Page 1 of Daddy’s Little Christmas Wish

CHAPTER ONE

Bella

“Merry Christmas!” I called out as I waved at Kara as I entered Moe’s Coffee Hut. Stomping the remains of the snow off my boots at the door, I started towards the counter, pulling off my heavy gloves so that I could move around better. “Can you believe Christmas three weeks?” Kara laughed and shook her head.

“I just can’t believe it’s here already,” she commented as she started up the expresso maker. “You want your usual before work?” Having unzipped my thick jacket, I nodded in response.

“Yes, please,” I told her, my excitement shining through as I spoke.

Christmas was my favorite time of year, and I couldn’t wait for Christmas Day to finally arrive. All the TV stations were playing the best Christmas movies, Roger was bringing Santa Clause to life in the mall, and the entire town felt like a Hallmark Christmas movie. Everything was absolutely perfect.

"So, how's Kyle?" Kara asked casually as she continued making my coffee, and I felt all the excitement and joy draining out of me.

Kyle, my childhood sweetheart and long term boyfriend since high school, had moved to the city earlier this year in order to attend college, and we had been doing everything we could to make it work out. However, last month, after a spontaneous trip to the city in order to surprise him for Thanksgiving, I had learned that he had been cheating on me wih some city girl. When I confronted him, he declared that I was holding him back and chose to stay with her, and I made the trip back home alone.

“We’re not together anymore,” I mumbled as I gave Kara a polite smile. “He decided that he’s too good for me and this town, and he moved in with some city girl.” Kara’s jaw dropped as she stared at me in shock and disbelief.

“Oh,” she breathed as she handed me the coffee cup. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” I waved a hand dismissively at her as I pulled out my wallet.

“Don’t worry about it,” I told her. “These things happen when you try to force a long distance relationship to work. Besides, boys will be boys.” Pulling out the cash from my wallet, I started to hand it to her, and she shook her head at me.

“It’s on the house,” she reassured me, smiling as she handed me the coffee. Seeming to suddenly remember something, she motioned for me to stay put. “Hold on just a second.” As she disappeared into the back room, I found myself wondering exactly what she was up to this time. When she returned, she held up a meduim sized bag of “puppy chow,” a special treat she made with Chex mix every Christmas. “I made a bit more than I expected, and, since it normally comes in that giant holiday bag when I sell it, I had planned on taking this home to Mother and Father, but I think you need this more than me.” Accepting the bag, I nodded at her.

“Thanks for everything,” I told her. “I’m working at the library until close tonight. Want to meet up after work for dinner at the diner tonight?” Kara shook her head at me in response.

“Not tonight,” she told me. “I have to visit Ms. Lanceton tonight. It’s Wednesday…” Feeling like a complete idiot for having completely forgotten about her weekly visit to see Ms. Lanceton, the woman whom she had bought this store and the joinging apartment from, I shook my head.

“Right, I forgot,” I admitted sheepishly. “Sorry, that’s my bad.” As I prepared to enter the cold, snowy morning, I waved at Kara. “Say hi to Ms. Lanceton for me!” She laughed as I started for the door.

“I will,” she promised. “You can come see me for lunch, though. I made extra baked chicken and roasted vegetables.” My stomach growled as I nodded in agreement.

“I will,” I promised. “See you later.” With that, I left the toasty, warm bakery and coffee shop and ventured back into the chilly air of the snowy morning.

The best part about the town was how from Thanksgiving through the New Year, the entire town felt like a winter wonderland. The snow was always so crisp, white, and beautiful, and the roads were well kept by the city thanks to a group of high schoolers who, years before, had started a club that shoveled the sidewalks and plowed the roads for the town. It was a magical thing, and I couldn't believe that, after five years together, he was throwing all this away for the cold, bitter winds of the city.

As I walked the two blocks that existed between Moe's Coffee Hut and the library, I started to wonder if the difference our beautiful town and the much more crowded city existed everywhere, or if our town was just special. I wanted to believe that life was like our town everywhere, but, after seeing the strange behavior of strangers, I already knew that was far from the truth. Just when I was about to enter the library, a strange man in a brown leather jacket and a black beanie approached me.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said as he waved to get my attention. "Do you know where Ruth Calvert is? She disappeared from the house again, and it's a bit cold for her." At first, I wondered who this man was and why he was asking about old Mrs. Calvert like this.

"Have you looked inside the library?" I asked, and the man frowned as he stared at me.

"The library?" he asked, and I nodded in response. Looking at the library, he looked puzzled. "The library…" Nodding in response, I smiled politely.

"Yes, sir," I reassured him. "Everyday, Mrs. Calvert comes to the library as soon as it opens, and she helps us return books to the shelves before sitting in the adult section and reading as much as she wants." Nodding towards the door, I motioned for him to follow me. "Follow me." He looked a bit confused as he followed me into the warm library.

As soon as we entered, I saw Mrs. Calvert at the front desk, helping Mrs. Crane gather up the library books from the overnight drop off and check them in for reshelving. The man beside me looked relieved, and I guessed he was a family member or a new worker at the nursing home where Mrs. Calvert was staying ever since her husband died in October. Doctors wanted her to stay put, but, after her many successful escapes from the nursing home, they gave her permission to stop by everyday and spend her time as she pleased, and no one made a fuss anymore. Seeing the man next to me, Mrs. Calvert smiled.

"Hello, Joel," she said as she watched the man. "Are you going to introduce me to your new friend?"

CHAPTER TWO

Joel

As much as I wanted to be angry at Mother for running off the way that she did, the amount of relief I felt when I found her outweighed it completely. It was a massive relief to see that, not only was she safe, but she already had something that she liked to do throughout the day while I started focusing on opening up Father's auto shop. All I had to do was make sure she got here safe everyday.

Ever since Father died in October, I had been working on selling my house in the suburbs and moving back to town so that I could keep an eye on her. The nursing home was always complaining about how she would somehow escape the watchful eye of the staff and start wandering town, and they believed it was because she was looking for me. So, in order to become better company for Mother, I decided to move back and open up Father's auto shop once again.

Father had always insisted that I go out and do my own thing, always refusing to let me work at the shop with him. Having graduated college with a degree in mechanics, a degree that I had gotten in order to help him run the shop as he got older, I decided that, since he wouldn't let me work at the shop with him, I would work at a shop somewhere in the city until such time as he changed his mind. I always hoped that he would have changed his mind, but, after hearing about his accident in October, I quickly realized that my dream of working beside him was never going to happen. It was heartbreaking, but I refuse to let anyone see how much it upset me.