zero racing content - just a Christmas story (long)

[Bill Huson]

© 1993 - William J. Huson SNOW ANGEL (part 1)


Alicia awoke with a startled gasp. She was in a strange room, in a strange bed, and the vacuous silence made her question her mortal existence. The bedspread she had clutched to her neck was decorated with playful kittens. Rose colored curtains were tied back from the windows, and the walls were a cheery pink, a contrast to the depressing gray sky that hung over the snow-covered landscape. A bouquet of fresh flowers and a small television sat on the dresser, but the bare study desk and the rest of the room had an unlived in look.
Ted, that's all she knew about the quiet stranger who appeared in the blinding snow storm the night before, calmed her hysteria, and carried her to safety through the shrieking blizzard winds. He had boosted her into his truck and wrapped her in a blanket. She remembered the soothing tone of his voice, the hypnotic effect of the snow flying past the windshield, the lullaby drone of the engine, and then nothing but the escape of sleep.
Alicia eased out of bed and arranged her sleep-rumpled clothes, the same clothes she had on when Ted rescued her from her snowbound car on I-95. After making the bed, she creaked the door open, listened for sounds of inhabitance, tip toed out into the empty hall, and peeked into the bedroom at the end of the hall.
A man's bedroom. Ted's room. The bed was mussed and the floor near the half full laundry basket was littered with clothes. On the dresser there were six pictures of a brunette girl that pictorially do***ented her growth. The last picture had a pair of ticket stubs from "Cats" wedged in the frame. The girl had Ted's blue eyes. Alicia picked up a Christmas card. It was from Kathi and the penmanship was enthusiastically looped. "Dad. I'm counting the days. Only FIVE left until vacation. Love, Kathi." The I was dotted with a small heart. So Ted was a father, thought Alicia. Where was the mother?
Next to his desk she spied a battered briefcase with a broken latch and one end of the handle held in place with a zip tie. On the desk was a laptop and a pile of test papers weighted down with a black grade book. Alicia smiled. Eighth grade. No wonder he appeared so calm in the face of a life threatening storm.
Alicia left his room and discovered the door of the third bedroom was locked. She backed away from the mysterious door and went to the living room that had the sterility of a display in a model home. The scene outside the frost edged glass of the bay window was a neighborhood of three bedroom ramblers scattered among the pines and gloomy skeletons of winter dormant hardwood trees. Deep snowdrifts covered the cars, houses, and evergreens.
The kitchen was spotless except for a brown ring on the counter in front of the coffee maker. The half full pot was warm. Alicia inhaled a deep whiff of the coffee scent as she sloshed the brown liquid in a mug. The smell escalated the butterfly twitching in her belly to churning nausea. She grabbed her mouth and dashed for the bathroom.
Alone in the bathroom of the empty house, Alicia curled on the floor and shivered with an after-sick chill. She wept and the tile walls echoed her agony, and she cried louder, thirsting for the human sound. Her cry over, Alicia washed up and rinsed the vile taste from her mouth.
Back in the kitchen, she ate two slices of bread to calm the sawing hunger in her stomach. Alicia plucked a banana from the fruit basket and read the note on the refrigerator as she peeled the banana. "Kathi - US Air 2637 11:36 Jacksonville." The date was today, December 23. Alicia glanced at the wall clock. 11:10.
A furnace fan cut on, just a distant hum, and warm air flowed out of the vents. Alicia settled down on the couch in the living room. Startled, her arm jerked reactively for the jangling phone and froze mid-reach. The answering machine clicked on and Ted's voice identified himself and requested a message at the tone.
The caller was June from Fairfax Hospital urging him to call back immediately. Alicia's brow knitted. She speculated what kind of hospital it was and wondered if she was temporally residing in the home of a head case. Possible, she guessed, as she viewed a living room that lacked the warmth of personal mementos.
