Only Time Can Tell

Chapter Seventeen. .

After dinner, Luke, Karen, Sally-Ann  and Skyanne  all went out to the lounge-room  and started making  a start on setting up the Christmas tree. 

"Wow, doesn't it look amazing  Skyanne.!  Here, you can put the star on top of the tree," her Aunt  said hanging her the star,  as Luke lifted her up to place it on top of the tree. " And on Christmas Eve we will place a plate of cookies out for Santa and 8 tiny carrots for the reindeers. We will even put a sign out the front so Santa knows to stop here. How's  that sound to you Skyanne? "  ber Aunt added.
"Fnntastic!"  she said giving the thumbs up.

"Speaking of xmas Sally-Ann , Mum rang thenothernday and asked me what we were doing for it. I told  her we haven't made any plans as of yet. So she asked  me to ask you all if you'd like to go to the farm and have a  xmas lunch out there," Karen  rattled off.
"Oh and you don't need to worry about my brothe;, both Amanda  and Steven  won't be there,"  she told Sally-Ann.

"Sounds like a wonderful idea too me, call them back and say we will be there. Skyanne's  first xmas with her Grandparents,  she'll love it.

The week leading up to Christmas,  Sally-Ann  had worked her butt off and on her last day Tony asked what her plans were.

"A family gathering for my daughter at  her Grandparents  for xmas, as for the rst of it.... anything is possible  with my two housemates! How about you Tony?"  she asked.

"I have planed a little getaway for my family, "he told Sally-Ann.
"Well you have yourself a great time and I'll see you after the xmas break, " she told him.

Christmas  Eve they had put some milk and cookies out ont the coffee table for Santa and 8 carrots for his reindeers.

"Wow Mummy, the tree looks  beautiful.  I can't wait to see what  Santa brings me in the morning  and I can't wait to Grandma and Grandpa.  This is going to be the best xmas ever!" Skyanne  said excited.
"Yes it would be great to see  what Santa brings you, but for now, I think its time you say goodnight to everyone and on to bed,"  her mother told her.

"Goodnight Uncle Luke, Aunty Karen.... dont go eatting Santa's  cookies on him Uncle Luke, " she said as she hugged  them both goodnight.

Staying up a bit  longer, Sally-Ann,  Luke and Karen  placed the presents underneath  the tree, then sat back and looked at all the prsents.

"Someone's  going to a happy little girl in the morning.  So tell ne - who's going to eat those cookies, drink the milk and eat them carrots?"  Karen asked.

"I think we should have a  cookie each, bite  these carrots and make a trail heading outside... you know, make it look like the reindeers did it.,"Sally-Ann told Karen.
"That's not a bad idea, " Luke smiled.

In the morning,  Skyanne  was up bright and early jumping up and down singing at the top of her little lungs," Wakeup everyone, Santas been"

"What's  all the racket out here?"  her mother  asked coming out of her room.

"Look Mummy, Santa's  been and left lots and lots of prsents. He even ate all his cookies and drank all his milk. His reindeers  must have been really hungrey, cause they nibbled on all the carrots  and left a trail behind as they headed back out the door,"Skyanne  said pointing at the trail all over the floor.

"Good morning  sweetheart, "Luke said coming out of his room and taking a look around.
"Wow, what happened  here? Look at this mess!"he added.

"That's  from Santa's reindeers  Uncle Luke," she said putting herhands o  her hips.

"Oh I thought maybe you were a bit hungrey," he said winking at Sally-Ann.  "Your funny Uncle Luke.