Christmas Wishes

by Alisa Joaquin

Part 1-Peter's Wish

"Lo Si, you can't be serious," Peter chided the old priest.

"Peter, I am very serious," the Ancient wagged a finger. "I know what is in your heart. You will receive your wish, but I can only grant it for one day."

"Why, why not forever," Peter questioned.

"Because nothing is forever and only one day can be allowed."

The old priest held up the locket that had been hanging around Peter's neck.

"How did you . . ."

Peter reached for the locket, but the old man held it out of his reach.

"Your wish will be granted, but only if you promise not to change a single moment."

"I don't understand . . ."

"You will." Then the Ancient took Peter's right and hand placed the locket in his palm, then closed the fingers around it.

All week Peter had thought about what the Ancient had said, and yet his thoughts were confused. Just what wish did the Ancient think he could grant? Peter grasped the locket around his neck. It felt warm to the touch having rested against his skin. One thought came to Peter, but then he shook his head. 'That's impossible,' he thought. 'No one can bring back the dead, not even Lo Si.' Still, Peter could not help wondering if it was possible.

All day long Peter did his best to try to keep his mind off of the wish that Lo Si said he would grant. There were cases that needed filing and he had to run to Mr. Wu's Emporium to pick up a gift for his father, one that he had been eyeing for some time. All his other shopping had been done earlier that week, preparing for the annual Christmas Eve gathering at the Blaisdell home, despite the fact that this was the second year without his foster-father. It wasn't until after the party had come and gone did Peter allow himself to even think of the wish that Lo Si had said he would bestow upon him. He was still questioning how the Ancient was going to pull it off, when his eyelids grew too heavy for him to keep them open. He glanced at the clock as he settled down and he saw that it was nearly midnight. It would be Christmas Morning soon. If Lo Si's wish was about to happen, he hoped it would happen soon.

As Peter settled into a deep sleep, his senses still remained partially alert and he became aware that someone what humming to themselves. It wasn't an unpleasant sound, just wholly unexpected. Then a feeling of warmth spread through Peter as someone's hand brushed his hair away from his face. His eyes flew open and he sat up in bed to see a young familiar face framed in red hair gently smiling. She brought her hand to her mouth and said,

"Oh, I didn't mean to disturb you. You looked so peaceful. Would you like something to eat?"

Peter looked around to see that he was no longer in his own bedroom of his apartment. "Where am I?"

"I'll let my husband explain while I get you something to eat."

The woman stepped into the hallway and spoke to someone who was not in view. "He's awake. I better go check on our son."

Peter's eyes became wide as the hidden person came into view. "Pop?" What Peter saw was a much younger version of Kwai Chang Caine.

The younger version did not appear to hear Peter's singularly spoken word, but sat next to him on the bed and took his wrist in his hand. Peter watched him feel for a pulse, then he heard his father speak. "I am much relieved that you were not hurt. My wife and I are grateful to you for saving the life of our son."

Peter did not know what to say but at that moment, Lo Si's words came to his mind. "You must promise not to change a single moment."

"May I ask the name of the man who saved the life of my infant son?"

"Peter . . . Ca . . . Um . . . Just call me Peter," Peter said. If he had given his full name, he realized he could be setting himself up for questions he would not be able to answer. "Could you tell me, how did I get here?"

Before the younger Caine could answer, Laura interceded. "My husband found you holding our infant son in your arms, even though you were unconscious. You stopped a man from kidnapping him. He was just born a week ago. We had not even given him a name."

"Now, Laura, you must rest. You should not be out of bed yourself."

"Caine, I feel fine."

"Still, you must rest if you are to get well."

Peter listened to his parents arguing, a treat that he thought he would never hear in his lifetime. He did not know how to thank, Lo Si for this gift, and yet, he could not help but remember what would happen later. 'If only there was a way to stop it from happening, again,' Peter thought. To hear his mother's voice after all these years overwhelmed the young man. Still, Lo Si's words came back to haunt Peter. "You must not change a single moment."

"I promised our son's rescuer something to eat," Laura continued to protest.

