"Grandma, what does Christmas actually mean?" Chloe asked, staring out the window at the swirling blizzard.
"Christmas is one of the brightest and kindest holidays, sweetheart. It’s a day when dreams come true and miracles happen. They say if you make a wish on Christmas Eve, it will surely come to pass," Martha replied.
"Really?" Little Chloe’s eyes widened with excitement. "So if I wish for Mommy and Daddy to come back home... will that wish come true too?"
Martha turned away toward the window, her body trembling as she tried to stifle the tears that betrayed her, streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't find the words to tell her five-year-old granddaughter that her parents were never coming back. No magician on earth or in heaven had the power to grant that particular wish.
The poor woman found no peace day or night. She knew she was getting older and would soon be unable to raise the little girl. Her situation felt hopeless. Martha was adamantly against Chloe being taken into foster care, but it seemed inevitable sooner or later. She felt her strength quietly slipping away with each passing day.
"Grandma, when is Christmas Eve?" Chloe persisted.
"Today, my dear, today... I’ve got the oven warming for some rolls, and I’m making your favorite cider," Martha smiled through her pain.
"Yay!" the girl cheered. "Can I go play in the yard for a bit?"
"Go ahead. The snow is knee-deep out there—perfect for building a snowman."
Chloe dressed quickly and ran outside. She played snowball fight with the neighborhood boys, built a tiny snowman, and was about to head back inside when she remembered the wish she had to make.
She crawled under the low, heavy branches of a large, frosted pine tree, closed her eyes, and whispered softly, "I want Mommy and Daddy to come back from their trip soon, and I want them to bring me a big Teddy bear."
Walking back to the gate, Chloe stopped. She suddenly realized why her parents were taking so long. It was simple. They used to live in the city, and she and Grandma had only moved out to this small town recently.
"They probably just can't find the turn that leads to our house," Chloe thought. "Or worse, they're lost in the woods and can't get out..."
Driven by this sudden logic, she turned and ran toward the forest.
***
Lauren heard the hospital door creak open and quickly closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. She didn't want to see anyone; she didn't want to be pitied again. Her entire life with Mark had felt like it was built on pity lately. She was convinced he only stayed because he felt obligated, unable to leave her in this state.
"Lauren," Mark called softly. "Are you awake?"
"Yes. Leave," she answered sharply.
"Honey, I know how hard this is. Losing our baby is a tragedy for me too..."
"Don't even start!" Lauren snapped, her eyes flying open. "What could you possibly understand? Did you carry a life under your heart for five months? Did you feel the kicking? Did you feel a tiny life living inside you? No! You didn't experience any of it!"
"Stop the hysterics," Mark frowned. "You’ll finish your treatment, and we’ll try again..."
"No. That’s four miscarriages in two years. I'm not even trying anymore. I’ll lose my mind if I have to go through another loss. Get out!" she screamed.
Mark set a bag of oranges on the nightstand and walked out of the room in silence. He couldn't understand her behavior. He wanted to share the pain with her, but she kept pushing him away. He had tried for so long to keep it together, to ignore her outbursts, waiting for her to change her mind. But it seemed he was waiting in vain. Today, she had made it clear she couldn't even stand the sight of him.
After a long cry, Lauren got out of bed and went to the window. She immediately regretted snapping at Mark. It wasn't his fault.
"How are you feeling?" her doctor asked, entering the room.
"Dr. Miller, I need to go home," Lauren said firmly.
"Well, we’ll check your labs on Monday and discuss a discharge then."
"No. I need to go right now. I'll sign whatever waivers I have to."
"It’s your choice, but I wouldn't advise it. It’s freezing out there, and there's a blizzard. Do you want to end up back here with a fever?"
"I have my car," Lauren pleaded.
"Fine. But I expect you back here Monday morning," the doctor conceded.
Lauren decided not to call Mark; she wanted it to be a surprise. She planned to stop by the grocery store, grab some supplies, and head to their cottage. They were living outside the city temporarily while their apartment was being renovated.
