Carol Anne clutched her stuffed puppy as she lay asleep on the couch. Lights from the Christmas tree filled the dim room with a warm glow, occasionally casting colorful shadows across the sleeping child. The night had grow long and the guests began to leave. They said their goodbyes and quietly walked passed Carol Anne. They softly wished her a Merry Christmas, making sure not to wake her on their way out. But she was sleeping so soundly, that she never heard them leave.
After the last guest left, Carol Anne’s mother picked her up off of the couch and carried her off to bed. She placed her daughter in bed and tucked her in snugly, just the way she liked it. Her mother then kissed her on the forehead and began to walk out of the room to tend to the rest of the house. But before she could close the door, she heard Carol Anne whisper out to her.
“Mommy,” she said, still half asleep, “Do you think it is too late to ask Santa for one last thing?”
“I don’t know honey,” her mother said, walking back toward Carol Anne and sitting down next to her on the bed. “It is Christmas Eve, and Santa is very busy tonight.”
“I know mommy, but there is just one more thing that I really want.”
“Okay sweetie,” her mother said, sensing something in her child’s voice that made her realize that this last gift was very important to her. “Tell mommy what it is and I will try to call Santa and let him know. But try to understand that it may have to wait until after Christmas. Santa may have already left the North Pole and he has a lot of presents to give out...”
“Mommy...” Carol Anne said as she rolled over on to her side and began to fall back asleep. “My last wish for Santa... Is to see Daddy again...”
“Honey I don’t...” Carol Anne’s mother did not know what to say. So she leaned over, kissed her baby again, and then whispered, “I’ll tell him. But now it’s time for bed. Good night.”
Her mother kissed her one last time as Carol Anne fell back asleep with a smile on her little face. She the walked quietly out of the room and closed the door behind her. She then leaned with her back against the wall, wiped the tears forming in her eyes, and whispered to herself, “It’s my wish too...” After a moment, she composed herself and started getting the house ready for Christmas morning.
The night moved along as Carol Anne slept peacefully in her bed. She dreamt of opening presents and playing with her new toys. Eventually she began to toss and turn as her excitement began to build. Then, around 3:00 in the morning, Carol Anne found herself awake, too excited to fall back asleep. She struggled for a little while, but she could not seem to keep her eyes closed.
The excitement finally overcame her; she had to see if Santa was there. So she got out of bed and crept quietly toward the door. She carefully turned the knob to avoid waking her mother, and then slipped through the barely opened door. She inched through the dark hallway, unwilling to turn on the lights. She moved along steadily until she saw a faint glow coming from the living room. She nervously stopped in her tracks. Her first thought was that Santa might be there now; and if he caught her out of bed, he would not leave any presents. So she stood perfectly still, listening to see if Santa was really there.
There was no noise. “Mommy must have left the tree lights on again,” she thought as she continued on her quest. Each step filled her with more and more anticipation. She starting moving as fast as she could while still keeping quiet. Within a few short moments, she reached the living room entrance. She quickly turned the corner, only to find herself face-to-face with a tall, strange man.
“Hello Carol Anne,” the man said as he stood in the middle of the room, silhouetted by the light from the tree.
Carol Anne thought she recognized the man, but she was not sure. She looked at him cautiously as her eyes adjusted to the light. As his image became clearing, a huge smile moved across her face.
“Daddy!” she screamed, running toward her father’s open arms.
“I’ve missed you Carol Anne,” her father said as he bent down and picked up his little girl.
“I miss you too Daddy,” Carol Anne said while she buried her head into her father’s chest. It had been two years since she had last seen him, so she couldn’t have been happier.
Neither of them could speak for the next few minutes. They were both happy just to see each other again. The both hugged one another, trying to make up for the lost time. Finally, her father began walking toward the couch.
“Daddy,” Carol Anne started to ask as he carried her toward the couch, “are you going to live with me and mommy again?”
“I can’t stay here long, honey,” her father said as he sat down on the couch and setting her in his lap, “but I think I have time to read you your favorite story. Would you like that.”
“I would I would!” Carol Anne said excitedly. She had always loved when her father read to her. Especially when he did the voiced for all the characters.
So they sat together on the couch while Carol Anne’s father read to her. Soon, Carol Anne grew sleepy and began to rub her eyes. She tried to force herself to stay awake, but hearing her father’s voice proved to be too comforting. It was not long before she was fast asleep in his lap.
After her father finished the story, he gently laid her on the couch and covered her up with a blanket. He then stood and whispered “Merry Christmas, Carol Anne. Of all the angels I have even seen, you are by far the most precious.”
