The letters in the Christmas tree.
As Christmas approaches, it is between memories and hope, and especially in the letters that everyone hopes to find a Christmas miracle. This fanfiction contains references to the movie "For Christmas." The characters belong to the talented Martha Williamson.
Disclaimer: All movie names, quotes or characters quoted in this story do not belong to me.
Thursday, December 24th.
In the morning, the Denver post office was very lively. Everybody was running around with carts, boxes.
Norman, Shane and Rita were crossing the post office hallway to get to the DLO, when they saw Hazel, running with a suitcase.
"Oh, Shane, Rita, Norman. Are you all right?" Hazel asked with a smile.
"Hi Hazel! Are you going on vacation already?" Norman asked.
"Yes, I was on duty with the night shift for sorting. This year I'm spending Christmas vacation with my parents in Chicago. It's going to be great... Well, I have to go. My plane leaves in a few hours. Have a nice Christmas. " Hazel said with a smile before she left.
"Hazel is really kind. Do you have plans for tonight?" Shane asked.
"Oh, well, I... I have to fly to Santa Fe tonight to go to my parents' house. What about you, Shane?" Rita asked.
Shane had a little smile before answering.
"Well, I'm going to sit on my couch , watch movies and eat chocolates." She said.
That's when Rita opened the doors for everyone to enter the DLO.
" I'm going to meet new cousins for Christmas. I can't wait. And it's going to be a quiet day today because all the letters from the project to Santa Claus have been delivered." Norman added.
"Nothing's for sure Norman, no one knows what might happen before midnight." A voice remarked in height.
"And after midnight, Cinderella will have to leave the ball and the prince she just met and leave her glass slipper behind." Shane said.
"Wow... Oliver, the decoration of the Christmas tree is very pretty." Rita remarked as Oliver stepped down from a stepladder.
"Thank you Rita, but all the credit goes to Miss McInerney. She was the one who helped choose the decorations." Oliver declared with a smile before returning to his desk.
"No ?...You were in a date with Oliver? So, what happened at the end? ... Did he kiss you under the mistletoe?" Rita said in a low voice, excited.
"It wasn't a date, Rita. He just asked me to go shopping with him."Shane answered.
"Well, today is about doing inventory and updates for this year. And who knows, what might happen today." Oliver says with a smile.
As Norman, Rita and Shane, were leaving the DLO for lunch, the postal detective opened his desk drawer, took out three envelopes, which he discreetly hung on the tree.
Oliver was on his way out of the DLO, when he ran into Eleanor, from the passport office, who was smiling.
"So Oliver. I think you're going to be thrilled to perform another Christmas miracle. This is a letter I just found at the terminal annex. And it's a letter from the Letters to Santa Claus project. I think this letter will be a real surprise. I have to go to Portland, Oregon. I can't wait to hear more at my return." Eleanor says.
That's when Oliver gave her a big smile.
"Great, one last Christmas letter,."Norman exclaimed after lunch.
"No one knows what Providence has in store for us. Let's take a good look at this envelope. It's in excellent condition, no postmark, addressed to Santa Claus... Let's see what it's inside." Oliver said as he opened the envelope.
Dear Santa,
My name is Jonathan Falk and I am 11 years old.
This year for Christmas, I would only like white roller skates. My shoe size is 4.5
I live in Park Hill, 23rd Avenue. There is a gate that we painted red in front of the house.
Thank you very much.
I wish you good luck to deliver all the gifts.
Jonathan Falk.
"Seriously? What kid today wants roller skates? " Shane asked.
"Maybe it's a child who likes toys and antiques. I've always wanted a replica of the board game Jumanji. I never got it." Norman replied.
"We have to response this letter today. Norman? Do you have a cousin who can help us?" Oliver asked.
That's when Norman counted on his fingers.
"No, I'm short of cousins this year. There is Serge, but he has moved to Minnesota to join a monastic order dedicated to meditation and contemplative ice fishing." Norman replied.
"I can order the roller skates online, but they won't be delivered until tomorrow." Shane added.
"There must be a way." Oliver said.
"I know... There's Freedie's a shop specializes in all kinds of games and toys. You remember when I once came to the post office on roller skates and used them to the compulsory sorting competition, against Kimmi Cooper and Vininee Rucker, for Miss Special Delivery. That's where I bought them !". Rita exclaimed.
"Excellent, Rita! Norman can you go with Rita." The postal detective suggested.
"Sure, no problem. We also have to buy things for... things. See you later." Norman said as he left the office with Rita.
Norman and Rita had been gone for a while while Oliver and Shane continued to sort mail.
"So, Oliver, you're spending Christmas Eve with your dad?" Shane asked trying to find a topic of discussion.
"Yes ." He said. "It's just going to be a nice family dinner... And do you have any plans?" Oliver asked.
Shane hesitated for a moment and then smiled.
"I'm going to spend Christmas Eve in good company." She replied.
"I beg your pardon? In good company?" The postal detective asked.
"A classic... Pizza, a good movie, ice cream and chocolate..." She replied, looking away.
"Miss McInerney, is it only the departure of your father, who took you so far away from ...?"
