Unconditional Love (Second story in the 'Unconditional' series)

Grown up Christmas List

6 months later

   It's been 6 months since Ali moved in and we have been doing really good. Christmas is coming up.
       " Gracie, get up, you got to go to school" I tried to wake her.
        "But I'm tired dad!" She woke
        "So am I, but you have one more day then you are off for a while and it's Christmas" I helped her sit up.
           "Christmas! I'm excited for Santa! He's coming right dad?" She asked and my eyes widened. I totally forgot about the whole Santa thing.
           "Of course he's coming!" I blurted out. What am I going to do, it's 3 days away! I have two daughters, crap. Once Gracie got dressed, I brought her to the bus stop and she got on. I ran back into the house. Ali was cleaning the kitchen after breakfast and Lucy was in the family room watching tv.
"Alison, we have a problem" I told her and she gave me all her attention.
"What is it?" She asked with concern
"I forgot about Santa clause" I told her and her eyes widened.
"What do you mean you forgot about santa?" She asked
"I don't have the gifts for my daughters, Kota normally took care of it and I just totally forgot" I panicked.
"Ok, in gonna help you, we are going to drop Lucy off at Spencer's, then we are going to stores and buying gifts for them both, we can do it" she assured me. She got the phone and called up Spencer. I ran up stairs and went into Gracie's room. I looked around for Christmas lists or something's that she likes. I found 3 papers and they all said Xmas on the top. You can barely read it, she's only 6, but it will do. Next I went and got Lucy. Then we got in the car dropped Lucy off and went to store after store. Alison was extremely helpful with Lucy's gifts because she is with her everyday. Gracie was a lot harder but we have a list.
"What did we get for Grace?" I asked Alison
"3 coloring books, a stuffed puppy and a matching outfit with her American girl doll" Alison answered and I stared at the cart.
"That's all we have?!" I widened my eyes
"Well that's what the list says, oh and there is something that is circled and starred." She paused to read it.
"It says mommies doll, was it Kota's?" Alison asked me. I thought for a minute.

Flashback- year 2000(Kota was 10)

  Kota was sitting on the couch with a doll that looked like her a little. Alison had one too. They were brushing the dolls hair.
      "Alison don't spray that on the dolls hair, you'll ruin it!" Kota told Alison.
        "Really? Oops" Alison put the spray away
        "yeah it makes the hair all gross" Kota told her
         "Oh, do you have a lot of dolls?" Ali asked
         "Nope just the one, and I love it, I'm gonna pass it down to my kids when I'm older" Kota told Alison
           "Yeah, if you still have it by the time you are married and have kids" Alison said
            "I'll have it, unless my husband throws it out, I would kill my husband if he does that" Kota exclaimed.
End of flashback

