Ms. Christmas

Ms. Christmas

I was receiving the worst Christmas gift of my life on December 20, 1998. So there I was, wondering if my eyes were ever going to open again. A heart attack at the rich age of eighty-three. McDonald's, you better hope I don't wake up.

"Excuse me, sir," a small voice filtered into my slightly-drooping left ear. Suddenly the tangy stench of disinfectants assaulted my nostrils. I could hear the beeping of vital-checking instruments. A soft glow of fluorescents curtained over my closed lids.

Slowly I opened my eyes and squinted to where the voice came from, "Who are you?" I groggily asked. All I could see was a patch of downy, sand-colored hair. It was in fact a boy standing at my bedside. Or a midget with an abnormally small head.

"Tony, but my mommy calls me Little Tony." It was definitely a child. The boy warily popped his head higher into my vision. He was the color of dirtied white chalk with dark blue eyes.

I proclaimed my name before he asked. An old habit. "I'm Mayor Alec Warren,"

Tony's eyes went wide with shock. "I'm sorry I woke you up Mr. Mayor!"

My laugh and smile were reassuring to him. "Na, kid, it's fine," I said through my raspy chuckles. It really was okay to me. I've had enough rest. He smiled back, eyes bright. "So what can I do for you kid?"

He frowned now and glanced down, and then back to me. "I can't find my mommy," he sniffled.

I frowned too and sat up against the backboard of the hospital bed. The joints in my old elbows popped loudly. "Alright, well I can't do much lying in bed," I told him. Slowly turning, I pressed the red intercom button to speak to the nurse. It's buzz startled me and my heart lurched a little.

"Am I in trouble?" Tony asked my back. I shook my head definitively so I didn't have to turn.

"No, I just gotta tell my guard to get in here to help you."

Finally the intercom buzzed again and the tired female voice filtered through. "What can I get for you Mayor?"

"Is Archer around up there?" I asked her.

"No," she paused. "Are you okay sir?"

"I'm great actually, but a little kid stumbled in my room looking for his mom." I glanced over my shoulder. Tony was looking at the floor and picking at grimy nails. He had backed away from the bed to give me space.

His over-sized black Tonka truck sweater looped over red sweatpants. "Oh, alright, uh, I'll send an officer up," the nurse at the receptionist's desk answered after a moment.

"Thanks darling, have a good evening," I told her.

She paused. "Thanks,"

My eyebrows furrowed. "What time is it?"

"Just a little before midnight sir. Maybe your guard is asleep. Something you should be doing right now."

I thought was reasonable enough. "Okay thanks, have a good one."

"You to sir," she answered and clicked off.

Turning back around with a few more pops I looked at the kid again. Tony looked like he had walked out of a slum. "Is your mom a patient or doctor or nurse or something kid?"

He sniffled and wiped his little nose on the back of a small hand. "Before the car hit us she said we wouldn't have much of a Christmas anyways,"

Oh no, I thought as my heart squeezed violently. I coughed hard into a shaking fist, the spasms painful against my old body. Don't tell me she's dead boy. Don't you dare. I didn't think my old heart could take that stress. One of my citizens dying in a car accident just before Christmas? That wasn't right, it was just flat out depressing.

The tears flowed freely from his wide eyes and my heart clenched. I rested my head against the pillow again and closed my eyes. My heart was beating fast again from exhaustion, this kid needed to get out of here and fast! The vital-measurements went wild and Tony's wailing grew in intensity. Which in turn sped up my heart. A voice in my head didn't help either.

Fool! it screamed. There is a boy in trouble. Get out of bed and exert, exert, exert!

The last thing I heard were screaming voices and running footsteps. Someone whisked the screaming boy into the air. Sweat was pouring out of my body and it started jerking. Pain took over in violet thrusts of heart against lung. It hurt so much. A sharp and cold needle was driven into my arm and I could see the face of an angel above in a halo of bright lights.

