Snowed In

XXII

My dad took my mother to the hospital late last night. Leaving me and Nick alone. I cried and screamed, pounded against him, yet he held onto me tightly. He wouldn't let me go, he was exactly what I needed. I felt I was suffocating. I felt my whole life had just crashed into flames. I cried and cried till there was nothing left, till I was empty. I cried till I felt nothing. Nick stayed by me, he held me. He comforted me, he dried my tears. He kept me sane..

My promise I made to my mother surfaces in my mind, breaking through my thoughts as Angela opens her gifts. My dad stays staring at the fire on the far end of the couch, he's just frozen still.. Nick stepped out to take a call leaving me cold. But I wasn't mad about it.

We told Angela that grandma got sick. That it was nothing to worry about. Why ruin a five year olds Christmas? Yet from all of our faces and lifeless glee. I'm pretty sure she put everything together.

"Mommy! Look what Santa got me!" She exclaims and I snap my attention to her.

"What is it baby girl?" I ask and she jumps onto my lap and holds it up. I gasp at the photo in the frame and the door opens. I look up as Nick walks in and he takes one look at my gawking face and rushes over.

"What's wrong?" He asks moving beside me and I hold it up.

"Where'd that photo come from?" He asks and I stare at it in wonder. It's of me, Angela, and Nick a few blocks from the skating rink downtown from that hotel we stayed at for those few days. I was laughing at Nick, and Angela was on his shoulders. The image is from the side. Angela had her chin on his head, and he was looking up. It's perfectly posed, yet not.

"How'd the photo- baby who's it from?" I ask and she grabs the paper off the ground and I gawk as a card is suddenly on the ground at my feet. I bend down and pick it up as Angela searches for the name on the wrapping paper.

I slowly open the card and Nick runs his fingers up my arms as I look down at the written black words.

Family, it's everything..

Those words are written at the top and I look down my eyes widening at the name.

"Kris. Kris Kringle." I say reading the name.

I told you, you two would make a wonderful couple. I told you, your daughter would be so lucky to have that man right there be her daddy.

Daddy? He's not her daddy though.. I shake my head not believing any of this.

"As in the guy at the hotel Kris Kringle?" Nick hisses quietly and I look in amazement at the name.

"I guess s-

"See, from Santa." Angela says running over to me, and Nick quickly takes the card and hides it.

"Santa huh?" I ask and she nods.

"Wow, guess he was watching out for us." I say and she smiles staring at the photo.

"The love of a family is life's greatest blessing." Angela reads aloud, off of the frame as I nod with a small smile.

"Mommy, am I a blessing?" She asks and my dad looks over at us.

"Oh baby girl, you are a blessing, and so so so much more." I whisper and she smiles. I look up at my dad and he nods.

"I'm going to go put it on the front hall table." She says and I nod releasing her then standing up and walking over to my dad.

"Merry Christmas daddy." I whisper handing him over a sheet of paper.

"What is this?" He asks and I nod him on. He opens it and I smile as he reads it out loud.

"2356 Claus Lane." He reads and I smile as he continues on.

"Seems I will be here for every Christmas." I say and he lightens up.

"You're staying?" He asks and I nod with a smile.

"Yes daddy, I am." I say and he smiles back.

"It's a true miracle." He whispers and I nod smiling. A knock sounds on the door and I stand up.

"I'll get it." I mumble then stand up and walk over to the door. I pull it open, yet nobody's there. I look around confused then see a package at my feet marked with my name. The bottom it says from Kris and I smile gently.

I bend down to pick it up and it opens. I smile as my mother's necklace appears in it, beside a photo of me and my mom. I smile tracing her face then gently place it back in the box and turn around as I hear Nick get up and head over to me.

"You're actually staying?" He asks and I look down at the photo of my mother and I then back up to him and turn to face him.

"This is my home." I say and he smiles

"It is." He says and I laugh as we walk back over to the couch. Before I can sit though, he lifts me into his arms slamming his lips to mine. I laugh as we spin in a circle. He slowly puts me down and presses his forehead to mine.

"That means, I get to do this." He says and I look at him quizzically then gasp as he moves to one knee before me and holds up a ring box. I look down at him hearing Angela run back into the room and stop.

"Elise Owens. I have loved you for years, you have been and still are everything to me. I had to wait twenty three years to get to do this, and I'm not waiting anymore. Elise Owens, on this very special day will you make my Christmas wish come true and marry me?" He asks snapping open the box. I stare at the ring and tears trail down my cheeks.

"Mommy say yes!" Angela exclaims and I laugh.

"Yes." I whisper and he slides in onto my finger then stands up and I cry laugh, as he presses his lips to mine.

"I told you he'd be a great daddy." Someone whispers in my ear and I smile realizing exactly who that someone is.

All my Christmas wishes have come true.

All my dreams have become a reality.

Christmas really is a time for miracles and blessings. And this right here, is mine.

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THE END!!! ❤️