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.
Oliver and Shane returned to the Denver Post Office and Shane entered the DLO first. The whole office had changed scenery.
"Hurry up and sit down, kids, or the food will get cold." Joe says with a smile.
"Oliver, what is this?" Shane exclaimed, surprised.
He came up behind her and whispered in her ear.
"In your letter, you asked for a happy family for Christmas. Well, here it is, just for you." Oliver said softly, smiling.
She smiled tenderly at him and they went to sit down.
"I can't believe you all sacrificed a family Christmas just for me." Shane exclaimed with tears in her eyes.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm going tomorrow. Plus, we're a real family too." Rita says.
"Yes, a family of POstables." Norman added with a smile.
" Shane, I hope you're hungry." Joe said, handing her a plate.
"Yes, I'm very hungry, thank you very much. I can't wait to find out where all this came from ."Shane asks.
"Oh, the table is from the terminal annex, the cutlery from the Mailbox Grille, the bouquet of flowers is from Bobby and Ellie Kempert's flower store. The drink is me and Rita, the food is from Donatello's restaurant, except for the dessert from Montaldo's and..." Norman explains.
"And the whole idea and organization came from Oliver." Rita added.
"Thanks all of your." Shane declared with a smile.
"I wish you all a good appetite." Joe said.
Everyone ate and everyone told stories or anecdotes.
After the meal, everyone was sitting down when Shane stood up.
"Can we all take a picture with the tree together? That's what we used to do as a family." Shane asked.
Everyone got up and stood next to the tree and Shane took out her cell phone. She set the time on her phone to make a selfie.
"You can take pictures of all of us with your phone, it's very ingenious, Miss McInerney." Oliver remarked.
"Oliver, everything is ingenious with new technology."Shane smiled. "Attention, everyone is ready... Three, two, one..." Shane said.
"Cheese !" Everyone exclaimed.
"It's a beautiful picture !" Joe remarked.
Shane was still looking at the picture on her cell phone.
"Shane, we're waiting for you, to open the gifts. I tried to pick something that would make you all happy." Joe declared.
Everyone opened their gift.
"The Battle of Life written by Charles Dickens. Thank you so much Dad." Oliver exclaimed.
"I can't believe it! It's the replica of the Jumanji board game. I've always dreamed of having it. Thank you very much Mr. O'Toole." Norman exclaimed.
"A bedside lamp in the shape of an owl. It's just perfect for my room. It's a wonderful gift !"Rita added.
Shane unwrapped her gift with a smile.
"A connected watch, perfect for jogging, and a backup battery for the phone, perfect for work. Thank you so much Mr. O'Toole. You know me very well." Shane said with a smile.
"It was a pleasure, kids. I had a wonderful evening with all of you. I have to go. Santa Joe has still some presents in his car to deliver in Boulder. Have a good evening." Papa Joe declared.
Everyone greeted Joe.
"Wait for Dad, I'll walk you to the exit." oliver said.
Oliver accompanied his father out of the post office.
"I had a very nice Christmas Eve, son"." Joe remarked.
" By the way, don't forget to look at your mailbox when you get home. Good night dad. I'll see you tomorrow." Oliver said.
"See you tomorrow, son." Joe said giving him a hug before he left.
Oliver watched him walk away and then walked down the long post office corridor back to the DLO.
"Good evening Oliver, congratulations." A voice said.
The postal detective stopped and turned around.
"What surprise ! Jordan Marley." Oliver exclaimed.
"I was not far from the post office, so I came to see you. I'm glad you took good care of the child in this letter. The wounds of a broken heart take the longest to heal. You have brought joy and hope to Shane's heart. And that is the greatest gift you can give her. Keep to trust the timing." Jordan said with a smile.
"I couldn't agree more. Would you like to accompany me to the DLO?" Oliver asked politely.
