Chapter 2: A Christmas Carol
Chapter 2:
Sheridan heard a rustling sound and her eyes flew open, adjusting to the dark
room. As they did she focussed on a figure across the room. At first she
thought it was her Mother returning, but then she realized who it was. "Gwen?
What are you doing here so late? Is something wrong?"
The figure, who was a dead ringer for Gwen, replied, "I am not the Gwen you
speak of. I am the ghost of Christmas past."
Sheridan almost laughed. The night was getting stranger by the minute.
Perhaps she had food poisoning or something... something must be causing
these hallucinations. "What? Like Scrooge and Bah Humbug and all that? You
have the wrong house. I don't hate Christmas."
"Maybe hate is a strong word, but you certainly aren't that fond of it are
you." It was a statement rather than a question and Sheridan didn't dispute
it.
"Well, ok, so it's not exactly my favorite time of the year." That was
putting it mildly.
The ghost held out her hand to Sheridan, who hesitated, recalling the way her
hand had passed right through her mother's spirit earlier. The ghost waved
her hand impatiently, "Come on, Sheridan. We don't have all night." Sheridan
reached out, taking the hand and suddenly they were enveloped in a bright
white light.
The blinding light faded and they were standing in the living room of the
mansion. It was decorated in a way that Sheridan didn't remember ever seeing
it. There were many expensive ornaments, but interspersed among them were
home-made decorations and then there were the stockings... Father, Mother,
Julian, Ivy, Sheridan, Ethan... in descending order in a slightly crooked row
on the mantel.
As Sheridan and the spirit watch a young blonde girl of about five chased a
boy of three into the room and they began to race in giggling circles around
the massive tree. "Oh..." Sheridan's breath caught. "It's... it's me, and
Ethan."
Two women entered the room after the children. The younger one, Ivy, scooped
up Ethan and tickled him, making him squeal in delight. "Mother..." Sheridan
whispered as she saw the older woman catch her younger self, smothering her
with kisses and hugs.
Two men entered the room then, one a younger, happier Julian, and the other
was a man Sheridan recognized as her father... only he was smiling. "How are
my beautiful girls?" He kissed his wife and tussled little Sheridan's hair.
"Daddy? Can't we open the presents now? Please?" Her cornflower blue eyes
glittered with excitement.
Alistair chuckled. "Soon, Princess. First we need to take the family
picture... that's one of the most important parts of Christmas."
"Princess..." Adult Sheridan murmured. "I'd forgotten he used to call me
that. I'd forgotten this whole side of him. They're all so happy..."
"Yes, yes, they were happy." The spirit replied. "But it's time to move on."
"No!" Sheridan protested. "I want to stay. I want to see them take the
picture, and open the presents..." She backed away from the spirit, her eyes
glistening with tears.
The spirits voice was gentle, but firm as she reached out and touched
Sheridan. "I'm sorry, but there are other Christmas' to visit..."
When the light faded they were still in the same room, but the scene was very
different. A Christmas tree still held precedence in the room, but many of
the other decorations were gone, including the home-made ones and the
stockings.
A sad little girl, Sheridan, age seven, sat on the couch dressed in a fancy
velvet outfit. She picked at the ruffled hem as a very sober looking Julian
entered the room. "Don't do that Sheridan! If you want to ruin your clothes
perhaps the servants can find some of their children's hand-me-downs for
you." He grumbled arrogantly at her.
"Yes Julian." She replied obediently as she slid from the couch and followed
him to his desk. "Julian?"
"What?" The man didn't look up from the paper he was perusing.
"Is Father coming home? Are we going to have the family picture made this
year?" Sheridan asked, her pretty blue eyes sad and hopeful at the same time.
Adult Sheridan felt tears prickle her eyes.
"This was the first Christmas
after my mother died." The spirit only nodded, her eyes still on the child.
"Family picture?" Julian snorted. "Certainly not... there will be no more of
that foolishness in this house. And besides, Father will not be coming home
anyway. Business... you know how it is Sheridan."
Little Sheridan knew all too well how it was and she nodded sadly. "Very
well... now run along and play... you're bothering me."
