A Different Time and Place - A Collection of WoSo one shots.

Santa's Helper (Heath/Press)

For most people, Christmas is a time of celebration; a time when the world is aglow with lights, decorations, presents, laughter and love. But not for Tobin Heath.

Tobin had made a choice one evening to have too much to drink; nine months later, her daughter Tori was born, and Tobin no longer had a family. Tobin having been raised in an extremely religious family and community was shunned when she announced to them that she was an unmarried, unattached, single mom to be.

Tobin arrived home after being released from the hospital, with her newborn to find her belongings packed up and loaded in her old beater of a car. Walking to the front door, she found an envelope taped to it with her name on the outside of it and opened it up

"Tobin,

You will find that we have gone ahead and packed up your car with your personal belongings. The locks on the house have all been changed, you are no longer welcome here. You will find an envelope containing some cash on the passenger seat, use it to get set up elsewhere. You made a choice to keep the child rather than giving her up for adoption as you were told to do; we, therefore, have made the decision to remove you from our family. Please do not attempt to contact us or else the authorities will be contacted.

Sincerely,

Jeff Heath"

Feeling numb and not knowing what else to do at the moment, Tobin takes the keys from the envelope and carries her daughter over to the car, opening the back door and getting Tori settled in the car seat that she had purchased and installed for her.

Sitting in the driver's seat, Tobin puts on her seat belt and takes one last look at her family home before putting the car into reverse and slowly backing out of the driveway. Shifting into drive, she doesn't know where she is headed only that she wants to get as far away from New Jersey as possible.

5 Years Later in California

Tobin arrives home exhausted after having just having finished working her overnight shift at the local fast food place. A body comes running towards her and holds her tight,

"Mommy, Mommy, is today the day we are going to see Santa? Ms Donna helped me write a letter to give him."

"Tori, I've already told you that Santa can't afford everything on your wish list this year."

"It's okay Mommy, this isn't my wish list, it's yours."

"Mine?"

"Ms Donna telled me that you are a good person and work really hard, but you are sad because you don't have someone to snuggle with at night; so, I wanted to ask Santa if he could maybe send you someone to snuggle with."

"Someone, to snuggle with huh? But I have you little T, you're my snuggle buddy."

"Ms Donna telled me, you need an adult to snuggle with."

"She did, did she?" Tori nods, "Where is Ms Donna, I need to speak with her."

"We were making and decorating cookies in the kitchen."

"Okay, how about you go colour while Mommy and Ms Donna talk."

"Okay, Mommy."

Tobin lets out a big yawn as she enters the kitchen. She finds her roommate/babysitter/mother figure/everything Donna having a cup of coffee while finishing decorating some cookies.

"Morning."

"Morning Tobin, how was work?"

"I'll be so glad when I don't have to work 2 jobs anymore. I will never eat another French fry in my life!"