Happy Holidays Everyone!!! Thank you for such a great year. I hope that all your days are merry and full of everything you've ever wanted.
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Upstairs he could hear her moving about, trying to be a quite as possible as she put the finishing touches on the pile of Christmas presents hidden from the children in the back of their closet. His assignment was easy enough, watching Christmas shows with the kids to keep them distracted so that they could continue to believe in Santa for another year or so. Throughout the two level house the signs of the season were everywhere. Mistletoe above the front door, garland adorned the other entranceways along with various wreaths, tinsel, etc. It was evident how much Anzu loved the season. He had known that since he first met her around the Christmas season nearly seven years ago. Now they where married with a young son and daughter in the perfect neighborhood with friends and family a plenty.
And for some reason, despite his blessings, Yami just couldn't get into the season. He always felt bad this time of year because as much as Anzu loved the Christmas season, and had passed that along to their children, he had never could get completely into the feel of the season. He of course enjoyed celebrating and spending time with his friends and family but the real point of the season, the one which Anzu stressed so heavily, he never got. And it was worse this year than ever. If anything he was tired and annoyed with the whole show. There was a bowl game on that he would rather be watching than a dancing reindeer. While contemplating the result of changing the channel Yami heard a bang from upstairs followed by a small yelp. Both his children look toward the stairs from where they sat on the floor, wrinkling their Christmas clothes.
"What was that?" Senji asked looking toward the stairs intently. His sister suddenly looked very excited.
"Maybe its Santa!" she exclaimed jumping up and setting her skirts off in a ruffle that drowned out Rudolph.
"Please Ami," Senji said with all the wisdom a five year old could muster, "its only six o'clock."
"Yeah but its Christmas Eve! So maybe he wanted to get a head start," she told her brother who had returned his focus to the TV once more. Ami headed to the stairs to investigate where Ami cut her off.
"Ami. I'm certain that that was not Santa. It must jus be your mother waking up from her nap," Yami told her using the 'fib' that Anzu had used to explain her absence.
"Well," Ami said with a pout, "I'm going to check any way." She moved meaningfully toward the stairs. Yami cut her off once more.
"I'll check," he told her. "How about that?" Ami didn't look convinced. "You don't want to miss the end of the special." Yami informed her. This seemed to persuade the girl enough and she returned to her seat. Yami remained for a moment to make sure neither would follow him Yami headed up the painted steps. In he and his wife's room, down the hall and to the left, he would his wife of seven old years clutching her hand to her chest. "Anzu?" Yami questioned. His wife jumped a good half a foot at the sound of his voice.
"God Yami! I thought you were one of the kids." She scolded still holding her hand to her. Yami smiled at her.
"When the kids start calling you 'Anzu' let me know." He narrowed his eyes at her suddenly concerned. "What did you do to yourself? I heard a bang, and what did you do to your hand?" He walked over and took the hand from her chest. A small amount of blood stained her sweatshirt and colored her hand.
"Its ok really, I got myself with the scissors a accidentally knocked the box off the bed." She told him as he took into their adjoining bathroom and set the water on warm.
"You do too much," he told her.
"I have to," she said wincing as he stuck her hand under the water, "who else would? You?" He didn't answer her but gently dried her hand and put a band-aid over the cut.
"How much do you have left to do?" He asked, as he worked not looking into her eyes, suddenly ashamed.
"Just a few more gifts to wrap for our friends, put the finishing touches on the food for the party, and I have a few things to pick up at the store."
"Do you have a list?" Yami asked finally looking at her. She nodded but wouldn't at him. "Then I'll go to the store," he told her not letting go of her hand.
"Really?" she asked sounding surprised. He looked her, glad to see that she had finally turned her head to look at him. He nodded to her. "Ok then, the list is downstairs in my purse. There's some money in there as well." He nodded again, gently squeezing her injured hand. When he moved into the hallway he was nearly run over by Ami, her black hair, inherited from him, flying about her.
"Was it Santa Daddy?" she asked eagerly as he picked her up in his arms. From within the bedroom he could hear Anzu giggle.
"Nope," he said smiling. "Just your clumsy mother" The giggles stopped and Anzu stuck her head out.
"Yami Mouto! You get to that store right now or Santa isn't going to bring you any presents." Ami looked horrified.
