Miracles

Author's note- This is a story about a new beginning, leaving behind resentment, loneliness and fear of losing someone.

I stood there silently as a young couple passed me.

They stopped. The girl pulled the boy back, standing right in front of me. She said something to him. The boy just smiled and pulled out a coin from his pocket handing it to her. The girl quickly closed her eyes and tossed the coin toward my direction. It splashed in the water around me, not in the basket that I held. I could hear the girl groan. The boy pulled out another coin.

Another toss.

The girl squealed. The coin landed in my basket. I guess that meant he assumed her wishes were to come true. Wishing wells don’t work that way. But I didn’t have the heart to tell that to the girl. I had the power to grant wishes to those people who needed them. That too during Christmas eve and Christmas only. A boon given by Father Christmas himself. And Christmas had yet to come.

***

The air was filled with carol. The stores around me, in the mall I lived, were decorated with their best Christmas decorations.

Mistletoes, red and white streamers, candy canes, Christmas trees, fairy lights, and whatnot. Today was the day where my being me, as a wishing well, meant something. Today I could change a person’s life, give them what they need and want. I was filled with warmth. Oh, the happiness it gave me. If I could change the person’s life for good, what better gift could I ask for.

     ***  

“Please, don’t do this”, a woman sobbed, sitting near.

“It’s Christmas, let me talk to her. I haven’t seen her in ages.” The sobbing continued. Another girl wrapped her arm around the crying woman.

“What does he want”, asked the friend.

“I don’t know, he won’t let me see her. The custody battle took a toll on her. You know I couldn’t afford the lawyers that could win me back my daughter. God. He wasn’t even with me when I had her. He told”-she hiccupped, “he told me the child wasn’t his, even before she was born. And now a DNA test gave him the rights over my daughter. We have celebrated every Christmas, for the past six years here, together. This was the place where she saw her first Santa.” The woman started crying even more.

Oh, dear. How awful. Poor girl. Even a stone heart, pun intended I am sorry, like me wouldn’t separate a child from her mother.

Especially during Christmas.

When Christmas meant all about family. The pain of the mother was palpable from afar only.

The friend pulled the crying woman up. She pulled out a coin from her purse.

“Here”, she said handing her the coin. “Make a wish.”

She just shrugged. “Don’t be so childish.”She scowled at her friend.

“Just make a wish. It’s Christmas, time for miracles”, she nudged her friend. Sighing, the woman wiped her tears. Closing her eyes she mumbled something and threw the coin to her. It splashed in the water.

“Happy?” The friend just smiled pulling her away to a store.

All I want is to have my daughter back in my life

That was her wish. And she shall have it. The water around me got warmer, ma white marble body started shimmering, a faint gold light. She was going to have her daughter back the first thing in the morning. 

                                ***

A small girl walked aimlessly around me. She kicked a few pebbles around. She sat on the bench next to me. A woman came and sat beside her.

“How about you wait here, buy anything you want. Here’s the money. I have a salon appointment. Here, watch anything you want in the Tab. And if you want something you can ask Maria.” The woman beckoned a black-haired woman towards them. The woman stood next to the bench. With this, the mother left the girl. The girl stuffed the money in her pocket. She sighed. Slowly she turned back. She looked straight at me. Those brown, doe eyes. Why couldn’t I see the mischief hidden in there? Loneliness was the only thing I could see. She stood up, came closer to me. The black-haired woman, Maria? Yes, Maria, it was, followed her. The young girl took out a coin from the bundle of money.

She closed her eyes.

Please give me a friend. I am tired of playing with maids. And tired of being homeschooled. I really really wish for a friend. Momma and Papa barely have any time left for me. I want a friend all for myself. 

She tossed the coin. Landed straight to the basket.

The girl ran off to the ice cream parlor straight ahead. Maria followed her.

***

Please. Please let my father be okay.

