Disclaimer: Don't own the O.C.—sorry, no free t-shirts here.
A/N: I absolutely fell in love with this story, but I twisted it around a tiny bit. Just read…and review!
The first Christmas without Summer's mother was looking to be a dismal one.
Daddy, who used to take Summer to pick out a tree, had broken the news to Summer that there would be no Christmas tree this year.
He was too busy.
And there would be no real presents, either.
Daddy had given Summer a fuzzy purple phone with her own phone line for her birthday, which was in October.
And he'd left a message on it the morning of Christmas Eve.
Pumpkin, it's Daddy. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to make it home for Christmas Eve. Lena will be over in the afternoon and stay with you all night. And she's going to take you to the mall, to pick out some things for Christmas. You buy whatever you want, okay pumpkin? I'll see you tomorrow. Merry Christmas, I—
The message cut off, before Daddy had finished.
Summer immediately called Daddy back.
Hi, pumpkin. I'm real busy at work, can this wait? No? Okay. Merry Christmas Eve to you too, sweetheart. Make a Christmas wish, okay? Have fun with Lena. Love you, pumpkin.
Right after hanging up with Daddy, Summer decided to make her Christmas wish.
Summer closed her eyes tight, clasped her hands together, and made her wish.
God, all I want for Christmas is Daddy. I mean, for him to be here. He's never around. I'm afraid he's going to leave one day and never come back. Just like Mommy. Please God.
Summer locked the door behind her and put the key into her pocket. She sat on the front stoop with her head in her lap. Soon Marissa's dad pulled up.
"Merry Christmas Summer," Marissa smiled.
"Merry Christmas Summer," Jimmy echoed.
Summer repeated their words rather dully, but neither Cooper seemed to notice.
"Ready for the movie?" Jimmy asked. At the suggestion of Marissa, Jimmy had called up Neil Roberts and asked him for permission to take Summer to the movies with them on Christmas Eve. Of course, Summer's daddy had agreed, saying what nice friends Summer had.
Summer and Marissa nodded.
Summer couldn't help but envy Marissa. She had a caring dad who took her places like the movies and didn't work all the time.
She hoped her Christmas wish would come true.
When they got to the theater, Jimmy got the tickets for Harriet the Spy and joined Summer and Marissa in line to get popcorn.
Once the movie was over, Summer and Marissa giggled on the way home. They'd announced their plan to be spies when they grew up, and Jimmy had agreed that they would be great spies. Summer wished her daddy were like Jimmy.
Summer slowly walked up the steps to her front doors. She snuck a quick look behind her, and saw that Jimmy and Marissa were waiting patiently in the driveway. She rang the doorbell a few times, then walked back to the car.
"I'm going to go around back. Daddy said he was going to get some sun today, so he's probably in the backyard by the pool. Thanks, Mr. Cooper, for taking me to the movie," Summer waved with a forced smile. "Merry Christmas, Marissa."
She crept around back and let herself in the empty house through the back door. That was a close one. Daddy had told her not to tell anyone that she was home alone. That meant everyone. Including Marissa, and definitely including Jimmy.
"Summer?" Summer heard Lena's voice in the foyer and ran down the stairs to greet her.
"Hi Lena," Summer grinned, hugging her babysitter. Lena had been her babysitter since Mommy left. She was the one Daddy always called, and she always made the nights without Daddy go quicker.
"Merry Christmas, sweetie," Lena said. Her white-blond hair fell to her waist and her cropped pink shirt showed off her toned abs and belly button ring. Summer had asked Daddy for a belly button ring, but he'd pushed her off, saying to ask again when she was older.
"Summer, you okay in there?" Lena knocked on the door to Summer's bedroom.
"I'm fine, Lena," Summer called back. "Don't come in, I'm making Daddy his present."
Summer carefully spelled out the words:
MERRY CHRISTMAS DADDYHer teacher, Mrs. Mahoney, had taught her to write just last week. All Summer knew were capital letters though. After gluing rhinestones and beads onto the orange construction paper, Summer set the card on her dresser to dry.
Summer picked up her fuzzy purple phone and dialed Daddy's work number.
Hi Daddy. No, everything's okay. The movie was good. I just wanted to know how much it costs for one hour of your time. No reason, Marissa and me just wanted to know 'cause we're gonna be spies when we grow up and need to know how much it costs. One hundred fifty dollars? Okay, Daddy. Love you. Bye.
She picked up her piggy bank, which was—not surprisingly—a pink pig. Walking into her bathroom, Summer silently told the pig she was sorry and then in one fluid motion dropped it on the smooth tiled floor.
"Summer? Are you okay?" Lena immediately called out.
"I'm fine, I just dropped a toy, that's all," Summer lied. Lena seemed to accept it, because Summer could hear her retreating footsteps.
Carefully, Summer bent down and collected all of the bills. After totaling them up three times, Summer was crestfallen. She only had $103 dollars.
"Lena," Summer yelled, skipping down the stairs. "Can I borrow forty seven dollars?"
"Why?" Lena was curled up on the couch with a calculator and a notebook, obviously doing her homework. After all, she was only in college.
"Because. It's a secret. I'll pay you back, honest," Summer whined. Lena relented, and got up to go find her purse. She returned a minute later with the bills. "I love you Lena. You're the best."
Summer ran back upstairs, stopping in Daddy's office along the way for an envelope and a Post-It note. Prudently, she arranged the bills in the envelope from highest to lowest. On the yellow Post-It, Summer wrote a special note to Daddy.
While Summer believed in miracles and Christmas wishes coming true, she still thought God might need a helping hand. So she was helping him make her Christmas wish come true.
"Summer?" Daddy called, pulling back the covers on Summer's bed. He opened the gauzy pink curtains, letting sunlight drench the walls. "Merry Christmas, pumpkin."
"Daddy?" Summer asked dubiously. She broke out into a broad smile. "Merry Christmas, Daddy."
Daddy crouched over, allowing Summer to jump on his back. He ran down the stairs, Summer shrieking and hanging on for dear life.
Since Daddy hadn't bought Summer any presents, she was a bit miffed. But then Daddy told her the good news: he was going to take her shopping for Christmas, not Lena!
By this point Summer was so excited. She was going to the mall with Daddy, something the two of them hadn't done since Mommy left a few months ago.
"Here's your gift," Summer said shyly, handing Daddy the stuffed envelope and card.
Daddy's eyes quickly scanned the card, and he gave Summer a big kiss on the cheek.
"I love you, pumpkin," he smiled.
The phone rang, and Daddy went to answer it before he opened the envelope. Summer stood waiting expectantly for Daddy. When he came back, he bore bad news.
"I'm sorry, honey, but something's come up at the office. I won't be able to take you shopping after all."
"That's okay," Summer forced a small smile. Daddy tore open the envelope, a bewildered look spreading across his face.
"What's this for, pumpkin?" he extracted the money from the envelope.
"Read the note inside," Summer urged. Daddy took the Post-It note out of the envelope.
DADDY-HERE IS $150 SO I CAN BUY ONE HOUR OF YOUR TIME
LOVE, SUMMER
"Oh, baby," Daddy murmured. "Pumpkin, I know I'm not always around. From now on, I'm going to try to spend more time with you. In fact, I'm going to cancel that meeting for today. We're going shopping after all."
Summer beamed as Daddy dialed his office number.
Thank you, God. I guess Christmas wishes do come true.