Reflection (Artemi Panarin)

Miracle on the Streets

Lesson 9: You don't always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens.

-Artemis POV-

After we exchanged gifts Taylor decided it was time to deliver some to the good people of Chicago. We organized the gifts so we knew which to give to who for certain age groups. They ranged from sharpies and paper to Beats headphones. We each got a Santa bag and filled them with the gifts and took to the streets looking to spread holiday cheer.

Taylor struggled on the crutches at first but no one was going to dull her sparkle. We started with her bag so she could get rid of it faster. After about an hour her phone went off. "He Art can you grab my phone?"

I grabbed her phone out her back pocket and saw it was her mom. I decided to answer it. "Hey Samantha Merry Christmas" I shout a little too excited.

"Hi honey how are you? I didn't call at a bad time did I" she wonders.

"No not at all. We're just handing out present right now. Do you want to talk to Taylor" I ask.

"Yes please. Thank you sweetie" she says making me smile. I hand Taylor the phone and set off to give some more presents out while she wished her mom a happy holidays.

"Excuse me mister, are you the Breadman" a little boy asks tugging on my sweater.

"Yes I am. And who might you be" I ask ruffling his hair.

"My name is Brian" he exclaims. He had brown hair and brown eyes, looks like a younger and more American version of me. Taylor puts her phone back in her pocket and crutches over to us.

"Who do we have here" she asks cheery as ever.

"This is Brian" I say proudly.

"Why hello Brian. My name is Taylor. What are you doing out on Christmas" Taylor questions.

He suddenly looks sad and starts to pick at his coat. "My foster parents decided they couldn't take care of someone else and today is my last day with them so I asked to see the city one last time before I went back to a adoption agency" he says starting to cry. Taylor quickly drops her crutches and hugs the little boy. She takes him in her arms and he latched on pretty quickly. I was afraid her knee would give but she held up.

He cried into her shoulder and she gently rubbed his back. I know this was hard for her, a little kid should be nothing different than happy in Christmas and here he was pouring his heart out to a total stranger. Luckily for him he picked the perfect person to confide in. "Tell you what. I have a present for you" she says grabbing a present. I knew which one it was and suddenly I couldn't wait for him to open it.

He quickly tears into it and reveals a signed Jonathan Toews hockey jersey because what kid in Chicago doesn't want that? He slips it on and hugs Taylor again. She never stopped smiling.
"Brian!?! Brian!?!" A older couple yells.

"Hey Brian, is that your foster parents" I ask pointing to the confused looking people. He nods and I head over to them while he stayed back to help Taylor hand out gifts and talk about hockey.

"Hey. You guys don't know me but Brian is with my girlfriend. I know it's none of my information but why are you giving him up" I ask.

The couple looks at each other then me with sad eyes. "You're right kid, we don't know you but we appreciate your concern for Brian. We can't afford to keep him. He's a great child, but he can't grow with us. The things he needs we can no longer provide. He won't live up to his full potential in our little nest so we're letting him fly" the lady says.

"Can we go for a walk" I ask and they agree.

-Taylor's POV-

"So Brian, how do you like the Jersey" I ask trying to keep his spirits up on this holiday.

"It's great. Look! Here's Shawzy, and Patrick, and Tazer, and Crow" he cheers pointing to each signature.

"Wow! You are super smart you know that" I smile.

"I've been told. Do you... Do you believe in Christmas miracles" he wonders oh so innocently.

"I never thought of it. But yeah, I guess I do" I nod my head.

"I think you're my Christmas miracle" he claims making me smile.

"And that makes you mine" I say.

"Well then I guess this really is the best Christmas ever. Is the Breadman your husband" he asks oh so innocently.

"No honey, he's just my boyfriend. But I love him all the same. How old are you" I wonder.

"I'm 7 but I'm about to be eight" he explains as he shows me on his fingers.

"Wow you're such a handsome boy. What do you say to helping me pass out the rest of these toys" I offer.

"I'll help! I love to help" he promises.

"Well I'm glad to hear that" I smile.

We went around and I gave him the gifts from my crutches and he handed them out. We finished quickly and decided to chill by the bean and talk. Artemi came up to us with a happy couple behind him. "Brain sweetie, can we talk to you" the man says sitting next to us and Brian agrees. "This man here would like to adopt you and you can come visit us whenever your little heart desires" the man beams.

Wait? Artemi wants to adopt Brian? Is that what I just heard?

"YES" Brian jumps up and down and runs around the bean. He runs back and stops in from of me. "Does this mean you're my mommy?"

I look at Artemi and a smile crawls on his face. "I guess so little man" I smile.

He suddenly looks sad and my heart drops. "What's wrong buddy" I ask checking to see if I could find anything.

"That means I can't be your boyfriend" he pouts. I giggle and stand back up and Artemi hands me my crutches and I lean my head against him.

"I guess your right" we laugh.

We all talk for a little before they went home to grab Brian's stuff and I went to my apartment to rest. How was this going to work?