Peter had to smile when the younger version of his father gave an exasperated sigh.

"Very well. I will look in on our son."

Peter watched both his parents leave to do their tasks then slowly rose from the bed. 'I don't remember my father ever saying anything about me being kidnapped as an infant and someone saving my life,' he thought. Peter walked over to the mirror and got the shock of his life. The face that stared back at him was his and yet it was not. He almost did not recognize the man in the mirror. What was going on? This was more than he could take, and he nearly sank to his knees. At that moment, his father came rushing into the room.

"Are you all right?" he questioned. "I felt your distress."

"I'm all right. I guess I was a little weaker than I thought," Peter lied.

"Let me help you back to bed," Caine said and led Peter by the arm. Peter could not help but see a puzzled look come over his father's face.

"This is quite strange. You seem familiar to me, and yet we have never met."

"I guess I just have one of those faces," Peter answered.

"Perhaps,"

But Peter could tell that the younger Caine was not convinced.

Over the course of a few days Peter's strength returned and he got to know his family in a way that he had never expected. His mother was a wonderful cook and always seemed to be rushing about from place to place. Caine was the calming influence of the two, and also tried to convince his wife that she needed to rest more often than she wanted to. 'Sounds very familiar," Peter thought with a grin. 'I see where I got some of my energy from.'

Finally exhaustion would catch up to her and she would collapse in a heap on the living room sofa. A chill would come over her and she would become weak as a kitten.

"What is wrong with her?" Peter asked when he witnessed one of her collapses.

"She is suffering from a rare blood disorder, one where the doctors say there is no cure. They can only prescribe rest."

"How often does this happen?"

"Enough," Caine stated, then turned toward his wife. "You must conserve your strength. I will get you some tea."

Peter's eyes became filled with tears. His memory of his mother was vague and shadowy. Only the scent of jasmine remained. To see her this way, alive and yet knowing that she would die brought a great aching to Peter's heart. In the few days that he had been here, longer than he had expected from what Lo Si had said, he had seen a side of his parents that he had never known. His father had not been a priest then but worked at odd jobs. A monk from the temple had come by delivering herbs for Laura. Peter spied the monk from the bedroom, but kept hidden. The monk looked his way and Peter's breath nearly caught in his throat. It was old Ping Hai. The monk looked straight at him, then gave a slight nod and left.

"I have to leave," Peter announced. "I can't stay any longer."

"Please, don't go," Laura pleaded. "My husband has grown very fond of you. He should be home soon."

"I cannot. You've done so much for me. But it's time I moved on."

"Wait," Laura rushed to the bedroom and returned. She grabbed Peter by the hand and placed her hand over his, dropping a small object into his hand.

Peter's eyes became wide as he looked at the object that rested there. It was a ring. Etched in its surface was a small dragon.

"You should give this to your son when he is older," Peter stated.

"I am," Laura stated, and reached up to run her fingers along Peter's cheek. "Goodbye."

And Peter watched her turn away and walked back to the bedroom where his younger self slept in comfort.

An alarm rang somewhere pulling Peter from his slumber. Tears streamed down his face as he sat up in bed and realized he was back in his own room and what he had experienced had been just a dream. It had been so real. His father, much younger than he remembered, his mother, so beautiful she had been described by his father once of her looking like Ronda Flemming, and the little house they had lived in Braniff, a home filled with love and warmth. He just could not believe it had all been a dream. Or was it? Peter felt the small object in his grasp. Slowly his fingers opened and in his palm rested the ring that Laura had given him. Peter remembered at that moment that he had told her that she should give it for her son. What was it that she had said, "I am?"

Peter's mind reeled at the thought. How was it possible? But one other question still remained that he felt he might never get answered. How did Lo Si know this had been his secret wish, to see his mother again? Peter would never know, but for now, all he could do was grasp the ring, accept that what had happened had not been a dream, but a gift from the heart and simply remember. Peter suddenly sprang from the bed remembering what day it was. Then again, perhaps his father might have an answer.

Continues with Part 2