Trista was stunned that Mr. Reynolds was here early.

Just then Glen came through the door.

"Whats up guys." He asked.

"Hey Glen. This is Mr. Reynolds. He is in town early." Mark said.

Glen eyes got wide. Uh oh he thought.

"Nice to meet you." Glen said shaking his hand.

"Glen is my best friend. He is visiting for the holidays." Mark said.
"Please everyone, call me John." He said.

"Please stay for dinner. Its almost ready." Trista said.

"I'll go get Megan." Glen said heading upstairs. He needed to warn her it was showtime.

"Excuse me." Trista said heading for the kitchen.

Mark took John into the den to sit down.

"Would you like something to drink?" Mark asked.

"No thanks. I'm fine." John said settling himself on the sofa.

"Sorry to turn up on your doorstep. But i thought as long as I was here, I might as well drop in. I know I want to get this business concluded as quick as possible. I want to sell the company and I'm taking a nice long vacation." John said smiling.

"well that sounds good to me to. I really admire you company John. I been watching it a long time. You've done great with it." Mark said.

"Well there are a few provisions. I want to keep all my employees in a job. I don't want them laid off." John said.

"No problem there. You can have that written in the contract." Mark said.

"Great, but we will talk more business tomorrow. Your home with your family tonight." John said.

Mark sighed he wanted this done as quick as possible.

Glen had filled Megan in and she entered the room with Glen.

"Well now, who do we have here?" John asked grinning at her.

Megan smiled back at him.

"I'm Megan Calloway." She said holding out her hand to him.

"Well, Nice to meet you Megan." John said shaking her hand.

"Megan you look just like your daddy." John said.

Megan sat down beside him.

"Thats what Mommy always says too." She said.

Mark smiled. The kid was good. He relaxed a little.

"So you ready for Santa Claus?" John asked.

"Yes, but I'm not to sure I'm going to get what I really want?" She said.

"What did you ask for?" he said.

"I cant tell." I don't want to jinx it." She said.

"Well I'm sure Santa will bring you just what you want." he said winking at Mark.

After dinner they moved back to the den for coffee.

"Trista that was the best meal I have had in a long time." John said.

"Thank you." She said sitting down beside Mark.

He put his arm around her. He wanted to make it look good.

Trista didn't want to admit how good his hands felt on her. She sighed and moved closer to him. Mark just smiled.

"You two act like newly weds." John said grinning.

"Well thats how it is when you have found the love of your life." Mark said kissing Trista's cheek.

Glen had to suppress a laugh. Mark was really laying it on thick.

"I need to get going and find a hotel for the night." John said.

"Do you have reservations?" Trista asked.

"No, its going to be hard to find a free room, which is why I should get started." He said.

Mark knew he should offer to let him stay here. But that would be dangerous, more chance for Reynolds to figure out what was going on.

"Well stay her." Trista said.

Mark tightened his grip on her, what the hell was she thinking?

"Are you sure that wont be a inconvenience?" John asked.

"No of course not." Mark said.

Glen smiled. Mark was digging himself deeper and deeper.

"I'll show you to a spare room." Trista said getting up.

John followed her upstairs.

"Boy you are really getting in deep." Glen said.

"I know, but what else can i do?" Mark said.

"Don't worry daddy it will be fine." Megan said.

Mark smiled at her.

"I hope so." He said.

"Megan why don't you go up and get ready for bed." Mark said.

Megan ran over and kissed him quickly and ran upstairs.

"She is starting to like you." Glen said smiling.

"Would seem so." Mark said. He was starting to like the little girl to. She was a sweet little thing.

"Glen can you watch her for a while. I need to take Trista to get some christmas presents for Megan." He said.

"Sure, no problem." Glen said

"Thanks. When do you have to leave?" he asked. Glen

"Tomorrow, so you kids will be on your own. Don't screw it up." He said.

"Hopefully I can sign the contract tomorrow and have him out of here and can get back to my normal life." He said.

"Glen just smiled. He didn't expect it would be that easy.

Mark followed Trista into the toy store. He want much for shopping but he was restless tonight. It was better than pacing around the house.

He watched Trista pick up some fancy doll.

"Thats sixty bucks..does it get a job and pay bills to?" He asked.

"I know its a lot of money...but she deserves it. Shes a good kid. She has been with me a little less than a year. I don't think she has ever had a real Christmas. I want to make sure its a good one." She said.

"How did you come to raise your sister?" mark asked.

"My mother dumped me when I was sixteen. Luckily I was older.

I got a job and learned how to take care of myself. She wasn't exactly mother material.

I didn't even know she had another child until Social services got in contact with me. She abandoned Megan. She was in the apartment alone for almost a week before she was found. I couldn't let her be put in foster care. So i took her. She was really messed up when she first came to me. Every time I left the apartment, she thought i wasn't coming back. But she is getting better all the time." Trista said.

"Poor kid. She is so sweet. You're doing a good thing taking care of her." Mark said.

"Shes family. When its comes down to it, thats all you have in the world." She said.

"I'm going to look around a bit." Mark said and wondered off.

Trista turned back to the doll display and decided to get a few of the clothes to go with it.

Mark went up to the clerk and had him to follow him around making a list. He decided to make this a great Christmas for Megan.

"Now I want this stuff delivered Christmas eve and wrapped? Is that a problem?" he asked.

" No Sir, we'll take care of it." He said.

Megan woke up and decided to go downstairs and watch TV in the den . She couldn't sleep.

She walked in and turned the TV on and sat on the floor.

"Hey there Megan. Whats wrong. Cant you sleep?"

"Hey Mr. Reynolds. No I'm not sleepy." She said.

"Excited about Christmas. He asked smiling.

Megan got up and went to set beside him on the sofa.

"Well I asked for something really important for Christmas and I'm just worried Santa cant take care of it." She said.

"Hmm, Well I think Santa can probably handle it." He said.

"I don't know, its not going to be easy." She said.

"Are you going to sell my daddy your company?" She asked.

"Well yes, We will sign the contract tomorrow and he can enjoy Christmas and not have any buisness to worry about." He said.

"NO!" She yelled out standing up.

"Whats wrong child?" he asked.

"Do you think one week is long enough for two people to fall in love." She asked.

John frowned.

"Maybe you better explain to me what is going on." He said setting back on the sofa.

Megan climbed up next to him.

"Well I'm not supposed to say." She said.

"You can trust me. I won't say a word." he said.

"Well I need your help. I want a family for Christmas. I want a mommy and a daddy. Trista is already like my mommy. Now I just need Mr. Calloway to fall in love and Marry her. " She said.

"Maybe you better start from the beginning and tell me the whole story." He said.

John tucked Megan into bed.

"Now promise you're going to help me?" Megan asked.

"You have a very special Christmas wish and I am going to help you. Sometimes Santa uses helpers to make wishes come true and thats what I am a helper. Now I don't want you to worry anymore. I am going to start working on this tonight, okay?" He asked.

Megan sat up and hugged his neck.

"Thanks you." Se said.

"You're welcome child. Now get some sleep." he said.

He covered he up and shut her door as he left the room.

He had a little less than a week to get the job done. He better get busy.