Minutes later the phone rang again. The machine repeated his terse message and beeped. "Ted--Benny. Man it's ugly out there. Found the chick's car under two feet of snow and towed it in. Left her stuff in your carport. She blew a hose and ran it without water. The radiator's cooked and the head's probably warped. Could run more'n a thousand if the head's screwed."
This time the click of the machine shutting off cracked against her ears like a cannon shot. Her stomach spun again, and she lay down on the couch and waited for the nausea to fade, then retrieved her luggage from the carport. Preoccupied with the specter of an unaffordable repair bill, she dressed in fresh clothes and returned to the couch.
The rumbling of an engine broke the silence. Ted's four wheel drive truck churned effortlessly through the deep snow and stopped in front of the carport. Kathi flew out of the passenger door like her pants were on fire and leapt face first into the powder with a gleeful scream. Ignoring her dressed-for-travel clothes and lack of gloves and boots, she rolled in the snow and tossed handfuls into the air. Ted, burdened with two suitcases and a duffel bag, ducked Kathi's crude snowball and slipped through the door.
"Ah, you're up, Alicia. Did you find something to eat?"
She mumbled yes as he breezed by into the bedroom and dropped off Kathi's luggage. Kathi burst through the door covered with powdery snow and sporting a broad grin on her cold reddened face.
"Kathi, meet your roommate Alicia," Ted said.
"Roommate?" The young girl's expression changed to astonishment.
"Yes, roommate. I used the spare bedroom for storage, no room for a guest. I'll get the rollaway bed out later."
Ted punched the button on his answering machine and dropped wearily into the chair. He listened to June's message and frowned over Benny's assessment of her car.
"Hopefully it's not that bad." He turned to his daughter who remained planted in her first two steps by the door. "We'll have lunch soon as you change cloths, Kathi."
Kathi walked a wide path past Alicia and cast furtive glances at the stranger in her father's home. Alicia sighed and parted her lips to speak, but stalled when Ted picked the phone off the cradle. His hand was a large, strong hand bearing old scars of some endeavor more physical then scratching chalk on a blackboard. His weathered face was scar free and half covered with a smokey two day beard growth.
"June, this is Ted." He rolled his eyes upward as if imagining a vision of the distant speaker on the phone. "No, June, I'm sorry. My daughter just flew in for Christmas vacation and I need the time with her." He smiled at her reply and said, "Yeah, I love you too."
He dropped the phone on the cradle and asked, "You were about to say something?"
"Uh--yes. Could you take me to a motel? I don't think Kathi is pleased about sharing her room with me."
"She'll get over it."
"What about your June . . . on the phone." Alicia wondered what June looked like and guessed from his sparsely decorated house that he spent his time at her place. He smirked and returned her gaze with humored eyes.
"My snow bunny. When it snows she calls and seduces me into playing bus driver for all her stranded nurses and doctors. I found you on the way back from dropping off an OR nurse."
"Why do you have to do that?"
"Southern town, and true to Virginia's bible belt mentality, snow removal is left to God. Four wheel drives are the only way to get around for the next few days."
She gasped. "The next few days!"
He pointed out the window at the darkening sky. "The old one-two punch. More snow coming, six to twelve inches. That should put close to three feet on the ground."
She groaned.
"Where are you headed?"
"From Newark, Delaware to my parents in Wilmington, North Carolina." Alicia winched. A parental diatribe waited for her at the end of her journey. I-told-you-so would be screamed at her at least fifty times, harsh truths she didn't want to hear.
"Wilmington has an airport. You could fly down."
Alicia shrugged and mentally reviewed her meager available cash and remaining two digit checkbook balance. She had no credit cards. Ted was on the phone talking to Benny about her car. He hung up with a worried frown.