It was already dark when she reached the outskirts of town. She imagined how happy Mark would be. They would make up and promise never to fight again.
Suddenly, a loud thud echoed from under the front wheel, the engine roared unnaturally, and the car stalled.
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Lauren muttered, startled. "Not now."
She tried the ignition several times to no avail. On the fifth try, she realized she wasn't fixing this herself. Grabbing her phone, she started walking along the road, hoping to find a signal.
She heard a faint sobbing and thought she was imagining it. But after a few more yards, she realized someone was actually crying near a large pine tree.
"Hey! Who's there?" she called out.
"I'm here!" a thin, childish voice replied. Lauren scrambled down the embankment.
"Who are you? What are you doing in the woods alone? Are you lost?" Lauren asked quickly, scooping the little girl into her arms.
"I'm cold..." the girl whimpered.
"Oh, dear God," Lauren whispered. "Hang on, sweetie. I'm taking you to the car."
As luck would have it, the road was completely deserted. Lauren was at a loss. She was fine, but what about the child? The car would lose its heat fast.
She sat the girl on the seat, wrapping her in a thick wool blanket. The little one calmed down and slowly began to warm up. Lauren left her in the car and stepped back out onto the road, desperate to flag someone down.
She paced back and forth, her nerves frayed. She needed to get this child to a warm place immediately.
When she finally saw headlights in the distance, she ran into the middle of the road, waving her arms frantically.
"Are you crazy? You almost ended up under my tires!" the driver yelled, stepping out. "What if I hadn't seen you?"
"Please help! My car broke down and there's a child inside..." she rushed out, terrified he might just drive away.
"What are you doing out here with a kid in the middle of the night, lady?" the driver scolded.
"First of all, it's evening. Second, I asked for help, not a lecture," she snapped back.
"Fine, get in the car," the man said impatiently, checking his watch.
Lauren grabbed the girl, her purse, and climbed into the warm vehicle of the rather rude stranger.
"Where am I taking you?"
"Where? I... I don't even know," Lauren stammered, looking at the sleeping girl.
"Are you kidding me? I'm late!" he flared up again.
"Please, just take us to the 20-mile marker," Lauren realized. "Drop us at the entrance to the village there; I can walk the rest of the way."
The man looked suspiciously at the strange woman but drove on in silence. Twenty minutes later, they arrived.
"Thank you so much. It's terrifying to be stuck in the woods in this cold, especially with a little girl," Lauren thanked him.
Only after he drove off did she realize she should have called the police. The girl's parents must be frantic. Then again, she didn't know the circumstances of how the child ended up in the woods.
Seeing the lights in the windows of the cottage, she smiled. Her husband was home. He was probably sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of pasta, bored. Lauren knocked, shifting the child's weight. "Mark is going to be so surprised," she whispered.
Strangely, no one answered. She carefully laid the sleeping girl in an armchair on the porch and used her keys to open the door. She was surprised to hear loud music coming from the living room.
Lauren went straight to the bedroom first, wanting to lay her precious cargo on the bed and free her aching arms. Once the girl was tucked in, she walked quietly toward the living room.
The next moment, Lauren blinked, wondering if she was having a nightmare. Mark was dancing with a glamorous woman, completely oblivious to his surroundings. On the table, the candles Lauren had bought for New Year's were lit, and ruby-red wine sparkled in the glasses.
"What is going on here?" Lauren whispered hoarsely. Her breath hitched, and a sharp pain throbbed in her temples.
"Lauren?!" Mark’s eyes went wide. "What are you doing here?"
"Good question," she sneered. "I guess you're right... I have no business being here."
She walked out of the room, covered her face with her hands, and sobbed. she expected many things from her husband, but not such blatant betrayal. She never thought he would sink so low as to bring a mistress into their home.
"Lauren! It’s not what you think! Sarah is a trainee; she’s having trouble with her housing, so I offered her a place to stay for a few days. I couldn't just leave her on the street," Mark tried to explain, unaware of how ridiculous his lies sounded.
