Forest cupped one hand around his mouth. “Let the reindeer games begin. You two know how it goes. First deer to catch all five hoops wins. We’ll play best three out of five.”
Their tails twitched with anticipation.
Forest stood in front of the sleigh and tossed the first hoop for Snowflake. She ran for it, catching it on her antlers.
“One!” Forest called.
He threw the next one for Cocoa. She also stayed on the ground. When she dropped the hoop at his feet, she snorted.Give me a challenge.
“Okay. Okay. We’re working up to it,” he reassured her. Louder, he said, “I don’t think Snowflake can handle it, Cocoa.”
Snowflake turned around and kicked snow at him.
He held up his arm to block the spray, laughing. “Prove it, softy.” He tossed the next hoop so she had to leap in the air. She did, but she didn’t go any higher than she had going over the stump. He tossed the next round higher. Snowflake tried to position herself under it, but he’d tossed it sideways, necessitating an in-air catch. She missed.
“It’s okay, Snowflake,” Billy called. “Try again.”
She looked at him and then at Forest and then at Billy again. Putting her nose to the ground, she pretended to be interested in something under the snow. She was stubborn, but there was something else in the way she hunched her back, something that drew out a bucketload of compassion.
Forest stepped forward and ran his hand down her back. “It’s okay. We’re done.”
She bumped him in thanks and then wandered over to Cocoa. Cocoa watched her with a wary eye, not sure what had happened to her friend.
“That was … exciting,” said Ginger. It took a lifetime of knowing the stocking-half-full Kringle to detect the false cheer in her voice.
Billy was a different case. A snowman could have seen the distress he felt at watching Snowflake. He thought this was his fault.
Ginger picked up on his mood immediately. “What’s on your Christmas list this year, Billy?”
His eyes roamed all around Forest as if he were afraid to look at him. “Can I whisper it?”
“Ho Ho Ho, of course.” Ginger leaned in, cupping her hand around her ear. Her eyes sparkled with secrets.
Forest watched with a wonder for Christmas and the magic it brought out in the life of a child. This was why he did what he did. He sidled up to Snowflake. “Watch this.”
Snowflake watched as Billy whispered excitedly into Ginger’s ear. He talked and talked, his eyes dancing and his body wiggling with the power of the wish inside of him.
“There’s kids all over the world just like that, wishing their little hearts out and hoping that eight reindeer will pull Santa’s sleigh so she can deliver presents.”
Snowflake stared at Billy, watching him for all she was worth.
“Do you see it? The magic?”
Snowflake nodded.
“You can be a part of that, Snowflake. You can be one of the eight. I know you can—you just have to believe.”
It’s not about believing.She continued to stare at the little boy who’d become her best friend.It’s about love.
“That’s a Christmas list if ever I’ve heard one!” Ginger hopped up and motioned for Cocoa to take her place in front of the sleigh.
Forest hurried forward to harness her. The Kringle sisters knew how to harness reindeer, but Forest’s dad always insisted that if there was a wrangler around, they did it for them. It was just one way he’d taught them to be gentlemen.
“We might need some help with that list.” Ginger tapped her chin.
Billy twisted his gloves together, nervous that he’d asked too much.
“Snowflake!” Ginger called. Snowflake trotted over, her face one of wary interest. “What do you think, Billy? Can we include Snowflake in this Christmas plot?”
