Christmas Gifts

Tracy's breath puffed little white clouds into the frosty air before her. She rubbed her gloved hands together as she walked in the darkness on the damp lawn.

Suddenly, a flicker of light flashed through the dark. Tracy smiled.

Dancing reindeer, inflatable Santas, and twinkling rainbow lights lit up the yard. They cast a glow on Tracy's face as she watched Link run out from his house, having flipped a switch within.

"So, Trace, whaddya think?"

"Oh, Link, it's beautiful," she gasped, elated he had remembered her love of Christmas lights. She enveloped him in a bear hug.

"I was inspired," he told her. "C'mon. I wanna take you somewhere."

"Where are we going?" she prodded.

He feigned innocence. "Just for a drive, doll. Wherever the road takes us, I guess."

She eyed the box sitting on his lap.

"Can I at least have one of the candy canes?"

"Sorry, but, ah…"
"I'm hungry!" she complained, punching his arm.

"Only those on Santa's nice list get one," he teased in a deep voice.

Tracy sat primly, straight as a rod, with her hands folded neatly in her lap.

"How's this?"

"Good enough. I'm impressed," he laughed.

"Yay!" She hungrily reached for one.

Since he wasn't going to give her any information on their destination, she decided to annoy it out of him.

"Are we there yet?"

Link raised an eyebrow, but his gaze did not stray from the road. "Nope."

"Now?" she wheedled.

"No," he growled.

"Now?"

"Be quiet. I can't concentrate."

She obeyed. Reluctantly.

"All right," he said, after a few moments. "Now we're here."

"Where is 'here'?" she asked doubtfully.

"You'll see."
Stumbling blindly up a hill, Tracy finally saw the lights of a lone house. Far from looking sad in its solitude, though, it radiated color. The display of lights and lawn decorations was even grander than that of Link's house. She put a hand to her mouth, in awe of its splendor. Link squeezed her other hand, clasped in his.

"So?"

"I'm sorry for bothering you early," she whispered finally.

"Oh, it's all right."

"Can we get a little closer? It looks like the house's owner is out there. I was going to congratulate him on his beautiful decorating job."

"You read my mind," Link replied, a grin flashing white in the darkness.

As they continued to trudge up the hill, Tracy shivered. Link squeezed her hand again in acknowledgment and draped his old Corny Collins Show jacket over her shoulders. She smiled up at him gratefully.

"Thanks, Link," she said. "And… thanks for bringing me here."

"No problem, doll." He kissed the top of her head. "And I had a delivery to make, anyway."

She looked at him questioningly.

"Ho ho ho?" he replied, tentative.

Soon, they were weaving through the maze of lawn decorations that led up to the house. To Tracy's surprise, the house looked rather dilapidated – old and crumbly, like the old man settled sleepily on the rocking chair placed on its porch.

"He… he's alive – right?" she asked slowly.

Link tapped the man gently, unaffected. "Oh, yeah. He just dozes off sometimes." He leaned down to the old man's ear. "Chaaaaarlie… Chaaaaaarlie…" he called softly.

The old man stirred.

"Link?" he asked groggily, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, hello, Mr. Larkin. Who's this?" he added slyly, eyeing Tracy with a wink.

"This is Tracy. She's a very… big part of my life."

Charlie nodded sagely.

"I brought you something, Charlie," Link announced. He pulled the box of candy canes from behind his back and handed it, smiling, to the old man. "A Christmas gift."

"Why, thank you, son," Charlie responded, beaming as he placed the box on a table next to him. "Much obliged."

"You're welcome. Thought your supply might be running low tonight."

The old man shook his head sadly.

"Actually, I haven't had that many visitors this year. No carolers… nothin'."

"So you're out here alone on Christmas Eve?" Tracy gasped.

Charlie nodded again.

"Don'tcha just wanna give him a hug?" Tracy cooed, rushing forward to do so as Charlie blushed and accepted the embrace.

"Well, we can still use 'em," Link suggested, nodding towards the candy canes to change the subject, as all were clearly embarrassed.

"Sure we can," Charlie agreed. He snapped one open to suck on, while Tracy and Link followed suit.

"Hey, Charlie," Link said, a candy cane piece inserted into his cheek. "There's something moving over there." He pointed, and winked at Tracy.

