Enjoy the first 2 chapter!

Chapter One

Laila Claus sat at her desk studying the latest letter addressed to herself and not to Santa Claus. Every once in a while, one arrived specifically for Mrs. Claus. What surprised her the most was that it came from the same town of Miracle Texas. Even more miraculous was the nineteen-year-old making her request. Somewhere around eight or nine, children stopped believing in Santa Clause. It must be a mistake.

Dear Mrs. Claus

I’m writing to you instead of Santa Claus, because honestly, I stopped believing in that big fat dude who supposedly answers Christmas wishes a long time ago. Not that I believe in you either. Just so you know, I’m only doing this to teach my nine yea- old-student how to write. Between you and me, we both believe that her parents only want to know what’s on her Christmas wish so they’ll know what to get her.

I never got what I really wanted. Ten years ago, I asked for my mother to get all better. Instead, she died. That totally sucks. Guess what I got instead? An evil stepmother who thinks she can teach me to barrel race.

So, this year, would you please send me a boyfriend. The pickings around Miracle don’t even come close to slim. Nonexistent is probably a better word. He’s got to be handsome. At least six feet tall, blue eyes, perfectly white teeth, tanned skin like he’s been out roping all summer. If his name is Isaac, Josiah or Leonard, that would be even better. Oh, and one more thing… I ought to tell you he better be a great kisser.

But you probably won’t even get this letter since I have no intention of mailing… like you even exist anyway.

Sincerely,

Serena Hartman

 

Mrs. Claus let out a long, disappointed sigh. Just as she suspected. The girl was a non-believer. She tapped the envelope on her chin and smiled, a gentle one that wrinkled her skin and twinkled her eyes. She knew the perfect elf for the job. If the mine hadn’t collapsed on him, she might have insisted he finish out his punishment for the shenanigans he pulled at Christmas time last year. Besides, he might be what this young lady needed.

When Wink entered Mrs. Claus’s office, he hopped onto the oversized chair, he set his handsome face downward to study the red and green carpet. Yes, he should be ashamed of himself. Her heart softened a smidge toward the elf who’d nearly lost his life in the mines.

She laced her fingers over the letter. “Now then, Mr. Everwarmth. Do you know why I’ve called you into my office?”

Wink’s feet dangled from the human sized chair, and he gazed down at the red and green carpet. “You’ve run out of naughty children?” His voice came out dry and crackly. Working in the coal mines would do that.

Mrs. Claus chuckled. “If only that were the case. Alas, there will always be an abundance of misbehaved children.” She picked up the letter and slid it across the desk. “I have a very special assignment for you.”

Wink jump off the chair and crossed to the paper hanging over the edge of the desk. He picked it up and read through the request, glancing up with hopeful eyes before returning it to Mrs. Clause. “Does this mean…” he barely croaked out the words.

“Yes, you get a reprieve from the mine.” She narrowed her eyes at the mischievous elf. “However, you must fulfill this young woman’s request by Christmas Eve.”

“A boyfriend?” Wink shook his head. “But Mrs. Claus, I’ve been to Miracle many times. Her request is impossible.”

“Yes, isn’t it though.” This task would not only help the almost adult with her request, but this dear elf could learn a few things himself. “Why do you think I would choose you to complete this assignment?”

“Torture,” Wink muttered.

Mrs. Claus’s laughter filled the room with merriment. “No. You’ve already been tortured enough. Think of this as a redemption mission. She took the letter from Wink, folded it, and placed it back in the envelope.

Wink dropped his hands to his side. “Wasn’t what happened in the mine enough of a punishment?”

Mrs. Claus pinched her lips, let out a deep breath through her nose, and leaned back in her chair. “Mostly, but I fear that you need further refining, dear little elf.”

“Little?” Wink interrupted her. “I’m taller than most of the elves, I have a degree in electrical illuminations and have been able to outperform most elves in my department.” He lowered his voice. “Well, until… you know.”