"I get it," Lauren smiled bitterly. "Stay here as long as you need. I won't get in your way."
"Where are you going? Don't be stupid!" Mark shouted, following her into the bedroom.
Only then did he see the little girl sleeping peacefully on the bed. He froze in confusion.
"What is this? I see... you ran away from the hospital and stole a kid. Lauren, you've lost your mind."
"Bravo! You'd make an excellent detective," she clapped her hands mockingly. "Go back to your guest and let me leave in peace," she said, her voice exhausted.
She called a taxi and gently woke the little girl.
"Where am I?" the girl asked, frightened.
"What’s your name? Do you know your address?" Lauren asked. She knew the child needed to be returned to her family immediately.
"Chloe. I don't know the address. I live with Grandma in Oak Creek," the girl explained.
"Okay. We're going to the city for the night, and first thing in the morning, I’ll take you to that village. We’ll find your family."
"Who are you?" Chloe asked suddenly. "Are you my mommy? I lived in the city with Mommy and Daddy once. But I was too little, and I don't really remember what they look like..."
Lauren hugged the girl in silence. Feeling the warmth of the small body, she started crying again.
"Don't cry," Chloe said, patting her head. "You're a grown-up, and grown-ups aren't supposed to cry. Though my grandma cries sometimes too. She thinks I'm asleep and don't see, but I see everything."
"Let's go, the taxi should be here. I wish I could reach your grandma. She must be out of her mind with worry."
Lauren and Chloe got into the taxi. Lauren felt hollow. It was devastating to realize she had been betrayed by her closest person at her lowest moment. Hugging Chloe, she drifted into a light sleep. She vowed she would never forgive Mark. She accepted her situation. She realized she might never have a conventional family of her own.
At her city apartment, she found a complete mess. Two months of renovations had left their mark. Silently cursing the contractors who hadn't even bothered to sweep, Lauren grabbed a broom and a cloth and quickly tidied one of the rooms.
"Who lives here?" Chloe asked, surprised.
"This is my apartment," Lauren explained. "Construction workers are fixing it up... Chloe, are you hungry?"
"Yes," the girl admitted honestly.
"Will you be okay here for a few minutes? I’ll run to the store. It’s right downstairs."
"Okay," Chloe agreed.
Half an hour later, Lauren fed her guest a hot dinner and tucked her in. Before falling asleep, Chloe opened up. She told Lauren how she went to look for her parents in the woods and got lost because it got dark so fast.
Lauren suspected the girl might have no one but her grandmother. The grandmother was likely shielding her from the truth about her parents. Lauren decided to take Chloe home first thing in the morning.
Early the next day, she heard the front door open. The sound of multiple footsteps, laughter, and talking startled her. Then she remembered it was likely the contractors and sighed in relief.
"Good morning," Lauren said sleepily, walking into the hallway. "You?" she gasped, seeing the rude driver from the night before. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm here for work... And you must be the owner of the apartment?" the man smiled.
"For work? In a suit?" Lauren was confused.
"What does it matter what I'm wearing?" he smirked. "I'm the foreman. I came to check on the progress. I don't get what you're doing here, though. The owner and I agreed the place would be empty. I just dropped you off at that village yesterday... Can't you stay put?"
"None of your business!" Lauren huffed. "I'm the owner here, and it's up to me."
"Fair enough. By the way, my name’s Chris," the foreman introduced himself.
"Please, just wait until the girl and I leave. I don't want a mess and noise while we're here," Lauren requested. "But I’ll be back tonight. My car... I completely forgot about it!"
"You just left your car in the middle of the road?" Chris asked. "That's a risky move."
"I forgot all about it," she admitted. "And I need to get this child home urgently. Martha has probably been looking for her all night."
"So, she's not your kid? You kidnapped a girl and I helped you get away?" Chris looked stunned.
"Something like that... except I didn't kidnap her, I rescued her. I found her near where my car died."
