I wrote this short story several years ago and never published it. I never did care much for the illustration I did for the story and maybe that's what kept me from even making the attempt to make it public. But as it's sole purpose is to be shared with friends I've decided to do just that, bad illustration and all. Once again,
Merry Christmas. LYDIA AND LACEY
It was Christmas eve. The household was quiet. Quiet except for the two little ladies, Lydia and Lacey. They’ve been waiting for this moment for what seemed an eternity. As that magic time had finally arrived at last, these two ladies, as so many others like them, waited up for Santa Claus.
Lydia sat at the window looking prim and proper as her name might dictate. The smaller one, Lacey, was all blonde curls and frills. She was the little spontaneous ray of sunshine whereas Lydia was the dark haired, brown eyed practical one. They were the perfect match.
The girls were awake and excited since early that morning. It was now nearing midnight. Lydia was good at fighting the sleep but poor Lacey had nodded off several times. A piece of tinsel or a dried pine needle from the Christmas tree had crashed to the floor waking Lacey.
“I heard a reindeer!” she yelped, sitting up wide awake.
“It could be.” smiled Lydia snuggling up to the mass of curls. “Did you get a nice nap?”
“I wasn’t sleepin’.” the little lady pouted.
“Just resting your eyes, huh?”
“That’s right. I mean, I heard the reindeer didn’t I?”
“You sure did. Let’s look out the window where we can see them.”
Both propped their elbows on the window sill and gazed out into the night sky. It was a full moon they saw first. Though Lydia had really hoped for more snow, the moon gave the countryside a mysterious glow. She pointed out a rabbit hopping lazily over the field directly behind the house. It kicked up snow as it jumped which appeared to transform into a luminous nebula trailing behind.
The serene setting compelled Lydia to sing a few bars of ‘Silent Night’. Lacey listened prettily as she sang.
When the song reached the part about the “...round young virgin” Lacey stopped Lydia to ask what a ‘round young virgin’ was. That poser kept them pondering for several more minutes. After that it was another long pause which found Lacey, once again, nodding her head.
Lydia reached out and shook another branch on the Christmas tree, this time causing the tiniest of bell to ring out.
“An angel! I heard an angel!!” squeaked Lacey.
“Go back to sleep, Lacey.” teased the dark haired one.
“I’m not sleeping! There’s a difference between sleeping and being sleepy. I’m sleepy, that’s all.”
“Hmmm. Want to look for the angel then?” offered Lydia.
“You can’t see angels. Everyone knows that.”
“Oh? I would think that if one could hear an angel, one could see it as well.”
Lacey raced this through her little mind for a second and had to agree.
“Maybe you’re right about this. Where do you think we might find it?” she asked looking out the window again.
“Angels could be anywhere. What direction did you hear the angel make it’s noise?” the wiser one prodded.
“I think it was from the kitchen.” Lacey answered starting towards the kitchen door.
The kitchen was quiet. The plate with Christmas cookies next to the glass of milk was still there. So were the carrots Lacey put out for the reindeer. Lydia began looking around for the angel.
“Nothing in the cupboards. The ice box is empty of angels, too. Are you sure you heard it in here?”
Lacey put her little head down and stuck out her bottom lip.
“I’m not sure.”
Lydia quickly went over and gave the smaller one a big hug.
“That’s okay. Maybe we’ll hear it again later. Angels don’t stay in the same place very long.”
They returned to the living room window and stared at the moon for a while. It’s silvery countenance was more resplendent than anything Lydia had ever remembered before, not that she had a great deal to remember. She entertained a thought of one day traveling to the moon on the gossamer wings of wild geese. She closed her eyes and saw the moon coming closer and closer as the swift flyers continued tirelessly. The crystalline light of Madame Luna set an aura around everything she looked upon. The world positively glowed. It was a dream that continued until morning.
Suddenly there was a loud THUMP on the upstairs floor followed by a loud happy squeal from a little girl’s bedroom.
“Mommy... Daddy... wake up, Santa Claus was here. Hurry up!”
“Okay Mary, give us a minute to get out of bed.” said the mother as she threaded one arm through her bathrobe.
“Hurry.” insisted the little girl pulling on her mother’s free arm.
The father laughed and hoisted the apple of his eye way up in the air.
“Merry Christmas, Princess.”
“Merry Christmas, Daddy.”
“Well, Mother. Do you think Santa Claus left anything nice for a certain little girl?”
“I don’t know. We’d better let her go downstairs and see.” she smiled.
Mary stood at the top of the stairs waiting impatiently for her father’s signal. Both mother and father giggled silently at the little ragamuffin nervously hopping up and down at the top of the stairs.
“Okay Princess. But be very careful going down.” he cautioned.
Zoom. It took all of a few seconds for Mary to reach the bottom step. Mother and Father only sighed with relief that no bones were broken as they plodded down slowly in their daughter’s wake.
When they reached the landing they heard their little girl squeal again.
“Oh Mommy... Daddy... they’re beautiful.” she cried as she ran over to the two dolls propped under the living room window.
The magic had only just begun.