“Yes, I do know.” Mrs. Claus didn’t try to soften her next words. “That’s why you are going to prove that you can fulfill this assignment for Serena Hartman. Should you do an exceptional job, I will reinstate you in the Sparkle Bright department.” She held up her hand to cut off Wink’s words. “But you’ll enter at same position as when you first started there.”

Glee shone in Wink’s eyes. “I won’t be wasteful with my miracles like Joie was with hers. I will use them more carefully.”

Mrs. Claus put her hands under her chin and batted her eyes at him. She couldn’t wait to tell him her stipulations to this assignment. “You will only be given one miracle.”

“What?” Wink stared open mouthed. “Joie had four.”

Mrs. Claus silenced him with a look. “So, you better use your miracle carefully.” Mrs. Claus opened her desk drawer and withdrew a stick pin with a large gold letter M at the top and held it up for him to see. “Furthermore, you will be required to complete your assignment before Christmas Eve.”

 “That should be easy since it’s four whole weeks away.” A smug expression crossed Wink’s face.

Mrs. Claus chuckled enjoying this more than she ought to. “Yes, but you’ll be completing your task as a human.”

“A human?” Wink shuddered in revulsion.

“That’s right.” Mrs. Claus motioned for him to step around to her side of the desk. “Now then, you start…” She slipped the pin through the fabric of Wink’s red and white striped lapel and twisted the fastener on the bottom. “…immediately.”

And like the snap of candy a cane, Wink disappeared.

 

Chapter Two

Serena Hartman sat cross-legged on the cold ground in front of her mother’s headstone and traced the indentations that read, Bethany Hartman. Below that, the outline of the words read, Beloved wife and mother.

“Hey, Mama. How’s it going up there?” she asked like she did every time she came to the cemetery, and pretended to listen to her mother’s answer.

Serena could hear her mother’s laughter. “It’s going great. You should see the antique bottles here. The cut glass one that sparkles in the heavenly light is just… heavenly.”

At home, Serena still had a shelf full of the old bottles her mother had collected and gave to her before Grandma passed away, the same cancer that took Serena’s mama.

Serena didn’t want to think of those last weeks before she died. “Hey, Mama, it’s your birthday in a few of weeks, and I was wondering what present you’d like for me to get you.”

As if Mama could reach through the shrouded veil separating them, Serena listened for her reply. Mama would answer, “You’re all I need. But it would be nice if you’d wash the dishes after the party. You know your daddy’s going to go all out.”

Except would Daddy even remember Mama’s birthday this year? Or would he be so wrapped up with Olivia and Benny, that he’d forget?

Lucky Benjamin Ezekiel Hartman. He got both a mother and father. She crossed her arms and flopped onto her legs. “Oh, Mama, what am I going to do? Daddy wants me to go the community college in Peach Springs. Honestly, I think it was Olivia’s idea. She just wants Daddy all to herself.”

Here’s where her mama went silent. Would she have approved of Olivia? They’d been good friends all through high school. Would she have been jealous that Olivia produced a boy when Bethany’s had been stillborn?

Serena sat up on her knees. “Mama, promise not to be mad, but I really like Benny. He won’t say a word even though he’s almost two. He just points and goes “ugh.” And why would he when everybody talks for him. “Oh, you want a drink? Your blankie, your toy. You want to go for a ride on the horsie?” It’s pretty silly. I don’t do it though.”

She could see the smile on her mama’s face at the thought of a baby. Whenever they went anywhere, she couldn’t keep her hands off the babies.

“Um, know what else?” Serena flopped back onto her bum. “I got dumped.”

Mama wouldn’t have said, “Again.” She’d probably have wrapped her arms around her, planted a kiss on her forehead, and held her while she cried over lost love. Calvin broke up with her four weeks before Christmas. He was a tightwad and probably didn’t want to buy her a Christmas present. Why else would anyone do that so close to the holidays?

While she wanted to tell her all about her last boyfriend, what she need to tell her was about the weird experience this morning. Serena picked at the dead grass. “You remember me telling you about Aria? The twelve year old girl I’m tutoring. Well, we both wrote letters to Santa Claus.”

