Honeybee Duke’s Christmas Wish
“Bo, it’s time to yourself out of the bed!”
“If you hadn’t kept me up so long darling, I wouldn’t be so tired.”
“Okay, you can sleep on the couch tonight.”
“Now honey, you wouldn’t really make me do that… would you?”
“Well no I’d miss those big blue eyes to much.”
The little girl at the end of the stairs watched her parents kiss like there was no tomorrow before her father pushed her mother’s wheelchair into the kitchen for breakfast.
She ran up to the table that they were seated around. “Guess what!”
“What?” Bo asked his daughter.
“In two weeks it will be Christmas,” Honeybee exclaimed.
Bo smiled. “Now what could that mean?”
“Can I have a kitten?” She looked at her father. “I promise I’ll take care of it, please.”
“If your mama agrees,” Bo said.
Honeybee turned to her mother. “Can I momma, can I please?”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Candy agreed. “Every little girl or boy should have something to cuddle up at night with.”
Honeybee smiled as her parents looked at each other lovingly.
“We better ask Santa just to make sure,” Candy said. “Ok, momma.” Honeybee replied.
“After I get home from work we’ll go see him,” Bo announced.
“Great idea!” Candy and Honeybee agreed.
Later at school, Honeybee saw a sad little girl standing alone. Being out going like her daddy, she walked over. “Hi, my name is Honeybee, what’s your name?”
“It’s Tammy,” The other girl replied shyly.
“Are you going to see Santa tonight to tell him what you want for Christmas?”
“My daddy won’t let. He says things like Santa and Christmas is for fools.”
“My daddy loves Christmas, my momma says he’s a bigger kid than I am.” Honeybee paused. “How about your momma?”
“I don’t have one.” Tears came to Tammy’s eyes.
“Oh…” Honeybee reached her hands over to the other girl’s arm where the area was red like it had been burned. “Where did you get that?”
“Daddy, I wouldn’t do what he wanted me to do.” Tammy turned away for a second. “Don’t your folks hit you?”
“No,” Honeybee shook her head.
“Could you ask Santa if I could come and live with you and your folks,” Tammy began to cry. Honeybee patted her arm. “Don’t cry, I’ll ask him.” Then they walked over to where the teacher was putting snacks out.
That evening after dinner and chores were done, Bo and Candy took Honeybee to see Santa who was at the gazebo in town. The little girl admired the decorations while she waited for her turn.
Finally it was. She hopped up on Santa’s lap. “You sure are cute, what’s your name little girl, khee?” He said.
“Uncle Boss Rosco, it’s me Honeybee Duke.”
“Hush or everyone will know it’s me. Now tell me what you want this year so Cletus can write it on the list.”
Honeybee looked at Sheriff Cletus dressed in an elf costume. “It isn’t for me, it’s for my friend Tammy. She asked me if you could let her come and live with me, daddy and momma.” She glanced at her parents. “Please, her daddy hits her and makes her do things...”
Bo and Candy looked at each other and then to Rosco. Boss Coltrane cleared his throat. “Don’t worry about that, I got lots of other boys and girls to see.” He gestured toward the ones still in line. “Cletus’ll look into it first chance he gets.” Sheriff Hogg nodded in agreement with Bo and Candy.
Two weeks later on Christmas morning Bo and Candy peeked into their daughter’s room where Honeybee and Tammy were sleeping. Cletus and Rosco were still investigating the little girl’s father. Since no other relatives were known, the circuit judge said she could stay with the Dukes, it would just take some more time and a lot of paperwork for her to be adopted.
Which is what Bo and Candy planned to do since their daughter and her friend had become like sisters in the short time they had known one another… a lot like Bo and Luke had become like brothers than cousins.
The couple walked to the living room where everything was ready except for one thing. Bo went into the master bedroom and came out with a large wicker basket that had a blanket in it.
About the same moment he put it near the tree, the two girls came running from their room. “It’s Christmas!” They yelled excited and walked over. Smiles spread over their faces seeing the basket held two of the cutest long haired kittens. One white with blue eyes. The other black with green eyes.
“What are you going to name these two little rascals?” Bo asked.
Honeybee lifted the white one up and held it high to look. “Mine is a boy… I’ll call him Fluffy.” “Mine is a girl so I’ll name her Buffy.” Tammy said after taking a peek. The two begin to get the goodies out of the stockings that were hung on the fireplace mantle.
Bo sees the mistletoe above where his wife’s wheelchair is by the archway. He bent down and kissed her. “Merry Christmas, my sweet Candy Cane.”
“Merry Christmas to you too, darling…” She replied quietly, and they watch the girls open their rest of the presents.
Well it’s another happy ending in
Written By Juanita Ford
Copyright 1999
All Rights Reserved
