Mele Kalikimaka
December 24, 4:08 pm
Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light
From now on our troubles will be out of sight.
He sang it soft and low as his fingers moved deftly over the guitar strings. Kate approached him slowly, her hands fidgety as she walked. She noticed Claire busy behind him, hanging up wet clothes while keeping a close eye on sleeping Aaron. She was consumed with her task, but she noticed Kate before Charlie did.
"Hey Kate." She said startling Charlie. She waved as she sat down on the log next to Charlie. He looked up and smiled, but didn't stop singing.
Here we are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more.
She looked at him a minute, willing him silently to play anything else, sing anything else. She wasn't surprised when he didn't catch on, Charlie was sweet, but he was a bit dim. She nudged him with her shoulder "Know anything less depressing? Jingle Bell Rock maybe?"
The guitar strings squeaked as he stopped playing. He considered for a minute then answered. "Only if you think I'll Be Home for Christmas is less depressing."
Claire giggled behind them as Kate smiled wanly and shook her head. Claire walked over and ruffled Charlie's hair "Don't even think about it." She said.
Claire stepped over the log and sat on Charlie's left. The three of them sat there silently while Charlie absently plucked at the guitar strings. Claire sighed "I hate Christmas." she said.
Kate tilted here head to look at her over Charlie's guitar, "You do?" Charlie looked at her too, echoing Kate's words, "You do?"
"Yep," she said, not elaborating. "Were on a tropical island, can't we just pretend its July?"
"I can't believe you hate Christmas." Charlie said.
"Of course Freckles hates Christmas," they heard a southern drawl behind them, "its Kate. Shes dark, mysterious, hates all things jolly and bright."
Kate scoffed "I don't hate Christmas," She leaned her head back to look at Sawyer as he approached. He smiled and squinted into the bright sun, she was caught off guard by his flashing blue eyes. "Claire hates Christmas." She finished.
"Our very own ray of Australian sunshine? You kiddin me?" A brief smile played on his lips and his dimples deepened.
Charlie gawked a little as he sat next to Kate. "What, I can't join share time at camp Mele Kalikimaka?" He asked, looking directly at Charlie.
"Cause you've been such a sodding joiner up to this point, right?" Charlie asked, matching Sawyer's sarcasm.
"Charlie." Claire warned.
"I know," Charlie continued, breezing past Claire's reprimand, "Later you can read The Night Before Christmas to Aaron. He'd love that. Hell I think we'd all love it."
Before Sawyer could interject with a snappy retort and a new nickname though, he was surprised by they hyena like chuckle that escaped from Kate's mouth. She covered her mouth, mortified.
"It wasn't that funny." Charlie said.
"Hell yeah it wasn't that funny." Sawyer said, still starring at Kate, his face an appalled mixture of shock and confusion.
Kate nodded, as tears of laughter gathered at the corner of her eyes. "I know, I know." She said through giggles. She took a deep shaky breath "It's just, a year ago did you imagine spending your next Christmas Eve this way? How did we get here?"
Claire smiled and laughed a bit, "I definitely didn't see this coming." She said as her giggles grew to a genuine laughter. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed like this. Charlie looked back and forth between Kate and Claire, then glanced at Sawyer who just shrugged. "Don't ask me."
He looked at Kate laughing and shook his head, but he couldn't stop the broad smile. He pushed her shoulder into Charlie who then leaned into Claire and suddenly all four of them were in hysterics. When their laughter subsided, Kate wiped her eyes with the heels of her hand and Charlie muttered "Oh man." Claire exhaled and got up to check on Aaron.
As she bent down to retrieve him from his cradle, she saw Jack emerge from the jungle, his hands full. "Hey Claire." He said, Charlie, Kate, and Sawyer turned in unison to watch Jack hand Claire a small jar of hand cream. It looked unopened. She couldn't believe he had remembered. Just last week she had asked Sun what she could use for her dry hands. She had seen Jack close by, but she hadn't known he had been listening.
She smiled brightly at him, "Thanks Jack." He smiled back than walked towards the log. He tossed Charlie a small box, Kate a tiny wrapped package, and Sawyer a book.
Charlie looked down at his gift. "Didn't get you anything mate." Charlie said, looking concerned.
"Don't worry about it, Charlie," Jack answered. He glanced quickly at Kate, then at Sawyer who was staring down at his book. "Someone told me it was good." He motioned to the title A Trip to the Stars.
"Well, that must be the case then." Sawyer said, his words came out harsher than he meant them too. Jack didn't respond, just stared back at Sawyer and nodded a little. "Thanks, man." Sawyer said, and Jack nodded again, but his eyes had lost the hard edge.
Jack looked at Kate again, his eyes lingering, but he didn't say anything. "Happy Christmas you guys." He said and turned to go.
"I think these were mine anyway," Charlie said as he shook the plastic box of blue guitar picks. Jack laughed as he walked away.
Kate's gift was the only one that had been wrapped. She turned the small square over in her hands and read the bit of news print that was secured by thin reeds of grass. It was a schedule for a movie theater in LA. She looked up and saw Jack heading towards Sun and Jin who sat on the sand a few dozen yards away. She watched as he bent his knees to crouch in front of them, he smiled and she heard the tiny tinkle of Sun's laugh float over to where she was sitting.
She glanced at Sawyer sitting next to her, his eyes were locked firmly on her gift. She could almost feel his body tighten next to hers. She pursed her lips and rubbed her hands on her jeans. Then she stood up and headed towards the small cluster of trees just off of the jungle.
She backed up against a tree and again looked at the package. She remembered exactly where she was at this time last year. She had been in a dingy motel on the outskirts of Austin. Her stomach had been empty, her cash had been low, and she had been alone. She could even remember the terrible pattern on the bedspread and curtains. Wired that she remembered that, there had been so many crap motels both before and after that night. She had curled up on top of that rough bedspread and watched "It's a Wonderful Life" on a small television that got terrible reception. She had wanted to cry herself to sleep, but there had been no tears. She had been dry and empty and void of any feeling at all. It was the worst Christmas she could remember in a long string of bad Christmasses.
But here the tears came so easily, they bubbled to the surface as though they had been there all afternoon, biding their time for the proper moment. They coursed silently down her cheeks and she wasn't sure if she was happy or sad or just lost in her own memories. Her vision blurred and she pulled at the leafy tie of the package. Then she slowly unfolded the paper from her gift.
It was a small wooden box with delicately carved flowers in clusters and vines. She had never seen anything like it. She took a shuddery breath and moved to open the lid.
"There's nothing in it." She heard Jack say apologetically as he walked up behind her.
Kate wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and turned to meet his eyes. "Jack, its perfect, I don't need…" Her voice trailed off. "Thank you."
"I wanted to find something for it, to put inside, but I couldn't find anything that reminded me of you." He said. He took a few steps closer to her and wiped a stray tear with the pad of his thumb.
She nodded, "That's okay." She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him into her. He seemed startled by the gesture, but only momentarily. He rested his chin on the top of her head and hugged her tight. He didn't let go until she broke away from him. "You can get me something for it next year." She said and her lips grazed the rough stubble on his cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Kate." He said it like he'd been waiting to say it all day.
"Merry Christmas Eve, Jack. Christmas is tomorrow." She smiled at him.