"You don't say!" Charlie peered down at the shadowy shapes cresting the hill.

"You got visitors after all!" Tracy cried. "Lots of them!"

Sure enough, large groups of children were approaching, eager to enjoy a Christmas candy cane, a view of the amazing light display, and a story or two. Tracy recognized them as the little kids that had been playing in the yards around Link's neighborhood earlier that day. Charlie smiled, even as his eyes teared up. He tried to thank Link, but Link just put his hand up.

"It's the least I could do, Charlie," he interrupted. "For all the joy you've given others… I thought you could use a little Christmas joy yourself."

Charlie nodded gratefully, and pride welled up in Tracy at Link's generosity.

"All right, lil' darlin', looks like Charlie's got some other kids to attend to. We should go," Link decided, patting Tracy's hand.

"Oh. Of course," Tracy agreed quickly.

"Thanks for stopping by, kids. I really appreciate it," said Charlie, as they stood.

"It was our pleasure," Link insisted.

"Merry Christmas, Charlie," Tracy added, softly.

Charlie winked at her, and the couple walked hand-in-hand back to the car, passing droves of children.

"That was so nice, Link," Tracy murmured, sitting.

"You think that was all?" Link guffawed.

Tracy was taken aback.

"Well, yes! It's almost ten o'clock! What'll my parents say?"

"Don't worry, doll," Link crooned. "I've already talked to them about it."

"Okay," Tracy sighed. "I'm just so… sleep—OW!"

She opened her eyes as something cold and wet landed on the tip of her nose. It hadn't hurt, just surprised her. As more of the same landed, all over her face, she realized that they were falling snowflakes.

"Oh, Link! It's going to be a white Christmas!" she squealed.

"Perfect, huh?"

She grinned, and he started the car. Snow was now swiftly falling onto he road in front of them as they began to drive away.

"Trace, you remember that one year in high school when we were rehearsing for our school's production of Romeo and Juliet, and it started to snow outside?" He pulled over to finish his story. "We were reading that one line were they were meeting for the first time, and Mrs. Johnson let us stop and go play in the snow?"

She groaned in reply.

"Why are you talking about Shakespeare after we graduated?"

Link went on unhindered.

"Remember what I said to you? There's that one line, where he tells her kissing her could take away his sin, because she's an angel," he whispered, right next to Tracy's ear. "I said, 'Don't you think it would be romantic to make snow angels, and kiss?'"

A smile of recognition lit Tracy's face. "'At the same time?'" she quoted herself.

Link grinned. "'Sure, why not?'" Then he pushed her sprawling out into the snow.

"I don't remember that part!" Tracy cried. As she spat out a mouthful of snow, she lay flat on her back and looked up in mock anger at her boyfriend. "Now get out and help me up, Romeo!"

"Not until you make an angel," Link demanded.

She halfheartedly wiggled in the snow.

"All right," Link shrugged, and jumped out. He put his hand out to pull Tracy up, but she hauled him down into he snow with her and planted a warm kiss onto his chilled lips.

"Happy?" she asked.

"Definitely," he smiled.

"Good," she said. "Now eat SNOW!" She shoved him down, laughing, and stood.

"Gee, look what I found in the snow!" he exclaimed, wielding a small black box. "Why, it's a … ring."

"Oh my God," Tracy gasped, speechless.

"You think I quote Shakespeare for fun?" Link joked. "I was trying to impress you, doll. Be romantic and all that."

"Oh my God," she repeated.

"'Tell me, daughter Juliet, how stands your disposition to be married?'" Link asked.

Tracy started to cry.

"It's your line, doll," he reminded her, grinning.

"'It… it is an honor I not dream of,'" she managed.

"Enough with the play," Link decided, miming throwing a script away. "This is real. And it's happening now, doll. I just need an answer." He tenderly took her hand in his, poised to place the ring upon it.

"Yes!" Tracy cried, feeling the ring slip on, and Link grab her up in an embrace. They kissed again, Tracy still crying happily.

She pointed up to the sky, where a shooting star was passing above them. Tracy sighed blissfully.

"Make a wish," she breathed.

"I already got it," Link smiled. "Merry Christmas, doll. Merry Christmas."

Happy holidays, everyone!