My Christmas Wish

Duane Lee's POV:

It was the week of Christmas and I had been checking Amira's outgoing mail everyday since Presley and I had talked about writing to Santa. I wanted to get the letter before the mail carrier did. Hearing Presley talk about her mother being broke made me so sad. She worked too hard to have no money. So I was determined to play Santa this year. My Ex had made it perfectly clear that seeing Dylan was out of the question until the new year, Presley was the only child I would have around at Christmas time, so why not make it a good one for her. Amira would probably kill me, but that’s okay, I could handle her.

I looked around and opened her mail box and there it was, a bright red envelope addressed to Santa Claus. I'm Santa Claus this year, I thought to myself as I opened the letter.

Dear Santa,
I don't know if you're really real or not but all I want for Christmas is for my mom to be happy and get a boyfriend. She is pretty and smart and she loves me a lot and she don't write to you so you might not know what she wants.

P.S. If you can fit a bike in your bag I would like one of those too.

Love, Presley

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as I read the letter. She had the opportunity to ask for anything in the world and she asked for her mother's happiness. Amira had raised a wonderful child. "Happiness and boyfriends, I don't know about. But a bike I can do baby girl." I say out loud, getting into my car and heading for the toy store.

I had to be careful getting the bike into my apartment with Presley living next door. I assembled it and put it in my closet, in case she happened to come over this week, I didn't want her to find it. Amira had taken vacation for the week so I doubted she would be over very much.

Later that afternoon I knocked on their door and when Amira opened it up, she took my breath away. "You look...beautiful" I say, at a loss for words. She smiles and thanks me as I walk in. "Date?" I question walking into her living room.

"No....I wish. Just a Christmas party at work." she says putting in an earring.

"Is Presley going with you?" I asked, mainly because she hadn't asked me to watch her. "Yeah, I think some of the other girls kids are going and I wanted to give you a break from us for a while." she says laughing and handing me a necklace to buckle. I took it without hesitation, fastening it and turned her around. "All set" I say looking down at her. "You do look great." I say, once more.

"So you're not taking anyone. Isn't that what you’re supposed to do at those kinda parties?" I ask her. She shrugs and says "I guess. But I don't have anyone."

When I open my mouth to reply Presley comes out of her room. "Don't you look pretty." I say kneeling down and looking at her. She blushes just like her mother, and gives me a turn to show me her dress.

"Are you going to the party with us?" she asks me as she jumps up and down. "Presley, we need to give him a break, he sees us everyday." Amira says putting her hand on my shoulder. "But I want him to come with us Momma...Please can he?" she wines.

I stand up, "Yeah she wants me to come with her, Momma." I say pouting. Amira laughs "Hey, if your up for it, I wouldn't mind the company." she says still laughing.

"Give me five minutes and I'll be back." I say running out of her apartment. I don't know what came over me to agree to go, if there was anything I hated, it was a stuffy office party. But it did get me out of the house for a while and take my mind off of my troubles.

When we arrived people were laughing and drinking, definitely not stuffy. She walked in first, Presley and I trailing behind her. "My boss" she whispers as an older man walks toward her. He points above her head at the mistletoe and winks, before going in for a kiss. She leans her head around trying to dodge him as he puckers up. I clear my throat loudly and take her by the arm, leading her through the door and into the party. The boss mumbles as we walk past.

"Thank you...he's so creepy. I think he would have tried to kiss me on the lips if you hadn't of stopped him." Amira says quietly. I stand at her side holding Presley's hand as she introduces us around to the people she works with. Who knew a bunch of lawyers would get so drunk at an office party. It was very amusing.

An hour into the party a random woman approaches us. "Amira...don’t you know who this is..." she says pointing to me. Amira looks at me and dies laughing.

"Who?" she asks wide-eyed, as if she didn't know. "It’s Duane Lee Chapman...he's famous." the woman says in a whisper, leaning in so that only we could hear her.

"What’s famous mean?" Presley asks from my left, tugging on my arm. "Silly girl, it means he's rich" the woman says looking down at Presley, who wrinkles her nose and looks up at me. I give her hand a squeeze and wink at her.

