Christmas can lead to funny and touching letters to Santa. Note, to discern Santa letters from regular dialogue (Aidan is 9, then 10 in the stories), there are intentional misspellings, typos and capitalization letters in the letters to Santa that Ralph is reading. These are also in single quotes, italicized. Ralph, however, is reading the letters in proper English.
Each chapter is a story, and take place after "Vanity, Says the Preacher." While they do include my spinoff character Aidan, you do not have to follow that series to enjoy the story. Regardless, they ignore the events of "The Greatest American Heroine."
December 24, 1987
"I'm doing well Misha. Aunt Pam and Uncle Ralph are... hello?" said a young voice on the other line. Ralph and Pam were listening in the living room on the line as well as their niece, goddaughter... and now ward Aidan was talking to her grandmother Christmas eve.
Ralph cringed as he heard a new voice call Aidan a rather vile name, Aidan yell "Stop it jerk," some cruel laughter, then a smack which he hoped was Misha correcting the person.
They then heard Misha's voice again. "I'm sorry Adie, I tried to keep Dylan away from the phone, but Jeff..." she said.
"Did he pull your hair again?" Aidan said sadly as she toyed with the phone cord. She knew that her paternal grandmother also received some of the ill treatment she received simply because she loved Aidan, whom the others on the Onxysard side of her family disliked.
Aidan had been at Misha's home the day before to visit her grandmother. She knew the day was going to be hard enough as it was: It was the first Christmas at her grandmother's house since Aidan's parents were killed in a car crash in late June.
While Misha had tried to make the day happy for her, the rest of the Onyxsards were cruel - calling her names, spinning her around until she had vertigo, and tipping over her food. Any attempt to stop the treatment was ignored unless Misha intervened.
It got to the point that Misha couldn't bear to see her only tie to her son unhappy that she called Ralph and Pam to pick Aidan up. The couple called Aidan's grandmother Christmas Eve so she could talk to her, but it was being constantly interrupted. Hearing Aidan start to cry at one point, Ralph picked up the phone in the other room to listen. It took all he had to not yell at the voices on the other line.
"Yes, Aidan he did. If he doesn't stop, I can assure you that he will not get anything for Christmas," said Misha. "Listen, can I talk to your Uncle? I need to tell them something. I love you precious."
"Sure, Love you Misha," said Aidan, and placing the phone on the side of the table smashed the side of her fist into the table. "I HATE THAT FAMILY!"
Realizing she raised her voice, she peeked around the corner and saw her godparents frown in disappointment. "I'm sorry..." she said, embarrassed with her outburst. She had worked hard to keep her temper, which had been difficult due to her own impatience in therapy, so to know she disappointed her godparents made her upset.
Seeing that Ralph already had the phone in his hands, she realized he probably had heard too and maybe even felt it was justified. "It's OK Godpop, I understand, I'll hang up the phone," she said, and after hanging up her line, went back to her uncle. "I'm going to go to bed so Santa can come faster. 'Night Uncle Ralph and Aunt Pam."
"Goodnight sweetheart," said Ralph, and gave her a hug and a kiss. Aidan also told Pam goodnight and went into her room.
Ralph sighed sadly, seeing the look in her eyes. It was one of sadness, frustration and confusion as to why half of her family could be so cruel to her.
The man turned back and sat down at the desk, putting the phone back to his ear. "Hello Micah," he said kindly.
"Ralph, I am so sorry for the way this... 'family' treated Aidan yesterday and today," she said. "They're still laughing at how Aidan had trouble standing for 5 minutes after spinning her around last night and dumping food on her. Just vile - Matthew would call them a bunch of jackasses. Even that my dear sir is a compliment they don't deserve."
Ralph chuckled mirthlessly. It took a lot for Micah to curse, even if in his opinion the Onyxsards save his brother- and mother-in-law, was along the same lines. "It isn't your fault Micah. I know you love Aidan and loved M'Lynn, so much so you'd give up seeing Ade just to make her happy." Hearing silence on the other side, he started to worry. "Micah, is there something wrong?"