[Bill Huson]

Snow Angel (part 2)

"He's got the hose and radiator fixed, but the head gasket is blown and he has to pull the head. It won't be done today." Ted rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Underneath his layered clothes she couldn't tell if he was fat or thin. Thin she guessed from his taut face.
"The phone is yours, Alicia. Call your folks and see if you can work something out. I can get you to Dulles in forty minutes or less. If you have to stay you're welcome to stay here. I'm sure Kathi would like to have someone contemporary to talk to. She lives with her grandparents and times have changed in two generations."
"What about her mother?"
"She's gone." Ted rose to his feet and shuffled slowly back to his bedroom.
Alicia dialed her parent's phone number three times, but she always balked before the last digit. What would she say? Hi Mom, I'm snowbound in a stranger's home. She could imagine the shrieks of dismay, and within the hour Ted's house would be surrounded by a SWAT team sent by her Mother to rescue her. Sighing, she hung up the phone.
"Nobody home?" Kathi sat beside her dressed in baggy jeans and an oversized red sweatshirt.
"No, maybe I'll try later."
"Am I really supposed to call you Alicia or Mrs. Something?" The girl glanced down to Alicia's left hand.
"It's Mrs. Banning, but please call me Alicia."
"Okay, Alicia. That's an unusual ring."
"Marquis cut." Alicia spread her fingers.
"It's so big. He must love you a lot."
"Size has nothing to do with love." She smiled sardonically.
Kathi pursed her lips, confused, then rubbed her tummy. "I'm starving. Lunch?"
"Oh yes. I'm famished."
Kathi leaped to her feet and motioned Alicia down the bedroom hall. She pointed at Ted who was spread eagle on the bed, fully clothed. "He sleeps," she giggled.
Kathi left for the kitchen. Alicia paused for one last look at his sleeping face. He looked relaxed in the peaceful arms of his dreams. She sneaked alongside his bed, removed his damp boots and tucked a blanket around him. Kathi had ham and cheese sandwiches assembled when she reached the kitchen. Outside, the promised snow was falling.
"Can you believe Dad's room? It's a mess. And Dad smells like a moose and hasn't shaved in days. I'm never going to get him married off." Kathi chewed her mouthful of sandwich and stared thoughtfully out of the window at the falling flakes. "If he got married I could live here in my new room."
"Your new room?"
"Isn't it nice? Dad's new house is way bigger than his old apartment."
A few mysteries solved, and Alicia said, "So now you want him to marry someone?"
"Not just anyone. Dad's very special. She would have to be nice, very, very nice." She frowned and her expression darkened.
"You look sad, Kathi."
"It's nothing." She turned on her smile. "Do you want to go play in the snow? Dad showed me a store about six blocks away. We can walk up and get some ice cream."
"Oh yes, ice cream." Alicia grinned.
Tennis shoes were the best Alicia had for snow gear among her limited wardrobe. They would get wet and cold but Alicia decided that she could tough out six blocks after surviving four freezing hours in her stalled car the night before. Kathi borrowed an age yellowed Irish wool sweater from her father's room to outfit Alicia for the cold. Sized for his six foot frame, the sweater hung halfway to Alicia's knees and the sleeves kept sliding down over her hands. She donned her coat and kept her fists balled under the sweater sleeves.
A half dozen times on the way to the store they had to tromp through snowdrifts up to their waists. Both of them took tumbles, laughing as they struggled back to their feet. Kathi remained full of energy, but nearing Ted's house Alicia was exhausted.
Kathi said that she hadn't seen snow for three years and begged Alicia to teach her snow games beyond throwing snowballs, an skill instinctive to all children. Alicia's winter sports repertoire was limited, and the powdery snow wasn't good for making snowballs or a snowman, but she said it was good for making snow angels.
"Look!" Kathi pointed at the hill next to Ted's house. "Please, show me how to make snow angels."
Alicia frowned. The only part of her that wasn't chilled almost numb was her torso, but the warmth of the house was only yards away. She nodded yes. Kathi's eyes lit up and she parked the two half gallons of ice cream in the snow. Alicia backed up the unbroken expanse of snow, lowered herself prone, and fanned wings with her arms. Kathi emulated Alicia's moves, laughed joyfully at her first creation, and dashed up the hill to make another snow angel.
Alicia remained prone in her frosty image. The bed of crystals was warmer than she expected, seductively warm. No sound cluttered the air in the snow blanket silenced neighborhood, and she imaged that she could hear the tinkling of the lacy ice breaking apart on her face. She placed both hands on her belly and an unfamiliar peace quieted her troubled mind.
"Alicia, let's go."
She left her snowy creation and strolled down the hill feeling warm and euphoric. Three snow angels, her large one in the center of Kathi's smaller angels, spread their snowy wings over the hillside.
"They'll be covered up soon," Kathi said. "Gone, just like real angels." She turned away abruptly and snatched the ice cream out of the snow without missing a step Gone, the same word Ted had used, a word issued with sadness.
Ted was on the phone refusing a plea from June. He hung up and laughed at the two shivering girls and their snowy clothes. "Looks like hot chocolate time."
"Someone special on the phone," Kathi asked.
"Just June from the hospital again. A twelve year old kid busted his gourd sledding and they wanted me to run up to Great Falls and pick up a hot shot neurosurgeon."
"Well?"
"Well nothing, Kathi dear. I told her to call someone else."
"Dad! It's a kid my age, and it's Christmas."
Alicia smiled and watched the wispy girl twist the grown man into reluctant acquiescence. He withered under her doleful gaze and then folded completely.
"Now scoot," Kathi demanded. "We'll have dinner when you get back, but only if you shower and shave."
Kathi waited by the window until the fuzzy red glow of his taillights disappeared into the translucent wall of snow, than she sighed and tossed her arms skyward in pantomimed exasperation. "Men," she giggled.

