Little Reindeer

Walking and dancing the same path, wearing the same garment, holding the same branches had been normal for her for the past two days. Only this time there was a smile on her face.

He unhanged his camera and placed it on the coffee table. Few more pictures and he could create an album of all the images he took of her. He had been moving about the cottage and every time he went back spying on her, she didn’t go missing like she used to which brought the sparkle back into his eyes. He decided that he would let her freely do whatever she wished to do before dinner. He learned to trust her that she would keep her word the previous night.

“Dinner is not ready yet but…” He stopped when he saw the woman standing in front of him. No words could escape his mouth the moment he saw her. With the remaining breath he had after the disbelief inhale, he whispered, “Sara…”

“Hi…” an attractive woman in blue coat said in a soft voice. The strong winter winds swept her curly blonde hair against her cheek. Her cheeks were inflamed by the cold winter and he could see her shivering that he decided to take her inside.

After hanging her coat and preparing her a hot drink, he sat on a couch opposite of her. He observed her drinking as she slowly placing it back on the coffee table. He didn’t say anything, just waiting for her to say what’s in her mind. It took her long enough to arrange her words when finally she took a deep breath and said, “He left…”

A warm liquid rushed out from her eyes cascaded down the black marks on her cheeks before they melt the ice on the ground. She wiped the remaining tears off her chin. She stared long enough on her misty finger to understand what she felt at that moment. In a quick second, she put her hands on her chest as if she was protecting it from shattered. Vixen turned her back against the cottage, stepping away further and further from the glass-covered opening.

“I’m sorry...” apologizing, he pushed Sara away slowly. She attempted to kiss him again but he stopped her. Even though he knew how depressed she was to what misfortune occurred to her, he couldn’t comfort her as he used to.

Without a word, she picked up her winter coat and gazed on the dining table. A candle was lit on the centre of the table, surrounded by a dinner for two with champagne on a side. She looked away and left the way she entered.

He landed on one of the chair, covered his face with both hands in despair, and shook his head. Slowly he got up and headed towards the window waiting for the one person he actually cared about.



“Daddy! Santa’s here!”

Little Jimmy pulled him several times, forcing him to leave his comfy bed. He insisted to go outside the house to look for Santa. Seeing the excited face of the 6-year old, he tagged along to the backyard. He stopped and released his boy’s hand when he stepped on something. He dug the snow covered ground and found a locket and inside he found the first picture he took of her nine years ago.

“Jimmy, it’s time to sleep…” his wife stood by the back door, smiling as she called her son. Little Jimmy obediently followed her. She stopped and turned to her husband and asked, “Are you coming?”

“I’ll be in in about a minute okay?” he said. She nodded and went inside with little Jimmy. He headed his way towards the forest and he hanged the locket on one of the trees before following his wife into the house. He stood by the door, listening to the “Twas the Night before Christmas” in little Jimmy’s room, his wife read:



His heart skipped a beat, and flashback rushed his mind to the past nine years back – the night he last heard from her. He hastily left the room and went into the attic. He saw number of reindeers tied up to a sleigh as if they just set out from the area. With the telescope he spied on the reindeer. Three of them had markings on the face but one had a necklace tied on the neck. He dashed his way out back to the tree. He dropped on his knees when he found out the locket was already gone. He turned his head up the sky watching St. Nick left the area and after nine years long, he finally heard her sweet voice whispering, "Happy Christmas, Gary..."