Since we are approaching that time of year again I thought why not kick off with bringing in the spirit already.
Now this little Christmas ficlet will consist of 6 instalments. A new one posted every Friday until the lead up to Christmas itself.
Disclaimer: I do not own lost though it's on my Christmas wish list this year.
CHAPTER 1: REMEMBERING
Life as a single parent wasn't an easy task for him, but Phoebe was more than worth the challenge and besides he had made a firm promise to her Mother and to himself the day she died.
To love and protect the miracle they'd managed to have.
She was 3 years old now and every bit her Mother. God rest her soul.
What started out as the best Christmas of his life, three years ago to the day, worsened when he tragically lost his wife merely days after giving birth to their daughter, Phoebe.
Both he and Phoebe's Mother, Claudia were aware of the risks in a pregnancy that was deemed medically impossible only a few months earlier due to her rare condition, yet neither of them truly considered the odds not tipping in their favour. Not when everything went so well up until that point.
From that moment onward he learned to never take life for granted, especially when it came to being a Father for Phoebe. If anything he became more protective and determined to give her the best life he could afford.
However when it came to himself, he wasn't as invested, much in anything, especially Christmas, though he made the effort for Phoebe's sake.
She was born on the stroke of midnight on December 25th. The best Christmas present her emotionally awe stricken parents could have asked for.
So for Phoebe, Christmas was all the more reason to celebrate and once again wish for the one thing she truly wanted the most.
"A Mommy."
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He was still trying to get back into the normalcy of his life, starting with the Restaurant. At one point he considered shutting it down, overwhelmed with the memories he and Claudia had shared there, but thankfully his older Brother Matt had been there to help salvage the family business.
3 years later now and the Restaurant was at it's prime. Swelling in business and popularity once again with it's customers, especially at Christmas. However things seemed to be going from bad to worse for Jack today.
First the babysitter for Phoebe called in sick, meaning that Jack had to take her into work with him. Then once he arrived at the Restaurant, he was faced with an endless list of things to do in preparation for the yearly "Christmas Eve Gala"; which was tonight.
"Crap." He muttered under his breath, keeping Phoebe busy with a chocolate sundae and then going into his office to work through the list as best he could. Not even bothering to acknowledge the fact that there was someone knocking on the front door to the Restaurant at that moment.
Phoebe, without thinking got off her chair at the counter and answered the door, only to be met with a brown haired woman holding an empty brown box.
"Hewwo!!" Phoebe wished in a cheerful manner, bringing a warm smile to the woman's face.
"Hey thereā¦." the woman cooed, bending down to the little girl's level and before she could say anything else, she was suddenly met with a man she assumed was the little girl's Father.
"Phoebe what did I tell you about answering the door to strangers?!" he scolded Phoebe upon approaching, but broke off when his eyes landed on the woman in the doorway.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, but he stopped himself from going any further. Not feeling right at even considering the prospect of dating again or anything along those lines.
"Can I help you?" he asked, vaguely assuming what she might be here for.
"Erm, well I run a small homeless shelter a few blocks down the street and I was wondering if you had any spare food to donate?"
Before he could reply the phone in his office started ringing again. Quickly inviting the woman in and telling her to wait, he then went into his office to tend to business, leaving the woman with a bubbly and inquisitive 3 year old.
"I'm Phoebe, what are you?" the little girl inquired the minute her Father was out of sight, momentarily taking the woman off her feet.
"Uh, I'm Kate." The woman replied with a recovery smile, chuckling at the animated way Phoebe "oooed" at her response.
"You're vewwy pwetty Kate."
"Hmmm, not as pretty as you are." Kate replied lightly tapping the little girl's button nose, causing the girl to giggle in her cute babyish way.
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"20 minutes? That's great, thanks." He finished on the phone, adding yet another task to the "to do" list. Knowing there was no way he could find the time to grant the homeless shelter woman's request.
As bad as he did feel about having to turn down her and the cause, he felt at the same time that maybe less involvement with the beautiful woman was a good idea.
However everything came to a standstill when he stumbled upon an expected scene.
To the naked eye anyone would see a Mother and Daughter laughing and playing, but of course it wasn't to him yet he was still amazed. To see his daughter already so happy and carefree with a person she barely knew, and as a result it made his decision to refuse considerably harder.
What was it going to be?
This instalment is what I call the "taster" of what's to come in the next five, of course with some surprises, knowing me lol. Plus an assured update by Friday cause if not then it won't pan out in time for Christmas.