Ted was gone for almost three hours. When he emerged from his room freshly shaved and showered Kathi and Alicia had spaghetti ready to serve. During dinner Ted slowed to a fatigued crawl and offered no resistance when Alicia firmly suggested that he go to bed.
Sitting cross legged on the bed, Kathi and Alicia ate large bowls of ice cream and shared giddy laughter at the chilled headaches from the greedy feast. The rollaway bed sat folded in the corner and would stay there by mutual agreement. Alicia was amused by Kathi's quickly changing expressions that reflected her thoughts and words, much like Alicia's Italian mother used her hands to accompany her conversation.
Shortly before the news came on, Kathi climbed into bed and cuddled a ragged stuffed animal of indeterminate specie to her chest. Snow occupied the news. Airline flights south were riddled with cancellations. Alicia sighed, clicked the television off, and settled into bed.
"Goodnight, Alicia," Kathi whispered. "I like you. You're very nice. I knew you'd come someday."
Alicia glanced at her quizzically. The child snuggled up to her, breathed in and exhaled in a rushing sigh like a puppy dog announcing his nap time. The corners of her mouth moved around for a minute before resting peacefully in a half smile. Alicia closed her eyes and felt Kathi's heartbeat thumping on her arm. She had no idea where she was in the complex geography of the suburban area, but she knew her heart felt at home.

[Bill Huson]

Snow Angel (part 3)

