CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: THE FIRST GIFT

I honestly had so much trouble containing the joy that suddenly welled up within me.

I believed! I really believed! After thirteen years, I finally believed!

Dad turned around suddenly, and there, in front of us, was Santa Claus himself.

I was just like, Whoa… I mean…it was SANTA. And if you meet Santa in person…well, you're kind of at a loss for words.

"What was that you said?" he asked Dad in his low voice. I noticed that besides his red suit and beard, he was…glowing.

"I…I believe," Dad stuttered. "I believe." He looked at the bell and back to Santa. "I believe that…this is yours." He handed over the bell.

Santa took it and looked it over. "Well…thank you."

He suddenly turned to me. Now I was like, Snap, he's going to bust me for hating him for thirteen years.

"Hello, Lucy," he said.

"Um…hi…" I said, a bit nervous.

"I understand you've recently…changed."

I stared at him. How did he know?

He laughed. "I'm not accusing you. I just wanted to say congratulations. It takes a lot of courage and self-perseverance to undergo that kind of change, not to mention accept it. And it also takes a lot of courage to help those you care about most." He winked at me and smiled.

It took me a few seconds (Hey! I'm really slow on the uptake sometimes!), but then I realized that he knew. He knew about me and Dad. Whoa. I guess he DID know everything.

"Me! Me! Pick me, Santa!" Eddy called.

"Shh!" Shannon hissed. "What are you doing? Stop it!"

"Pick me! Pick me! I want the First Gift!"

I giggled. Unlike me…some things never changed.

"Young man," Santa said to him. "Patience. And a…smidgen of humility might also serve you well."

It took all my energy to not start laughing.

"Yes, sir," Eddy said.

Santa turned to Shannon. "And you, young lady. Lady of decision. Full of confidence and spirit…Christmas Spirit. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Santa then turned to Billy. "And Billy…it is Billy?"

Billy nodded.

"I see you made some new friends."

Billy looked at all of us. "Yes, sir, I sure have."

"You're a lucky lad. There's no greater gift than friendship." He turned to the crowd of elves. "And speaking of gifts…let's have this young fellow right here." He pointed at my dad.

Dad's eyes bugged out of his head as the crowd began to cheer. He turned to us, his mouth open. I laughed and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Take a picture, it'll last longer," I said jokingly.

He was carried up by some elves. He climbed into the sleigh tentatively and stood by Santa. I couldn't hear them, because they were so far away, but I had a feeling what my dad was asking for…

And, sure enough, about a minute later, Santa held up the bell that had fallen off the sleigh. "THE FIRST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS!" And then the crowd roared once again.

I felt some tears run down my face as my smile grew and grew. But I didn't stop them this time. Because instead of the tears being from frustration and pain…they were from the joy I had in my heart.

We heard the clock start to ring. It was midnight. It's about time…I thought.

Dad climbed down from the sleigh and made his way back towards us. Obviously, since he got the First Gift, Eddy wanted to talk to him and everything. But Dad ignored this. He smiled at all of us and then gave me a hug.

"Whoa…" I said, caught off-guard. "What's this for?"

He let go and smiled. "I believe…that I forgot to commend you for finally believing in Christmas."

I couldn't help but smile. "Well…I believe that I forgot to do the same for you, mister." I don't know what made me do it, but I kissed him on the cheek.

"Wow," Eddy said. "Are you two together or something?"

We turned to each other and recoiled. "Oh, ewwww!" the two of us said together. And then we all laughed.

It was finally time for Santa to leave. We watched him fly around the square a few times before disappearing in a cloud of Christmas magic. Some of the magic dust floated down, looking just like snowflakes.

"It's everything I dreamed it would be," Shannon said.

"Could all this be nothing but a dream?" Billy asked me.

I smiled and turned to Dad. I nodded, telling him he was the one to answer that. He gladly answered the question with the following:

"No."