One Small Wish: Day 11

Word Count: 66,036

Summary of Events:

Fancy was making supper when Shelena's dad came over and gave her three tickets to go see a new kids' movie in theatres, which she accepted. Vaughan accompanied his grandparents to the home of his only maternal aunt and uncle who also lived in Portland for their Christmas gathering and got introduced to his abundant and largely unknown side of the family. Eirenna was wondering what she should do to make bedtime show up faster when she was informed that they were going to see a movie, which she had never done before. Vaughan, with the aid of Shelena's dad, delivered everything Eirenna had asked for and set up the Christmas tree . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Finally, Vaughan set the three presents, labelled in Grandma's neat cursive, on the skirt underneath the tree.

He crossed his arms and looked at the tree with satisfaction. For being the first Christmas tree he'd ever decorated, he thought he'd done a bang-up job. He was glad there were no women immediately present to critique him on it, though. Even if they didn't like it, he did, and he wanted to be able to bask in that for as long as he could.

"That's it?" Mr. Bain asked.

"Yes," Vaughan replied.

"Well then let's get out of here," Mr. Bain said.

Vaughan put his coat back on, reaching in the pocket to double-check that the note little Miss Maple had stuck to the front door was still there. The indomitable hope and optimism of children in its purest form was in that note, and Vaughan intended to keep the note for awhile, at least, to remember this.

Mr. Bain locked the door while Vaughan walked to his car.

"Thank you very much for your help Mr. Bain," Vaughan said. "I hope that you have a Merry Christmas."

"You too," Mr. Bain said, shaking Vaughan's hand.

Vaughan slipped into his car and started it before slowly and carefully reversing out of the driveway as Mr. Bain watched him.

He wasn't sure if Mr. Bain trusted him all that much more than he had when he'd first stopped by, but he was pretty sure Mr. Bain did trust him a little bit more, and that he'd genuinely meant his reciprocation.

And, even if he'd had to be tortured with the visits of what he was told was more than a thousand spoiled brats for the past month, and even though he'd had to deal with the costume, makeup, film crew, and other annoyingness that had been the delivering of the other gifts earlier, Vaughan had to say, this was probably one of the best Christmases he'd ever had.

Sure, he hadn't had a present at Uncle Joseph and Aunt Theresa's, but he'd been an unexpected guest, and sure he was probably just going to get more ties, watches, wallets, cell phone covers, or other things that looked remotely prestigious and lawyerly tomorrow — much less having to deal with the dysfunctional family that was Dad's side — but Vaughan really didn't feel like that mattered.

In fact, he could see what had been meant by whoever had first spoken the adage — which may well have even been Jesus — that it was better to give than to receive. He felt like nothing could ruin this Christmas because of the fact that he knew he'd given something that could well be considered the world to a little girl and her family who really, truly, genuinely deserved it. Even suffering through all that tomorrow would bring, he felt, wouldn't really be all that bad because of what he'd just done."