Short stories: Christmas – Part 1

Mom was a 32 year old very successful business woman having inherited her dead husband’s business two years earlier and transforming it into a world wide business empire. She had the best of everything including a Lear jet at her beck and call which she used like most people use a car. Always on the go, and always in a different part of the world, this was her lifestyle and it made her veins red hot.

She was 7 years old and the apple of her mother’s eye. Nothing was denied her, being the only child of this successful woman.Two large rooms in the mansion were filled with nothing but the latest in toys and games, some not even out on the market yet. She had a live in nanny to care for her and also doubled as a playmate. A cook and maid also shared this mansion with them, and it appeared as if nothing could be more perfect…

This Christmas was going to be the most perfect yet. The mother had arranged for a real live pony to be delivered to the home on Christmas Eve, and it would be tied with the most perfect of bows in the back yard, which incidentally consisted of over 45 acres of the finest pasture and woods combined.

“Mom, please don’t go,” the young child begged her mother.

“Honey, I told you, it’s business,” the mom replied,” Besides, you have all those beatiful toys to play with.”

“But I want to play with you, mom, just you,” the little girl retorted.

“I’ll be back before you know it, and then we’ll play,” promised the mother.

“That’s what you always say,” whined the young girl,” And then as soon as you’re back, you leave again,and you never have time to play with me.”

This was an ongoing battle between the young girl and her mother. None of the toys could fill the emptiness in the young girl’s heart. She would give up all her toys just for a night of her mother’s undivided attention.

“Please, mom,” the young girl begged one last time.

To no avail, the mother went on another jet run to another city in another part of the world and left the little girl to play with her toys under the caring eye of her nanny. This jaunt would take four days, and two days after the mother left, the young girl took ill.

“How bad is it?” asked the mother to the nanny.

“The fever is high, but the doctor said it should abate in the morning,” responded the nanny.

“But she wants you home now, M’am,” the nanny said.

“Well, just tell her I’ll be there in two more days, ” the mother said, and with that hung the phone up.

The next morning the fever grew hotter, and the doctor was called again. This time, the doctor wasted no time and called for an ambulance as the young girl took a turn for the worse. The mother was called and informed of the news, but there was a major snowstorm in the area of where she was and no flights could leave or enter. She begged to talk to her daughter, but her daughter now lie in a coma.

The next morning was Christmas, and the mother was able to fly out and head back home. Arriving at the hospital, she sat by the bedside of her daughter. The sickness had taken its toll and the doctors gave the young girl only a few hours to live. The mother sobbed by her bed and told the little girl that there was a pony waiting for her back home as soon as she got better.

“Mommy,” said the young girl.

“Yes dear,” replied the mother.

“I don’t want a pony, I just want you.”

These were the last words of the little girl who had gotten everything for Christmas but what she needed.