She wandered away sadly. She was always a bother to someone. She paused in
the hall, considering finding Ethan. He would be spending time with Ivy...
they were always together this time of night. Sheridan knew she could join
them. Ivy was always nice to her, but nobody really cared about her...
well... almost nobody.
In the kitchen Sheridan found the one person who really seemed to care about
her. Pilar. Sheridan climbed onto a stool at Pilar's elbow and watched the
woman roll out dough for pie crusts. Pilar smiled at her. "What's wrong
Honey?"
Sheridan shrugged. It was nothing unusual. "How come you aren't at home with
your kids Pilar?"
Pilar gave her another smile, one that didn't quite ring true. "Oh, I have
things to do here first. They are with their Papa... he will read them the
Christmas story and they will sing carols. Then Papa will help them hang
their stockings, and put out milk and cookies for Santa Claus."
Sheridan smiled, wishing she could do special things with someone too. "You
know what?" Pilar asked. Sheridan shook her head. "I think there are some
cookies in the cupboard... and I can get some milk... what do you think? I
imagine Santa will be pretty tired after bringing all the presents to you and
Ethan."
Adult Sheridan smiled. "Pilar was really all I had after Mother died. She
always did her best to make me smile. After Mother passed everyone in the
house got so cold... and Father never came home anymore..." The spirit nodded
and held out her hand. Sheridan didn't resist this time... she knew it was
futile.
This time the light faded to reveal a dorm room in a private school in
Europe. Sheridan, now about twelve, sat on her bed and watched her roommate,
Brooke, prepare to go home for the holidays. "How come you aren't going
home?" Brooke asked.
"Oh," Young Sheridan said cavalierly, as though it didn't matter, "They're
spending Christmas on a yacht in the Caribbean this year. I told them I'd
rather stay here than lounge about on some old boat." A total lie of course.
Her family was right at home where they usually spent the holidays... they
just didn't want her there.
Brooke accepted the lie easy enough. She nodded and proceeded to tell
Sheridan about the fun she would be having at her Grandmothers over the
holiday.
Adult Sheridan watched the scene replay before her, remembering it well. It
was the first holiday she hadn't been allowed to spend at home. She had spent
Christmas day that year alone in her room, crying her heart out and trying to
figure out why her family hated her so. "That was my first Christmas alone...
the first of many..." She said.
"I know" The spirit replied as she once again urged Sheridan away. "Come
Sheridan, we have one more Christmas to visit."
They were in her hotel suite in Paris. It was Christmas eve and Sheridan was
alone, decorating the small tree she had set up before the window. The tree
was the only allusion to the holiday, except for the huge fruit basket with
the red bow. It was a gift from the concierge of the hotel... one given to
all the permanent residents of the hotel.
The spirit and real Sheridan followed her to the park across the street,
where she settled onto a bench across from the playground. As they watched a
young girl, about ten years old came to sit beside her. "Hi"
"Hello there." Sheridan replied, smiling at the child.
"Which ones are your kids?" The little girl indicated all the children on the
swings and climbers.
Sheridan's smile turned wistful as she replied, "I don't have any children."
"Oh. Well you and your husband should have some. We're lots of fun..." The
girl giggled. "Hey, you know what we're doing tomorrow? I'm gonna wake Mommy
and Daddy up super early to open presents... then we're going to Auntie
Beth's for dinner. I know a secret surprise that Mommy has for Daddy. We're
getting a new baby..."
At that point Sheridan rose from the bench and walked away, unable to listen
to anymore, as her heart ached for what she didn't have and wanted most... a
family to love who would love her back.
Real Sheridan turned to the spirit with tears streaming down her face, as
they were once again enveloped in the light. Once back in Sheridan's bedroom
she wiped at her tears and said, "Why did you show me that? Why? All it's
done is make me miserable."
"Because you needed to see it." The spirit replied. "It's time for me to take
my leave..."
"Wait!" Sheridan cried. "Can't we go back to the happy Christmas, just once
more?" But the spirit was gone...
To Be Continued...