Dear Santa

Jynx felt just a little foolish as she sat at her computer. She hadn't written a letter to Santa in years; not since she was a child and believed in all things make believe or magical. She was really having trouble with her composing this time. She re-read what she had written so far.

Dear Santa:

I know it's been a long time since I've written to you, and yet, every year you never forget to visit me. I must say, I'm surprised that you haven't left the obligatory lump of coal in my stocking before now though, but I'm really glad you haven't! And, I'm sure the elves have told you you should. Thank you for not always doing, or hearing, what they say.

As you may or may not know, Mother passed away in January of this year; so I'm not totally looking forward to celebrating the Holidays. One can't blame me for hardly feeling in a "festive" mood right now.

As you may or may not also know, I've met a most wonderful man in the Spring of this year. He really is a keeper, as the phrase goes. His name is David, but he likes me to call him "D". Due to the nature of D's job, he won't be able to be here on Christmas Eve. We had hoped and made small plans to spend it together, but since he can't make it, I'm not even putting up a tree this year.

The only thing I'd really like to find under my tree this year, were I to have one, would be D. But there's no chance of that one happening.

So I have no "list" to mention. Just that one item on it now. I'll leave some cookies and milk for you, and carrots and apples for the reindeer. Please feel free to stop and rest a few as you go on your rounds this Christmas Eve.

Sincerely, Jynx P.

She had just finished typing her name and had hit the "Send" button when the shrill ringing of the telephone made her jump in her seat. Removing her clip earring, she grabbed the receiver and put it to her ear.

"Hello? Jynx here"

"Hiya Sexy!" That familiar greeting, followed by the sweet sound of soft throaty chuckles, always had the ability to make her legs quake and never failed to arouse a certain hunger in her.

"D! Darling! How are you, Sweetface? To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" She was smiling as she spoke each word.

"Well, Sexy; I'll come right to the point. You know how we'd had to table our spending the holidays together, right? Well, guess what?"

"What?" She replied almost breathlessly. Jynx could hear the excitement building in D's voice as he continued to speak, but she wasn't about to recklessly build up her hopes. They'd been dashed too often over the years for her to be that foolish. She realized that D was still talking..

"The Captain has just given me the green light to take the time originally asked for; and then he tossed some extra time my way. Are you still interested in spending the holidays together and seeing in the New Year in the style we talked about last week?"

A slight frown furrowed D's brow when his obvious enthusiasm was met by a weighty silence on the other end of the phone.

"Sexy? Are you there? Did you hear me? I'm able to come out for Christmas!"

"T-t-that's wonderful, Sweetface. Yes, I'm thrilled and all, I guess I'm just not getting too hopeful. You know what happens when I get my hopes up unreasonably high."

"Aww, Sexy. I know, and I do understand, really I do. But honey, I'm holding my Vacation request in my hand. The Captain signed it a few hours ago. I'd have called you sooner, but I've been busy doing some last minute shopping and wrapping and then packing."

Jynx could hear the smile in her lover's voice and it made her smile too. She couldn't help but smile when David did. He had this cute deep dimple at the corner of his mouth on the right side, and it always winked at her when he was smiling really big. This was an indication when he was wildly happy about something.

"When are you going to arrive honey? I need to get the house into some semblance of Christmas," she laughed. "Besides," she continued, "I need to tell Glenda and James you'll be coming out after all. They'll be so happy to see you too, but not as happy as I will be. I can't wait to hold you and hug you and cover your face with hisses. I've missed you terribly since you went home after your last trip."

Jynx could hear D laughing when she finally stopped her running commentary long enough to take a breath.

"I'll be there day after tomorrow, Sexy. You'd best have everything ready. Ciao for now honey. See you soon." He closed the call by sending kisses down the wire, which Jynx gladly returned.

With the sound of D's happy voice ringing thru her head, Jynx readied herself for bed and quickly crawled between the covers. She knew her dreams were going to be pleasant ones that night.

The next two days passed in a blur of hustle and bustle. James went and got the tallest tree he and the Nurseryman could find, and they anchored it onto a wooden "X" stand and placed it in the living room. Glenda then went up into the attic and brought down all of Jynx's ornament boxes she could carry down, sending James up for the others.

