Miss Claus and Me

Chapter Thirty-Two ~ Hey, Santa

As Amelia sat nervously in the sleigh, Livie on her right, the reindeers in the front, she gulped as she tried to think happy thoughts. Because maybe if she did that, they wouldn't fall, and maybe she would be good enough to save Christmas.

As the magical engine suddenly roared to life and the sleigh took off from its sitting point in the front of Eve's yard, Amelia squealed as she grabbed hold onto the side of the sleigh for dear life, remembering how as a child Eve had loved nothing more than the thrill of it.

Perhaps one day they could ride the sleigh together again, Amelia thought as her eyes widened when they reached the sky, the Aurora lights breathtaking as they seamed to merge with the stars themselves.

"Off we go!" Livie cried as she laughed maniacally and Amelia looked at her as if she were crazy.

Suddenly, the sleigh gave a great lurch, and as if responding to Livie's cry, it heaved into a magical-like portal and before she knew it, Amelia was flying over the top of Paris itself.

When the sleigh came to a landing on top one of the cities roofs, Amelia tried to take a deep breath as she gathered herself.

"Who's house is this?" She asked Livie who simply smiled and shrugged.

"But if you don't tell me, how will I know what to do to help them?" Amelia asked in a panic, and Livie's eyes softened as she looked at her calmly.

"Amelia, part of the magic of Santa, is just knowing. As much as we do try to plan which cities and people we will visit, every year there are a few we don't expect. You are going to be the best Santa there has ever been, of that I am certain. You just need to believe in yourself and have courage."

Amelia nodded as her temporary guardian fairy gestured for her to get out of the sleigh.

She did so, and Livie followed behind her as she elegantly floated to the ground, giggling giddily as she still wasn't quite-yet used to being able to use magic... or fly. 

After that, she walked up to the door, and knocked. Waiting with baited breath for an answer. Amelia knew that it was still only early. She could only hope that the people she needed to help might be home.

As she looked around the front yard of the house, she couldn't help but to think that this family was rather likely to be an upper-class one. So the issue was unlikely to be money-troubles. Still though, there were many other things that could have gone wrong.

When the door was finally answered by a young woman whose face was tear-stained as she held her little toddler to her hip and tried to give Amelia a smile, but Amelia could see the raw emotion in her eyes.

"Hello." She said.

"Can I help you?" She asked as Amelia smiled warmly at her.

"Hello, I heard from a friend of yours that you're really down at the moment so I thought I'd see if I can help. After all, it's almost Christmas." She explained as the woman's smile fell.

"That's very kind of you, but unless you can bring my father back from the grave or somehow get back my music-box, I don't think that you can help." She said sadly.

"Music box?" Amelia asked as the woman nodded.

"Something he left to me as his final gift. But we moved house recently and I fear that I've gone and lost it accidentally and I know that I must have really let him down."

Amelia hummed in acknowledgement.

"I'm sure he wouldn't want you to feel badly about it and that he is very proud of the amazing mother and woman you have become. But, about that music box." Amelia said as she closed her eyes for a moment and focused.