Chris shook snow off his coat and then stomped snow off his boots before entering. “Aunt Betty told me about the stock. Well, the truth is, I heard you two talking. I didn't mean to, and I asked Aunt Betty about the stock.”
“Oh, well, that's okay. I told the girls at the toy factory the good news.”
“Good news? Candy, you quadrupled your money. Do you realize what that means?”
“First, it's not my money, Chris. It'sourmoney.Ouras in you, Sandy, Ralphie, Peppermint, Marty, Betty, and the girls at the toy factory.Ourmoney. And trust me, if the money ever did become justmine, the well would run dry. God is working so many miracles, and if I ever decided to become a selfish Scrooge, the miracles would stop. I'm just the caretaker. Nothing more.”
Chris stared at Candy. What kind of woman was she? She had enough money to buy ten towns. Instead, she was standingbefore Chris, insisting that her money had to be spent on others. “Candy—”
“The money will be spent on Christmas, Chris, on the people we love, on the children, and the toys,” Candy insisted.
“I don't know what to say. I've never met a woman like you before, Candy.”
Candy blushed some. “I'm not special.”
“Yes, you are.” Chris felt the urge to, well, the desire to kiss Candy. He didn't, of course. It would have been inappropriate to try and kiss a woman while standing in her home. Chris believed inappropriatemoments. That meant he had vowed to not kiss a woman again until that woman became his wife.
“Thank you, Chris.” Candy could sense that Chris actually wanted to kiss her. Her heart began to beat madly in her chest. Yet, deep down, she knew Chris wouldn't kiss her. Chris was a respectable man. He held what the world calledold-fashionedvalues. That was just fine with Candy because she heldold-fashionedvalues, too. Deep down, amazingly, she wanted Chris to gently kiss her.
“I drove into town because I wanted to show you something I've been working on. But then I decided to leave the blueprints on the island and just tell you. I had a feeling you weren't going to spend the money from the stock on new yachts.”
“Hardly,” Candy agreed. She walked Chris over to the couch. “Please, sit down.” Chris sat down. Candy took to her recliner. “Okay, I'm all ears.”
Chris looked around the living room. The living room was small but pure and full of beauty and life and full of Christmas. Chris saw Candy's touch everywhere in the living room. “Well, it's about the stadium or the structure that will need to be the size of a stadium.”
“How much do you think that will cost and—”
Chris held up a quick hand. “Candy, this morning I felt that instead of building the North Pole inside of the stadium, and we will, we should also build an orphanage. I mean, wait, I said that wrong. I think we should build a North Pole orphanage for children to live in.”
Candy sat in shock. “An...orphanage?”
“Well, I felt God impress on my heart that, well, Candy, we're not going to live forever. We'll need people to take over for us someday. If we can put the heart of Christmas into orphaned children, then those children will grow up to keep Christmas alive along with all the children who will visit our island and this town. And, who knows how many children will get adopted?”
“I don't know what to say. I didn't even consider this. Chris, I'm ashamed to admit this, but I've only been thinking about turning the island into—”
“I know, Candy and my thoughts have been on the island, too. But for the last few days I've been feeling God speaking to my heart,” Chris spoke in a soft, sincere voice. “My heart has been running in a million different directions. And this morning, I heard the wordorphanagein my heart over and over again.”
“I...” Candy sat in shock. Was Candy supposed to use the money to build a sort ofNorth Pole Orphanage?Yes. Suddenly Candy knew the answer was yes.
“And Candy, here's the strangest part of all this. On the drive to town, I felt that the money would just keep growing,” Chris explained. “You were right in saying that as long as the money is spent in love, the well will never run dry. God will always be with us.”
“I believe that.” Candy felt a tear slip from her eye. “An orphanage...” The images of countless children from around the world who had no parents spilled into Candy's mind. “My goodness, Chris, suddenly, all of what you are saying feels so right in my heart.”
“I can see that.”
Candy wiped at her tear. “Let's do it. We have to do it, please,” she begged. “We have to do it; we have to build the orphanage! I'm sure of that now!”
“Yes!” Chris beamed.
Before Candy could speak, the living room telephone rang. Fran was calling from the toy factory. “The turkeys arrived early and all the girls have one. I sent them to the bank, and I'm closing down the toy factory. We'll reopen Monday.”
“Okay, Fran.”
“Hey, have you been crying?” Fran worried. Candy quickly told her about the orphanage. “Well, will wonders never cease, Candy. You're going to call me a liar to my face, but last night, I dreamed of an orphanage right here in town!”
“I would never call you a liar,” Candy promised.
“My...” Fran was speechless.