   "Ali, Kota's doll that looked like her! The one she wanted to give her child" I realized and Ali looked at me like I was nuts.
    "It's at home, you stay here buy stuff for grace because we are way done with Lucy and I'm going to find the doll at home" I gave my basket to Alison and I ran out of the store. I got in the car and drove home. I ran into the house took off my coat and went up stairs. I went into a box under my bed and searched it. It had a lot of Kota's stuff but not the doll. I went into her drawers. I couldn't find it. Oh god did I get rid of it? I hope not! I went into the attic and checked every bin, but it wasn't up there. I went into her closet next. As I was searching I found a little door. I opened it and found a box there. I took the nice box out and opened it. There were necklaces, books, a diary and the doll. Pinned to the doll was a note. I took of the note and read it.
   This doll will go to my first daughter that I am to have, I want her to love this doll as much as I loved it ~ Kota ❤
I tried my best not to cry. I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. I put the note back in the dolls dress. I took it out of her box. I put the box back where it was and shut the door. I went down stairs and got a box for the doll. Alison came home and put down a bunch of bags.
       "Ok, we got Lucy around 17 things and we got Gracie around 15 including the doll, if you got it" she told me
        "I got the doll" I told her, still holding back my tears.
          "I remember this doll, she always had it, it looked like her, where was it?" Alison picked up the doll. She pushed the hair out of the dolls face. I stared at the doll in her hands. My mouth started to quiver and I bit the inside of of my mouth. Alison stared at me.
            "Ah, yeah" I paused and you could hear the crackling in my voice. "I found it in the closet" I finished and sat down and put my head down so Alison wouldn't see me cry.
             "Jason" Alison came closer to me. I got up and walked away and went upstairs. I didn't want Alison to see me cry. I sat on my bed and hung my head put my hands on my forehead and just let all the tears go. Alison walked in my room. She came and sat next to me and put her arm around me.
         "Jason, it's ok" she hugged me and put her head on my shoulder.
         "I know it's ok, but I just really miss her' I paused to sit up.
          "We have known her since we were 6 years old, and I've liked her since then" I wiped my eyes
            "Jason, she wouldn't want you to be crying like this, she would want you to be giving that doll to Grace and to take care of those girls for rest of your life and..... to move on" Alison said to me and I shot my head up at her.
             "I will do all of those things except the last" I said and stood up and walked down stairs. Alison let it go and we put music on and wrapped the gifts.

December 24th- 7:30pm

  It was getting late. The girls weren't tired. They were really excited for santa. Ali had a santa tracker on her phone.
       "Aunt Ali, where is santa now?!" Gracie asked her excitedly!
       "Oh he's in New York! He's coming soon girls go brush your teeth, he should be here in less then an hour!" Alison said excitedly. The girls dashed upstairs.
         "They are cute" Alison smiled and fell back into the couch.
           "Yeah they are, so the doll is going to be from me not santa" I told Alison
             "Yeah that makes sense because how does santa have Kota's doll" Alison's said with a small laugh
              "He came down the chimney and stole it" I laughed
               "He stole it to bring it back?" Alison laughed. I don't know why it was funny it just was.
"So in the morning, my mother in law is coming for the day" I told Alison
"Ok, im going to get ready for bed and say goodnight to the girls then I'll come help you down here" she went up stairs. I followed her up. I went into Gracie's room.
               "Are you ready for bed?" I asked
               "Yup, but I don't know how I will sleep" she smiled
                 "You'll fall asleep, tomorrow you will wake up and grandma will be here and you will get a bunch of presents!" I said with excitement in my voice
                 "I don't care how many gifts I get, I just want one thing" she smiled
                  "Ok well I hope you get it, goodnight" I gave her a kiss on the head and shut her light. I went into Lucy's room next. I walked in as Alison laughed as Lucy jumped up and down on her bed screaming santa over and over again.
               "Luc, get down, santa won't come if you are awake" Alison laughed
               "Yeah you are on the nice list right now, don't make him skip you" I went over and gave her a kiss goodnight
                 "Oh no, good night, I'm falling asleep santa!" She yelled like he could hear her. I laughed and so did Ali. We left her room and went down stairs. We put the gifts out and went to bed.

Christmas morning

I woke up and Alison and carrie(mother in law) were in the kitchen.
       "Hey" she came and hugged me
        "Hey Carrie nice to see you" I hugged her back
       "The girls are getting up I heard them" I said to them then we heard foot steps thud down the stairs. Ali, Carrie and I went where the tree was and the girls came in and gasped. They started ripping gifts open. By the end Gracie looked sad.
       "Grace what's wrong?" Carrie asked her
       "I didn't get the one thing I really wanted" she said sadly
       "Aw well do you want your gifts from grandma?" She asked
         "No, I'll give her a gift" I said I handed her a box. She took it and stared at it. She ripping it open and lifted the lid off the box. When she saw the doll her face lit up! She took it out of the box and hugged it. I saw a tear escape her eye. She got up and hugged me tight.
           "Thank you daddy" she said into my ear. I hugged her too and responded
            "Merry Christmas Gracie"