"You’re a handful, aren't you?" the man said seriously. "Fine, since you're the boss, I’ll help. Get ready; we’ll drop the girl off, then we’ll call a tow truck for your car."
Lauren didn't refuse the help. An hour later, they were in the car with Chloe, heading back to the village.
"Your grandma is going to give us an earful," Lauren said. "I should have brought you back yesterday."
"My grandma is nice. She doesn't yell. I wish you were my mommy..." the little girl said sadly.
"Don't be sad, sweetie. Your parents will come back," Lauren whispered, her eyes tearing up as she held the girl close.
Chloe pointed out the way, and soon the car stopped at the gate. The girl jumped out and ran into the yard. Lauren followed.
"It's locked..." the girl said, puzzled. "Grandma isn't home."
"What?" Lauren didn't know what to do. "Let's go to the neighbors. Maybe they know where she is."
The neighbor was an unpleasant woman in her forties. She gave Chloe a dismissive glance and stared at Lauren’s coat with blatant envy.
"The old lady was taken away by an ambulance last night. She was out looking for this brat until her heart gave out," the woman nodded toward Chloe.
"How could this happen? What do we do?" Lauren panicked. "Could the girl stay with you for a bit? I found her yesterday but couldn't bring her back right away."
"Not a chance!" the neighbor snorted. "I've got four of my own. You want them to tear the house down? No. Chloe is spoiled and doesn't listen to anyone."
"Which hospital did they take her to?" Lauren asked in a frigid tone.
"How should I know?" the woman shrugged. "Somewhere in the city."
"Do you at least know her full name?" Lauren was losing her patience.
"I do," the woman huffed.
Lauren wrote down the grandmother’s information and took the girl by the hand back to the car.
"I'm a good girl," Chloe whispered, squeezing Lauren’s hand tight.
"I know," Lauren smiled. "Don't worry, we’ll find your grandma."
On the way back to the city, Lauren called around. It turned out Martha had been taken to the County General Hospital. Lauren asked Chris to take them there.
"I’ll wait," Chris said.
"Thank you!"
Lauren found the unit and asked if she could enter with the child. She quickly found the right room.
"Grandma!" Chloe cried out, rushing toward a tearful old woman standing by the window.
"Chloe!" Martha couldn't believe her eyes. "How did you get here?"
"Hello," Lauren stepped in. "I can explain everything."
Lauren told the whole story, not forgetting the neighbor who had refused to help.
"Thank you, Lauren!" Martha was overwhelmed with emotion. "I thought I was going to lose my mind."
"I'm sorry I couldn't bring her back yesterday. She was so scared and fell asleep as soon as she got warm."
"You probably wouldn't have found me yesterday anyway... As soon as I ran out to look for her, my heart started acting up," Martha explained. "What am I going to do? I have no one to leave her with, and the doctor refuses to discharge me. I've been begging to go home all morning."
"You focus on getting better, and I'll look after Chloe. It's no trouble," Lauren reassured her.
"Thank you!" Martha wept. "It's so terrifying when you have no one to trust with a child. That's what I feared most... I was even afraid to call the police because I thought they'd take her away from me for good."
"Get some rest; we’ll come visit you tomorrow," Lauren promised.
Chris was patiently waiting by the car. Seeing Lauren and Chloe, he walked toward them.
"Found her?" he asked.
"Yes. But it turns out there's no one to look after the girl. She only has her grandmother."
"So I take it the renovation is on hold for a while? You'll be staying at the apartment?"
"Yes. While the girl stays with me."
"Let's go. I’ll tell the guys to wrap it up for now, then I’ll take care of your car."
"I appreciate it, Chris. We've been such a burden..." Lauren said.
"It’s nothing. Sometimes you have to drop everything and do a bit of good," the man winked. "It's Christmas, the time for miracles. I couldn't just leave you in a mess."
"So, what are you doing tonight?" Chris asked as he pulled up to Lauren’s building.
"Are you asking me on a date?" Lauren laughed. "Thanks, Chris, but no."