She was so worried, this angel. A cool rag was pressed hard against my forehead. There was no sound but my trumpeting heart. The sheets became clouds. I could feel a male angel's hands on my chest, pushing whatever life they could into me.



I woke up after a what felt like five minutes. The moon was shining it's cold warmth through the blinds. "Hello?" I weakly asked. Immediately there was the rustle of magazine pages and two large footsteps. Kareem my guard popped into view. He was a chocolate man with no hair on his head. A black turtleneck didn't modestly expose the muscles he had.

He smiled and let out a breath of gratitude. "Sorry about earlier,"

I shook my head laughed, the pain was finally gone completely from my chest. "Flirting with the nurses huh?"

He frowned now and my own laugh dissipated. "No, I mean about the kid,"

"His depressing story was what got to me, but I'm fine now." I paused. "What time is it?"

Kareem glanced down at his watch. "About four sir," he pulled at the triangular black goatee. It was a habit he couldn't get over.

"Did Tony find his mother?" I asked.

"Who?" he furrowed his eyebrows.

"The little kid,"

His eyes widened. "Oh," he paused, "I have no idea. I was worrying about you the whole time, not the kid."

I sighed and shook my head, "Is there anyone still here who knows where the kid is?"

"Doctor Carl," Kareem suggested. Doctor Carl was my doctor.

"How would he know?"

Kareem's dark brown eyes were gleaming now. He hated giving me horrible news. Now he had something cheerful though. "He's looking after the boy's mother. All the kid had to say was he just got out of an accident and they found her."

I nodded solemnly and sat up. He tried pushing me back down but I waved at him dismissively. "That is good, so how is she?"

"Not good I'm afraid," a thick voice said out of nowhere. Kareem tensed and looked up at Dr. Carl. The fat man had a clipboard nestled between his expansive gut and sagging chest. His face was only slightly red because he carried the weight well with height. "I don't mean to be the evil doctor or anything..."

"But," I interjected.

He frowned and stepped closer to look directly down at me. "Miss Lucas is a very, very poor woman. She can't pay for the operation, and insurance sure as hell can't either."

"What operation would that be,"

"We need to give her a new kidney, it was pierced by the shifting gear." he was blatant and clear with his answer.

My eyes widened and Kareem just blinked at him. "How did that happen?"

Dr. Carl scratched at what little hair he on either side of his head with a free hand. "Ms. Lucas leaned over to protect her son and was impaled. It's imperative we replace it soon. We do have a kidney that just flew in recently enough."

My sigh was deep. "Shame, a real shame," Kareem shook his head and looked at the ceiling. My next decision almost had no real thought to it. But my citizen was in danger, my job was to protect them. I didn't know the kid for long but I was in a giving mood right now.

"I'll pay for the operation myself," I told Dr. Carl.

Both Kareem and the doctor looked at me, shocked. "Sir?" Dr. Carl wheezed. His brown eyes were bug-like behind thick glasses.

"You heard me, I'll pay for her operation. I'm too rich anyway,"

"It's pricey," Dr. Carl warned with squinted eyes.

"I'm the very rich mayor of this town. Now do as I say or lose your job on the spot," I chided him. "Do we understand each other?"

He nodded and hurried out of the room. I looked up at Kareem, who wore a bemused smile on his face. "Well aren't we all righteous tonight?"

I chuckled harshly. "When you rule your own small town and actually care about the people, you'll understand."



Doctor Carl eventually came back to do some basic tests. I passed them all and was told I could leave. After dressing in a green and red sweater- with a frightening resemblance to Freddy Krueger- and jeans, I asked Kareem to find the kid again. He nodded and left quickly without a word. The mother was in surgery by now.

The receptionist showed me to the waiting room and promised to bring Kareem along with the kid. I sat in the corner and flipped through a Times Magazine. I didn't have to wait long until my guard gracefully quick-stepped his way to me.

"He's sound asleep sir, I didn't think I should wake him. A hot receptionist told me he'll be just fine though, she's watching after him."

