Ghost of Christmas Past

Epilogue

Epilogue

 

Christmas Eve 1879

 

“Mama! Is it time for the story yet?”

“Hold on there, Danny boy.” Davy scooped his seven year old son up and set him on his lap beside the hearth. “Let your mama get the hot chocolate and cookies. Then she’ll be in to tell us all the story.”

Danny squirmed impatiently. “Can’t you tell it, Pa.”

Davy chuckled. “No. This is Mama’s story to tell. It’s a Christmas tradition. It won’t do to break tradition.”

“Is the story true?” his nine year old daughter Isabelle asked, spearing him with her intelligent blue eyes. “Or did Mama make it up.”

“Every word is true,” Davy affirmed.

Danny wiggled back off his lap and went to stand before the stockings hung at the hearth. “Do you think Santa will bring me a slingshot this year? He forgot last year.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Davy replied patiently.

“I don’t want Santa to come in the house!” Samuel, age five, panicked.

“Santa brings sweets and toys,” Isabelle lectured in the condescending tone of an older sister. “He is nice.”

Lilly swept into the room with a platter of goodies. “Is Sam still worried about Santa Claus?”

“Yes.” Davy and Isabelle replied in unison.

Lilly set the platter down, and lifted Samuel onto her lap. “That’s all right, sweetheart, you can go to sleep in Mama and Papa’s bed tonight.”

The tension relaxed almost instantly from Sam’s little face, and Davy couldn’t help but smile.

Danny grabbed a cookie for each hand. “Is it time for the story?” His eyes glowed with expectation.

Lilly looked to Davy across the room and smiled. He knew that she, like he, was remembering that fateful Christmas ten years ago that had nearly torn them apart. After a moment Lilly swept an electrified gaze around the room.  “Gather close everyone, it’s time to tell the story of the Christmas ghost.”

The End