What If...?
Chapter 1
By: Jessica M. Moonflower
Disclaimer: I can try all I like, but I can never own the rights to Sailor Moon. *sniffs sniffs*
ANs: I have come up with another Christmas story that takes place in an alternate reality. It's somewhat based on "A Christmas Carol," "It's A Wonderful Life," and "The Family Man." I hope you like it and please feel free to e-mail me or visit my web site above. Happy reading all! ^_^
"It's not that I can't live without you...it's that I don't even want to try." *Backstreet Boys*
~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~
"What do you think, sweetie?" Serena Kelley asked her four year-old daughter, Juliette as she stood back from the beautifully decorated Christmas tree to admire their work.
The little girl's midnight blue eyes lit up just as brightly as the tree's twinkling lights.
"It's so pretty, Mommy! Santa will think so, too, right?"
Serena laughed at her child's enthusiasm and wonder as she placed a loving kiss on her cheek and brushed back her ebony bangs from her face.
"Of course, Juliette. But Santa will be even happier to eat some of those delicious ginger bread cookies we made especially for him."
"I'll go set some aside now!"
The little sprite skipped playfully away into the kitchen to get her surprise ready for tonight.
Serena sighed happily as she watched her baby girl disappear behind the kitchen door. It amazed her everyday how she was the sunshine that filled this family with joy and love. Not only was she a bouncing bundle of sunshine, she was also a beautiful little girl, making it easy to distinguish where she gets her looks from. People who gaze down upon the bouncing fairy know very well that she'll grow into a beautiful young woman just like her mother.
Looking down at the desk clock on the table beside the burgundy couch, Serena saw that it was eight o'clock at night and Darien was still not home.
A wave of disappointment washed over her at the thought of her husband not coming home early on Christmas Eve to be with his own family. If she had her way, he wouldn't be working at all right now. She knew that the merging of his advertising company with the Finchley's was the best thing to ever happen in his life, but because of it, he has neglected his family and devoted much of his time at the office, sometimes coming home late or not bothering at all to come home until the next day or two.
She tried countless of times to get him to come home early to be with her and Juliette even begged and pleaded with him, but to no avail. He was more committed to his work than he was with his own family as of late.
'Juliette will be so disappointed. She misses her Daddy so much'.
Serena looked longingly at the picture of her and Darien, who held Juliette as a baby in his arms as he grinned from ear to ear for the camera. She remembered clearly when that picture was taken. It was at the hospital when she had just given birth to Juliette. She laughed at the memory of an unconscious Darien on the hospital floor beside her bed while she was pushing her last contraction. She also smiled at the remembrance of seeing a happy Darien holding his daughter for the first time as a proud father. As she observed the way he held Juliette, he looked as if he never wanted to part with his little angel. It made her heart swell at the sight of her husband and daughter interacting together so well that she just knew he'd be a great father to Juliette and to their other children they may have in the near future.
He used to come home early everyday just so he could play with Juliette and in the night would cuddle up with Serena where they would talk to each other for hours, reveling in the feeling of being so close to the other person and a sense of completeness they felt whenever they were in each other's arms.
But those times were long gone with his new partnership keeping him from his family. She half resented the partnership, but knew that Darien always wanted a big opportunity like this to come along and take his company to soaring new heights.
'But he doesn't know how much Juliette keeps asking for him. It'll break her heart to know that he'll be working late again during the most important time of the year'.
She unceremoniously flopped down on the couch and turned to stare at the phone, contemplating whether or not she should call him at work. After much consideration, she picked up the phone and dialed the number to his office. She deserved a right to know if he was going home or not. After three rings, someone picked up.
"Hello, Darien Kelley speaking," he replied on the other end.
She noted that he tried to keep his voice from sounding tired, but she knew him better than that. After all, she wasn't married to him for nothing.
"Hi honey, how are you?" she inquired as cheerful as possible.
Realizing it was his wife, he perked up a bit on his desk and felt happy to hear her voice.
"Hey sweetie pie. I'm doing okay, but as usual I'm swamped with so much paper work."
He surveyed his desk which was cluttered with all sorts of papers with notes scrawled on them, file folders left open with more papers hanging out, and a laptop computer with a half typed and not nearly done business document staring back at him on the screen. He shook his head at the mess and mentally noted that it'll take him a while to get his desk in order.