"I heard that shout dear..."
"I'm sorry, she's had outbursts such as that when she's frustrated trying to work around a problem she had no difficulty with last year. Her injury..."
"Ralph - please don't cover for it, I know she didn't mean me," said Micah bluntly, but not unkindly. "She has every right to hate the rest of this side of the family. They're horrible."
"Austin wasn't horrible... but that's because he listened to his mother. Mom and I wouldn't have let M'Lynn marry him if he was anything like his siblings."
The line was quiet for a moment, worrying Ralph, but then Micah spoke up. "I know, and he loved all of you and both just adored Aidan. I'd been livid if it were anyone else who was her guardian should - well what did happen ever occur. If that happened I would've gained superpowers and flown her to you myself, knocking the rest of this family to the moon."
Ralph laughed genuinely at the picture. Micah didn't know that - while for her the comment was a funny anecdote, Ralph could have literally done what she wished by wearing the superhero suit given to him nearly 9 years ago by aliens.
Micah continued. "But Ralph... since I can't do that, I have been wondering this for some time, starting that night at the hospital when she was in the coma. The two of you have taken so good care of her then and ever since... Have you and Pam considered adopting her?"
Ralph looked at the phone, surprised at the direct question. The young couple had considered starting the process, but knew that the process was going to take about a year to complete, if there was no red tape.
Plus there was one other barrier they had to consider. "We have Micah, but we're not sure if she wants to," he said. "It's only been six months since her parents died, and some of the physical wounds are still fresh, let alone the mental one of knowing she doesn't remember that night. And even with the therapy that has ensued aside, we don't know when or what would be a good time to ask."
The voice on the other line sighed. "You're right Ralph, but I'd like you and Pam to think about it. I can tell Aidan isn't happy that she is constantly reminded by this side with her last name, me of course being the exception," she said and Ralph nodded. He knew that Aidan hated her last name, even to the point she wrote "Aidan O." on her homework, willing to lose points on her grades. Though the couple was able to convince her teacher to not penalize her, explaining Aidan's reasons, they both knew that adopting Aidan would change her name.
Micah continued. "Please ask her soon though - I'm not sure she can take much more of the reminder. I want her happy, and I think being 'Aidan Hinkley,' daughter of a loving couple, would make me happy... as long as I get to visit her all I want."
Ralph chuckled. "Oh Micah, if I deprived Aidan of her dear Misha because of a bunch of farmyard animals, I think even our sweet little Aidan would hit me with a frying pan," he said, and hearing Pam laugh herself, realized he was probably also right.
Micah also chuckled. "Well then, I better go before the family thinks I've passed on and they can steal the fine china," she said. "Give Aidan my love again, and that I will see her in a few weeks when the others have gone home. Love all of you."
"Love you too," said Ralph and hung up the phone. Rubbing his hand across his face, he turned to Pam. "Well, I'm thankful we have someone's sincere blessing on that side of the family if we adopt Aidan."
Pam nodded. "Me too dear. I just can't believe they treated Aidan so horribly yesterday. You can tell in her eyes it still bothers her that only Micah cares about her life."
The young man just quietly walked over to Aidan's room and peeked inside. Aidan was indeed in her bed, and sound asleep. He gently covered her shoulders with the blanket and kissed her on the forehead before returning to the living room. "Well, Aidan is asleep and hopefully dreaming about sugarplums or something happy. Should we help Santa fill her Christmas wish list?"
Pam nodded and smiled. "Yes. I'm glad Micah also gave us Christmas presents from Santa to add to Aidan's stocking," she said as they both walked to the fireplace mantle.
The couple picked up the letter Aidan had carefully tucked into her stocking before going to bed. Ralph opened it up, looking forward to making Aidan happy.
Instead, he found out this Christmas was going to be different.
'Dear Santa,
'How are yu and your raindeer? I hav ben realy realy good this yer but it has been hard.
