Tane’s smile faded a little. “It sucks that there’s so many folks in need, but I’m really glad we were able to do this for them.”
“Yeah, exactly.”
We went quiet, standing with our arms around each other, watching Henry. I felt so grateful for everything in that moment. Grateful for Tane, grateful for Aster being brave enough to come out, but overall grateful to my warm, loving community who had got behind this idea in such a big way. Maybe there were people here who didn’t need the free gifts or the food parcels, but they turned up anyway, which made it way less awkward for the folks who really were in need.
“Look! Snow!”
I turned and sure enough, a very light snow was falling outside the hall.
Henry, up on stage, switched toLet it Snow, drawing some laughs from the crowd.
I saw movement in the driveway and turned to look. There was Sam, out of her courier uniform and in a warm-looking puffer jacket. She held the hand of a small girl, beside her was an older woman holding the hand of a boy.
They were standing still, a little stunned, perhaps, at the size of the event. The kids were pointing at the lights, and babbling excitedly.
“Be right back,” I said to Tane and hurried out to meet her. “Sam! Welcome, I’m so glad you came!”
Sam’s worried expression turned to a smile and she took a deep breath. “Thank you. This looks so magical.”
“Do your kids want to come meet Santa?” I asked, thinking it would be a good way to lure them in.
“Can we Mommy?” The girl looked up at Sam.
“Go ahead, just make sure and join the end of the line, don’t just barge on through.” She laughed as the kids ran, sliding a little on the snowy driveway.
“Come in, there’s hot ham rolls.” I led Sam and her mother to the grill. “And please, take as many gifts as you like, we have so many. There’s food parcels in the corner as well.”
“Bless you.” Sam’s mother gripped my hand and I could see her eyes going misty. “This is the miracle we needed.”
“Oh, well, it’s ... it’s all we could do.” I said, around a lump in my throat. “You’re so welcome.”
I realised another group was hesitating in the driveway. “Please, help yourself, I’ll be around.”
Walking down the driveway, I did my best to encourage the new group in. It seemed that just a friendly smile was what they needed, and the couple who turned up after that.
Before I knew it an hour had passed. Aster came out to jam a woolly hat on my head. “Have you eaten?”
My stomach rumbled. “I... no, I’ve been busy.”
“Come on.” Aster led me inside to where Tane was sitting on a folding chair and eating from a plate.
“He got you too?” Tane asked as Aster pushed me down into the chair.
“Ah, yes.”
Aster handed me a plate of food and a bottle of water. “Now, where’d that kitten go?”
He disappeared again.
“Merry Christmas.” Tane bumped his water bottle into mine.
Tane
I looked up when someone called my name, and my face broke into the thousandth smile of the evening.
Kelly was waving to me from a van parked at the end of the driveway. Kids were pouring out of the van, two redheads, a tiny blond, an Asian-looking kid and two black kids with natural hair.
I set my place down and got up to greet her.
