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Neilson rang the doorbell to Natalie’s house, the door opened and her mom stood there “Hey Neilson” she said smiling.

“Hey Ms Cappel…Nat around?” he asked.

“Yes and you couldn’t have come at a better time” she said letting him in.

“What’s going on?” he asked coming stepping inside “Well Christmas time is kind of hard on Nat since her dad passed away” Jodi said sadly.

“Oh…I didn’t know that…she always seemed like she was alright” he said.

“Well…her dad’s birthday was around Christmas time and then the holidays without him always seem to hit her pretty hard” she said.

“Oh…she okay?” he asked.

“I don’t know she’s been in the attic all day going through her dad’s old stuff…why don’t you go on up and see if you can bring her down” she said.

“I’ll try” he said smiling, he then went up the stairs.

Natalie sat cross legged on the attic floor, a stack of old pictures sitting on her knee. She wiped a tear from her eye.

“Nat?” Neilson called out, she quickly wiped her face off when he came up the attic steps “Hey” he said upon seeing her.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“Well I wanted to see if you wanted to come and spend Christmas Eve with us at my house” he asked.

“Oh…yeah, sure that sounds great” she said smiling.

“Uh, your mom’s invited too if she wants to come” he said.

“Oh that’s nice but I think she’s going to a Christmas party” she said sitting back down.

Neilson sat next to her “You okay?” he asked.

She shrugged “Just missing my dad” she said looking at the pictures.

“Yeah your mom told me that his birthday was around this time” he said.

“December 20th” she said nodding.

“Wow” he said.

“We would always celebrate during our Christmas get togethers with our family” she said sadly.

He moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her. He picked up a picture “When was this?” he asked about the picture.

Natalie held a bouquet of roses, her dad smiling proudly as he held her tightly “My fourth grade ballet recital” she said taking it from him “I got to be the sugar plum fairy in The Nutcracker that year” she said smiling. “The recital was actually on my dad’s birthday…he said it was his favorite birthday up until that point…watching me dance was the best present he ever got” she said tearfully.

He pulled her close and kissed her head “I wish I could’ve met him” he said softly.

“I do too” she said laughing lightly “See that necklace?” she asked pointing to the picture.

“Yeah it’s nice” he said.

“It was one of my Christmas presents that year, he gave it to me early so I could wear it for the recital, I loved that necklace” she said. “It was a locket and when you opened it it played Tiny Dancer” she said “And on the back it had it engraved ‘to my tiny dancer, Merry Christmas, love daddy’” she said sadly.

“You still have it?” he asked.

“No” she said shaking her head “Before he died I only wore it on special occasions but after…I wore it everywhere…just so I could feel close to him” she said.

“What happened to it?” he asked.

“I wore it on my final field trip at my old school…I guess the clasp was broken in the back or something, I fell asleep on the bus ride home and it probably slipped off my neck or something…I just remember getting home and realized it was gone” she said sadly.
“My mom told me that it wasn’t my fault but I just felt so horrible, that was the last piece of my dad that I had…and it was gone…just like him” she said. “My mom called the bus depot but they had already cleaned the busses out by that point, she offered to replace it but…it just wasn’t the same” she said. He nodded “Anyways…” she said clearing her throat “I cannot wait to give you your Christmas present, you are going to love it” she said kissing him.

“…Great” he said.

“Come on, my mom and I made some cookies yesterday” she said standing up and going down the attic steps.

He looked back at her and then picked up the picture of her and her dad, shoving it into his jacket pocket before following her downstairs.

~*~


Adam lead Kyle to the living room where a few rolls of wrapping paper sat on the coffee table along with some boxes, tape and bows.

“What’s this?” Kyle asked.

“Listen, I didn’t want to say anything but we’ve been getting some complaints about the way you wrap gifts…you can’t” Adam said to him, Kyle rolled his eyes “So you’ve left me no choice…I am going to teach you how to wrap a present” Adam said.

“Yeah I don’t think so” Kyle said to him.

“Fine…but the dude at the mall told me that if any other merchandise is broken because of you you’re paying for it” Adam said sitting on the couch and turning on the TV.

“…How do you do this?” Kyle asked sitting in a chair, they sat there as Kyle attempted to wrap gift after gift.

“Nope” Adam said, Kyle hung his head down in frustration “Try again” Adam said opening a magazine and propping his feet up on the coffee table.

Kyle wrapped another box, Adam picked it up and the bottom fell out, Kyle whined in aggravation, putting his head down once again.