Mama’s reply sounded something like this, “Let me guess—you wrote one, too?”

“I just wanted to show Aria how to do it. Anyway, I put mine in an envelope. The window blew open and literally snatched my letter off the kitchen table and whisked it out the window. When it landed in the backyard, this sparkle of light came down. And Poof! It disappeared.”

“You must have been seeing things.” Mama’s magical chuckle filled Serena’s ears.

“That’s what I thought, but Aria said she saw it, too.”

“Well, that must be some magical letter. What did you ask Santa for?”

Serena wasn’t even sure she should tell her mama, but wasn’t her conversation pretend anyway? Or did Mama really look down at her from heaven. “I asked Mrs. Claus for a boyfriend since Santa didn’t keep you alive.”

Now Mama laughed so hard at her, Serena just knew it. “I thought you were done with boys.”

The wind picked up and the clouds blew over the graveyard. Was that a sign that she disapproved? “It’s getting cold, and I promised Daddy I’d watch the little turd.”

“I’ll bet he’s a handsome little tyke.” Serena could almost hear the wistful sigh. “You go be a good big sister to the baby I didn’t get to have.”

“Okay.” Serena got to her feet, bent, and readjusted the silk flowers, straightening the rose petals. “Mama?”

“What’s up, sweetheart?”

“I miss you.”

of the sequel to The Miracle of Joie. You’re going to get a kick out of Wink Everwarmth! He’s quirky, and according to Heather, slightly delusional. Seriously, who really believes they are an elf from North Pole Kingdom? (Mind you, it has lots of errors since this is a rough draft after all.)

Chapter 1

“Why do I have to do this? Santa isn’t real.”

Serena would agree with her student. Nothing good ever happened believing in legends, unless they were of the rodeo kind. But a jolly old fat man who lived in an unbelievably frigid climate with elves making toys most children could care less about? Who needed a wooden train, or doll with a pull string? “Well, Babs, it’s for the writing experience.” She tried to sound enthusiastic. “You mother is paying me to turn you into the best writer possible.”

“But why Santa Claus?” Babs looked up at Serena with her deep gray eyes rimmed with a silvery blue outer ring. “I mean. Why Santa Claus?”

Serena patted the nine year old’s head. “Because maybe, just maybe…” She hesitated, hoping to gain the child’s undivided attention.

“Maybe what?” She had the nine-year-old’s attention now, but the girl sounded less than enthused.

“Your parents want to know what you want for Christmas and thought this was a great way to get the information.” Serena knew her parents had chosen that tactic long before her mother had passed away. Dad had dropped that tack the Christmas after. Now she’d give anything to write one more letter to Santa Claus, just for her mother’s sake.

“Hey, you’re probably right.” Babs’ face brightened. “You should write one, too. I’ll share mine with you, and you can share yours with me.”

“Maybe.” Serena wasn’t getting paid the big bucks to do any more writing than was absolutely necessary, but it if helped motivated her student to put pen to paper, then she had nothing to lose.

Babs folded her finished letter and tucked it into the envelope and addressed it to Santa Claus.

Serena licked her own envelope closed without sharing it with Babs. Before she could even write Santa Claus’s name on the front, the frigid wind blew the window open, snatched her letter and whisked it around the room once before shooting it into the dry field across the way.

Running to the window, they both watched as a flash of sparkles flew down and vaporized the paper.

Chapter 2

Mrs. Claus sat at her desk studying the latest letter addressed to herself and not to Santa Claus. A twenty-year-old was making her requests.

How odd. Why would a woman her age write such a letter? It had to be a mistake.

Dear Mrs. Claus,

I’m writing to you, because honestly, I stopped believing in that big fat dude who supposedly answers Christmas wishes, so I’m writing to you instead. Not that I believe in you either. Just so you know, I never got what I really wanted, that was for my mother to get all better. Instead, she died. Know what? That totally sucks. Guess what I got instead? An evil stepmother who thinks she understands barrel racing better than I do.