"Okay... I think its time to go." Amira announces grabbing her daughters other hand and starts walking toward the door. When we get into my car Amira starts apologizing. "Duane, I'm so sorry...you would think they were more professional than that...I’m really, really sorry."

I couldn't help but laugh at her, I know she was probably more embarrassed than I was. "It's alright. You get used to people asking and saying crazy things." I say patting her on the leg, my hand lingering a little longer than it should have.

I pulled my hand back when I heard her laughing softly at Presley, who had fallen asleep in the back seat. "She's so tired." Amira says bringing her attention back to me. I smiled and continued to drive. "It was a busy night for her, you know she loves to socialize." I tell her.

"Yep, my child the social butterfly." she says as we pull into the apartment complex a few minutes later.

Amira grabs her purse; I pick up the sleeping child and carry her inside. "I'm going to change while you're putting her to bed." she tells me walking into her room, the only room of the house I had never seen.

Minutes later she walks back into the living room in her pajamas and finds me looking at her Christmas tree. All of the ornaments were hand made by Presley and a few were some from Amira's childhood. "Its not too fancy, but it'll do." she says looking at the tree. "I think it’s perfect" I reply as she comes to stand beside me.

"You're always so sweet. I don't think I’ve ever seen you pissed off... well...maybe on TV, but that’s your job." she tells me. "I was going to be pissed off if your creepy old boss tried to kiss you again. Its very unprofessional Amira."

"I know... I just cant afford to quit and go to school and raise a child all at one time...I don't know. Maybe I should just move back home. Its starting to look better and better every day." she says.

Feeling defeated she sits down on the table, I sit beside her, rubbing her back with my hand I tell her "Don't worry, it will all work out. I promise."

"Well, I'm glad you can be so optimistic." she says with a sigh. Leaning forward she puts her elbows on her knees and props her chin on her hands, and stares longingly into the Christmas tree. "Remember when life was simple? When you looked forward to Christmas because you knew you would get these great gifts from Santa. You didn't have to worry about how to pay for them..." she says, still watching the lights on the tree twinkle.

"I know its hard baby, but you have to be strong for Presley." I tell her. She turns her head sideways to look at me. "You're right. It’s just hard...The only thing she asked for this year was a bike and I just don't have a hundred dollars to spend on one. I was able to get her a few small things, but that’s it." She says with a shrug. "I’ve got money in savings, but I refuse to touch it so that I can send her to a better school next year."

I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to me. She lay her head on my shoulder and took a deep breath. "I just wish-” she says but stops.

"What do you wish?" I ask, still holding her. "I wish that Presley could have met her father. Even if it was just for one day. You actually remind me a lot of him. Tall, brown hair, blue eyes...He was strong and smart and kind, everyone loved him. Just like you" She pauses for a moment and looks up at me. "Tomorrow is the anniversary of his death. I think that’s why I’ve been so down lately. You know she's never asked about him...she deserves a father Duane Lee. Its so unfair that he was taken from her."

I didn't know he died so close to Christmas. "I know it has to be hard on you." I say.

"We had an argument that morning...I never got to tell him that I was sorry, or that I loved him. And then he was just...gone. I think about it everyday, what I would have said differently or how my life would have been if he hadn't of died. It’s so hard Duane." she says the last words quietly through her tears.

"Its okay, I'm here for you. If you ever need to talk more about it, let me know." I tell her. "You cant blame yourself for what happened. It was out of your control."

She nods and pulls her self out of my embrace to stand up. "Thank you again... For being there for us. For being part of Presley's life." She puts her arms around my neck and briefly hugs me. "I should get in bed, I'm exhausted. But I don't want to rush you off." she tells me.

I stand up to walk to her door, "Its alright, I had a good time tonight with you girls. I'll see you tomorrow. Sweet Dreams." I say as I hug her and then open the door to walk back to my apartment.

"Good night" she says closing her door. I wait until I hear her lock her door before closing mine.

I crawled into my bed, wondering how my Ex wife could have been so cruel as to keep my son from me. If she could only hear what Amira had to say maybe she would change her mind. And then it hit me as I lay there; why it had taken me so long to realize what was right in front of my face?