A young man had been desperately wishing for five minutes. He had been tossing coins, continuously until one finally landed in my basket. How I wanted to tell him that his father was going to be fine. How much I wanted to console the grieving man. I wanted to tell him it was okay, his wish was going to be granted, no need to toss the coin to the basket. His father was going to be okay. Maybe he needed that hope. Hope that he got from tossing the coin in the basket. He stayed there looking down at the water. He clutched the ridge of the well. Tears started to stream down his face.

Please let him be okay. Please. 

His tears dropped in my water. My body glowed. A faint golden light. The man looked up.

 At me.

He blinked a few times. Stared at me for another second. Shaking his head he walked away. He probably thought he was seeing things. I smiled. From inside, of course.

   ***

It was a Christmas morning. Annelise didn’t want to get up from the bed. This morning without her little Sasha didn’t seem the same. The doorbell rang. Groaning, she got up.

Who could it be?

She opened the door. Shocked she stood there, frozen.

“Mama”, squealed a little girl rushed to her wrapping her hand around her leg. This pulled her back to reality. Kneeling she hugged her daughter tight, covering the little face with kisses. The girl squealed even more.

Ahem. Ahem.

She looked up.

Marcus stood there. In his three-piece suit, as usual

She quickly got up.

“Umm.”, she didn’t know what to say to him.

“Hey”, he said.

“Hey”.

“Last night I felt it was wrong of me to keep the only family Sasha has known away from her in Christmas. If it’s okay with you, can I take you and Sasha both out for Christmas breakfast.”.

Before she could think she said “sure”. This made Sasha even happier. Sasha dashed inside. Marcus followed her in.

“I will be ready in five minutes”, saying this she dashed inside her room, quickly washing her face and getting ready.

When she came out, Sasha asked her “Momma why haven’t you put up the tree.”She felt guilty. Her daughter was here for Christmas and she hadn’t even put up a tree.

Marcus walked behind her, knelt beside their daughter. “How about we come from breakfast and help momma put up the tree and decorate the house. If that won’t be a problem”, Marcus asked looking up, straight in the eyes.

The calm blue of the ocean. Just like she remembered.

“That would be lovely”, her voice cracked a little.

“Yayyy”, screamed Sasha hugging Marcus.

Annelise looked at the loving embrace of the father and daughter. Things may be different, for better, she thought.

                                       ***

Kaira woke up. It was Christmas morning. The ten-year-old ran excitedly to their Christmas tree. Present.

And so many of them. Her parents slowly followed her. Kaira dived in the boxes. She started to tear a wrapper from one of the boxes, something nudged her. She looked down. A box moved. She took a step back. The box moved slightly, again. She slowly knelt, moving the box. Looking down, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“AAHHHHHHHH”, she screamed. A puppy jumped onto her. He started licking her face. Kaira was sent to a fit of giggles.

“Momma. Papa, can I keep him”, she asked looking back at her parents hugging the little pup.

“Why of course. Santa doesn’t take back gifts, you know”, her father said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Kaira held up the puppy. Her eyes welled up. He was going to be her friend. Hers only.

“I’ll name you Miracle”, she said, barely above a whisper.

      ***

Neil had gone to the mall to pick his father’s favorite orchids. The stroke had sent a shock to the entire family. He had managed to send his mother home with his girlfriend. She needed to rest. He couldn’t see his mother in despair. He thought orchids may lighten the hospital room on Christmas morning. As soon as he entered the ward, a nurse came rushing to him.

“Your father is awake, and his vitals are stable”, she said with a smile. Before he could let the nurse speak more he ran past her. Reaching his father’s room, he slowed. He quietly opened the door. It creaked. He saw his father slowly turn his head, looking at him, he smiled.

Neil dropped the flowers and ran to hug his father. Before he knew it, he was sobbing on his father’s chest.

“It’s okay”, his father said, voice slurry

The nurse stood in the doorway.

It was a fine Christmas morning, she thought smiling.