Chapter Ten- Two Days Before Christmas

The Christmas House

December 23rd

Lake Forest, IL

3:00 p.m.

A snowy, gray Saturday afternoon brought shoppers by the thousands to downtown Chicago. Of course, it was the last few days and the last weekend before Christmas, and time was running out. The stores were open a few hours later today to accommodate their customers' last-minute shopping needs. This winter started with a jolt, as 10 inches of snow fell on the city of big shoulders just a few days earlier. Arianna was happy, for she dreamed of having a white Christmas, especially since they would be in sunny Florida for the actual holiday. Michael read the Farmers Almanac, and based on the scientific fact; he knew there would be snow by now.

Arianna took Nicole and David downtown to finish up the last of her shopping and to make a visit to Santa. Bundled up from head to toe David could barely walk down the street. He had his wish list in letter form already and was even asking Santa for presents on behalf of Nicole. He handed the list to Arianna, and it read as follows.

Dear Santa,

I would like you to bring me this stuff for Christmas. A new sled, a new stereo, a football, a new bat, a train set, a basketball, a new guitar, a drum set, and 40 inches of snow on Christmas Eve, so the airport shuts down. If you can’t do the snow thing, then I will not be home for Christmas, so you need to deliver this stuff to someplace in Florida. It’s by the ocean. I hope you know where that is. Oh yeah, please bring my baby sister some diapers. She can’t talk yet, so I’m asking for her.

Your pal,

David Carter

“Don’t you want to go to Florida, David? I mean, if I can guarantee you that Santa will find you there, would you then like to go?”

“Not really, Mom. I wanna wake up on Christmas morning in my own bed at my own house. I wanna play in the snow with my new sled first thing; it won’t seem much like Christmas looking at the ocean wearing a swimsuit.”

“Believe me, David, I know how you feel. I don’t want to go either, but your father is looking forward to this trip. Maybe it would be the best Christmas present we could give him?”

“Yeah, I guess. But all my friends will be home for Christmas break, and I won’t get a chance to play with them,” David replied.

“Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices for the ones we love, honey. Next year I promise we will stay at home, okay?” she asked.

“Yeah... I guess,” David despondently responded.,, listen now