Alicia awoke nauseous and barely made it to the bathroom. Her stomach emptied and face washed, she padded out to the kitchen, found a carton of crackers and ripped the cellophane wrapper open. Her mouth was ungracefully stuffed with a handful of crackers when Ted strolled into the kitchen. She gulped the crackers down and felt a blush flow over her cheeks. He placed his wrist on her forehead.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Sure. I feel fine."
"You didn't sound fine a few minutes ago."
"Something I ate I guess. Probably that humongous bowl of ice cream last night."
Ted's eyes roamed slowly over her face and checked her from her brow to the pulsing hollow of her throat. His inspection felt more like a caress and the fluttering in her belly became deliciously different.
"I passed out rather early last night. Did you find a flight out?"
"Um--no. Most flights are canceled."
"The interstates will be fairly clear. I could take you back home. Delaware is only a few hours up the road." He loaded the coffee maker and clicked it on.
"There's nothing there for me. I . . . I was staying with friends but they had family coming in so I decided to visit my parents. I don't want to intrude on your Christmas either, so if you can take me to a motel, that will be fine."
The hot water trickled through the grounds and rang musically into the glass receptacle. He was thinking, she could tell from the twist of his eyebrows. She decided the defined creases on his face were laugh induced rather than frown made. The beard-shadow had returned since last night's shave, and his dark hair flew casually around as if rebelling against dictated form.
"Coffee?" Ted filled two mugs before she answered yes. "Cream?"
She shook her head no and cradled the aromatic brew to her face to test her nausea quotient. Safe, and she raised the cup for a sip. Alicia looked out the window at the thick white snow and saw that the morning sky was bright-blue and spotted with pure white cloud puffs.
"Alicia, do you really want to spend Christmas alone in a motel room?"
"No, but I don't have anyplace else to go." She fought the urge to cry.
"As I said before, you're welcome to stay here."
"Thank you." Her knees threatened to buckle in the swell of relief.
He smiled. "Welcome to our home. Later we're going shopping, but for now I have work to do." Ted picked up his mug, and excused himself to grade the stack of test papers.
Shopping? Alicia couldn't afford her car repair bill or even a plane ticket. She glanced down at the sparkle on her left hand and an evil thought crossed her mind.
She peeked in on Kathi, still sleeping, and walked into Ted's bedroom with the coffee carafe in hand. He glanced up and smiled as she refilled his coffee mug.
"Please relax, Alicia. You look very uncomfortable."
No duh. She glanced at the coffee carafe. Her shaking hands caused ripples in the coffee. "I feel awkward - Christmas in a stranger's house. I don't even know your last name."
"Williamson, Theodore Louis Williamson. And your's?"
"Alicia Elizabeth Moriaty soon to be ex-Banning."
"Why an ex?"
"Very unreconcilable differences."
"Are you sure? Marriage is too precious to throw away so easily."
"It wasn't easy. Tommy couldn't grow up and accept responsibility. He cheated a lot and then . . ." Alicia paused and took a deep breath. "I wanted to have a baby. He didn't say no, but when I got pregnant he said get an abortion or leave. I left. I . . . I don't regret my decision. He wasn't much of a husband, and he didn't even want to try to be father."
Ted shook his head. "That's sad, him not wanting his own child."
"True. So what happened to your marriage?"
Ted put his pen down and retrieved a framed picture of a pretty brown-eyed women from the lower desk drawer. The woman had the same oval face and brunette hair as Kathi. "Tiffany Anne Williamson. She died in an auto accident five years ago. Kathi was almost killed. She covers her scars with her bangs but I'm not sure how she covers the ones I can't see. Tiffany was too drunk to walk let alone drive that day. Stone drunk at three in the afternoon."
"Oh Ted . . ." She caught a sob in her throat.
"That was five years ago, Alicia. The challenges of the present outweigh the sadness of the past." He exhaled a sigh, then smiled. "Well, I guess we're no longer strangers."

They talked for an hour, their conversation deep and inquiring. No, I can't be falling in love so quickly, Alicia thought. Must be a simple crush. Yeah, right.
Kathi awoke around ten and squealed delightfully when she discovered that the new snowfall hadn't obliterated the snow angels. They looked surreal with their coarse steaks muted by the fresh, fluffy snow.
Ted had sheepishly agreed to a gift exchange after Kathi revealed he had already decided what to give Alicia. The afternoon of shopping flew by in a blur of storefronts in the monstrous mall. Most of the stores were open, but many only had a single face staring out at the empty walkways. The trio walked the length of the mall sharing wish lists and dreams. Alicia laughed over Ted's uncomfortable embarrassment when Kathi gleefully perused the scanty silk nether garments in the lingerie store.
She whispered to Ted, "I'll do undies, you take care of outerwear."
"Thank you," he said, visibly relieved.
Window shopping done, they agreed split up and rendezvous at the directory map. Alicia broke into a trot. She had three planned stops before meeting Kathi.
She found Kathi agonizing over her selection, a seductively soft suede leather jacket. The jacket cost more than she had clutched in her hand. Kathi counted her money again and the observant store owner assessed her situation and proclaimed the jacket was on sale. Kathi's sigh of relief brought a smile to the man's face.
"It's Christmas," he shrugged when Alicia whispered her thanks.
Yes, Christmas, and this Christmas was reminiscent of the innocence of her youth; a Christmas without the tense family confrontations that made her dread the season.
One of Alicia's purchases was a Christmas card. She penned her message, inserted a numbered ticket inside the card, and dropped it in the mailbox.
"Hmm," Kathi murmured.
Alicia flashed a wicked grin. "It's called burning bridges. Someday I'll explain."
"Oh. Okay."