"No Presents for Dad!" she exclaimed as her father carried her off laughing. Anzu watched them go with a sad smile. Before she returned to her wrapping she leaned up against the doorframe and clasped her hands in front of her.
"Please Lord," she prayed with her eyes closed, "help Yami find Christmas. I know how wonderful he is but he has trouble finding the meaning of the season. Watch over him and guide him while he searches."
Downstairs his children watched him as he dressed for the weather of gentle snowfall. Finally Senji spoke.
"You'll be back in time for the party?" he asked referring to their annual Christmas Eve party to be held in just an hour or so.
"Of course," he told them pulling on his last glove. The store he was going to was just down the street so he would be walking. He turned and kissed both his children on their foreheads, " I wouldn't miss it for the world." And then he was out the door.
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Nearly a half and hour later Yami still toiled in the 'superstore' he had walked to, baking under his clothes. He cursed hot stores under his breath the whole time as he searched for the items on his wife's list. They were mostly things for the party that had been accidentally forgotten like candy canes, and extra lights. As he worked his way through the late shoppers he felt an unusual amount of depression surge him. He was decided now; he absolutely hated this holiday. Picking up the last of his items Yami noticed something out of the corner of his eye. A young boy standing in the center of the shoe displays looking as if he might burst. It was not unusual to see a young boy that age, not much older than his Senji that excited at this time of the year. But the fact that he stood amongst the shoes, apparently alone, that caught his attention. Turning down one last aisle Yami put the boy from sight and out of mind.
That is until he came to the check out line. Standing in front of him was the same little boy, clutching a pair of simple but elegant black high-heeled shoes. The line moved slowly and Yami distracted himself by reading the headlines of tabloids. Among the breaking news where stories about a lobsterman, the fattest baby in the world, and of course the coming end of the world. Finally Yami's turn was only one away, the little boy and his shoes stood in front of him. He put the shoes up on the counter and took out a bag of coins from within his jacket. Yami felt his blood boil as his eyes moved from the bag to the clock on the stores wall. If he left now he would back just as the party started and he knew that Anzu wouldn't be happy if he where late. He was going to say something or move to another line when the blonde tri-colored hair boy spoke.
"Can we go fast please sir? I want to get home because these shoes are for my mom and they let her out of the hospital for Christmas. So I want this to be a great Christmas for her because Daddy said that it was going to be her last one." The cashier, Yami, and anyone within hearing range stopped for a moment to look at the boy who was pouring his coins onto the counter he could barely reach. Together, he and the cashier counted the money out, which were mostly pennies. Yami felt a bit of his old frustration return as he watched the cashier recount the boy's share of the coins. Looking up at the clock again he realized that he was fifteen minutes late. Yami looked back around him and saw that all the lines where at least as long as his and knew that it would be smarter to just stay and wait for the boy to finish. The cashier's voice then broke in to Yami thoughts.
"I'm sorry son, but you don't have enough."
The boy suddenly looked frantic and stuck his hands in his various pockets. Yami watched him with some interest, remembering what he had said about his mother before. He finally looked up at Yami, crimson eyes a frightening mirror of his own, burning into him.
"I don't know what to do," he told Yami quietly. "I want to do something for mom, she's done so much for me and everyone. I have to have these shoes somehow." He tuned away and looked back to the cashier. Something at that point just snapped in Yami. Any misgivings he had for the holiday suddenly evaporated as he watched the young boy begin to look through his pockets again.
"How much do you need umm" Yami trailed off.
"Yugi sir" the boy said looking up at Yami hopefully.
"How much?" Yami asked the cashier this time who was smiling at him as if he were a saint. He told Yami the amount and Yami paid the cashier twice that instructing him silently to give the change to the boy. The boy, Yugi, was practically jumping out of his skin by now. The cahier bagged the gift and gave the boy his change. Yami watched this all in silence.
"Mom is going to look so great" he told us as he took the bag eagerly. "Thank you so much sir!" He was halfway to the door already. He turned back before running out yelling, "Merry Christmas and God Bless!" Everyone watched him go for a moment before returning to the normal flow of things. The only thing the cashier and Yami said to one another was Merry Christmas though the cashier smiled at him the whole time. Yami only had one thought in mind and that was to get home to his family, particularly Anzu. He hurried back home and burst into the party nearly a half and hour late. His friends looked up at his entrance and smiled at him, calling greetings. Yami set his bags on the table and collected his bewildered children in a hug without even bothering to that his jacket off.
