A
family gets together between the blazing fire and sparkling Christmas tree.
Presents are passes around to everyone gathered around. Everyone except one
little girl. She’s new to the family. Her new mommy and daddy just brought her
home last week. The noise and people and laughter are overwhelming. She’s never
seen so many people in one place before and certainly never so boisterous. No
one seems to notice her as she’s introduced to “your new cousin” and “your new
grandma.” The other children giggle, surrounded by brightly decorated parcels
She
timidly walks to stand behind the old man in the Santa had passing out the
gifts and taps him on the shoulder. She looks at him with a question in her
eye. He shrugs and continues to hand out gifts. She goes to the corner and sits
there, tears trying desperately to spill over and smear her cheeks with their
saltiness.
After
presents are handed out, eggnog is passed around as people tell stories of
Christmas past. The little girls is left alone, even by her new mommy and
daddy. She sits politely, hands folded in her lap and listening, still
struggling not to cry. As the party winds down and people leave, her new mommy
picks her up and moves her by the door so she can tell everyone “Bye” and thank
them for coming over. They wander through the door, barely acknowledging her
existence, until a strange looking child approaches her, face distorted through
her tears.
He
stops and stands in front of her. For a moment, she’s not sure what she’s
supposed to do, then he hands her a small stuffed bear that he had been
clutching tightly. Her tears finally come, rushing from her eyes in torrents.
They aren’t tears of sadness, but tears of joy because one little boy had the
heart to notice the newest member of his family.
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