This is just a simple Christmas story. I will post the installments over the next few weeks until Christmas. It is Ella-centric, but the grown-ups will have their say at the end.

Dear Santa,

Ella furrowed her brow and stared at the paper. How should she begin? She heard laughter out in the hall and her shoulders curled instinctively. The other girls were supposed to be out shopping. She hoped her roommates wouldn't come back early.

Is the North Pole very cold?

Her penmanship instructor made them practice writing letters. She said you should ask questions, so the other person would have something to say when they wrote you back. Was that important for Santa? Ella didn't think she would get a letter back. She didn't know anyone who had had a letter from Santa. She frowned at her sentence, at the shuddery loops of the 'O's. She had to concentrate so hard to make her letters clear. She hated the penmanship classes almost as much as she had hated horseback riding, but at least she didn't have to do that anymore.

Although, Mother's face after she had told her during the summer that she hated riding classes had been so dreadful, Ella almost wished she hadn't said anything. She almost would rather go near the large animals than have seen Mother's face go so pale and still she looked dead. Ella knew what that looked like, for Grandmother Butler had made her kiss Bonnie's cheek.

Ella shivered.

I hope it is not too cold. Your red coat looks very warm.

Ella's tongue poked out between her teeth. She should just get on with it.

Thank you for all my presen

Ella scratched that out. She didn't want to lie to Santa. He probably remembered that they hadn't had very many presents last year. She didn't know what else to say.

I would like Uncle Rhett to come for Christmas. I don't know where to write to him so please tell him when to come for the school party. It is December 11.

Ella screwed up her face. She didn't want to cry. She had already cried the other day, when the girls had started talking about the school Christmas party. Mother hadn't sent her to school until after Christmas last year. Or really it was still this year, because she had started in January. Mother had taken her to Savannah for the first time, and she had met so many cousins she couldn't remember any of their names. Most of them had red hair like her own. It was the first time she had met anyone else with hair like hers, but she hadn't seen them since that visit. Maybe they would have another visit when she came back to school next January. Maybe it would be something they did every year in January, just like Christmas came every year in December. Maybe if she met them again, she would make a friend, who would go to town with her like the other girls did.

Maybe if Uncle Rhett came home she wouldn't have to come back to school, and she would like that better. Much better.

Yesterday they had announced the Christmas party, but it seemed everyone already knew about it. Everyone but her, because she had still been in Atlanta last year. For the girls her age, the little girls, their families would come to take them home and there would be a lovely party. In the evening there would be a dance. That was why she wanted Uncle Rhett to come. She wasn't invited to the dance - it was for the older girls, the ones who would be leaving school soon and coming out. They would practice their conversation and their dancing. All the fathers were invited to this party.

Ella was too young, but the other girls had jibed at her cruelly while they talked of their own plans.

Oh, Ella, whatever will you do when we are old enough for the dance!

You don't have a daddy, do you! I heard May Stephens saying your daddy died.

She had tried to explain Uncle Rhett - but somehow they knew about that, too. However did they know, even here in Savannah? She hadn't seen Uncle Rhett in over a year. She didn't think he had been back to Atlanta even while she was at school - surely Wade would have said something that summer. He had promised to help her with her letter writing - although she had sent him dozens of letters so far and he had only sent one very short letter in answer - but surely he would have mentioned it if Uncle Rhett had been home.

No, Ella couldn't attend the dance - but Mother would be coming to take her home from school, and they would go to the party together - and maybe if Uncle Rhett came, too, they could all go home to Atlanta together.

He should be here by four o'clock for the party and he will need a hotel room because we do not go home until the next day. Please tell him

Suddenly the door of her room flew open and her roommate, Eliza Whitfield, came flying in, with some of the other girls Ella didn't know very well. They all had pink cheeks from being outside in the cool December day. Ella moved a hand to cover her letter, but one of the other girls - she was tall, and pretty, with black hair that reminded Ella of her mother - oh she missed Mother - the girl had come over and was peering over her shoulder.

"Who are you writing to?" she asked, as if she didn't care one whit but Ella wasn't sure. She wasn't friends with these girls. She had tried, but she had learned quickly that their nice words were not to be trusted as they would just as soon dip her hair in ink when her back was turned. That one thing, at least, she had learned quickly!

"No one!" Ella squeaked, but the girl was tugging the paper away.

"Come on, silly," she said sweetly, "we shouldn't have any secrets between friends."

But you aren't my friend, Ella wanted to say, but she concentrated on covering the paper with her hands. The other girl would not be deterred and she shoved at Ella's hand.

"Dear -" she began, then started to laugh. "Oh Liza come see! She's writing to Santa!"

Liza - Eliza, her plump blonde roommate, came over with the other girl. They both looked over the black-haired girl's shoulder, then the other girl laughed. "What a baby! Poor Liza, rooming with a baby."

"I am not a baby!" Ella cried. Her chest felt hot, like it always did when she got so angry. She stood up, snatching the letter to her chest.

Liza looked a little guilty, and she said quietly, "But Ella, you know that Santa isn't real."

Ella stared at her. Not real? But Santa had to be real. No one else could help her, she was sure. Mother - Uncle Ashley - oh if only Aunt Melly hadn't died! She missed her aunt more than even Uncle Rhett. But Aunt Melly was dead, just like her baby sister was dead, and everyone had been so sad last year. And now she was in Savannah, Mother and Wade were in Atlanta, and Uncle Rhett was gone.

Ella had already forgotten the other little girls, but the black-haired one had reached out to try to take her letter again. Her brain snapped back to the present and she clutched it against her chest. She was just about to yell at the other girl but someone else yelled, from the hallway, calling names.

"Liza! Emma!" Emma! That was the girl's name. She remembered, now. How silly of her to forget - she remembered how like it was to her own name, and how she had tried to tell the taller girl that when they had met last January, but Emma had looked down her nose at her.

Wade had told her last summer that the other girls were just jealous because they knew that Mother and Uncle Rhett had a lot of money and that their house in Atlanta was nicer than all the other children's homes. Ella thought Wade had just been trying to make her feel better.

But the voice in the hall had distracted them all and they left her alone again. Ella sat back down with her letter. Liza had to be wrong. She would finish her letter.

Please tell him - Ella scratched out 'him' and wrote instead - Uncle Rhett. His name is Captain Butler and he is from Charleston but I don't know where he has gone since he left Atlanta but you must know where he is for you bring presents all over the world. He should come to St. Mary's Girls School in Savannah for December 11.

Ella wiped her nose then added,

If he says he can not come to Savannah then please tell him we will be having Christmas at home.

Thank you Santa, Love,

Ella Lorena Kennedy

The direction was another difficulty for Ella. How did you send a letter to Santa? She hoped it would be enough to write Mr. Santa Claus, North Pole. Was the North Pole the city? Was it the state? If it was one, what was the other? Ella had never heard anyone say anything more about Santa's home than that it was at the North Pole. Maybe the North Pole was just the name for his house! Maybe this letter would never reach Santa. Even if it did, maybe he wouldn't know how to find Uncle Rhett. Santa only brought presents to children; maybe once you were a grown-up he didn't know how to find you anymore.

Ella thought of the last time she had seen her mother.

Santa had to find Uncle Rhett.