After James hung the lights on the tree, he and Glenda went into the kitchen to put some coffee on to brew, and then start the baking. There was still a lot left to do and a short time in which to do it.

In the living room, Jynx selected some of her favourite instrumental Christmas Cd's, put them in the changer. Then, with the room lights off and the tree lights on, she proceeded to start with the decorating.

She was half way thru her second box of her favourite Victorian ornaments when she realized that Glenda was standing at the doorway of the room. She turned to face her, the ornament still in her grasp.

"What is it Glenda?" She looked at the face of her long-time friend. Did Glenda suddenly look a little pale? No, surely it was just because of the lights from the tree.

"Missy? Dere was a call. You din't hear da phone cause of da music playin'." Jynx watched Glenda look at James, then back to her. She suddenly felt her knees wobble and she sank into the chair nearest the tree.

"What is it woman? I can tell by your face that it's not good news. Please, Glenda; have pity and tell me."

"Missy, it were Mr. David's Captain."

With those words, Jynx felt the bottom sink from the world as she knew it, and the ornament fell from her suddenly lifeless and cold fingers. It rolled across the carpet and came to rest by the leg of the table near the sofa.

"W-w-what did he want? One of you tell me. Now! Let me guess. David's been delayed, the Captain has changed his mind and now David's not coming. I knew it!"

"No, Missy. Dat not da way it be. He say Mr. D been shot. It 'appen quick like. A accident he keep sayin'. Iree! Mr. D. dey don know if he gawn be ok. You need to go now he say."

"Yes. Yes. You're right. I need to go now. I must go quickly."

Jynx stood from the chair and took a step as if to start to cross the room for the hall, and quite suddenly found herself on the carpet, dazed, but fine.

James and Glenda rushed to their friend and helped her stand, get her bearings and then walked with her to the hall, the tree and music forgotten. Slipping into the coat James held for her, Jynx was bundled off into the car that was warming just outside the front door, and the three of them headed for the airport.

What fitting weather to keep pace with my racing thoughts, she thought as she stared out the snow streaked window. This can't be happening. Not now.

The dark interior of the limo was suddenly awash with light from the terminal of the airport as the car pulled under the "Departure" gate. Jynx felt herself whisked thru the formalities and she and Glenda were soon seated.

"Here Missy, why don you have a cuppa 'fore we take off now?" Glenda urged her friend to take the cup of sweetened, sleep-aide laden tea and sat and watched her drink it to the last drop, then filled the cup only half full again.

"Drink Missy. No questions now, you jus' drink dis." Jynx did as she was bade and soon felt her lids flutter closed. She slept the entire way to their destination.

They were met, almost as soon as the plane touched the tarmac, at the other end by David's Captain. Glenda and Jynx were ushered into an unmarked car and they sped off for the hospital. Not one of the three could believe this had happened. They were still all in some state of denial about the incident.

Jynx was suddenly aware of her surroundings as they walked thru the lobby of the hospital. She looked at Glenda, who, this time, had the grace to look a bit guilty.

"We'll talk later about that 'tea' you gave me. I knew it was too sweet. But I drank it anyway."

They were all silent as the elevator whisked them up to the fourth floor. They stepped out and went straight to the nurse's station.

"Nurse? Good Evening, I'm Captain Phillips. How's the patient in 412? Is he lucid yet?"

"Good evening to you too Captain. Yes, he came to a little while ago, but wanted to get up cause he said he had a flight to catch? He was most adamant about it too, I might add. He was about to rip his stitches, so we had to sedate him."

"Sedate him? What is going on here?" Jynx finally found her voice and looked at the nurse directly when she spoke her next words.

"You'd best talk quickly, Nurse. I'm not in the habit of being kept waiting."

The nurse recognized the young woman before her from the back of the jacket of her latest book.

"Please Miss; let me assure you he's fine. He's actually as stubborn as a mule and just as pig-headed. The sedation was only a mild one, and just enough to keep him still for a few hours to allow you to arrive and get here." When the nurse grinned, her whole face lit up. This occurrence was not lost on Captain Phillips.

