister protested. “She started dating your ex while you were still going through marriage counseling. And the engagement happened like a month after the divorce was final. They moved so fast who knows how long she’s been angling for him.”

“That’s really none of my business,” she said and prepared to head indoors with her load. “Rick and I had been having problems for years. The marriage was pretty much loveless by the end”

“Whatever. The least he could do is call his son before Christmas.”

“He will. There’s still 24 hours left.”

“Don’t I know it,” Amelia said and then sensed that her sister wanted to change the subject. “And I still have no plans, just hanging with you guys.”

“What happened to Ashton?” Regina asked as she navigated the curb without actually seeing it at her feet. “No chance of patching things up?”

“After the crap he said about me on Facebook? Forget it.”

“I guess Santa needs to bring us both new boyfriends.” Regina lamented.

“Yeah,” Amelia shouted while watching her sister disappear inside. “And have them gift wrapped and ready for us under the tree come Christmas morning!”

She was about to disembark herself when the glint of yellow caught her eye. Focusing on the remaining pile of gifts at the very back of the SUV, she was about to discern the source when a sudden shifting movement occurred. Was it her imagination? Could there actually be something moving in there?

The dimness of the passing headlights did almost nothing to illuminate the interior but a shadow definitely moved again. Petrified in place, Amelia was suddenly put at ease when she identified the car’s occupant, “Well hello kitty.” The shadow morphed into a black blob which was off set by a red bow attached to the backside, helping her figure out the silhouette of the animal. “Aren’t you quite the surprise gift?”

Without warning the feline burst forth and sprinted for the entrance of the apartment! Immediately Amelia slammed the vehicle door shut and gave chase, ignoring the stack of gifts she was planning on bringing up. Moments later she was in the main lobby and scanning frantically for any sign of the cat.

Amelia chose a direction and marched forward, intent on exploring the entire area if needed, when she abruptly collided with a bulk of a man. At first the contact and scent of perspiration was nauseous, but her opinion switched to a positive one after stepping back to lay eyes on her accidental assailant. His smile and wavy dark hair were disarming, and she was left speechless as he politely apologized.

“Are you all right?” he asked, allowing what appeared to be a large, rectangular vent cover slip lightly from his grasp and rest on the lobby floor. “I should be more careful.”

“T-that’s okay,” she quipped. Amelia was locked on the man’s T-shirt that clung to his slightly tanned and rippling muscled forearms. The tool belt dangling from his waist somehow added to his appeal. “I wasn’t really watching where I was going.”

“You’re too modest,” he said and extended his hand in greeting. “My name’s Brian. I, um, obviously work here.”

It was a lighthearted introduction and she accepted his handshake in an almost robotic motion. “I’m Amelia,” she said, relieved that her mind didn’t draw a blank over her name.

“Do you live here in the building? I haven’t seen you around before.”

“Um, no, my sister just moved in here. I’m visiting.”

“Oh well, hope to see around,” Brian said and reacquired the vent cover.

“Me…too,” she answered and waved as he headed over to a nearby step ladder. Amelia knew it was inappropriate to continue glancing at him while she searched for the cat, but she couldn’t help it.

Her statuesque figure filled the dresser mirror, reflecting the emergence of more grey hairs atop her head and the lines on her face that laid further testimony of the years that had passed. Nevertheless, she tried to put on a brave smile. It crumbled however when she looked down at the framed photo she was holding of an elder gentleman. The holidays were a time for happiness and family, but at this particular moment she looked like a woman lacking in both.

“Hey mister,” said Regina to her son who was restless and turning in bed. “I heard you were kind of rude to grandma at the airport tonight.”

The eight year-old sat up straight like board. “No I wasn’t,” he insisted.

“Having your face buried in your Gameboy when you say hello is considered rude.”

“Oh.”

Regina mussed his hair and smiled. “She’s had it rough since Grandpa died last year,” she said. “So try and spend some extra time with her tomorrow. She’d like that I’m sure.”

“Okay,” he replied sheepishly.

“Thanks, Jayden. Now get under those covers mister, Santa is due any minute”

He was only mildly bothered by his mother kiss on the cheek and tried not to let her see him wipe it away. “Mom?” he inquired before she reached the bedroom door. “Is Santa going to be able to visit us this year?”

“Of course he will!” she replied with astonishment. “What makes you think he won’t?”

“We don’t have a chimney! How’s he going to get in?” he said frantically. “The kids at school said he needs a chimney or he’s gonna skip over us!”

Regina chuckled internally. “Jayden, come on. What have I told you about listening too much to the kids at school?” she refuted. “Trust me, Santa always finds a way. He goes all over the world and brings presents to kids, and they don’t all have chimneys.” Jayden grinned from ear to ear and Regina mirrored her son. “Now go to bed. Remember, he sees when you’re awake too.”

The boy plunged under the covers and listened for the door closing. His eyes remained closed until he heard odd clinking sounds moments later. Jayden raised his head from his pillow and listened for the noise to repeat. It did, clink-clink, and he sat up once more.

Clink. It was definitely coming from the floor at the foot of his bed!

Clink. Scrape. Scrape.

The new sound pulled him closer and he discovered a vent underneath where he slept.

Scrape. Clink. Clink.

Curiosity, they say, killed the cat. It also finds one too.

A timid knock came at the door, followed by the measured entrance of the sisters. “Hi mom,” Regina greeted as she carried in a tray filled with glasses containing eggnog. “We saw the light on and thought we’d share our little Christmas Eve celebration.”

Both women wore expressions of warmth that quickly changed to astonishment over the sight of what greeted them in the bedroom. Their mother sat at the foot of her bed stroking a very content-looking feline that was curled up in her lap. Standing next to her was Jayden with a face beaming with joy. “Mom!” he said with excitement. “You were right! Santa was here! I found this cat waiting for me in the vent in my bedroom! There must be more presents coming!”

“Then you’d better get to bed, Jayden.” his grandmother reminded and the boy got in one more stroke of fur before finally parting. After he was gone, the once down trodden elder woman flashed a grin at her daughters. “What a wonderful surprise. I’m not sure where she really came from, but she seems clean and harmless. I guess you’ll have to keep her.”

Regina was obviously dumbfounded by the presence of the familiar feline that had found its way into her home. “I guess so,” she finally blurted.

The name on my heart-shaped tag reads “Hope” and I wear it proudly on my collar. My new family thought that it was a very appropriate name to give me since they say that I brought a lot of it into their dour household. I’ve spent many nights since savoring the warmth of several laps and the surroundings of my new home. It’s been a welcomed change from the cramped hiding places I had in that retail store

I’m most grateful for Regina who didn’t resist the notion of a pet too much. There was some convincing that had to be argued by Genevieve, her delightful mother, who made the point that cats were devoted company. And, she added delicately, a divorced single mother was certainly in need of companionship. After our first quiet moment together on Christmas morning while Jayden talked with his father over the phone, Regina was completely won over.

Amelia rang in the New Year with her new beau, Brian, and stopped by on occasion to share the juicy tidbits of her blossoming relationship. I’m probably still a more receptive audience than her lonesome sister, but Regina makes the most of it.

The sisters still share a laugh now and then over the extemporaneous circumstances that led to my addition to their family. They continue to express their wonderment over how it came to fruition. Was it a genuine Christmas miracle? Was it some divine intervention? Or is an indulgence to believe in Santa worthwhile?

I’ll keep that part of the story to myself.


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