"Oh." Her voice lost its cheerful tone to sound more like disappointment. "That means you won't be home soon?"
"Sorry love, but that's not possible. I have to clear things up here at the office first, but you'll definitely see me on Christmas morning."
Serena rubbed the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes and slowly sank deeper into the couch cushions.
What was happening to this family? Suddenly work was more important than his own family? She had to do something to persuade him to come home.
"But Darien, Juliette was hoping that you would be home on Christmas Eve. She was looking forward to having you read her a Christmas story before bed."
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to do it. I'll make it up to her tomorrow."
This was the last straw! Serena's tolerance level for her husband's excuses have worn thin and she just about had it with breaking her daughter's heart when she had to tell her that her father wasn't coming home, therefore breaking the many promises he had made to her in advance. She refused to accept anymore!
"Sorry? SORRY?! That's all you have to SAY?!" Her voice rose with every word she uttered. "I have put up with your excuses long enough. What ever happened to putting your family first in everything, huh? Has that stupid partnership brainwashed your mind?!" she nearly screamed into the receiver, clearly pissed off at him as Darien tried to retain some of his hearing back.
"This partnership has been the best thing to happen to this company! I'm working hard so I can make sure my family lives comfortably! Sacrifices have to be made in order for this company to reach the top!" he screamed back with equal fury.
"Money is all that matters to you?" she inquired in a disbelieving tone.
It was hard to comprehend what she was hearing or better yet, what he was implying! What happened to the man she married? He never once cared about money, why now?
"What if it does? You're a news reporter, Serena, where in your case you probably get a comfortable enough salary," he bluntly stated.
"It's never about the money. I work because I want to help support my family. I thought this was a team effort--something we can do together," she quietly replied.
Serena was just so tired of their arguments about frivolous little things that they shouldn't even be fighting about. They never fought this much before and now it has become a very frequent thing to do in their lives. If this keeps up, this family was surely going to fall apart, and that thought scared her more than anything else in her life.
"I need to get back to work," was his cold and unfeeling response. "I'll come home when I damn well please!"
Then the phone went dead. He had hung up on her without so much as a simple 'good-bye', or 'I love you'. Instead they wound up ending their discussion with a few cutting remarks that left them on bad terms with the other.
She shakily placed the phone back in its cradle as she silently cried to herself.
Her once happy marriage was going to be in shambles because of money?! How horrible was that? Darien was pushing her and Juliette further and further away and he didn't even realize it!
'Oh, Darien! When are you going to realize that all we need is you and nothing more?'
She sniffled in despair as her gaze went to the slightly fogged up windows. It was snowing lightly outside, snowflakes dancing in a dizzying way as they swirled by. She thought of all the families that were probably at home with their loved ones this very second while her husband was out there cooped up in an office building, working no doubt, and not even caring about her or Juliette.
"Mommy, I got the cookies all ready and--"
The little girl passed through the kitchen door with a tray in her hands, but stopped her exuberant babble to notice that her mother was sitting on the couch looking despondent and crying her eyes out.
Setting the tray of cookies and milk down, on a nearby table, she quietly walked to where her mother was and sat beside her, laying her head on her shoulder as she looked up at her questioningly.
"Mommy, why are you so sad?"
Serena, looked down at Juliette, her big blue eyes looking so sweet and innocent. She stroked her long hair gently as she whispered, "I have bad news, pumpkin. Daddy won't be home on time to read you your bedtime story."
Juliette's eyes started to fill up with tears as she cried on her Mom's chest.
"Bu-but he promised that he would."
"I'm so sorry, baby. He said he would make it up to you tomorrow."
"I want him home right now!" she sobbed brokenly, her small body shaking from all the crying she was doing.
"Me too, dear." Serena kissed the top of her head. "I wish he came home, too."
To be continued...