I digress. So this year, if it’s at all within your scope, would you please send me a boyfriend. The pickings around Miracle don’t even come close to slim. Nonexistent is probably a better word. He’s got to be handsome. At least six feet tall, blue eyes, perfectly white teeth, tanned skin like he’s been out roping all summer. If his name is Isaac, Josiah or Leonard, that would be even better. Oh, and one more thing… I ought to tell you he better be a great kisser.

You probably won’t even get this since I have no intention of mailing… like you even exist anyway.

Sincerely,

Serena Hartman

PS, I’m only writing this letter to show a nine-year-old girl how to write a one.

Mrs. Claus smiled, a gentle one that wrinkled her skin and twinkled her eyes. She knew the perfect elf for the job, not because she had a lot of confidence in his abilities, but rather, his punishment for the shenanigans he pulled in the last assignment he’d nearly thwarted, and besides, he might just be what this young lady needed.

Wink Everwarmth.

Narrowing her eyes at the handsome eld, she laid the letter on her desk and laced her fingers it. “Now then, Mr. Everwarmth. You know why I’ve called you into my office?”

Wink’s feet dangled from the human sized chair, and he gazed down at the red and green carpet. “You’ve run out of naughty children?” His voice came out dry and crackly. Working in the coal mines could do that, even for the short year he’d been there.

Mrs. Claus chuckled. “If only that could be the case. Alas, there will always be an abundance of misbehaved children.” She picked up the letter and slid it across the desk. “I have a very special assignment for you.”

Wink jump off the chair and crossed to where the paper hung over the edge of the desk. He picked up the letter, read through the request, then returned it to Mrs. Clause. “Does this mean…” he barely croaked out.

“No, this does not mean you get a permanent reprieve.” She narrowed her eyes at the mischievous elf. “Unless you fulfill the request of this young woman.”

“A boyfriend?” Wink shook his head. “But Mrs. Claus, I’ve been to Miracle. Her request is impossible.”

“Yes, isn’t it though.” Mrs. Claus would take such delight in this almost improbably assignment.” Mostly, Santa’s wife indulged her elves, favored them, even babied them from time to time. But Wink… now there was a special problem with this elf. “Why do you think I would choose you to complete this assignment?”

“Torture,” Wink muttered.

“No, think of it as teaching you a lesson.” Mrs. Claus folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope.

Wink dropped his hands to his side. “Didn’t I serve enough time in the coal mine? Doesn’t that count toward my punishment.”

Mrs. Claus pinched her lips, let out a deep breath from her nose, and leaned back in her chair. “Yes, dear little elf, mostly.”

“Little?” Wink interrupted her. “I’m taller than most of the elves my age, I have a degree in -res- and have been able to outperform most elves in my department.” He lowered his voice. “Well, until… you know.”

“Yes, I do know.” Mrs. Claus didn’t try to soften her next words. “That’s why you are going to prove that you can fulfill this assignment for Serena Hartman.”

“Oh, thank you!”

“Should you do an exceptional job, I will reinstate you in the -res- department.” She held up her hand to cut off Wink’s words. “But you’ll start at the same position as when you first entered the department.”

Glee shone in Wink’s eyes. “I won’t be wasteful with my miracles as Joie was with hers. I will use them more carefully.”

Mrs. Claus put her hands under her chin and batted her eyes at him. She couldn’t wait to tell him her stipulations to this assignment. “You will only be given one miracle.”

“What?” Wink stared open mouthed. “Joie got five.”

Mrs. Claus silenced him with a look. “So, you better use it carefully.” Mrs. Claus opened her desk drawer and withdrew a stick pin and held it up for him to see. “Furthermore, you will be required to complete your assignment as a human.”

“A human?” Wink shuddered in revulsion.

“That’s right.” Mrs. Claus motioned for him to step around to her side of the desk. “Now then, you start…” she slipped the pin through the fabric of Wink’s red and white striped lapel. “…immediately.”

And like the snap of candy cane, Wink disappeared.