“Adam…I have been at this for over an hour now” Kyle said exasperated “I got paper cuts all over from that wrapping paper, my fingers are bleeding!” he said irritated. “How much longer do I have to do this?” he asked.

“Until you don’t suck anymore” Adam said continuing reading the magazine in his lap.

Kyle looked at the wrapping paper and then back at Adam, a sly smile crossed his face. Adam was then tightly wrapped up in the paper, Kyle placed a bow on top of his head.

“Yeah okay, fine, you made your point, very funny…now get me out” Adam said irritated.

“I don’t wanna” Kyle said amused, taking a bite out of a Christmas cookie.

“Hey guys” AJ said entering the house.

“AJ I got your Christmas present” Kyle said to him.

AJ turned to look at Adam who glared menacingly at him “I already have one of these” he said to Kyle “But thanks anyways.”

“Dad, for the love of god…” Adam said.

“Hey” Bradley said as the front door opened, a garment bag slung over his shoulder, he stopped in his tracks to look at Adam who glared at him. “Somebody asked for Satan for Christmas?” he asked looking at Adam up and down.

“You are so lucky I can’t move” Adam said to Bradley.

“Alright” AJ said picking up the scissors and cutting Adam out.

“Thank you, now give me the scissors so I can kill Kyle” Adam said holding his hand out.

“Sorry, we’re not allowed, Kevin told us we need to keep him alive” AJ said to him.

“Why is everyone so afraid of Kevin? Is it the eyebrows?” Adam asked.

“Honestly? It is” AJ said to him.

~*~


Bradley walked into the kitchen, placing his garment bag over a chair.

“Bradley” Neilson said racing in from outside “I have an idea.”

“And it only took you seventeen years, congratulations” Bradley said to him, he took a seat at the kitchen island and took a bite out of a Christmas cookie.

“When Nat was little her dad gave her this necklace after she performed in a recital, then she lost it…see where I’m going with this?” Neilson asked him.

“You’re going to replace it for her?” Bradley asked.

“No, I’m gonna find the one she lost!” Neilson said with a big grin on his face.

“How the hell are you going to do that?” Bradley asked.

“By looking obviously” Neilson said to him.

“Where’d she lose it?” Bradley asked.

“It fell off her neck when she was on a class trip” Neilson said.

“What class trip?” Bradley asked.

“I don’t know she was in fifth grade” Neilson said shrugging.

“Neilson…we didn’t meet Nat until sixth grade” Bradley said.

“I know” Neilson said.

“Dude, you’re talking six-seven years ago” Bradley said.

“I know so we better get going!” Neilson said going towards the door.

“Go where?” Bradley asked.

“Orange County” Neilson said “You drive” he said tossing Bradley his keys.

“When did I agree to this?” Bradley asked grabbing his jacket and following Neilson.

~*~


Night began to fall as they entered yet another bus depot.

“Neilson this is the sixth bus depot we’ve been to…face it you’re not going to find a necklace that Nat lost six years ago!” Bradley said.

Neilson sighed “Alright fine, if I don’t find it here we’ll go home” Neilson said.

“Promise?” Bradley asked.

“I promise” Neilson said rolling his eyes.

They then approached the man at the sales counter “Can I help you?” he asked.

“Uh yeah I’m looking for a necklace my girlfriend lost on one of your busses, do you have like a lost and found?” Neilson asked.

“Sure…when’d she lose it?” the guy asked him.

Neilson looked at him nervously “2003” he said under his breath.

“When?” the guy asked once more.

“2003” Neilson said quickly turning around.

“Did you say 2003?” he asked.

“…I may have” Neilson said.

“That’s six years ago” the guy said.

“Yeah, yeah it is, so?” Neilson asked.

“Kid we don’t keep anything past 30 days so if your girlfriend lost this necklace six years ago it’s long gone now” the guy said.

“Gee whoever saw that coming” Bradley said.

“shut up!” Neilson said to him.

“Look…I forgot to get my girlfriend a present for Christmas and the one thing she wants more than anything is this necklace okay so you have to help me because if you don’t she’s going to tear my nads off” Neilson said to him.

The guy looked at him and nodded “I know the feeling” he said “Look kid I understand you’re under a lot of pressure but there’s nothing I can do, I’m sorry” he said walking away.

“Can’t you just replace it?” Bradley asked.

“No it’s not the same…it had sentimental value, her dad gave it to her” Neilson said.

“I’m sorry dude” Bradley said shrugging.

“Alright, let’s just go” Neilson said sadly as they left the bus depot.