~~~~*********~~~~
Hope you like this new holiday story and be sure to e-mail me! I gotta know if you like my new story. Personally I think it's a whole lot better than "A Sweet Christmas" which I wrote a while back. And if you happen to be at my web site, don't hesitate to sign my guest book! Feedback is always a good thing--positive ones that is! ^_~
(Written on November 22, 2001)
Chapter 1
By: Jessica M. Moonflower
Disclaimer: I can try all I like, but I can never own the rights to Sailor Moon. *sniffs sniffs*
ANs: I have come up with another Christmas story that takes place in an alternate reality. It's somewhat based on "A Christmas Carol," "It's A Wonderful Life," and "The Family Man." I hope you like it and please feel free to e-mail me or visit my web site above. Happy reading all! ^_^
"It's not that I can't live without you...it's that I don't even want to try." *Backstreet Boys*
~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~
"What do you think, sweetie?" Serena Kelley asked her four year-old daughter, Juliette as she stood back from the beautifully decorated Christmas tree to admire their work.
The little girl's midnight blue eyes lit up just as brightly as the tree's twinkling lights.
"It's so pretty, Mommy! Santa will think so, too, right?"
Serena laughed at her child's enthusiasm and wonder as she placed a loving kiss on her cheek and brushed back her ebony bangs from her face.
"Of course, Juliette. But Santa will be even happier to eat some of those delicious ginger bread cookies we made especially for him."
"I'll go set some aside now!"
The little sprite skipped playfully away into the kitchen to get her surprise ready for tonight.
Serena sighed happily as she watched her baby girl disappear behind the kitchen door. It amazed her everyday how she was the sunshine that filled this family with joy and love. Not only was she a bouncing bundle of sunshine, she was also a beautiful little girl, making it easy to distinguish where she gets her looks from. People who gaze down upon the bouncing fairy know very well that she'll grow into a beautiful young woman just like her mother.
Looking down at the desk clock on the table beside the burgundy couch, Serena saw that it was eight o'clock at night and Darien was still not home.
A wave of disappointment washed over her at the thought of her husband not coming home early on Christmas Eve to be with his own family. If she had her way, he wouldn't be working at all right now. She knew that the merging of his advertising company with the Finchley's was the best thing to ever happen in his life, but because of it, he has neglected his family and devoted much of his time at the office, sometimes coming home late or not bothering at all to come home until the next day or two.
She tried countless of times to get him to come home early to be with her and Juliette even begged and pleaded with him, but to no avail. He was more committed to his work than he was with his own family as of late.
'Juliette will be so disappointed. She misses her Daddy so much'.
Serena looked longingly at the picture of her and Darien, who held Juliette as a baby in his arms as he grinned from ear to ear for the camera. She remembered clearly when that picture was taken. It was at the hospital when she had just given birth to Juliette. She laughed at the memory of an unconscious Darien on the hospital floor beside her bed while she was pushing her last contraction. She also smiled at the remembrance of seeing a happy Darien holding his daughter for the first time as a proud father. As she observed the way he held Juliette, he looked as if he never wanted to part with his little angel. It made her heart swell at the sight of her husband and daughter interacting together so well that she just knew he'd be a great father to Juliette and to their other children they may have in the near future.
He used to come home early everyday just so he could play with Juliette and in the night would cuddle up with Serena where they would talk to each other for hours, reveling in the feeling of being so close to the other person and a sense of completeness they felt whenever they were in each other's arms.
But those times were long gone with his new partnership keeping him from his family. She half resented the partnership, but knew that Darien always wanted a big opportunity like this to come along and take his company to soaring new heights.
'But he doesn't know how much Juliette keeps asking for him. It'll break her heart to know that he'll be working late again during the most important time of the year'.
She unceremoniously flopped down on the couch and turned to stare at the phone, contemplating whether or not she should call him at work. After much consideration, she picked up the phone and dialed the number to his office. She deserved a right to know if he was going home or not. After three rings, someone picked up.
"Hello, Darien Kelley speaking," he replied on the other end.
She noted that he tried to keep his voice from sounding tired, but she knew him better than that. After all, she wasn't married to him for nothing.
"Hi honey, how are you?" she inquired as cheerful as possible.
Realizing it was his wife, he perked up a bit on his desk and felt happy to hear her voice.
"Hey sweetie pie. I'm doing okay, but as usual I'm swamped with so much paper work."
He surveyed his desk which was cluttered with all sorts of papers with notes scrawled on them, file folders left open with more papers hanging out, and a laptop computer with a half typed and not nearly done business document staring back at him on the screen. He shook his head at the mess and mentally noted that it'll take him a while to get his desk in order.