Carol Anne woke up the next morning to the gentle sound of her mother calling her name. At first she was disoriented, forgetting that she had fallen asleep on the couch.
“Merry Christmas, Carol Anne,” her mother said as her daughter began to realize it was Christmas. “Looks like someone couldn’t wait to see if Santa came.”
That’s when Carol Anne looked around and saw all of the presents. She quickly leapt off the couch and began to open her gifts. Her mother smiled as Carol Anne happily ripped off the wrapping paper, revealing the treasure inside. Carol Anne’s enthusiasm was infectious.
Once all of the presents were opened, Carol Anne began thinking about what she would play with first. As she looked over her new toys, she noticed that her mother had not opened her presents yet.
“Mommy, you should opened your presents,” Carol Anne said while opening up one of her new toys. “Maybe Daddy got you something”
“Okay dear,” her mother said, not wanting to ruin the moment for her child.
Her mother started toward her small pile of presents, but stopped short when she saw two unfamiliar packages sitting on top. One was addressed to Carol Anne, the other addressed to her. She did not remember wrapping these presents, but she had been so busy this year, she figured she would remember once they were opened.
“Carol Anne dear, there’s one more gift for you to open,” her mother said, handing Carol Anne her last gift.
Excitedly, Carol Anne grabbed the gift and began to open it. She tore off the paper, leaving a small, green box in her hand. She then opened the box and pulled out a silver heart-shaped locket.
“Mommy, look,” Carol Anne exclaimed as she held up the locket.
Her mother did not buy that locket, nor could she remember anyone buying it for her. Confused, she opened her package and found that she was given the exact same locket. She slowly opened the locket and immediately tears started running down her face. Inside of the locket, there was a small picture of the three of them: Carol Anne, herself, and her husband. it was the last picture they all took together, before he passed away.
“What’s the matter mommy?” Carol Anne asked when she noticed that her mother was crying.
“Nothing sweetie. Mommy’s fine,” she said, trying to be strong for Carol Anne. “Did you have a good Christmas?”
“It was the best Christmas ever!” Carol Anne said while putting on her locket and climbing on the couch and hugging her mother. “I got everything I wanted. Even my last wish to Santa!”
Her mother looked down at her own locket and said, “I got my wish too.”
Carol Anne then hopped off of the couch and started playing with her new toys. While she played, her mother held the locket in her hand and whispered “thank you.” She then got off of the couch to join Carol Anne, smiling to see how happy her daughter was on this unforgettable Christmas morning.
After the last guest left, Carol Anne’s mother picked her up off of the couch and carried her off to bed. She placed her daughter in bed and tucked her in snugly, just the way she liked it. Her mother then kissed her on the forehead and began to walk out of the room to tend to the rest of the house. But before she could close the door, she heard Carol Anne whisper out to her.
“Mommy,” she said, still half asleep, “Do you think it is too late to ask Santa for one last thing?”
“I don’t know honey,” her mother said, walking back toward Carol Anne and sitting down next to her on the bed. “It is Christmas Eve, and Santa is very busy tonight.”
“I know mommy, but there is just one more thing that I really want.”
“Okay sweetie,” her mother said, sensing something in her child’s voice that made her realize that this last gift was very important to her. “Tell mommy what it is and I will try to call Santa and let him know. But try to understand that it may have to wait until after Christmas. Santa may have already left the North Pole and he has a lot of presents to give out...”
“Mommy...” Carol Anne said as she rolled over on to her side and began to fall back asleep. “My last wish for Santa... Is to see Daddy again...”
“Honey I don’t...” Carol Anne’s mother did not know what to say. So she leaned over, kissed her baby again, and then whispered, “I’ll tell him. But now it’s time for bed. Good night.”
Her mother kissed her one last time as Carol Anne fell back asleep with a smile on her little face. She the walked quietly out of the room and closed the door behind her. She then leaned with her back against the wall, wiped the tears forming in her eyes, and whispered to herself, “It’s my wish too...” After a moment, she composed herself and started getting the house ready for Christmas morning.
The night moved along as Carol Anne slept peacefully in her bed. She dreamt of opening presents and playing with her new toys. Eventually she began to toss and turn as her excitement began to build. Then, around 3:00 in the morning, Carol Anne found herself awake, too excited to fall back asleep. She struggled for a little while, but she could not seem to keep her eyes closed.
