[ COACH ] Ken
[ SONG | ARTIST ] Underneath The Tree | Kelly Clarkson
[ WATTPAD WORD COUNT ] 2,577 words (+1,077 words)
Anna Jensen was standing next in a line for the cashier counter. A stainless logo sign, Hexburgh Cancer Institute, shined brightly along with the rainbow lights glimmering across the room, with a Christmas ambient melodies filling the Thursday’s winter atmosphere. Her daughter, Annie, was sitting in the couch near the lobby entrance of the hospital. Anna watched her daughter’s petunias-blue eyes staring at the magnificent ornaments hanging in the large Christmas tree. Despite the fact that she had been suffering an awful situation in the past three months, she still managed to plant a smile on her face.
“Hello?” the cashier woman called. “Mrs. Jensen?”
Surprised, Anna yanked her shoulder. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was…” She shrugged and turned in some documents across the counter.
“It’s okay.” The cashier stared on the monitor with her hand creating punching sound from the keyboard. “How’s Annie?”
“She’s strong. Very strong.” Anna smiled and looked at her daughter again. Her daughter was correcting her pink bonnet in her bald head.
“Don’t worry Mam. She’s gonna be fine. I swear. She is still so beautiful until now.”
“Yes, she is always beautiful.” When Anna shifted her head back again to the counter, a poster event beside her caught her attention. It said,
Join the HCI Special Christmas Party with John Hayley.
“When is this?” Anna quizzed.
The cashier glanced at it for a second and turned back toward the monitor right away. “This coming Sunday. It’s a free party for kids who with cancer. You should let your daughter join there.”
Anna had been wishing to give her daughter some grand birthday party. No… She always wanted to give her the best birthday party the world ever had. But, she thought that it never happened anymore. She had been wishing it ever since her husband died from the construction site accident three years ago; her daughter was three at that time. And after that, their money was already gone on the thin line. No income and no permanent home.
Her parents, the main supporter of their needs, helped them to stand their chances. She able to find a stable job and stood on her feet again.
But when her girl was diagnosed with Leukemia three months back, financial issues suffocated Anna once again. Wanting to be with her daughter for the minimum she had, she forcefully resigned the job. Thankfully, her late husband’s parents and siblings underpinned their needs for Annie’s treatment. What was Anna left to do inside her spirit was hope and undying love for her little angel.
Her daughter’s birthday was still eight months ahead, but the doctor couldn’t promise that she could reach her next birthday. She was afraid that her daughter might be gone without experiencing some memorable parties like Anna had when she was a little girl, so maybe, this poster event would be her great chance.
“Who’s John Hayley?” Anna asked.
“He’s the sponsor. You should know him in the news. He’s a famous musician and a cancer survivor, too. He is pretty much more in entertaining the kid as a clown. But, it’s December, so I bet he goes as Santa.”
Anna brightened her eyes as she heard the word Santa. Every Christmas her daughter always stared at the window, hoping to see Santa with a sleigh. Though, she ended up sleeping on the floor beside the window.