"Oh." Her voice lost its cheerful tone to sound more like disappointment. "That means you won't be home soon?"
"Sorry love, but that's not possible. I have to clear things up here at the office first, but you'll definitely see me on Christmas morning."
Serena rubbed the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes and slowly sank deeper into the couch cushions.
What was happening to this family? Suddenly work was more important than his own family? She had to do something to persuade him to come home.
"But Darien, Juliette was hoping that you would be home on Christmas Eve. She was looking forward to having you read her a Christmas story before bed."
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to do it. I'll make it up to her tomorrow."
This was the last straw! Serena's tolerance level for her husband's excuses have worn thin and she just about had it with breaking her daughter's heart when she had to tell her that her father wasn't coming home, therefore breaking the many promises he had made to her in advance. She refused to accept anymore!
"Sorry? SORRY?! That's all you have to SAY?!" Her voice rose with every word she uttered. "I have put up with your excuses long enough. What ever happened to putting your family first in everything, huh? Has that stupid partnership brainwashed your mind?!" she nearly screamed into the receiver, clearly pissed off at him as Darien tried to retain some of his hearing back.
"This partnership has been the best thing to happen to this company! I'm working hard so I can make sure my family lives comfortably! Sacrifices have to be made in order for this company to reach the top!" he screamed back with equal fury.
"Money is all that matters to you?" she inquired in a disbelieving tone.
It was hard to comprehend what she was hearing or better yet, what he was implying! What happened to the man she married? He never once cared about money, why now?
"What if it does? You're a news reporter, Serena, where in your case you probably get a comfortable enough salary," he bluntly stated.
"It's never about the money. I work because I want to help support my family. I thought this was a team effort--something we can do together," she quietly replied.
Serena was just so tired of their arguments about frivolous little things that they shouldn't even be fighting about. They never fought this much before and now it has become a very frequent thing to do in their lives. If this keeps up, this family was surely going to fall apart, and that thought scared her more than anything else in her life.
"I need to get back to work," was his cold and unfeeling response. "I'll come home when I damn well please!"
Then the phone went dead. He had hung up on her without so much as a simple 'good-bye', or 'I love you'. Instead they wound up ending their discussion with a few cutting remarks that left them on bad terms with the other.
She shakily placed the phone back in its cradle as she silently cried to herself.
Her once happy marriage was going to be in shambles because of money?! How horrible was that? Darien was pushing her and Juliette further and further away and he didn't even realize it!
'Oh, Darien! When are you going to realize that all we need is you and nothing more?'
She sniffled in despair as her gaze went to the slightly fogged up windows. It was snowing lightly outside, snowflakes dancing in a dizzying way as they swirled by. She thought of all the families that were probably at home with their loved ones this very second while her husband was out there cooped up in an office building, working no doubt, and not even caring about her or Juliette.
"Mommy, I got the cookies all ready and--"
The little girl passed through the kitchen door with a tray in her hands, but stopped her exuberant babble to notice that her mother was sitting on the couch looking despondent and crying her eyes out.
Setting the tray of cookies and milk down, on a nearby table, she quietly walked to where her mother was and sat beside her, laying her head on her shoulder as she looked up at her questioningly.
"Mommy, why are you so sad?"
Serena, looked down at Juliette, her big blue eyes looking so sweet and innocent. She stroked her long hair gently as she whispered, "I have bad news, pumpkin. Daddy won't be home on time to read you your bedtime story."
Juliette's eyes started to fill up with tears as she cried on her Mom's chest.
"Bu-but he promised that he would."
"I'm so sorry, baby. He said he would make it up to you tomorrow."
"I want him home right now!" she sobbed brokenly, her small body shaking from all the crying she was doing.
"Me too, dear." Serena kissed the top of her head. "I wish he came home, too."
To be continued...
~~~~*********~~~~
Hope you like this new holiday story and be sure to e-mail me! I gotta know if you like my new story. Personally I think it's a whole lot better than "A Sweet Christmas" which I wrote a while back. And if you happen to be at my web site, don't hesitate to sign my guest book! Feedback is always a good thing--positive ones that is! ^_~
(Written on November 22, 2001)