Dear Santa Claus - 14 Short Stories Until Christmas

9th December- A Heathrow's Christmas Miracle (2)

I trudged behind them. Jack and I didn't talk to each other on the entire walk and even as we walked back to the help desk, and called out for Emilia's mom again, he didn't even look at me.
Fine! I didn't want to talk to him either.

I thought after I have told him everything, I would feel more relieved. But I did not. I felt this huge knot in my throat and this heavy weight on my chest. The disappointed and pained look in his eyes when I told him that I'd rather freeze to death, did not go out of my mind. I had never seen such a look on his face. Did I say something wrong? No. I was not the offender. All these years, I had been a victim of his pranks and mean comments, his arrogant behavior, and selfish acts. It was in my right to tell him a piece of my mind.
Yet, the look on his face shook me.

"You'll get wrinkles when you think so much.", Jack suddenly broke the silence between us. I gave him a confused look. His voice didn't have the usual light mockery tone and his eyes have lost its usual sparkle. Did I do that? Jack surveyed his finger intensely. He didn't seem like he just said something. What if I had just imagined that...?
He shifted and turned to me. His sudden movement made me jump.
"Do you still hate me, Holly?", he asked. I hesitated before I answered, looking for a sign in his eyes, that this was all some part of his game, a tease – but his eyes were drained from the brightness. A somber focus laid in them instead. This seemed to pain him seriously. I didn't know how to go on. This was new.

"I- I mean, you haven't really done much for me to like you.", I replied and hoped that'd be enough for him and he would continue to ignore me. Although, I wasn't too sure that's what I wanted anymore.
"I've changed."
"Jack-", I began.
"Let me prove it to you.", he cut in quickly. I eyed him carefully. In his blue eyes returned a small sparkle of hope. A knot of queasiness rose in my stomach. I bit my lower lip.
"Why do you want me to like you so much, all of sudden?", I asked him. Jack looked anywhere but me. His fingers tapped nervously on the desk. Then he took a deep breath and finally looks at me. For the first time, I saw fear in his eyes.
The knot in my stomach grew, as I tried to prepare myself mentally for his answer.

"Well, for starters – oh my god, this is going to sound so embarrassing and weird, I mean I probably should have told you that way sooner and everything. God, this is so bad.", he mumbled and chuckled in discomfort.
"Jack, please just say it.", the pain in my stomach grew stronger. I pressed on my belly, hoping it would help somehow. It did not.
Jack took another deep breath.
"I am sorry. I am sorry about your friend and how I treated you sometimes. There is no excuse for my behavior. I was an enormous jackass and I hate myself for that time. I should have apologized earlier.", he said. I felt a tight pull in my chest. For years, I had wished to hear those words from him- but now...they left a weird feeling in me. The way Jack acted made it clear that he wasn't done yet.

"There is one thing I want you to know.", he cleared his throat, struggling to say his next words, "There...ehm, there had been a time, when I actually liked you. In the sense of like like you. It scared me, so I ignored it. After we graduated and everyone went their way... I noticed that you were still stuck in my head. No matter how hard I tried to get rid of you, you'd always find a way back in my mind, making me regret High School so, so much. And now, that we meet each other again – this is going to sound ridiculous- It feels like a Christmas miracle. And what am I trying to say is, I guess - or more like ask you – is if you could give me a second chance?" He tilted his head down, but his gaze looked for mine, worried for what I might say next. But I still struggled to comprehend his words. He couldn't be serious, or could he? I had never looked at him that way. I was too busy disliking him, in order to do that.
But the way he scooched in front of me, this look of pain and fear in his eyes- I saw a different Jack.
"Jack.", I said, my voice brittle and thin. I didn't know what to say next.

"What is this?", Emilia asked suddenly and kicked carefully against his long suitcase. Jack gave me one last, unsettled look, then he kneed down.
"Do you want to see what's inside?", he asked her, and Emilia nodded happily.
He took the case on his lap and clicked it open. A keyboard became visible.
"Can you play?", she asked excitedly. Jack chuckled and nodded.
"Can you play now?", she inquired with big round eyes. Jack looked around, hesitantly. Then he nodded.
"Sure. What do you want me to play?"
"A Christmas song!"
Jack started to set up the piano. He connected it to electricity and even build up a microphone and a music box, from his other suitcase. He sat down, his fingers laid on the keys, ready to play.
"Emilia!", a female voice suddenly broke through the airport noise. A tall woman with long black hair rushed towards us.

Emilia turned and her face lit up. She ran towards the woman, who picked her up and held her close immediately. She strokes through Emilia's hair and kisses her forehead.
"I was so worried about you. Where have you been?" Emilia pointed towards us.
"I met new friends and we went looking for you, but we got lost. And now we are found again!" Emilia's mother pressed her daughters to head to her shoulder, closing her eyes as she embraced her in relief. Then she let Emilia down and took her by her hand.
"You are just in time. Jack is playing a Christmas Concert!" Emilia's mother walked towards us.
Jack got up, shook her hand and introduces us politely.
"Thank you so much for taking care of her. I was distracted for one short second and suddenly she was gone."

