Mac

MAC

I can’t seem to get the image of Amelia out of my head or the missing pieces of the past out of my mind. I meet back up with Mom. She got everything a nine-year-old girl would require: underwear, socks, and pajamas. Our next stop was a shoe store, where, once again, we both went a little crazy picking out different shoes.

The back of the SUV was getting full, yet I had just a few more gifts to buy. The next stop was an electronic store, where I purchased a new laptop, tablet, and smartphone. I arranged for the billing to come directly to me.

We finally finished shopping, and I took Mom home. I can tell she enjoyed it thoroughly. I make it home, and all of Faith’s gifts sit in my living room. Mom knew I was not skilled at wrapping gifts, so gift bags and tissue paper waited for me to wrap all the gifts.

Hours later, all the gifts are in proper bags and ready to be delivered to Faith. I am excited about tomorrow and meeting the person who had put joy in my broken heart for the first time in ten years.

Sleeping that night, I am blessed with dreams of Amelia and me together, happy and in love. Each dream is better than the next, and the last one before I wake ends with an image of a dark-haired young girl with sparkling green eyes. As the bright morning sun shines through my bedroom windows, I open my eyes with a smile and a happy heart.

I plan to deliver her gifts at seven pm and attend the Christmas Eve service with my parents afterward. I must thank God for the blessings I have overlooked for so long.

The day flies by, and I load all the gifts in my SUV, saving the Faith doll for last. I don’t put it in a gift bag. A large red pre-made bow is the only wrapping it needs. The only dilemma is what I will wear. I think a suit will be too stuffy, yet I am going to church afterward. Why is this so hard? I decide on a pair of dress slacks, a white button, and a Christmas red sweater. I will take my dress jacket for church but wear my winter coat to deliver Faith’s gifts.

I head toward Faith’s home with high excitement. I had called Mrs. Nelson with the time I was delivering the gifts. She called Faith’s mother to tell her the time. The snow had stopped, and the roads were clear. Five minutes before seven, I pull up in front of the address. I wasn’t surprised by the dismal appearance of the exterior of the building. Calming my nerves, I step out of the vehicle. I hope to carry all the gifts at once, but I don’t know if I can. Stringing bag after bag on my arm until I had all of them except the doll. I will come back for it after I see Faith’s expression. I made my way up the sidewalk and, luckily, was able to pull open the door that led to the hallway. The first door to the left was apartment A-1, Faith’s apartment. Raising my hand, I rap my knuckles on the cold metal door.

“Coming,” a female voice calls out.

I am sure it is Faith’s mother, but there is something eerie familiar about the voice. The door opens, and Amelia stands there. I blinked several times, thinking I was imagining it.

“Mac?” she gasps.

I can’t believe Amelia is standing in front of me. She is even more beautiful than I remembered. The urge to pull her into my arms and never let go was so powerful my legs shook.

“Amelia, I’m sorry. I must have the wrong apartment. I was looking for a young girl named Faith.”

At that moment, my dream daughter appears beside Amelia. “Hi, I am Faith. What is all this?”

My mind runs wild, and I can’t combine two words. Faith is standing before me, and there is no doubt that she is my child. She has my eyes and nose. How did this happen?

“Please come in,” Amelia says.

I enter a tiny living room with the kitchen off to one end. Sitting the bags down, I look at Faith and smile. “Merry Christmas. My name is Mac, and I heard you have been a very good little girl this year.”

“Merry Christmas. Are these all for me?” Faith beams.

“Yes.”

“May I take your coat?” Amelia asks.

“Please,” I whisper. I remove my gloves, place them in my coat pocket, and remove my coat. As I hand it to Amelia, our hands touch, and the connection that always seems to be between us crackles to life.

“Is Harper coming as well?” Amelia asks.

“Harper?”

“Your wife.”

“I am not married, nor have I ever been.”

“But she told me you were engaged,” Amelia says.

“When?”

“Right after Faith was born.”

“Excuse me. But may I open my presents?” Faith asks. Her face lit up with excitement.

“Of course,” I say with a smile.

As Faith opens her gifts, she screams with joy at each one. I take the opportunity to look at Amelia. She is as beautiful as she was in school but looks extremely tired. It is then that I remember what Mrs. Nelson had told me. Her parents were dead. We need to talk about Faith, but I don’t want that conversation in front of her.