The excitement finally overcame her; she had to see if Santa was there. So she got out of bed and crept quietly toward the door. She carefully turned the knob to avoid waking her mother, and then slipped through the barely opened door. She inched through the dark hallway, unwilling to turn on the lights. She moved along steadily until she saw a faint glow coming from the living room. She nervously stopped in her tracks. Her first thought was that Santa might be there now; and if he caught her out of bed, he would not leave any presents. So she stood perfectly still, listening to see if Santa was really there.
There was no noise. “Mommy must have left the tree lights on again,” she thought as she continued on her quest. Each step filled her with more and more anticipation. She starting moving as fast as she could while still keeping quiet. Within a few short moments, she reached the living room entrance. She quickly turned the corner, only to find herself face-to-face with a tall, strange man.
“Hello Carol Anne,” the man said as he stood in the middle of the room, silhouetted by the light from the tree.
Carol Anne thought she recognized the man, but she was not sure. She looked at him cautiously as her eyes adjusted to the light. As his image became clearing, a huge smile moved across her face.
“Daddy!” she screamed, running toward her father’s open arms.
“I’ve missed you Carol Anne,” her father said as he bent down and picked up his little girl.
“I miss you too Daddy,” Carol Anne said while she buried her head into her father’s chest. It had been two years since she had last seen him, so she couldn’t have been happier.
Neither of them could speak for the next few minutes. They were both happy just to see each other again. The both hugged one another, trying to make up for the lost time. Finally, her father began walking toward the couch.
“Daddy,” Carol Anne started to ask as he carried her toward the couch, “are you going to live with me and mommy again?”
“I can’t stay here long, honey,” her father said as he sat down on the couch and setting her in his lap, “but I think I have time to read you your favorite story. Would you like that.”
“I would I would!” Carol Anne said excitedly. She had always loved when her father read to her. Especially when he did the voiced for all the characters.
So they sat together on the couch while Carol Anne’s father read to her. Soon, Carol Anne grew sleepy and began to rub her eyes. She tried to force herself to stay awake, but hearing her father’s voice proved to be too comforting. It was not long before she was fast asleep in his lap.
After her father finished the story, he gently laid her on the couch and covered her up with a blanket. He then stood and whispered “Merry Christmas, Carol Anne. Of all the angels I have even seen, you are by far the most precious.”
Carol Anne woke up the next morning to the gentle sound of her mother calling her name. At first she was disoriented, forgetting that she had fallen asleep on the couch.
“Merry Christmas, Carol Anne,” her mother said as her daughter began to realize it was Christmas. “Looks like someone couldn’t wait to see if Santa came.”
That’s when Carol Anne looked around and saw all of the presents. She quickly leapt off the couch and began to open her gifts. Her mother smiled as Carol Anne happily ripped off the wrapping paper, revealing the treasure inside. Carol Anne’s enthusiasm was infectious.
Once all of the presents were opened, Carol Anne began thinking about what she would play with first. As she looked over her new toys, she noticed that her mother had not opened her presents yet.
“Mommy, you should opened your presents,” Carol Anne said while opening up one of her new toys. “Maybe Daddy got you something”
“Okay dear,” her mother said, not wanting to ruin the moment for her child.
Her mother started toward her small pile of presents, but stopped short when she saw two unfamiliar packages sitting on top. One was addressed to Carol Anne, the other addressed to her. She did not remember wrapping these presents, but she had been so busy this year, she figured she would remember once they were opened.
“Carol Anne dear, there’s one more gift for you to open,” her mother said, handing Carol Anne her last gift.
Excitedly, Carol Anne grabbed the gift and began to open it. She tore off the paper, leaving a small, green box in her hand. She then opened the box and pulled out a silver heart-shaped locket.
“Mommy, look,” Carol Anne exclaimed as she held up the locket.
Her mother did not buy that locket, nor could she remember anyone buying it for her. Confused, she opened her package and found that she was given the exact same locket. She slowly opened the locket and immediately tears started running down her face. Inside of the locket, there was a small picture of the three of them: Carol Anne, herself, and her husband. it was the last picture they all took together, before he passed away.
“What’s the matter mommy?” Carol Anne asked when she noticed that her mother was crying.
“Nothing sweetie. Mommy’s fine,” she said, trying to be strong for Carol Anne. “Did you have a good Christmas?”
“It was the best Christmas ever!” Carol Anne said while putting on her locket and climbing on the couch and hugging her mother. “I got everything I wanted. Even my last wish to Santa!”
Her mother looked down at her own locket and said, “I got my wish too.”
Carol Anne then hopped off of the couch and started playing with her new toys. While she played, her mother held the locket in her hand and whispered “thank you.” She then got off of the couch to join Carol Anne, smiling to see how happy her daughter was on this unforgettable Christmas morning.