"Daddy?" Ami managed to mumble out from his shoulder. "What's wrong?" she asked concerned.
"Nothings wrong," he assured his children and the party on lookers. "I just realized," he said whispering so only they heard, "how special and important you are to me."
"Yami?" a new voice questioned drawing Yami's attention from his two children. Anzu stood at the bottom of the stairs which lead to the second floor. Yami had to resist the urge to run up to her, grab her, and never let go. He instead straightened and told his party guests he'd be back after he changed. He noticed that Anzu seemed to be planning on staying down stairs so he quietly asked her to help him upstairs. As soon as they were on the second level Yami couldn't help himself any longer and took his wife in his arms simply for the pleasure of holding her. Anzu seemed slightly taken aback but allowed him to hold her for many minutes.
He finally pulled away from her but still held onto her hand. He led her to their bedroom where he closed the door and held her for a moment more before speaking. "Anzu, I am so sorry. I must be the worst husband in the world." Anzu pulled back surprised but Yami spoke again before she could question him. "I haven't been here for you or the kids or anyone. And all because I just couldn't see. But I do now!" he practically exclaimed. He pulled her closer to him and spun her around. Anzu giggled unable to help herself.
"And what do you see St. Nick?" she asked tugging at a lock of his hair.
"Christmas" he said almost breathlessly. Anzu looked at him oddly.
"What do you mean Yami?" she asked generally curious.
"It must have been an angel. This little boy Anzu, he must have been an angel sent to remind me why this season is so important." He paused for a moment before saying, "You. You and the kids." Anzu blushed and then giggled slightly.
"Yami, silly" she scolded brush her fingers through his hair. "I would love you even if you hated Christmas. Even if you turned into the Grinch." She frowned thoughtfully, "Though the green hair would take some getting used to." He laughed along with her and then held her close again until noise of the party reached both their ears. Anzu sighed and pulled away from her husband. "Go ahead and get dressed. We've got friends and family to celebrate with." He nodded, consenting and pulled out the outfit she had picked for him. She was almost out the door when she turned back to him. "Yami?" she questioned and when she saw she had his attention she asked, "what happened tonight?"
"I'll tell you later," Yami told her truthfully. "Now get down to that party." Anzu nodded and smiled but not before silently thanking the heavens. In her bedroom Yami stood dressed at the window and stared at the steadily falling snow. Downstairs, family and friends waited but he took a moment to himself. "Thank you," he said causing the window near his lips to steam. "I don't know if your were real or an angel but which ever. Thank you." He then left and returned down stairs to the meaning of his Christmas.
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It was almost Christmas time
And there I stood in another line
Trying to buy that last gift or two
Not really in the Christmas mood
And standing right in front of me was a
Little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing around like little boys do
And in his hands he held
A pair of shoesHis clothes were worn and old
He was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't believe what I heard him say
Sir I wanna buy these shoes
For my mama please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry sir?
Daddy says there's not much time
You see, she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes will make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful
If mama meets Jesus tonight
They counted penny's for what seemed like years then the
Cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here."
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me and he said
"Mama made Christmas good at our house though
Most years she just did without
Tell me sir, what am I gonna do?
Some how I gotta buy her these Christmas shoes."
So I laid the money down
I just had to help him out
And I'll never forget the look on his face when he said,
"Mama's gonna look so great."
Sir I wanna buy these shoes
For my mama please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry sir?
Daddy says there's not much time
You see, she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes will make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful
If mama meets Jesus tonight
I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent me that little boy to remind me
What Christmas is all about
Sir I wanna buy these shoes
For my mama please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry sir?
Daddy says there's not much time
You see, she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes will make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful
If mama meets Jesus tonight
I want her to look beautiful
If mama meets Jesus tonight…
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Ok, so I know that it was basically just he song in story form but I hope you
all enjoyed it. I do not know who sings it but I give them full credit to the
song 'Christmas Shoes'. I hope that all your holidays are filled with love and
joy.
~*Happy Holidays*~
-Star_Chan