Accidental Christmas Miracle

13.

Miracle

I woke up in the middle of the night with a book slipping from my grip and the lamp light still on.

After I had finished the call with Meg and finished feeling sorry for myself, I read a book, something that relaxed me.

I gripped the book, making sure it didn't fall to the floor and put a bookmark in it, one made out of a random ripped piece of paper that I just hoped I wouldn't need later.

Running a hand through my hair, and stifling a yawn, I get up to turn the lamp off but as I near the door which was next to the light switch, I heard a noise. Pausing, I listen harder.

It came again.

Someone was crying.

I then poked my head out the door, trying to figure out where it was coming from. Once I did, I went towards it like the curious person I was.

I continued towards the crying until I got to a cracked doorway, the faint light spilling through the gap that the slightly open door provided. I stopped and through the gap, I could see Christi crying.

Something made me knock softly on her door and then poke my head in.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked her softly.

She looked up, startled. "Oh, I didn't hear you there. I hope I didn't wake you." She blew her nose quietly.
I shook my head. "Nah, you didn't wake me, I was already-" I yawned after failing at trying to stop it. "-awake." I finished my sentence.

She laughed softly. "Yeah, I'm sure."

I shot her a small smile and then asked, "Can I come in?"

She nodded.

I soundlessly entered her room, cracking the door.

She moved some things on her bed to make room for me.

"So.." I started.

"What's wrong?" She finished my question.

I nodded.

She sighed. "Nothing really. Just missing someone."

"Who, if you don't mind me asking?" I asked her.

She pointed to a man in a framed picture. "My dad."
That would explain the similarities of the man in the picture and her. He had blonde hair much like hers but I couldn't tell if he had the same eyes because they were covered by dark sunglasses.

I hesitated before asking my next question. "Where is he now?"

She shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe he's just six feet under although I like to think that he's in heaven where I can see him again." More tears streamed down her face and I handed her another tissue. She used it to wipe her face.

"I'm just...I don't really know. I'm troubled, I guess, although that's still too fancy of a word for my feeling that I'm feeling." She told me.

"Sad? Confused? Angry?" I gave her some feelings.

"Sad? Yes, I miss him a lot and every day. Confused? Some. I guess I wonder if he's really gone and if this is just a bad dream, even though it happened over ten years ago. Angry? Never. How can I be? He didn't do anything wrong. He just...died."

"How exactly did he...um...pass away?"

She gave me a look. "Just say the word die. I hate it when people say 'pass away'. It sounds stupid and simple."

I winced at her comment. "Sorry."

She shook her head and sighed. "No, I'm the one who should be saying sorry. You can say whatever you want."

I wouldn't say the phrase again though. She didn't like it, so why say something someone doesn't like? And for something so personal too.

"He died from lung cancer. Had a nasty habit of smoking, I'm afraid."

"Oh."

"Yeah. But he was a great person nonetheless. He was the one who hosted all the special holiday parties, not Mom. He could make anyone laugh and relax."

"Sounds like a great dad."

"He really was. On Sundays, we would always go down to Larry's Ice Cream Parlor and order a sundae." She laughed. "He would say, 'Get it? A sundae on a Sunday?' and Dot and I would groan at the old joke."

"What about Noel and Gabriel?" I asked.

"They came along later. They're adopted from birth. It was actually Dad's idea."

I blinked, surprised. I didn't expect that. They look so much like the rest of the Taylors.

"Yeah, you wouldn't normally guess it unless, well, someone told you."

I nodded.

She then had a worried expression on her face. "Don't treat them any different because you know this, please."

I gave her a confused look. "Why would I do that?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Some people do."

I allowed myself a small grin. "Guess I'm not 'some people' then."

She gave me a small grin back. "Christmas was - or still is - my family's favorite holiday but my dad's especially."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you're named Christmas?"

She laughed while nodding. "Yeah and that's why Noel and Gabriel are named as such."

I furrowed my eyebrows together. "Gabriel?"

This time she raised an eyebrow at me. "The angel?"

Oh. The angel Gabriel that appeared to Mary and Joseph. That made a lot of sense.

This realization must have been really apparent on my face because she laughed. "Sorry." She apologized in between laughs. "I just don't think I've met anyone that hasn't gotten that reference when they hear everyone else's names."

My face flushed a bit with embarrassment but then I thought of something. "What's so Christmas-y about Dot's name."

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"What happened with his name then?"

"Mom named him." She grinned and chuckled, as did I.

I yawned another time and she glanced at the time.

"You should probably go to bed and as should I. It's almost one thirty in the morning." She told me.

I nodded in agreement with her. "Yeah." I started to get up and then looked back at her. "You okay now?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah."

I responded with a nod. "Good." I headed towards the door, only to pause when she called my name quietly. "Hmm?" I turned my head to look back at her.

"Could you...not mention this to anyone?" She asked me, her eyes showed sadness and a bit of worry.

"Wasn't planning on it."

She gave me a small thankful smile. "Thanks."

"Mhm. Night, Christi. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite." I said as I left. I heard her whisper 'night' to me as I walked back towards my room.

Within a few minutes, I saw her bedroom light go off and I finally went into my room, knowing that she was finally going to sleep.