"Who said anything about a date? I'm inviting you and Chloe to the park. To go sledding," he said cheerfully.
"Well, in that case... we’d love to. What do you think, Chloe?"
"Yay!" the girl cheered.
"Just one problem. We don't have a sled," Lauren noted.
"I can fix that!" Chris winked. "See you tonight!"
He drove off, and Lauren watched him go for a long time. He didn't seem like the rude jerk from yesterday anymore. On the contrary, Chris was polite, a man of few words who helped with actions rather than talk.
Realizing it was a holiday, Lauren decided to go to the store. She wasn't alone anymore; she needed to prepare a Christmas dinner. Suddenly she thought of Mark and her face darkened. She still couldn't believe he had betrayed her so easily. He hadn't even called to check on her.
Lauren realized that while she was with Chloe, she had completely forgotten about her own problems. This little girl had brought a ray of sunshine into her life, painting her gray days with vibrant colors.
"Lauren! Someone's at the door," Chloe ran into the kitchen.
"Maybe it's Chris already?" Lauren thought, heading to the hallway.
It was indeed Chris. He was holding a large stuffed bunny in one hand and a cake in the other.
"Are you ready?" he asked with a smile.
"Almost. Come on in," Lauren felt herself blushing. "Is that for Chloe?" she nodded at the bunny.
"Yes. And this is for you!" Chris handed her the cake.
"Thank you. Why don't you have dinner with us? Everything is almost ready," she offered.
"I'd love to. But first, let's work up an appetite. I bought the coolest sled," he said proudly.
"Chris, you're like a big kid," Lauren laughed.
Chloe came out of the room and, seeing the bunny—the very toy she had dreamed of—started jumping for joy.
"Chris, are you maybe my daddy?" the girl asked, clutching the toy.
Chris blinked, not knowing what to say. He didn't want to disappoint her on this magical evening. He knew better than anyone what it was like to grow up without parents. He, too, had stood by windows at night as a boy, dreaming that his parents would walk through the door. Sadly, his dream had remained just that.
"Get your coat on, Chloe," Lauren said, stepping in to save the moment.
That evening, Lauren forgot all her sorrows. She forgot her husband's betrayal and the recent loss of her unborn child. She was happy, and she wanted to share that happiness with everyone around her.
Chris and Chloe went down the snowy hills again and again. The girl squealed with delight, hugging Chris after every run. She was so grateful for this holiday and had no other way to show her emotions.
Lauren stood nearby with a mug of hot mulled cider, watching them with a smile. To anyone passing by, they looked like a happy family. None of them felt lonely or abandoned in that moment.
"Lauren, Chris, think about it... are you sure you're not my parents?" Chloe asked hopefully.
"How about one last ride and then we head home?" Chris said, avoiding the girl’s eyes.
"Yay!" Chloe laughed.
"I’m in!" Lauren smiled.
An hour later, Chris’s car stopped at Lauren’s apartment. None of them wanted the evening to end. They knew that when the night was over, the Christmas magic might fade.
"Chris, we insist you stay for dinner," Lauren smiled.
"And I insist we start using first names and stop being so formal."
"Agreed. Long overdue," she laughed.
She hadn't noticed that Mark was waiting by the entrance. He watched them in silence, his fists clenched in anger.
"Is this what it's come to? You're actually hanging out with a contractor now?" Mark asked venomously.
"What are you doing here? Leave!" Lauren shouted.
"Well, there you have it... Sir, I'm sorry, but you're just a tool for my wife’s revenge," Mark said calmly to Chris.
"Well, I should probably go..." Chris said quietly, heading back to his car.
The look he gave Lauren was filled with pain and disappointment. He couldn't understand why she would be so cruel to him.
"Chris, wait!" Lauren called after him. "Don't go. It's not what you think. This man means nothing to me. He's lying; I'm not trying to get revenge. He's not worth the effort."
"Chris, come inside with us," Chloe pleaded.
