The Twelve Stories of Christmas: Day 7

Here is Day 7! This is from the point of view of Abigail Kiral and I would say that if you haven't read the first book yet, spoiler alert! Otherwise, enjoy!

The Twelve Stories of Christmas - Day 7 Abigail Kiral

I watched my darling little girl play on the floor of her nursery. It was the morning of her fourth Christmas and though she had experience three before it, she had no idea what was coming. She was only four months for the one and the other two she was still too little to truly understand what was going on, but for this one I could not wait to see how her eyes would light up when she saw all those presents under the tree.

“Ella,” I called to her.

“Mommy! It’s Christmas mommy!” She ran up to me and pulled me along to where she had been sitting and playing with her dolls.

“Yes, I know my little robin.”

She giggled and covered her mouth with her hands. “Why do you call me that mommy?”

“Call you what?”

“Call me robin,” she said handing me a doll. I had to play back of course, but it was no chore for me. She was so lively and her energy was catching.

“Because you have the fiery heart of the robins and brown hair.”

“That’s a silly reason mommy!” she laughed.

“Oh is it?” I grabbed her and tickled as fast as I could.  She squealed in laughter and tried to escape my arms, but I had too far a reach and she was laughing too hard to run.

“And what is this?” We looked up, seeing Edward standing in the doorway.

“Daddy!” Ella lunged from my arms and tackled her father around the knees.

“Ella, careful,” I cautioned, but Edward just laughed and waved me off.

“Let her be, my love.” He looked down at Ella with such love that my heart grew with such pride that I could feel a lump of tears.

“Daddy, it’s Christmas!”

“That it is my dear, and do you know what that means?”

She let him go and took a step back, her face having turned serious. “I sure do daddy. The priests told me the Christmas story last Sunday.”

“Oh, did you like the story Ella?”

“Yes! It was beautiful and I liked that baby Jesus was placed in straw.”

“And why is that?”

“Because straw smells good and it must taste good too if all the horse’s eat it so much. He should be placed in the best.” Edward threw back his head and laughed and I smiled, standing and walking over to her, petting her pretty little head.

“That is a good answer Ella. A very good one indeed, but do you know how we celebrate Christmas now?”

She scrunched up her face and thought. “I don’t know.” She finally announced, “Sing in barns.”

“No,” I chuckled. “We give gifts.”

“Gifts?”

“Yes, in fact, your gifts are placed even now under a tree.”

“A tree?” she thought for a moment, but then she smiled. “The Christmas tree!” She sprinted from the room and tore down the hallway.

“I suppose we should follow her then.” Edward sighed.

“I blame you, you know,” I said taking his hand and leading him after our energetic daughter.

“My gift is out her mommy?” Ella, now five stood before me, walking toward the barn.

“Yes my robin. You will see.” She took off as she always did and I followed slowly. The pain was increasing now and soon I knew that I would have to limit my movements to the house. The doctor was still hopeful that whatever this was would go away with some rest, but I knew better. I knew it like one knew that the sun would rise in the east. I was dying. Nothing could stop it. Not the doctor and his medicines, or Edward and his reassurance and not even the love for my daughter, the strongest thing I had even experienced.

No, I was dying and I knew that unless I was lucky, this was my last Christmas, so I intended to make it a good one. For Ella and Edward. I worried for them best. I feared that Ella would never really know me and would even forget me in the end. But most of all, I feared that Edward would not survive my death and Ella would end up losing both of her parents all at once. I had made Edward promise me that he would not abandon Ella, but though he assured me so faithfully, I could tell that he had no idea what I truly spoke of.

So that was why I walked to the barn now. “Can I go in now mommy?” She had waited at the doors and seemed confused at my slowness.

“Of course my daughter.” She threw open the doors and instantly sent poor James flying backwards as he got hit by the door.

“Oof!” I looked at Ella in shock, never realizing just how strong her little lanky frame really was.

“Ella apologize to young James.” She ran over to him and helped him up.

“Sorry James.” He nodded, brushed himself off and promptly left without a word.

“Ella, you must be more careful.”

“Sorry mother.” I hid a smile, for she only called me mother when she knew that she was in trouble.

“Well, come along, we should get back to your father.”

“Yes mommy.” She skipped along down the aisle and I wished so that I could join her, but the pain in my bones and joints could hardly handle my weight, let alone quick youthful jumps.

“Stop Ella.” She stopped before a stall and as if on cue, a young buckskin gelding lifted his head over the bottom half of the door.

“Who is this mommy? He was not here yesterday.”

“That is because he is my Christmas gift to you.”

“Really? My own horse?”

“Yes, you spend most of your time out here anyway and I think that you should have your own.” She rushed me and hugged me around the legs. She was taller than she had been last year and I lost a tear realizing that I would never see her as tall as me.

“When can I ride him?”

“When you have named him and when the sun dawns on the morrow.”

“Oh, but I want to ride him today!”

“Now Ella, I am glad that you like him so much, but for horses it is Christmas too. Give the poor boy a rest for he has traveled far in a week to be here.”

“Yes mommy.”

“Good girl. Now run into the tack room and grab a brush. I will show you how to brush him so that you can do it the next time.” She ran off before I could even finish and once she was gone I turned to the horse.

“You know don’t you?” He snorted and reached for my outstretched arm.

“Yes, I knew you would. Animals always seem to know these things. I’m dying and that little girl, she is mine. I will not be here a year from now I think, so you must be her protector. Be her friend when she has none and let her cry with you when she must be strong with everyone else.” He stared at me with his large black eyes and I sighed, realizing the foolishness of it all. “Well, I’ve started, I might as well finish. You are to be with her until she no longer needs you. Is that understood?” I turned, not expecting a response, but when he snorted, threw his head up and stomped his hoof I stopped and looked back at him. In those eyes I thought I saw some understanding and a small spark of hope flew through me. Christmas had given me the hope that I could try this and it would seem that that hope had been fulfilled.

“Mommy! I thought of a name!”

“Oh and what would that be my robin?”

“Sun. For he shines.”

“That he does my love, that he does,” and I looked down at her, knowing that soon her smile would be hidden from me forever, along with her voice and eyes. I would cry later in my grief, but she would survive to see a brighter future and that was all I could really ask for.