I nodded. "You have got to get yourself a girlfriend man," I teased and laughed at him. He laughed to and nodded vigorously."

"I guess I do," he rasped through chuckles.

After the laugh we weaved our way to the receptionist's desk. The mid-aged brunette woman glanced up. "Glad your fine Mayor," she said with a tired smile.

I smiled back. "Tell Dr. Carl to give me updates on the surgery of a Ms. Lucas,"

She nodded an affirmative. "Sure thing, these chairs aren't that comfy sir. I suggest at least going home,"

"They'll be fine,"

Kareem groaned softly behind me. He was tired and worried for me. It was unnecessary though. I turned to him. "I really think you should get home," he told me.

"How about you go home? I'll be fine for tonight. Get some sleep and come back later,"

He eyed me sternly for a long moment. Finally he left me standing at the receptionist's desk. I nodded to the woman and slowly walked back to my chair. It took quite a boring while but the doctor kept to his word and gave details on the surgery. Nothing too graphic. The mother was doing just fine now. This Christmas was lightening up perfectly.



I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until a rough hand shook my shoulder. Delirious, I gazed up at a mop of blonde hair. Curly and long with various shades of gold. "I'm sorry to wake you sir," it was a woman's soft voice. Barely above a whisper.

"No, it's alright. What time is it?" I asked, blinking and squinting in the sudden sunlight. The waiting room was empty except for me, Kareem I could see in the corner of my vision, and this blonde woman. She had the same blue eyes as Tony I immediately assumed it was his mother.

"About one Mayor, you've been out longer than me." her smile was really tired though.

"Your Tony's mother,"

Her smile still didn't leave and she nodded. "I'm really sorry for the trouble he caused,"

I laughed at such a preposterous idea. "Two heart attacks is all I'll get. Kids are worth it though,"

"Yes, yes they are. Especially Tony," her voice dropped and her face glowed as she stared off to my left. Craning my head, I could see Tony asleep in Kareem's lap. My guard only seemed half-enthusiastic about a kid on leaning all over him. He smiled back at us and rolled his eyes though.

Ms. Lucas laughed but it quickly twisted into a slight frown. There were tears in her eyes and she wiped them away. Her body shuddered violently with a great intake of air. I wanted to tell her it was okay to cry but I just stayed quiet and solemnly watched. She was a strong woman. I could see that. "I don't know how I can I thank you enough for helping with the operation."

"You don't have to,"

"I just feel so bad by making you pay for it..." her voice trailed off.

Turning my body towards her, I gripped both of her red sweater shoulders. "Don't. I'm an extremely rich man, your operation didn't even put a dent in my account. I promise, don't worry about it."

She nodded reluctantly. "Well at least I can thank you for giving my great little boy a Christmas. I'm just so glad he didn't get a scratch,"

"He was being watched by a real angel. And if I may be brutally honest," I suggested. She shrugged and nodded again. "You look like an angel this fine morning,"

She laughed and turned red in the face. "You're his guardian angel though,"

I just smiled a little and nodded. She wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"You know," she paused, her voice cracking. "Right before the crash he told me his Christmas wish," tears flowed through her eyes again. She ignored them and let them flow freely. "He wanted one Christmas, for the first time ever,"

I nodded and told her to continue. She did. "And while I was unconscious, I swear this sounds so weird. I could hear his other wish. All he wanted was for me to be alive this Christmas. Nothing else. I was his Christmas every year. Even if we couldn't afford a tree all these years."

My throat was tight in her pain. "Well your alive now, fulfilling his wish. We need more folk like you in this town." I paused and thought. "Ms. Christmas." I hugged her tight and she cried into my shoulder, mumbling her thanks inaudibly. I rubbed her back.

Tears came down my eyes in the true beauty of things. This little boy I barely knew was getting his first Christmas. It was all because of me and a beautiful woman I'll forever call: Ms. Christmas.