Faith is busy opening gifts, so I lean closer to Amelia. “What happened to Charlie and Olivia?”

“They were killed in a car wreck right after graduation,” she whispers.

“I am sorry. We need to talk.”

“I know, but not in front of Faith, please.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

We watch as Faith opens all the gifts, and before long, every surface in the living room is covered by some type of gift. She dances around the room, looking at the gifts again and again.

“I don’t know which one I love more.”

“Oh, wait. I have one more. I will be right back.” I run to the SUV without my coat and grab the doll. Carrying it back to the apartment, I hide it behind my back. “I don’t know if you still like something like this, but I thought she was lovely. However, after meeting you, I was mistaken.”

I pull it out and hold it out. Faith stares at the doll for the longest time, rubbing her finger across its face. Tears run down her rosy cheeks. “I love her. Thank you so much.”

“You are very welcome, Faith.”

“Faith, sweetie, why don’t you take some of your gifts to your room?” Amelia asks.

“Sure Mommy. Mr. Mac, thank you for all this,” Faith says, then suddenly throws her arms around my waist and hugs me tightly.

My heart explodes, not in pain but in love and joy. My daughter is hugging me, and I lovingly rub my hand up and down her back. “You are so very welcome.”

Faith pulls away and begins taking her gifts to her room. Once she is out of the room, Amelia offers me a seat.

“Why did you tell me?”

“I thought you were with Harper and wouldn’t want any part of me or her.”

I don’t know where she got it. I have never been with Harper. Then I remember that horrible night and the next morning when I awoke naked beside Harper. “You came to my room?”

“Yes.”

“I never knew. Amelia, I never wanted Harper or was with her.”

“And I was not with Peter.”

“I am now figuring that out as well,” I murmur. I look down at her hands, and there is the promise I made to her all those years ago. I had given her the ring beside the falls and where we made love. It had to be where Faith was conceived. Reaching out, I take her hand, rubbing my finger over the ring. “You still wear it?”

“Always. Even when I thought I had lost you forever, this was one small part of you I had. Then, when Faith was born, she was so much like you.”

“Amelia, I am so sorry. I should have listened to you. I was such a fool.”

“I am sorry as well. I should have made you listen and not to listen to Harper.”

“Mr. Mac,” Faith says. “I have a problem.”

“What is it, Faith?” I ask, worried about what it might be.

“I don’t have room in my dresser for all my gifts,” she giggles.

I did something I hadn’t done in years. I laughed. Doing so makes me feel lighter and genuinely happy.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I notice the alarm I had set reminds me I will have to leave soon to make it to church on time. However, I don’t want to leave.

“What is it?” Amelia asks.

“I set a reminder. I am supposed to meet my parents at church,” I answer. Then, I feel compelled to ask her a question. Taking her hand, I look into her eyes. “Come with me.”

“I can’t.”

“Amelia, we have much to discuss, but I don’t want to leave you. Please, I need you both.”

“Both?” Amelia gasps.

“Oh my God, yes.”

With tear-filled eyes, she nods.

“Faith. How would you like to attend a Christmas service with your mom and me?”

“Can I wear one of my new dresses?”

“Of course. But you must hurry, or we will be late.”

“Okay!” she screams, taking off towards her room.

I squeeze Amelia’s hand and give her one of the smirks she used to love. “Same goes for you.”

Fifteen minutes later, Amelia and Faith are ready to go, and I help them put on their coats. We make it to my vehicle and drive toward the church. I turn on the radio, and Christmas music echoes through the car. Faith and Amelia begin to sing along.

Ahead, I see the hospital, and I know what I have to do.

“We need to make a quick detour stop,” I say, whipping into a parking spot.

I assist them out of the vehicle and walk into the hospital. There, in the middle of the room, is the tree. I grab the tag with the number twelve from my pocket. I add a plus sign between the one and two, then an equal sign. With a heart full of love and joy, I write “A FAMILY NOW COMPLETE” in big letters. I hang the tag back amongst the decorations.

I take Amelia’s hand and kiss her knuckles. I wrap my arm around Faith’s shoulder and pull her close. We stand there looking at the white lights sparking against the evergreen.

The Giving Tree had given me the greatest gift of all. My family.

The End