'This yer, I waz hurt and in hosiptal but my Unkle Ralph and Aunt Pam have taken good care of me when mommy and daddy died. I hit my head and sometimes foreget how to spel, but my teacher Miss White and Aunt and Uncle say that it is becuse of my concusion. That was when I hit my head the night they died and I was asleep for a long time in the hospital. AUnt Pam and Uncle Ralph said that it was scarey and sad for them.
'I am getting better though and love being in california. I had to move, and miss the horses. Can u say Hi to my horse Peanut in Caspar? I will tell Matthew - he is my favorite cowboy at the ranch to be surE to have Carrots for the raindeer and some cookies for you.'
The couple chuckled, knowing that Matthew had called, saying she'd probably ask him to feed Santa's reindeer. He said he would keep the tradition, even taking a photo he'd mail later on showing they had indeed visited Wyoming.
Ralph then read a bit, pausing in surprise. Pam looked at him, worried. "What is it?"
The young man leaned against the mantle. "Aidan wrote 'Want I want for Chrissmas this year tho is somthing big - I want my family happy'," he said, and continued.
'I know momy and daddy ArE in Heavun but I hav heard Aunt Pam and Uncl Ralph cry someTimes becauz they are upset My daddy's side is mean to us.
'Santa - I don't want to be part of daddy's family anymor… well except for Meesha. She's my grandmother and I love her. The others hang up the pone when I cal and push me and call me names. I rite letters, but they don't read them. They mak me sad andmy AunT and Uncle upset. I apologiz for yelling at the Onxysards a few times. I know thats bad, but they've been meaner. They don't whant me there... Uncl Ralph and Aunt Pam do.
'Pleaz pleas do not give me toys this year. I wanT my godmom and godpop to be happy.
'give AunT Pam and Uncle Ralph me.
'PLease Santa.
'Love, Aidan.'
Ralph dropped the letter on the mantle. The words startled him - because while student teaching in college he had read a few letters similar to this, even with their troubles, he never expected one from Aidan.
Here the couple had been worried about asking Aidan if they could adopt her, and she goes right and asks Santa instead.
Ralph paused for a moment, thinking. He realized probably why she asked Santa and not them. In the past few months, between therapy for her head injury, the funeral for her parents and other family issues that had lead to some arguments between the Hinkleys and Onyxsards, it was likely that Aidan was worried that they would not want her to be a permanent part of their family.
Seeing how far that was from the truth - that the couple adored her like her parents, she decided it was time to ask, even if scared to ask them personally for fear of hearing "no" like she heard from her dad's side.
Her wish to be adopted didn't surprise him though, and he thanked Micah for pointing it out for him that night. They were the antithesis of most of the Onyxsard family, and that explained why they hated his sister so much - there was love on the Hinkley side, not a huge thirst for power.
For Ralph and Pam though - Aidan was worth more than any of that drivel as Bill would say. It was worth it to see her happy even if she had to work hard to relearn things, deal with the rare outburst of anger, and other issues from the concussion.
Ralph looked at Pam, and noticed she was crying too. "Well, I think we've got our answer from Aidan. What do you think we should do to get her to actually ask us?" said Ralph.
"How about Santa responding back? She's going to be disappointed to see only toys, so she'll need that little push to ask us" she said.
The man nodded, and after still putting the toys out, went over to the kitchen table with Pam and started writing.
The next morning, Aidan woke up and ran to the living room. To her dismay, she saw toys under the tree and at the top of the Christmas stocking.
Ralph and Pam, already up and fixing breakfast heard her enter the room.
Seeing Aidan frown, Pam walked over and gave her a hug. "Merry Christmas Aidan," she said. "What's wrong?"
"Santa didn't give me what I wanted," she said.
Pam walked over and picked up one of the toys - a tossing game to practice her eye-hand coordination. "You have some wonderful toys here sweetheart."
"They're nice, but I didn't want toys. I didn't get what I wanted," she said. "There are no papers or anything that isn't toys or candy..."
Ralph, knowing what was going on, feigned ignorance and came over, also giving her a hug. "Are you sure? I see something more in your stocking."