Late evening was the first break in the busy day. The tree was up and the collection of presents were tucked under the branches. All except one. Ted returned from his back hall journey with a guilty smile, stirred the fire, and sat down on the far end of the couch.
Kathi cupped her hands over Alicia's ear and whispered, "He's up to something. The back bedroom is locked and that means he's hiding something big back there."
"What do you think it is?"
"I don't know. I'm way too young for a car and I have a nice bike, but it has to be big."
"No secrets, you two," Ted jested.
"Bull****! Christmas is all secrets." Kathi clapped her hand over her mouth, instantly connecting her epithet with his fierce glare.
"Where did you learn that talk, young lady?"
"In court last October when you lost it and the judge almost threw you in jail for contempt."
"Oh that. The fourth annual custody battle."
Alicia leaned back on the cushions and smiled. The room had been transformed from naked loneliness to homey warmth. The small natural pine reveled with its glittering lights and tinsel and stood proud guard over the presents. Alicia drew the sweater collar around her neck and shoved the sleeves up over her hands for the seventh time that evening. Kathi grasped Alicia's left hand between hers.
"Where's your rings, the marquis ring?"
"I . . . uh, took them off because of the cold when we were out in the snow."
"Oh." Kathi shrugged. "Ice cream!" She sprinted into the kitchen and returned with three heaping bowls of ice cream covered with strings of chocolate syrup.
"Don't eat too much," Ted said with an amused smile.
Alicia looked up and became trapped by his gaze. She felt like he was wandering into the intimate corners of her mind, and she felt a blush creep down her neck.
"Hey, you guys. Your ice cream's going to melt," Kathi commented, displaying an expression of childlike innocence.
Ted snickered. Alicia's blush spread.

[Bill Huson]

Snow Angel (part 4)

Finished with her ice cream, Kathi yawned broadly and waited for the slow eating pair to empty their bowls. After dropping the bowls in the sink with a noisy clatter, Kathi strolled back and announced that she was going to bed. She kissed her Dad goodnight, then kissed Alicia and drew away with a sly smile and whispered, "Goodnight my snow angel."
What was that about, Alicia wondered. She looked at Ted and said, "She'll be up early tomorrow. She thinks you have a biggie locked in the back room."
Ted laughed. "It's small, and the real big one is even smaller."
"Don't tell me. I love surprises." Alicia flopped a pillow in his lap and stretched out towards him. "Do you mind."
"No, make yourself comfy."
She reached up for his arm and looped it around her. Relaxing in the radiant glow of the fire, Alicia grew sad at the speed of the day that was ending far too soon. Ted brushed her hair away from her face with his fingertips.
"I noticed you laughed a lot today. You have a nice laugh," he said.
"I'm a little out of practice. I haven't laughed in years, but I'm good at crying."
"I'm not bad at crying myself. You may get to see a demonstration tomorrow morning."
"Happy tears I hope."
"Yes, I'm sure. I've been a vacations only father for the last five years. God, how I hated that. I love Kathi so much, and I miss her."
"She loves you dearly too."
"Yes." Ted sighed.
Alicia closed her eyes, clutched his hand to her cheek, and let her thoughts spin off into the same peaceful bliss she felt laying under the falling snow in her snow angel bed. His fingers smelled of wood fire and the thick veins tracking across the back of his hand jumped against her soft skin in rhythm with his heart beat. She heard the fire crackle and felt the whisper soft touch of his fingers lifting her hair off her face.