"It would be my pleasure, Oliver, but I only came to deliver this message. I have to leave. You know what, letters in a Christmas tree, what a wonderful idea. See you soon." Jordan Marley said with a smile before leaving.
The postal detective smiled, entered the DLO, where everyone was still looking at their presents, and then walked over to the record player to turn it on.
"So, who would like to dance?" Oliver asked.
"I'd rather play Jumanji with Rita." Norman said.
"Really? Don't get lost in the jungle." Shane laughed.
"Miss McInerney, would you do me the honor," Oliver said as he walked towards before reaching out his hand.
"With pleasure Mr. O'Toole... Isn't it late to dance?" Shane asked.
"It's not yet midnight." Oliver replied with a smile.
That's when Shane laughed.
"So, Norman, what does the message on the card say?" Rita asked.
"They come every night to disturb your sleep. Beware of their needle Or you will fall into a deep sleep." Norman read.
"I love this game, it's so exciting." Rita exclaimed.
"I love it too. You know Rita, I've always wanted to share a Christmas gift with you. And I'm happy to do it tonight." Norman said with a smile.
"Me too, Norman." Rita said with a smile.
"I have to admit that I wasn't expecting a Christmas Eve like this. I'm curious how you came up with this brilliant idea." Shane asked with a smile.
" I was watching snowflakes fall." Oliver answered, laughing as he spinned her." The DLO is a second home for all of us. Everyone was thrilled and looking forward to this surprise Christmas Eve evening. I know that you still don't believe in miracles, but I..."
"Oliver, today you brought me a lot of hope and allowed me to reconnect with events from my past." Shane declared.
"Hey ! Come see this, there are letters with our names on the tree. They were really well hidden." Norman exclaimed.
That's when Shane stopped dancing, then headed towards the tree.
"Oliver, is this from your father?" Rita asked.
"I don't think so. I think the person who made this wants us to read them." Norman deduced.
"To tell you the truth, those are the letters in the Christmas tree. It's a family tradition. I wanted to give them to you. It's my Christmas present." Oliver says with a smile.
"Oliver, can we read them now?" Rita asked impatiently.
The postal detective smiled and nodded. Everyone opened their envelopes.
Dear Rita,
This few lines to say that I am very grateful to have a little sister like you.
Your incredible memory for the past and the future is such a wonderful gift that must be preserved.
But what is most important is the person you are.
You are a sparkling person, funny, full of kindness, always cheerful, full of good humor and you love owls.
You are always there to listen or give advice.
You always see the good side of things no matter what the situation is and you bring so much to the POstables.
I'm so glad you made your dreams come true: Writing a novel and participating in Miss Special Delivery.
I'm delighted to have you as a colleague and friend.
And I wish you, my dearest sister Rita, a life filled with joy and happiness at every moment.
With my sincerest feelings.
Oliver O'Toole.
Dear Norman,
When I told you at the Park Hill branch that you had a real gift, I still mean it. And I think all your cousins would agree with me.
You're nice, funny, inventive and you have a huge heart!
You're always so caring, kind, intelligent and passionate about your work.
Your knowledge and ideas are incredible.
You love life and the world around you, and every day you are ready to make us discover it.
Always stay the way you are!
I am delighted, dear Norman, to count you as a friend and especially as a brother.
I wish you all the happiness possible.
With all my friendship and my sincerest feelings.
Oliver O'Toole.
Dear Miss McInerney,
There's no good way to meet, but meeting you at the Denver Bean House Coffee was for me a real fairy tale.
Your arrival in Denver was a true miracle for all of us.
Your skills allowed us to deliver so many lost letters and to see that our mission went beyond just delivering the mail. That's what you taught us.
You are a wonderful person to everyone here.
To me, you are much more than that.
You are adorable, generous, loving and trustworthy person.
You have accepted me as I am, with my qualities and faults and you have brought so much in my life.
Because perfect love brings hope.
Today, I have hope , to share a common future with someone.
