Saving Sandy

Chapter 22 - Christmas Day in the Year 1923

Never would I have dreamed that I would wake up on Christmas morning in Switzerland, and in the year 1923. It was just a miracle and a dream come true.

I hopped out of bed in my pink nightgown and opened up the window to reveal a very white Christmas. The whole town was covered in a blanket snow, as were the mountains around it. I grinned. I couldn't imagine a better Christmas morning.

My gaze roamed around the scenery outside. Not a person was out there at the moment, probably spending time with their loved ones on this Christmas morning. Was it Christmas at home? I left home on the very day in November that I arrived, so if time passed, was it Christmas? What was my family even doing at the moment? Were they frantic in looking for me, thinking I went missing, or was time standing still?

I wouldn't know unless I went home at some point. "Hopefully not now."

The tree and gifts beckoned me. I went over to the glittering tree and sat down at its base on the red rug on the wooden floor. I took up Peter's gift. I opened it to find another little box that I could open. I did so and found a little wooden sculpture of a sitting bird. Not a duck, but maybe a swan. I smiled.

"Aw, Peter... Did he make this? I didn't know he whittled."

There was a note with it. It said in a kid's handwriting, To Katie Hearst, the amazing young woman who can ski. I carved this swan for you from an evergreen tree. I hope you like it. Your friend, Peter.

"He's so sweet." I looked over the bird that fit in the palm of my hand, at the detail. "Wow, what talent."

I set down his gift gently so I wouldn't damage it. That kid was seriously talented if he carved something like that, and in the time in between finding out about me and meeting me.

"Time for Sandy's gift," I said as my heart started beating faster. I took it up, but before I could undo the string, knocking sounded on the door. Knowing who it could be, I ran fingers through my hair and pulled on a robe to match the nightgown. I opened the door to see Sandy dressed in a plain white button-down shirt with the first two buttons undone, and brown pants. His hair wasn't combed back but falling over his forehead in a rather attractive way.

"Good morning," he coaxed.

I blinked a few times, snapping out of it. "Good morning. Merry Christmas. Or, Happy Christmas."

"Merry and happy are one in the same. Merry Christmas, Katie."

He wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug, and I took in his scent. My arms wound around his torso.

"No one should spend Christmas morning alone," he said near my left ear. "Have you opened your gifts?"

"Only Peter's. You should see it." I let him go and he came in and shut the door. He knelt down with me and I showed him what Peter made. "Look at this. He carved this himself. Did you know he could do that?"

"No, I did not. He made you a swan." He brought up a little box, one I just realized he was holding when he came in. "He made me a fox."

He opened the box, and I gasped at the detail of that animal, too. "Oh my gosh! Wow!"

"Indeed. I think he kept his talent hidden as to make our gifts more surprising."

"That sneaky kid."

"That is one of the reasons why he reminds me of myself. Now..." He brought up my gift to him. "I thought that we could watch each other open the gifts we got for each other."

"I think that's a great idea."

"You go first."

"No, you. Please?"