"C'mon Jynx. The nurse is right. We all know how stubborn David is, and can be, when he wants to be.

"You're right. I'm sorry Nurse Cunningham. Which way to 412? I'd like to assure myself that your patient is resting the way he should."

"Down the hall, fourth door on the right." Nurse Cunningham grinned again and then blushed this time.

Jynx went into the dimly-lit room. It smelled just as she remembered. It smelled like she thought death might. She walked quickly to the side of the bed, and sat in the chair that had been pulled up next to it. She reached for David's right hand which lay atop the covers and clasped it tightly in hers; then she lay her head down on the side of the bed.

David slowly turned his head to his right, when he felt the moisture on his hand. Am I dreaming? Is that really Jynx? Here? He blinked twice to clear his vision. Yes, that was Jynx, and she was sitting here next to his bed.

"Hey Sexy. This is not how I wanted you to meet me. I had hopes of you rushing up to me, with your arms wide open." He was smoothing her hair as he continued speaking in that low tone of his.

"Hi yourself, Sweetface," she said as she lifted her head so she could see the face of the man she loved. Here before her, lay the man she wanted to be with, for the rest of her days.

"You scared the living crap out of me David. I thought you'd gone and left me in a permanent way."

"Aww, no chance of that, Sexy. At least not yet. They'll have to drag me off kicking and screaming. I don't intend to go quietly. You know that." David couldn't help grinning. Yes, he was making light of a very serious subject; but he wasn't going to ruin his lover's Christmas any more than it may have already been.

"Help me up, Sexy. Please? There's something I need to do. But first, would you find my Captain for me?"

"Yes Sweetface." She quickly planted a kiss on his lips and opening the door, slipped out and down the hallway to the Nurse's station.

"Ahem. Excuse me you two, but David wants to see you Captain Phillips." Captain Phillips excused himself and left to go into David's room. She turned to follow in his wake, but Nurse Cunningham stopped her.

"Miss Jynx? Could I ask a favour of you? Would you mind autographing your new book for me? It really is great! I can't put it down."

Laughing the first laugh since she'd left her home by the lake, Jynx gladly took the pen and signed the book as requested, then headed off back to David's room. She was not prepared for what she would walk in on.

There, in the chair by the bed that she had vacated, sat David; resplendent in his uniform, his Captain standing next to him, and Glenda standing off to the side.

"Come here Sexy and sit next to me. Don't say a word until I tell you to, and then I only want a one-word answer."

Jynx walked across the room and quietly sat next to David. He turned to face her, staring into the blue eyes that had come to haunt his dreams and his every waking thought.

"I really had wanted to do this differently, Sexy. But this can't wait any longer. I had a few thoughts where I was almost afraid I wasn't going to be able to do this at all!

"Jynx? I think we both realize that there was a strong chemistry between us when we met all those months ago, earlier this year. Now, I'm more sure of it each time I see your face and hear your voice.

"Sexy? Will you marry me? Please say "Yes" and be my sweet wife. Walk with me through the rest of our life. Please say Yes, please say that you will." David turned to Captain Phillips, who handed him the small Ivory and Gold box. The Captain helped the man with his left arm in a sling, by opening the box.

"Well? Don't keep me waiting."

"Oh David! I hadn't even thought of this. This is the one thing I had on my Christmas list to ask Santa for. Which I did do. I had asked him this very night, just before you called saying you'd gotten your approved holidays.

"YES! My sweet Sweetface! YES!"

Captain Phillips held the box while David reached for the Sapphire and Diamond brushed gold solitaire ring and slipped it on the left ring finger of Jynx's left hand.

"Merry Christmas, Sexy. I love you with all that I am. You make me feel whole and I like that."

"Merry Christmas to you too, Sweetface. I don't have your Christmas present here with me. You'll just have to wait until we get home."

"I'll gladly wait Sexy."

As the newly engaged couple sat facing each other, the others left the room and let them have some much needed peace and quiet. They knew that their new journey had only just begun and they were travelling down the road together. Neither one could be happier; nor did they pay any attention out the window as the shadow of a sleigh and reindeer slid across the window.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!