Chris removed his coat. “Let me hang up my coat, and I'll tell you.” Everyone waited while Chris hung up his coat and then fetched himself a cup of coffee. He leaned back next to Peppermint and smiled. “You guys are obviously very special, and it's very clear to me that God brought us all together for a reason. It's also clear to me that the enemies of our past have tried to destroy us and failed.”
“Well...like, maybe? Maybe not.” Sandy offered an uneasy response. “We're all a little scared to leave the island. At least, like, I am.”
“I ain't so interested in leaving the island, either,” Ralphie confessed.
“Exactly.” Chris nodded. “Our enemies have always managed to scare us into a corner. I ran out of Manhattan back to the farm I grew up on.” Chris took a sip of his coffee as Candy hung up her coat. “Even Candy was always pushed into a corner.”
“She was?” Sandy asked in a confused voice.
“In a way, yes.” Candy nodded. “I was always afraid to leave Pine Snow. I hid away in a small toy factory for most of my life. And now that I'm trying, we're trying, to build a Christmas island that captures the hearts of countless children, an island filled with innocence, love, and toys—"
“The enemy stepped out of the shadows and attacked us, right?” Ralphie asked.
“Yes, honey,” Candy confirmed. “There is a spirit of Christmas that lives in us, and that spirit is love, compassion, joy, hope, faith, mercy, laughter, and truth. Christmas just isn'tabout presents and Christmas trees. It’s about being with the people you love. For example, how fun is it to decorate a Christmas tree alone?”
“No fun at all. Trust me!” Ralphie barked and then blushed a little. “I mean, it's better when you have family.”
“You can live in a mansion and have a hundred Christmas trees and tons of presents, but if you don't have anyone to share Christmas with, then Christmas is empty,” Candy continued. “It's the people we love who complete Christmas. The Christmas trees, presents, cakes, and cookies, all of those things are wonderful, but they don't make Christmas what it is. Love, being together, and loving one another is what completes the heart of Christmas. Am I making any sense?”
“I...like, think you totally are.” A tear ran down Sandy's cheek.
Candy forced a soft smile to her eyes. “And because we love each other, honey, those who hate love will do anything possible to make sure Christmas is canceled.” Candy sat down beside Sandy. She wiped the young woman's tears away. “You know as well as I do that evil lives in the world. As a matter of fact, honey, evil is very prevalent in this world. And when someone tries to create love, evil attacks. But, as you can all see, God brought us together for a reason. And as long as we remain a family, we will complete God's mission. If we walk away from each other...well, Christmas will truly end up becoming nothing more than a sad, empty day filled with cold tears and hard bitterness.”
“That's why I believe you should go to the meeting.” Chris chimed in. “It's time we all take each other’s hands and stand up together. After everything I have learned,” Chris shook his head in awe, “I have no doubt that God brought us all together. And because I believe that, I also believe God is fighting for us. If we hide out on this island, what does that say?”
“That we don't believe God can be a raging fire for us,” Peppermint answered in a low whisper.
“The way I see it,” Chris nodded, “is that if God is for us, who can be against us?”
“Chris is right.” Candy smiled. “And also, guys, the town of Pine Snow needs a miracle. Something is happening here that's far bigger than all of us. Pine Snow, the people of Pine Snow, are like walking pieces of coal. They've forgotten how to laugh and live.”
“Well, like, Pine Snow is a poor town. Totally,” Sandy pointed out. “And, like, no offense, Candy, but you're loaded now. You have nothing to worry about. Other people still have to work and pay their bills.”
“Exactly!” Candy beamed. “We're going to bring life back to Pine Snow. But we won't be able to do that unless we make this island a Christmas dream.” Candy looked at Chris. “You take the floor.”
“Chris?” Peppermint asked in a curious voice.
“Well,” Chris smiled, “it's one thing to turn this island into the North Pole, so to speak. And we will. But,” Chris' smile grew, “there's a toy factory in town.”
“Like, we know,” Sandy told Chris.
“The town itself is poor but cozy, very cozy but very poor. What if we turned Pine Snow into a year-round Christmas town?” Chris asked.
Peppermint scratched the back of his head. “What are you getting at?”
“This was all his idea,” Candy told Peppermint in an excited voice. “I was focused completely on the island. Chris was the one who began thinking about Pine Snow.”
“My goal, and it's going to take money and teamwork, is to turn Pine Snow into a town for children to visit year-round. Sick children in cancer hospitals, poor children in foster homes,and we'll even have a summer Christmas camp. Pine Snow will become known as the town for children, and our island will be the heartbeat of it all.” Chris spoke in an excited voice.
“Ayo, that sounds great and all, but I don't think the people in town are going to let you hang tinsel everywhere, Chris,” Ralphie told him in a worried voice.
“Ah, but they will.” Chris excitedly folded his arms. “There's a little town in Georgia called Helen. The entire town was built to look like a Bavarian village. I visited the town a few years ago. It was like being in Germany. I fell in love with the architecture, the feel, everything.”
“I know the town,” Peppermint nodded, “but Chris, Pine Snow is already built. You would have to tear down all the buildings.”
“Not tear down, add to.” Chris’ smile filled the kitchen with joy and hope. “I'm an architect, Peppermint. Pine Snow is going to become my greatest accomplishment and so is this island. And you,” Chris unfolded his arms and patted Peppermint on his shoulder, “are going to be my right-hand man. I'm going to need you every step of the way. I'm going to need all of you.”
“Chris spoke to the mayor and city council about his idea in front of everyone who was at the meeting today,” Candy cut in. “The mayor was reluctant, but he listened to Chris speak.”