Birds sang loudly in her dream. Alicia's eyes flickered open to a bright day. The birds were real, sitting on winter-stripped branches and protesting the icy barrier covering their food supply. Kathi remained sound asleep. Alicia pushed Kathi's bangs aside. The main scar ran just below her hairline and branched off into several thin white streams like a river map.
Alicia slipped out of bed and strolled into the kitchen to dissolve her weak nausea with a stack of crackers. She had coffee made when Ted ambled into the kitchen.
"Wow, coffee's ready," he said, smiling. "I could get used to this."
Alicia's reply, still forming in her mind, was interrupted when Kathi dragged into the room rubbing her eyes.
Ted said, "Christmas isn't ready yet. You two stay in the kitchen."
"Okay Dad, but hurry." Kathi poured two glasses of orange juice, and passed Alicia one. "Bottoms up." She downed her orange juice and leaned against the counter with her eyes closed in concentration. "He's in the back room wrapping it."
Alicia finished her juice and listened. "I don't hear anything."
"I don't hear him. It's like a feeling." She clasped Alicia's hand. "I've got this feeling the best present I'll get this year won't really be for just me."
Alicia stared at the child curiously.
"Ho, ho, ho." That was his signal. They strolled into the living room and scanned the tree for the mystery present he had kept secreted in the back room. Kathi shrugged. There seemed to be nothing different about the tree or the small stack of gifts.
"You guys go first," Kathi said, pushing her presents toward them.
Alicia unwrapped a pair of warm gloves and thanked Kathi with a hug. Ted peeled the wrapping off his present and gasped. The suede leather jacket was an ideal gift to replace his worn coat, and he was visibly impressed. Ted tried it on and it fit perfectly.
"Yes!" Kathi exclaimed. "Now you guys swap."
Ted and Alicia shared shy glances and exchanged their gifts. She gave him a leather briefcase to replace his battered case with a broken latch. Her gift was an Irish knit wool sweater, thick and luxurious in its fuzzy warmth, and perfectly spacious. Alicia held it to her face and inhaled the dusky fragrance. The intensity of their shared gaze left them both blushing.
Kathi's turn, and Alicia held Ted's hand as Kathi tore the wrappings of her presents. Ted basked in Kathi's elated squeals of pleasure when she held her new clothes up to her body. There would be no rejects. Ted made his selections from what he saw in the classroom. He blushed when Kathi joyously displayed the lingerie that Alicia gave her.
"This is the best Christmas ever," Kathi declared, but the gaze she directed at Alicia conveyed the question; where was the mystery gift - the biggie? The silence was broken with a plaintive cry from the rear of the tree.
"Whoo-Hoo!" Kathi leaped for the cellophane covered basket hidden against the wall and sent the loose wrapping sailing into the air. She knee-walked back cuddling a calico kitten that was mewing with fright. "Angel. I'm naming her Angel. After my snow angel." As quickly as her face had lit up, Kathi's joy faded and she cuddled the kitten to her chest.
"Granny won't let me have pets. What am I going to do with Angel?"
"You should look in the tree for an answer." Ted's tone seemed nervous, and his grip on Alicia's hand tightened.
A long plain white envelope was wedged in the spidery branches of the pine. Kathi reached for the envelope and tore it open. Tears rolled freely but quietly from her eyes as she read the letter. She threw herself into Ted's arms, sobbing gratefully, then, with a kitten-scaring screech of joy, she dashed out of the door and turned a somersault into the deep snow.
Alicia glanced at Ted and saw leaking eyes. He brushed his tears aside and walked to the door to watch the eccentric display of girlish passion.
She picked up the letter and wept quietly as she read the judgement from the Florida court. It was a gift no one could buy; a gift from a wise Judge who once threatened a frustrated father with contempt of court. Kathi was home to stay.
"What's she doing now," Ted asked.
Alicia walked to his side and hooked her arm in his. Kathi was kneeling in front of the three abstract forms on the hill with her hands clasped in front of her.
"Oh Ted, that's so cute. She's praying."

At the end of Christmas day, Kathi prayed again. She knelt beside her bed with her hands wrapped around her kitten and whispered her prayer before crawling under the covers. During the night she heard singing in her dream and awoke. The purring kitten was curled against her chest. She swept her arm over the bed and sat up. Alicia wasn't there.
It wasn't a dream. Kathi saw the orange glow from the fireplace seeping under the door. She heard music, and she heard her snow angel's song. Her angel sang the sweet promising words of love; her angel was singing to her Father.
Kathi reclined and snuggled in her pillow while her kitten circled for a new nest against her chest. She stroked the kitten's bristly head and whispered, "Go to sleep Angel. Everything is going to be all right now."

Merry Christmas all!