My Christmas Wish

Chapter 3

Amira's POV:

"Yes mother, Presley is fine...no, she's at a neighbors house, where she's stayed for the past two years....yes mother, he's a man." I say in to the phone, as I'm trying to get out of my car. "Yes she's safe with him. He's a bounty hunter...we've been over this a thousand times....yes the one on TV." I say rolling my eyes as she throws a hundred more questions at me.

"No, not the one with the pony tail. I agree, he does need to cut it..." I say with a sigh, walking through the parking lot of the apartment complex; trying to balance my school books, my purse and my cell phone.

"I don't know why he's living in an apartment, probably because its expensive to live in Hawaii....I know, I know you didn't want me to move here, I get it. Look, I need to let you go... I love you. Bye." I say hanging up quickly before she can say anything else to me. I hated when she was in one of her moods. She always wanted to question every little detail of my life.

I found my daughter and Duane Lee outside swinging on the playground, their backs turned to me. I stopped for a moment to watch them. Seeing him with my daughter made me miss my own husband. He had been killed in a car accident before Presley was born. She had never gotten a chance to know her father. I was so thankful to Duane Lee for spending time with her, at least she had some type of male figure in her life.

"Are you excited about Christmas?" he asks Presley as he pushes her on the swing. "I love Christmas...I want a bike for Christmas, but momma said we're broke." Presley informs him.

My heart sank; I didn't know she heard me talking to my mother on the phone last night. It was true, I was broke. Hawaii was expensive, food was expensive and school was expensive. I was glad that my daughter hadn't heard that I was considering moving to another smaller, less expensive apartment. I was afraid it might break her heart.

Duane pushes her again, "Well, why don't you write to Santa, maybe he can help you get one." Presley laughs and says "I don't believe in Santa anymore. My friend Jesse told me he wasn't real and that I was too old." Duane Lee turns her swing around to face him and kneels down. "You're never too old to believe." he says before she notices me walking toward them.

"Well, you write a letter and I'll make sure he gets it and you get everything on your list." Duane tells her. "Hey baby..." I say hugging her and then sitting down beside her on another swing. Duane Lee pushes us both on the swings as we enjoy the rest of our afternoon.