"I checked my stocking, there was an apple, a funny puzzle, a bag of M&Ms and..." she said, glancing up, only to notice there was a letter in her Christmas stocking.
Curious, Aidan plucked the item from the stocking and looked at it. The envelope was a simple green with "To Aidan, From Santa" addressed on the front in silver colored pen.
"Santa sent me a letter," Aidan said, swaying slightly.
Ralph, worried that she was going to have a dizzy spell from the surprise, walked her over to a chair. "Easy Ade," he said gently. While the dizzy spells had decreased significantly over the past few months, the couple didn't want to take any chances one lead to Aidan fainting. "What does your letter from Santa say?"
Aidan looked up and blushed, "Do you want me to read it?"
"Sure sweetheart," said Pam. "It must be important if Santa wrote YOU one and you had to sit down."
Their niece nodded and read the letter, with the couple helping her with words where she stumbled to remember how to say them.
"Ok, it says 'Dear Aidan, I am glad that you are doing better after your fall and stay at the hospital. It was scary for me too - I had one of my elves check on you from time to time during your stay there to make sure you were doing better.
"I also heard from an elf who watches Miss White's class say that you were having some troubles with your writing, but you were being patient in her class as she taught you how to spell. The elf said that he knew your memory was hurt by the fall so you have had to relearn how to write and spell among other tasks. I can say however you have done VERY well writing your Santa letter.
"Now, as far as your wish, dearest Aidan I can't help you with that myself. I am not allowed to personally grant wishes that big, though I really, really wish I could.
"I too have seen what your daddy's side has done to you through the year, and will say they are on my naughty list for many, many years to come."
"What I CAN do however, is tell you that I agree, and think your Aunt Pam and Uncle Ralph would be very happy if you told them you wanted them to adopt you. Just tell them, and I'm sure your wonderful Aunt Pam could do what she does as a lawyer and get the application worked up to help you.
"I will warn you Aidan, it will take time, but it will be worth it. Be patient just like your aunt and uncle have been thinking if they should ask you the same question instead..."
Aidan paused. "How did he know you were thinking about asking this question?"
Pam quirked an quizzical eyebrow at Ralph, and he blushed, realizing he may have made a slight error in the letter.
Ralph cleared his throat. "Uh, well, he has elves watch us too Aidan," he said. "I'm sure one of them heard us talk about adopting you."
Aidan nodded, convinced. She then continued reading the letter. "In the meantime, I left you some presents to help you with learning things again. They will help your mind get stronger.
"Oh - and all the reindeer enjoyed the carrots that Matthew set aside for them in Casper, I said hi to your horse Peanut - he is a sweet horse - and enjoyed the cookies. Matthew got a nice present too.
"Love, Santa."
Aidan looked up, tears in her eyes, and noticed her godparents were also crying. "Um... that was my wish, no toys, I want to be adopted," said Aidan. "I don't want to be called 'Aidan Onyxsard' anymore. Can you adopt me?"
Ralph and Pam came over to her and wrapped their arms around her and gave a tight hug. "Yes sweetheart we want to," said Pam. "Santa is right - we were about to ask since we've wanted you to ask us for months and you didn't."
The young woman blushed, embarrassed. "Really? I was so scared to when you'd cry when I'd have trouble with my speech or writing or when I'd get dizzy and fall over you didn't want me..."
Ralph shook his head. "Aidan, we knew that after your injury you'd have to relearn some things," he said. "You lost part of your memory of the night, and the dizzy spells were from how hard you hit your head. We cry, sure sweetheart, but we've never been more proud of you. We would love to have you as our adopted daughter."
Aidan laughed, finding the whole scene silly. "We're crying on Christmas," she said. "But they're happy right?"
Her godparents laughed. "Yep, we are very very happy, and soon a complete family," said Pam. "I'm going to get that paperwork ready this afternoon so we can have it ready for the judge. Sooner the better right?"
The young girl laughed, and the three started their Christmas day with a gift bigger than any present under the tree.