Chapter One: The Martins
Nikki Martin comforted the woman as best she could as she waited for the doctor to examine the mugging victim.
“They stole my paycheck,” the slender young African American woman lamented. “I know it wasn’t much, but it was gonna buy some Christmas presents for my kids.”
“That is terrible, Mrs. Harris,” Nikki commiserated as she took the woman’s vitals. Whoever had attacked her on the subway had left bruises on the woman’s face and broken her one arm. Thugs. Bullies that pray on the less fortunate.
“I hope they did it for a good reason. If they took my money, I hope their kids needed food or medicine or something.”
Her attackers were more than likely drug addicts needing a fix. “That’s very generous of you. I don’t know if I would be looking at it that way.”
The young woman’s tear drenched brown eyes sought Nikki’s. “You got kids?”
“I have two children.”
“I’ve got four babies counting on Christmas, Ms. Martin. What am I gonna tell them when there’s nothing on Christmas morning? It’s too late for any charity toy drive sign up.”
Nikki wished she knew what to say. She didn’t have any answers. She wished she had.
The doctor entered, saving her from having to answer. Cheery Doctor Goldstein was still young and enthusiastic. His boyish charm worked on females of every age. ‘Well, Mrs. Harris, ready to get that cast on?” he asked with a smile.
Mrs. Harris returned the smile, though hers was a trifle sad. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
The plight of the young Mrs. Harris followed Nikki through the hours of her over night shift. The ER was particularly quiet — well, for an emergency room in a county hospital. She almost preferred mind-boggling busy, no time to think or feel, she could just react. She didn’t feel the need to save the world, just the patient. No time to remember the worry and sadness in the large dark eyes of another mother. Four young ones would go without Christmas…
Nikki had been forced to cut back herself. Chad had been the major breadwinner — and her third kid. A nostalgic smile came to her lips. Christmas was his favorite time of the year. He’d plan for months on how he would do the outdoor light display. He would find the biggest, best tree in the lot to take home — and they would all spend hour’s decorating the monster. He was the one who would bundle them up into the car to see Christmas lights. He made them go caroling with the church group. Chad had been Christmas.
A drunk driver had taken the Christmas spirit from the Martin household. Chad had been savvy enough to plan for his family in the event of his death. His estate made the house payment, so they hadn’t lost their house. But Nikki worked long hours and didn’t have the energy to do all the things Chad had. They had an artificial tree now. The presents were less grandiose and the children didn’t hear ‘Santa and the reindeers’ on the roof anymore. Christmas was much quieter.
Four children would go without Christmas…that just couldn’t happen!
Nikki grabbed up the telephone and punched in the number of the local television station. “I have a Christmas human interest story for you,” she told the person on the news tip line.
Nikki came into Jessie Harris’ hospital room when her shift ended. If she were sleeping, Nikki would simply leave. The poor girl was barely more than a child herself — and had four children of her own. Those damn muggers. Jessie had a slight concussion to go with her broken arm, so she had been forced to stay overnight for observation.
“Nikki?” Jessie called when she noticed the nurse in the doorway. “I’m awake.”
“I just wanted to say good-bye. My shift is over.”
The woman smiled sleepily. “I’m glad you came.”
“I hope you feel better. Things have a way of working out.”
“God and Santa Claus will see to it.”
“I’m sure they will.”
Jessie reached out to clasp Nikki’s hand warmly. “You never know who is an angel or an elf.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Good-bye.”
“Good-bye.” When Nikki was almost to the door, Jessie Harris called, “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas,” Nikki responded. Once the door swung closed between them, she muttered, “Bah! Humbug!”
Jessie Harris and her plight made the early evening news. By the late news, generous donations of toys, food and money had poured in from the viewers who had responded to the young mother’s story. It was going to be a very Merry Christmas for the Harris children — thanks to one compassionate soul. Jessie suspected an angel or an elf.
“When are we gonna put up the tree,” seven-year-old Dylan Martin asked of his mother at breakfast. “It’s almost Christmas.”
“You make it sound like it’s tomorrow,” Nikki teased. Her little man. Puppy dog eyes. Brown hair. Killer smile and dimples.
“It’s real close.”
“Yeah, real close,” echoed five-year-old Kimmy. She was her father’s child, blonde hair and big blue eyes.
“I don’t suppose Sunday is early enough.” Her hours change to the second shift by the weekend. More sane than third shift.
“No but we’ll wait.” Dylan grinned at her.
“Brat.” Nikki returned the grin and rumpled his hair.
“So what do you want for Christmas, Mom?” Dylan asked this since his father passed away. For some reason he believed if he didn’t ask, nothing would be under the tree for her.
“From you? Peace on earth — barring that, to sleep in.”
The boy rolled his eyes. “Not on Christmas, Mom.”
“Okay…the day after?”
“Deal. From Santa?”
Every year small practical gifts were under the tree with her name on it. Small house hold items she needed disguised as presents. That way the children didn’t question why all of the sudden Santa stopped brining her gifts after Chad died. As soon as the children were old enough to learn Santa was the spirit of Christmas, not a real person, she would drop the pretense. Chad had wanted them to find out about Santa in their own time, not a predetermined year when they would be deemed ‘too old’ to believe. She intended to keep his wish. “I really want a new coffee maker.”
“And?”
“I’m not greedy.”
“Mom…”
“New bath towels…a couple of nice fluffy ones.”
“Santa gets off way too easy.”
“Candles,” Kimmy chirped. “You want candles.”
Dylan glared at his little sister and Nikki hid a smile. She was getting candles from the children.
“You’re right. I do need to put candles on my list.”
At this Kimmy made a face at her brother.
”So, Mom…”
Dylan was winding up for a speech, Nikki noted, one of his ‘man of the house’ tirades. She could tell by the way he sat up straighter and puffed out his chest. “What, Dylan?”
“Going to any parties?”
She had ceased going to holiday gatherings. They seemed to be ‘couples’ events and she was no longer a couple. “No.”
“You need to get out.”
“Since when are you concerned about my social calendar?”
“You need to meet guys.”
Nothing could have surprised her more. “What?”
“You need to get us a new daddy,” Kimmy chimed in.
“What?” This was the first Nikki had heard of this request.
“One who knows about Christmas,” Kimmy added.
“Maybe Doctor Goldstein,” Dylan hinted.
“I very much doubt Doctor Goldstein wants the job,” Nikki replied. One: he liked his single status. Two: Christmas was not a Jewish holiday!
“How you gonna meet guys if you don’t go anywhere but work?”
She didn’t say she met plenty of eligible men at work. Paramedics. Fireman. Policemen. And a few had even asked her out. They either bolted when they discovered she had children or they wanted something less permanent. She wasn’t about to have flings or affairs or whatever they were call. Sex might be nice with the right guy, but she wasn’t starved for it. “Dylan, I am a mother and a nurse. I don’t have a lot of time for anything else.”
“That’s why you need a husband, to help out,” Dylan insisted.
Nikki sighed tiredly. She hadn’t realized how they had felt about Chad’s absence. He had been more than a father; he’d been a Daddy. It was a testament to Chad that they sought another one. “Guys, it just isn’t that simple.”
“Why not?” Kimmy asked.
“Because we’d have to meet a fantastic guy and all three of us have to love him.” Stroking her daughter’s long hair, Nikki murmured, “We have to fall in love.”
Kimmy finished her letter to Santa her teacher promised to send. She read over the part she had added after the weekend. “Dear Santa, please, send us a guy we can all fall in love with. Kimmy Martin.”