"Mommy! I want this one!" Mallory shouted. Zoe smiled and picked up the book Mallory had tossed towards her.
"So Mal, you can only have one book before bed. You're sure this is the one you want?" Zoe asked.
"Yes Mommy! This is the one I want. There's a doggy on the front." Mallory said, climbing into Zoe's lap.
"Okay baby. Do you want to get Daddy?" Zoe asked. Mallory gasped.
"Daddy!" Mallory yelled. Evan walked into Mallory's room and smiled.
"Yes sweet girl?" Evan asked.
"Mommy is reading the story with the doggy on the front!" Mallory said. Evan smiled and sat beside Zoe.
"Ooh, A Charlie Brown Christmas! Good choice Mal." Evan said.
"Mommy, read the story." Mallory said, climbing on top of her mother.
"Okay baby, here we go." Zoe said. She opened the book and smiled.
"It was finally Christmastime, the best time of the year. The houses were strung with tiny colored lights, their windows shining with warm yellow glow only Christmas could bring. The scents of pine needles and hot cocoa mingled together, wafting through the air, and the sweet sounds of Christmas carols
could be heard in the distance. Fluffy white snowflakes tumbled from the sky onto a group of joyful children as they sang and laughed, skating on the frozen pond in town. Everyone was happy and full of holiday cheer. That is, everyone except for Charlie Brown." Zoe said. She flipped the page and Mallory stopped her.
"Why doesn't he like Christmas?" Mallory asked.
"We'll have to find out won't we Mal?" Evan said.
"Okay Daddy. Mommy keep reading." Mallory said. Zoe smiled.
"'I think there must be something wrong with
me. I just don't understand Christmas, I guess. I might be getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating trees and all that, but I'm still not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel.' Charlie Brown said.
'Charlie Brown, you are the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem. Maybe Lucy is right. Of all of the Charlie Browns in the world, you are the Charlie Brownest.' Linus said back." Zoe said. Mallory looked at Zoe.
"Mommy, why is Linus mean to Charlie Brown?" Mallory asked.
"He isn't baby. Let's read the story." Zoe said. Evan smiled and kissed Zoe's head.
"Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, but Charlie Brown was still sad.
"'I am in sad shape...' Charlie Brown said.
Lucy looked at him. 'Hold up there Charlie Brown! I need 5 cents from you for my kind of advice!'
Charlie Brown reached into his pocket, and dropped a nickel in her money can."
"Why is he giving her money Mommy?" Mallory asked.
"Because she's providing him with a service." Evan said. Mallory frowned but was quiet.
"'Boy, I love the beautiful sound of cold, hard, cash, that beautiful, beautiful sound. Nickels, nickels, nickels. That beautiful sound of plunking nickels. Now what seems to be your trouble?' Lucy asked." Zoe read.
"I have nickels too!" Mallory said happily. Zoe smiled.
"'I know I should be happy during Christmas, but I can't seem to manage it.' Charlie Brown said sadly.
'Well, as they say on TV, "the mere fact that you realize you need help indicates that you are not too far gone." I think we better pinpoint your fears. If we can find out what you're afraid of, we can label it. Are you afraid of responsibility? If you are, then you have hypengyophobia. How 'bout cats? If you're afraid of cats, you have ailurophasia. Are you afraid of staircases? If you are, then you have climachaphobia. Or maybe you have pantophobia. Do you think you have pantophobia?' Lucy questioned.