Chris stood by his car, unsure what to do. His heart wanted to stay, but his head told him otherwise. He thought Lauren had a family and he had no right to interfere. He got into his car and drove away.
"Why are you here?" Lauren screamed at Mark. "Get out of here and don't ever dare interfere in my life again. I'm filing for divorce tomorrow. It's over. Nothing is holding us together. I’m giving you two days to move out of the cottage."
Picking up Chloe, she rushed into the building. She knew why Mark had come back. He had nothing of his own. He lived in her apartment and felt like the master of a cottage her parents had given her.
Lauren was the owner of a major beauty salon, while Mark worked as a driver for a local businessman. Only now did he realize he was losing a very comfortable, carefree life.
"Lauren, is Chris not coming back?" the girl asked sadly.
Lauren wanted to burst into tears at the unfairness of it all, but she couldn't do that in front of the child.
"I don't know, honey. Let's set the table and celebrate. We don't need anyone else; we'll have our own party," she said, fighting back tears.
Suddenly, there was a persistent knock at the door. Once, twice, three times... Lauren assumed it was Mark again. Furious, she ran to the door. To her surprise, Chris was standing there.
"Am I late? Or did you start without me?" he smiled sheepishly.
"No. We've been waiting for you!" Chloe clapped her hands before Lauren could say a word.
Lauren and Chris sat in the kitchen all night. They talked softly so as not to wake Chloe. It was a night of revelations—a time when two lonely souls met and finally found someone to talk to.
"Lauren, I might be rushing things, but I want to be honest... I want to spend the rest of my life with you. To be honest, as soon as I saw you standing by the road in those woods, I felt like you were a kindred spirit," Chris said seriously.
"Really?" Lauren smiled. "Based on how rude you were, I couldn't tell."
"In that moment, I was incredibly jealous of your husband. I thought, such a beautiful woman is rushing through the snow with a child to see the man she loves... No one was waiting for me at home, and no one was rushing to see me."
The next morning, Lauren and Chloe went to the hospital to see Martha. The grandmother was feeling much better, though she still looked tired and frail. She kept thanking Lauren for taking care of her granddaughter.
"Martha, I wanted to ask you a personal question," Lauren said quietly, making sure Chloe couldn't hear. The girl was standing on a stool by the window, watching large snowflakes drift toward the ground. "Where are Chloe’s parents?"
"They're gone," Martha wept. "It's been two years since we buried them... and I can't bring myself to tell her the truth. I tell her they’re away on a long trip."
"I suspected as much... And you have no other family left?"
"No... that’s the scariest part. It took so much work to get guardianship of her. But I know I can't do it for long," Martha said sadly.
"I know it might be early to say this... but please, think about it. I want to adopt Chloe. I likely won't have children of my own, and I've grown so attached to her these past few days. I can't imagine her going away... sometimes I forget and think of her as my own daughter. You’ll always be her grandmother, of course. We’ll stay close, and if you want, you can live with us. I'd love that; my parents live far away and my own grandparents are long gone. You need help and support too."
Martha wiped her tears in silence, overwhelmed.
"Thank you, dear. I’ll think about it," she whispered. "Decisions like this aren't made in a heartbeat."
***
"Daddy, when are Mommy and my baby brother coming home?" Chloe asked, looking out the window.
"Sweetheart, give your dad a break!" Martha laughed. "You've been asking him all morning. Come help me with these rolls. It's Christmas Eve; we have to make our wishes."
"I don't have anything to wish for," the girl shrugged. "All my wishes came true last Christmas Eve. I found a daddy and a mommy, and Mommy even gave us a little brother. What else is there? I don't need any more presents."
"You're right, honey," Chris smiled. "We have a happy family; we have everything. Let's just wish for everyone else to have a little kindness in their lives."
Martha wiped a tear away by the oven. She never dreamed she would find a whole family in the twilight of her years. Lauren and Chris loved Chloe deeply and treated Martha with respect, surrounding her with love and care. Perhaps because of their kind hearts, life had granted their happy family a son. Chloe was right. All their wishes had been granted.
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