"Momma, I want this one!", came the joyful call of the little redhead with ringlets. Her tiny hands pointed up to the top shelf at the magnificent star. She was right. It would look perfect on top of any Christmas tree.
"That is a great choice, Soph. You have the best taste."
She looked up at me and smiled her heartwarming smile. She was so proud of herself. Her arms snaked around my knee and she gave me a tight hug.
I picked her up and touched my nose to hers. Her pink cheeks were even more flushed than normal from the excitement. This was the first year that she would be able to help me decorate the tree. She was five years old and smarter than I'd ever been at that age. She kept me on my toes and always surprised me.
"Can we get it?" she asked, her bright blue eyes were full of hope, the Christmas light displays around us shining in them, making them sparkle that much more.
"Of course we can. How could we leave the perfect star behind?"
She squeals gleefully and grabs at the star on the top shelf as I lift her up. We struggle for a moment, as she isn't high enough to reach it, before a stranger reaches up and hands it to her. She hugs it to her chest and in that moment there was no one as happy as my little girl.
"What a splendid star. I was hoping to get one just like that for myself."
Sophia turned her head and we both caught of glimpse of who had spoken. He was tall and blonde and it was uncanny how closely matched his eyes were to Sophia. She broke out into a smile and hugged her star again.
"Momma said that it's perfect." she told him matter of factly.
He smiled, his nose crinkling, his tongue escaping his mouth.
"Your mum is right. That has to be the most splendid star I've ever seen. It would make any Christmas special."
"Splendid?" she whispered back to me and I giggled.
"It means perfect, just like momma said." I whisper back to her and she gives me a nod.
"Are you going to get one for your Christmas tree?" she inquired as I sat her on the floor, her arms never losing grip on her star.
"Well, I would but it seems that you and your mummy here have got the last one."
Sophia turned to look up at me and I could see the wheels turning in her head.
"What are you doing for Christmas?" he asks, he is kneeling in front of her so they are eye to eye.
"Momma and me are going to put up our Christmas tree and wrap presents and make hot chocolate and watch the Grinch!"
He smiles at her and pinches her cheek.
"It sounds like you will have the very best Christmas."
"What are you doing?" she asked, curiously.
"Oh," he seemed taken off guard for a moment and a flitting shadow crossed his face. "Well, you see all my family live very far away so I won't see them for Christmas and all of my friends will be with their families. I suppose I'll stay home and catch up on some reading."
"Will you have a tree?" she asks him. She looks sad now and I know its because she knows he will be alone for Christmas.
"Maybe a small one. Nothing as grand as you, I imagine. I'm only staying in a small hotel room."
"You're going to be all by yourself?" she asks and I cringe.
"Soph, let's let this nice man get on with his shopping. We've kept him long enough."