"No problem. We are just glad, that she is back with you." I nodded supportively. She looked at Jack's set up.
"So you are going to give us a little concert, I heard?"
Jack chuckled and smiled. "Seems like it. This airport needs a little bit more of that Christmas spirit."
Emilia's mother nodded agreeing. "People are so frustrated because of all the flights that got canceled. Everyone is so stressed about getting home. I guess, a little bit of music and bring some Christmas miracle, or what do you think Em?"
Em nodded energetically. She played with her Teddy Bear in air.
"Yes! Christmas Miracle! Maybe Santa comes early." We fell into lighthearted laughter- and for a second, I forgot about the stress and drama around me right now. Maybe the Miracle is already starting.

Emilia's mother runs her fingers through Emilia's hair.
"Sure, but you'd been naughty."
"Yeah but Santa will understand.", Emilia argues back. We laughed again. Then Jack sat down and started playing the first notes of Driving home for Christmas.
He played a little intro and then started to sing. His voice was clear and deep. I didn't expect him to sing like this. I didn't even know he played an instrument.
Guess, there were a lot of things I didn't know about Jack...

As soon as Jack had started to play, it seemed like the world became slower. People weren't rushing to places, some even stopped and listened for a moment.
Jack played one Christmas song after another. After a while, a little crowd had formed around us. Some people sang along, an elderly couple even danced to his version of White Christmas. For a moment, I could really feel how everyone seemed more at peace, calmer, more joyful.
Christmas is a feast of love and most people seem to forget that. Being here, listening to Jack's gentle voice, reminded me of the meaning again.
Jack looked up. He had caught me starring but he didn't drop his gaze. His lips curled to a smile.
I had never seen such a smile on him. It relaxed the knot in my stomach and filled me with warmth instead. When he sang, I felt like his words were directed at me.
A hiccup escaped my stomach. Jack bit his lower lip to prevent him from laughing. He focused back on his music, but I still felt his gaze all over me. I couldn't hide a smile.

***

I burst out in a fit of laughter.
"No way that happened! You are lying", I said as I tried to contain my laughter, but failed miserably. Jack chuckled.
"I am not. It really happened. You should have seen his face- it was like this.", Jack made a funny face that made me laugh even harder.
Jack had stopped playing a little while ago. It was almost four in the morning. Most people went to sleep. Emilia curled up on a chair across from them, her head laid on her mother's lap. They were fast asleep. In the meantime, Jack and had gotten a chance to talk.
I scooched closer to him, placing my head against his shoulder briefly, laughing.
"That is not a good look on you.", I said when I finally calmed down a bit. I sighed and took a deep breath. Then I made myself more comfortable in the chair, resting my head on my hand. I took a sip of the coffee, that Jack had bought me.

"So, what are you doing here in the UK?", I asked him.
"Well, I study Robotics and Mechanics – what a surprise- in a town near London. It's so much cheaper than in the US and besides I wanted to get away from my family as far as possible.", he explained.
"Mhm, yeah- escaping the family. Think we all do that a little bit."
Jack chuckled weakly.
"Yeah", he breathed. He avoided my look and starred in the distance. A somber look crept into his eyes. His mind seemed suddenly far, far away.
"Are you okay?", I asked concerned. Jack pulled himself from his daydreaming. He nodded.
"Yes...It's just. I was thinking about my sister. She, uhm, died when I was in my senior year. She was sick since she was a kid. My family hasn't been the same ever since."

I placed my hand before my mouth, holding back a gasp. Then I took his hand and stroke my thumb softly. He looked at our hands. My heart beat faster when I realized what I just had done. But it had just felt so natural. I held my breath as I waited for him to make the next move.
Then his fingers intertwined with mine. A smile escaped my lips. And so did his.
He chuckled softly, his smile grew wider.

"Abby would have freaked out if I could tell her about this. She was the only one I told about you. I mean, the only one who'd have guessed we'll be ending up here, would be here. I would have never- and I am a hundred percent sure that you didn't even think of the possibility."
I giggled.
"You are not wrong", I admitted. "But who knows...maybe it was her doing. A Christmas miracle from an angel."
Jack's gaze went briefly to Emilia then it met mine. We held contact for a minute that felt like an eternity. My chest felt too small for my heart, it was pounding loudly.

"I like to think that.", he whispered. His gaze dropped back to our hands as if he couldn't believe what it was real. And if I was being honest, I felt the same way.
"I should probably be honest with you to", I began. My heart beat as if I'd just run a marathon. My palms felt sweaty and I prayed to god, Jack wouldn't notice that.
"I can't believe I am saying that, but I am glad, I am stuck with you at this airport. And maybe we should try this giving a second chance think."
He lifted his head, our eyes met. I swallowed hard. Jack leaned closers. Our noses touched gently. I could feel his warm breath against my skin.

"It stopped!", Emilia cried out suddenly.
Jack and I bumped our heads and parted. We rubbed our forehead in pain.
"Are you okay?", he asked concerned, but couldn't hide his smile. I giggled and nodded. Then I notice a little red spot on his skin.
"But you are not! You are bleeding, Jack!" Jack whipped over his temple. A little red spot was visible.
"I'll live." ,he commented and chuckled that turned into a painful groan. I joined him.
Emilia was up and wake. She ran towards the big glass windows and pressed her face against it.
Jack got up and offered his hand. I accepted.

We joined Emilia and the window front. Everything was painted in white, inches of inches buried in snow. An orange light blinked and was reflected by the snow. The first employees were working on snow clearance. Jack wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding on to him and his warmth.
"A Holly, jolly Christmas.", he whispered in my ear and earned a little punch from me. Jack chuckled amused. I couldn't help but fall in line.
"Idiot.", I mumbled, then I buried my face in his shoulder, watching the snow get cleared from the machines.