For Christmas, I open my heart to you, to tell you that I sincerely love you.
I wish you my dearest Shane, to always spend moments of happiness and love in your life.
With my most distinguished feelings.
Sincerely.
Oliver O'Toole.
"Oliver, I have never received such a beautiful letter." Rita said with tears in her eyes.
"Oliver, this letter means a lot to me. No one has ever said this to me before. You are my best friend. I'm glad to have a brother like you." Norman says.
"This is the most beautiful letter I have ever received in my life," Shane said with tears in her eyes.
"I'm glad you all like these letters. I wrote them with my heart and thought about every word I wrote." Oliver said with a smile.
"Thank you for everything Oliver. We had a wonderful evening. I'm going to go, because I have a plane in the morning. I will be my parents' gift. Besides, that's what they tell me all the time. I'll see you next week." Rita says with a smile.
"Yes, I'm going to go too. I'll see you next week with new cousins. See you soon. " Norman said before leaving the office with Rita.
"They're really sweet together." Shane said as Oliver served two glasses of yoo-hoo and handed Shane a glass.
"Some things don't change, like drinking Yoo-hoo on Christmas Eve. Tell me, Oliver, where does this tradition of letters on the Christmas tree come from?" Shane asked.
"From my grandparents. They used to write letters and hang them on a tree. At the age of 13, after my parents divorced, we spent Christmas at my grandmother's house. She told me this story and we each wrote a letter. She said that the greatest gift you can receive from someone is the words in their heart. Is everything all right ?" Oliver asked.
"It's a beautiful memory. Sometimes I wish I could go back to the past to avoid being hard on Christmas and doing wrong. Someday I hope to have my mom and sister sitting next to me for Christmas dinner." Shane answered.
"Shane, you always have to believe and hope because you never know what the future holds." Oliver said, with a smile.
"That's right, trust the timing." Shane added with a smile.
Epilogue
~ Two years later.~
One Saturday, Shane, all smiles, finished decorating the Christmas tree. She then hung an envelope in the tree, looking at her wedding ring. It was her first Christmas since her marriage.
As she walked to the kitchen, she heard keys being turned in the lock of the front door.
"Honey, I'm home !" Oliver exclaimed as he walked home.
He took off his coat, put down his satchel and turned to Shane. He smiled and then walked towards her.
"Good evening Oliver, I missed you. Did you have a good day?"
"Good evening my love, I missed you today." Oliver said, kissing her tenderly.
"So did our postal detective do his job?" Shane asked with a smile.
"Yes, he did. We saved the Santa Letter Project. All the children were able to receive their gifts in time. I hope you don't blame me for going to work today. What about you?" Oliver asked.
"I totally understand. I had time to wrap presents, make cookies, bake the turkey in the oven, it's a recipe from my mom and write you a nice letter that I hung on the tree. If you could just help me set the table. " Shane said.
"With pleasure, my love. Then my dad will join us. By the way, we should set two more places for tonight." Oliver declared as he set the table with Shane.
"We're expecting special guests?" Shane asked.
That's when the front door rang and Shane opened it.
"Hi Shane, nice to see you. I brought you a surprise." Joe said as he entered with two suitcases.
"My goodness! Alex, mom." Shane exclaimed, taking them in her arms.
"Shane, darling, you look so beautiful. Let's go inside or you'll catch a cold." Mrs. McInerney said.
" Hi Shane! I know last Christmas we were able to be here. Since you got married this summer, you look even more so radiant." Alex said as she hugged her.
"Thank you so much Alex. I'm so glad you two are here. But how?" Shane asked, wiping away her tears.
"You have a wonderful husband and father-in-law. They took care of everything. This year, we wanted to spend Christmas with family." Her mother declared.
That's when Shane turned to Oliver, her eyes full of gratitude and tenderness.
"You just have to trust the timing and your wishes become true." Oliver said with a smile.
The end.
Author's note: Thank you all for reading this story. :)