A Christmas Wish 

By Michelle
 

      I looked out the window of the Hanson house.  Snow had fallen the night before covering the ground in white perfect powder. The Hanson’s own rendition of “Baby please come Home” was playing somewhere within the house.

I had come too soon. Zac, my best friend, wasn’t here yet. He was at his girlfriend’s house giving her what I had imagined to be a much  better gift then my Serta counting sheep that  I had gotten last year from Zac. I knew it had to be better because it wasn’t a free toy that came with a mattress. It was an expensive gift that he spent months to get her, and that thought alone depressed me.   

      “Hey, Marie!” I jumped with a start. Turning away from the window I saw Taylor standing there dressed in his red Christmas sweater, a wrapped gift in his hand. His blue eyes shone from the light of the window, his blonde hair thrown behind his ears in total disregard that made it seem like he had combed it to look that way. He gave a gentle smile before handing me the gift.  

“Here, this is for you.”  It was a small package wrapped in Snoopy Christmas paper, a big, bright, violet ribbon stuck haphazardly on top. It wasn’t the best wrapping I had seen but it was nice all the same. 

“ Aren’t we supposd to wait until after dinner to open gifts?” I asked.  

“ I know, but I wanted you to open mine first.” 

 “Well, then how can I say no to that?”  I replied.

      I pointed to the bow. “We ran out of Christmas bows. I guess that’s what I get for wrapping my gifts last.” He shrugged. I tore it off and stuck it to his head before tearing at the wrapping. “ If these are socks, I am killing you.” 

“ Darn it, how did you guess?” He replied grinning.   

“Zac, tol-” But I never completed my sentence for at that exact moment I had opened the box and lost my ability to talk. There it was, the charm bracelet I had wanted for so long, laying on white tissue paper. The bracelet I never had enough money to afford. I suddenly wished I had gotten him something better than guitar picks and a gift card, instead of spending most of my money on Star Wars Lego kits for Zac.         

“Well, do you like it?” Taylor asked. 

“Oh I love it. Taylor how did you know?” I asked, jumping up and hugging him.

He smiled, “I saw you looking at it this summer on tour in New York.”  

“Here, lets put it on you” he said, picking it out of the box and placing it on my wrist.  I moved it around on my wrist and saw that it already a little red heart charm on it.  

“It’s beautiful.” I said giving Taylor a tight hug, only this time he didn’t let go. “Just like you.” he breathed in my ear.

I turned.  Looking out the window I saw a car pull up and knew it had to be Zac. I felt my heart lift and the corners of my mouth turn up. I heard Taylor sigh. 

“ I wish I could make your face light up like that.” he mumbled. 

“What?”  I asked.

Taylor started to pull away from our embrace. “Nothing.”

I tried pulling him back. “No Taylor, what is it?”

He ran his hands through his hair, sighing once again. “ Marie, I have liked you for a long time and yet you love my brother who ignores you or either is truly clueless. And once,  just once, I wish you would look at me the way you look at him.”   He ran a hand down the side of my face just as Zac came through the door. I pulled away from Taylor. 

“Hey, what’s going on guys?” Zac asked. 

“Nothing.” I answered but instantly regretted when I saw Taylor’s face fall. “I mean Taylor just gave me his gift.” I held out my hand showing Zac the bracelet.

“Nice.”  

“I can see that your girlfriend loved her gift too,” Taylor said pointing out pink kiss like smudges on Zac’s face and neck.    

He blushed. “Ah yeah she did,” he replied trying to rub it off.  It didn’t quite work, unfortunately. 

“Marie, you have to open my gift.” Zac said pulling me over to the couch and looking under the tree.  

When Zac handed the gift to me, I could have laughed. Taylor, on the other hand, couldn’t hold it in as well as I could and I think he even snorted at one point.   The gift was wrapped even worse than Taylor’s and an ear of something was sticking out on one side. “Ah Thanks, Zac.”

“Well, open it.”  

I ripped into the package, I mean, it had to be good. Zac was my best friend.  When I finished opening it I have to say that I was very much disappointed. A bear, Mr. Snuggles to be exact, you know from the laundry commercial. Another free gift. I could have cried.  I had to say something.  

“Oh Zac, it’s so cute.”

“ I knew you would like it because you liked the sheep that I gave you last year.” 

“Guys, look up.” Taylor was holding the mistletoe above us. “You know what that means Zac?” My heart was slowly picking up speed, I had dreamed of this moment since forever.  

“No. Yuck, kissing Marie is like kissing Jessica.” My heart fell, it was like my world was crashing and burning all around me. Taylor saw the hurt in my eyes, Zac did not.  He never did. 

“Now, you can’t break the rules, Zac. A quick kiss ain’t going to hurt anybody,” Taylor reasoned.

“Fine.” He brought my face to his, didn’t even ask if I was ready. It was wet, sloppy , and so uncaring and over before it started. He pushed away, muttering a Merry Christmas before leaving me to sit alone in a pile of wrapping paper. I felt like crying. I never felt so used.  

“Well, was it everything you dreamed? I mean this was like your Christmas wish, wasn’t it?” Taylor sounded so bitter and cold when he said those words. I could feel tears. 

“A waste of a wish if you ask me.” He sighed playing with the mistletoe in his hand before chucking it to the wall. 

“It wasn’t everything I hoped.”

“Well, they never are. I have asked for mine year after year and it has yet to come true and don’t you dare ask what it is.”  

I watched Taylor get up heading for another room in the house. He was always there for me when Zac was being mean or just plain rude. He could always make me smile when I felt like crying and he never ignored me and yet some how I had managed to ignore and take for granted what a great person he was. I was no better then Zac. It had to stop. 

“Taylor,” I called “That wasn’t my Christmas wish.” He turned starring at me with those blue eyes.

“It wasn’t?”

“No.”  I said.

“What was then?”  

I walked to him and gently pulled his face towards mine. The kiss was warm, loving and everything one wishes a kiss to be.        I pulled away. “So Taylor, was that a waste of a wish?”

“No, it was everything I could have hoped for and more. Wow Marie, you are such a great gift giver.” He grinned. “Speaking of gifts what do plan to name the bear?”

I smiled back, “I was thinking Taylor but first I have to give another gift,” and I reached up to kiss Taylor again.