"Oliver, after my father's departure, I didn't have any taste for anything. Decorating a tree or giving presents no longer meant anything to me. I lost all joy in the magic of Christmas. I used to watch those Christmas movies and thought that I would never again have the chance to have a real family moment. I closed myself off and I told myself that no matter who I will be with and where I will be, Christmas would never be the same for me again." Shane said with tears in her eyes.
Oliver quickly put down the box on the desk and walked towards her.
"Miss McInerney, we have all somewhere lost someone we love. Don't forget that their memories live on in our hearts. But above all, remember this. You are neither lost nor forgotten. You are an carring, loving, valuable person who is appreciated wherever you go. You have such kindness and goodness for others. From the moment you arrived in Denver, you have won the hearts of everyone. Norman, Rita, my father, Eleanor, all employees and even the staff at Mailbox Grille say that you are a kind and gentle person. Lots of people love you, and a whole family is here for you. Just smile and embrace it." Oliver declared.
He stepped forward to wipe the tears from her face and Shane smiled.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Oliver said as he reached into the inside pocket of his suit.
Shane frowned slightly to try to understand. Then Oliver took two little birds out of his pocket.
"These were my grandmother's favourite decorations. She gave them to me. I always hang them last on the tree... Shane, would you please hang them for me" Oliver asked softly.
"I don't know if I..." Shane started.
"Give me your hand, we'll hang them up together." Oliver said.
Shane hesitated for a moment and then turned to the tree. She reached out her hand trembling, to the branch, then Oliver who was standing behind gently took her hand and they hooked a bird together and then a second one on the tree.
Oliver turned back his face towards Shane.
"I'd forgotten how nice it was to do that." Shane said with a smile.
"You see, it just takes a little." He said.
She walked over to Oliver and kissed him on the cheek to thank him.
That's when the doors of the DLO opened.
"Hey, we're back !" Rita exclaimed.
"And we have the Christmas present. The lady at the store even gift-wrapped it." Norman added with a smile.
"Norman, Rita, great job. We should finish the inventory and then we can go deliver. " Oliver declared.
The POstables sorted, tidied up and finished the inventory.
It was 6:00 p.m. when the postal detective looked at his watch.
"Perfect, it's time to deliver. Miss McInerney, would you please, accompany me. And in the meantime, Norman and Rita, please, would you be so kind as to check if those last two boxes have been sorted at the terminal annex." Oliver said.
"No problem, we'll take care of everything! See you later." Rita exclaimed winking at Oliver as he left the office with Shane.
Oliver and Shane were walking in Park Hill on 23rd Avenue. They walked a block before arriving at a house with a red gate. They were about to arrive at the front door when they heard several voices and laughter.
"There must be a lot of people. And everyone seems to be having a good time," Shane remarked.
Oliver sighed and rang the doorbell.
A man opened the door.
"Good evening... Kids, stop run around ! ... Sorry about that. Can I help you?" The man asked.
"Good evening. I'm Oliver O'Toole and this is my colleague. We work in the Dead Letter Office of the United states postal service. Are you Mr. Falk?" Oliver asked.
"Yes, I am. This is my house." The man replied.
"That's fine. We've come to deliver a Christmas present, following a letter that your son sent." Oliver explains.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have a son. I have two daughters, Lilly and Rose, who are 11 and 8 years old." Mr. Falk replied.
"The description in the letter, with the red gate, is right here." Oliver said.
"He may be a nephew of yours, Jonathan Falk." Shane asked.
"Did that letter mention white roller skates ?" Falk asked.
"Yes !" Shane and Oliver exclaimed.
"Wow! My God. It's a Christmas miracle! I can't believe you found my letter." Mr. Falk exclaimed.
"Wait, you're Jonathan Falk" Shane exclaimed, surprised.
"Yes, that's me. I wrote this letter in December 1981. Apparently my letter got lost. It's amazing to find it again after all this time."Jonathan said.
"Please allow us to deliver your gift very, very, very late. I'm sorry, but I think the skate size is small. We thought it was for a little boy." Shane said as she handed him the gift.
"No worries. I really appreciate it. You know every adult always keeps a child's soul. I would love to teach my daughter how to roller skate. It's crazy to receive a gift from the post office after so many years. It will make a great Christmas story to tell tonight as a family. Could I keep the letter" Jonathan asked as he picks up the package.
"It's my pleasure, please. Have a nice Christmas ".Oliver added as he handed him the letter.
"Thanks to you too. Goodbye." Jonathan says as he closed the door. "Darling, you'll never guess who just rang the doorbell. Postal workers found my letter to Santa that I wrote over thirty years ago and they delivered my gift today." He exclaimed on his way home.
Oliver and Shane smiled.
"Oliver, please don't quote Shakespeare tonight." Shane said with a smile.
"No, I wanted to quote something else. I don't make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether he be six or sixty. Walt Disney." Oliver said with a smile.
"It's already 7 p.m. Oliver, I have to go home. You are spending Christmas Eve with your father and Norman and Rita in their respective families. I don't want to hold you up. " Shane says.
"Fine, but before, I just have something to show you in the DLO ." Oliver declares.
TBC
Author's note: Thank you all for reading this chapter. The next chapter will be the last of this story. Take care and have all a good day . :)