Hello! I would just like to thank my good friend, Shinjite Florana, who gave me the idea for the hobo to save Lucy the way he did. She brought me out of my writer's block! Thank you!

P.S. I do not own the brand Emit Kelly. And I also do not own the lyrics to the song "Purpose" or the rights of "Avenue Q".

CHAPTER TWELVE: A TALK WITH DAD

The conductor felt it was best if we got back to the passenger car so the other kids wouldn't be totally freaked out. Personally, I didn't care what we did. As long as I got a piece of mind and got to relax for more than five seconds, I was all for whatever.

We had a hard time getting there, since it was kinda slippery. I suppose the conductor thought it was necessary to accompany the experience with a story.

"Years ago, on my first Christmas Eve run, I was up on the roof making my rounds when I slipped on the ice myself! It looked like I was done for, yet I did not fall off this train."

"Someone saved you?" Shannon asked.

"Or something."

I took a sharp breath. I knew instantly it was the hobo.

"An angel!" Shannon said.

"Maybe…" the conductor said, not really agreeing.

I guess Dad was thinking the same thing I was, cause he climbed down from the roof and started following the conductor. "Wait, wait! What did he look like? Did you see him?"

"No, sir! But sometimes seeing is believing. And sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

After that, a silence followed as we walked back to the car. On the way there, we passed through a car filled with all sorts of toys. I don't know about the others, but I was really uncomfortable in there. Especially when I saw an Emit Kelly doll.

I pushed ahead and made it to the passenger car. Shannon went on to the next one, but I was eager to ask the conductor something.

"Hey," I said. "Um…have you noticed something weird about Da-I mean, Chris?"

"No."

"Well…it seems that when he gives me a command…I have to do it."

"He must have some authority then," he remarked, walking away.

I rolled my eyes. Some help you are.

Dad came in and slammed the door shut. I guessed he got freaked out, too. And maybe it wasn't just because of the Emit Kelly.

"Um…hi," I said.

He looked at his feet and said nothing.

"What's wrong?"

"He's right."

"Whoa…who's right?"

He looked at me. "The hobo."

I looked from side to side. "Right about what?"

"That I'm a Scrooge. I'm killing Christmas."

"Oh, come on. You are not. Maybe that hobo has amazing reflexes…and, sure, maybe he knows a thing or two about…important stuff. But when it comes to you, I know he's one-hundred percent wrong."

"How can you know for sure?"

Well, what could I say to that? I know because I'm your future daughter?

"I know…because I can tell that you're a good person. All you need is a little nudge."

It sounded like the cheesiest thing I'd ever said, but I think it helped, because he gave me a smile.

"You missed it!" Eddy said, coming up to us. "We rode down some really sharp hills! And then we were on what looked like a frozen lake! But I know it was just an optical illusion caused by moonlight and atmosphere!"

"Um…I really don't care, kid-" I started.

Dad wasn't listening anymore. He was looking at the other passenger car.

"He said the train was actually on the ice!" Eddy went on. "But I said that was impossible! Because you can't put a train track-"

Dad went toward the door, me in tow.

"Hey, where are you going?" Eddy called after us.

But we were already in the other car.

...

When we got there, Shannon was spying on the little kid, who was singing a song about Christmas. Shannon joined in, and it sounded pretty good, I guess. I never saw the kid smile before, and he really looked…happy.

Shannon took him inside after that. I think she wanted to talk to him about something. But whatever the reason, I went out and watched the Aurora Borealis paint the sky with beautiful swirls.

"Wow," Dad breathed. "I've never seen it up close. It's so beautiful."

"Yeah," I said. I looked at him and smiled. For some reason, this moment was just…perfect. Watching the Northern Lights with my dad on some stupid magical train on Christmas Eve…it was a bit odd, but I liked it.

Dad noticed me looking at him. "What are you looking at?"

I kept smiling. "Nothing."

"Do you know something I don't?"

"Maybe…"

Dad looked down and picked up something shiny. "Hey, look! A penny!" He looked closely at it. "It's from the year I was born."

I found the perfect opportunity to ham up this musical moment. "It's a sign!" I sang loudly. I started to dance, but Dad got creeped out pretty quickly, so I stopped.

He laughed and shook his head. "There's something about you, Lucy…I don't know what…but you seem so familiar…" I shrugged. "You must know a lot of girls like me, is all."

He shook his head. "I…actually don't know a lot of people-let alone girls-like you. But…that's a good thing." He smiled. "Truthfully, as of right now…you're the only friend I've ever had."

That hit me deep. How was I supposed to answer? I mean, I had had a lot of friends in my life time. What was I supposed to do? Lie?

No. I couldn't do that to him. It was bad enough he couldn't know who I really was. So I took a deep breath and said the following:

"Well, truthfully for me…you're the best friend I've ever had."

He looked and looked at me for what seemed like forever. Then, out of nowhere, he hugged me. I could have sworn he started crying as he did so.

And as I hugged him back, I could have sworn that at that moment, we had no secrets between us and that he knew the truth.