Nicholas frowned slightly, but sat back down. He wrapped his arm around her, trying to share what little warmth he had. Aunt Georgia chuckled and pulled him into her, putting the blanket over both of them.
“Look at the lights, Nicholas. Aren't they pretty?” she whispered.
All the neighborhood lights were starting to flicker to life. The entire neighborhood was blossoming with Christmas color.
“It's beautiful, Aunt Georgia,” he replied. It really was. He'd never really seen the lights all turn on like this. It always seemed as if they were off one moment and then magically on the next. The effect of seeing them all come to life was like catching a glimpse of Santa coming down the chimney.
“My Christmas wish for you, Nicholas, is that you find happiness,” she said softly, gazing out at the lights. “That you find someone that makes you feel this kind of magic all the time.”
“Sure, Aunt Georgia.” Nicholas shrugged. He wondered if Sarah Jones in his English class counted.
“Okay, that's what I wanted to see,” she said after a while. The lights all twinkled in the crisp snow but without the sun's light, the porch had grown far too cold for just the blanket over their shoulders. “Bring me inside and tell me how you got that amazing shiner.”
Nicholas' hand quickly went to his eye and he winced at the throbbing that was already starting to set in. His mother was going to freak out. He offered his arm to Aunt Georgia and was surprised to find that he was able to hoist her up without hardly any effort. Either he was getting stronger or she was getting lighter. Nicholas wished that he spent more time in the weight room at school so that he could pretend it was him that was changing.
He brought her inside and helped her settle into her chair by the fire. Uncle Chris already had the fire going and a warm blanket ready for her. She sighed with exhaustion once she sat down, looking like the short walk from the porch to the living room was too much for her body to handle. Nicholas took his usual spot on the couch next to Aunt Georgia's chair.
Uncle Chris came out and handed them each a cup of hot cocoa, as well as a bag of peas for Nicholas' eye.
“Emma called,” Uncle Chris announced, tucking the blanket a little tighter around Aunt Georgia.
“Tell her that Nicholas is safe with me and will be staying for dinner,” Aunt Georgia replied.
“I already did,” Uncle Chris replied, leaning over and kissing the top of Aunt Georgia's head. Aunt Georgia beamed up at him, looking at him like he was the light of her world.
Nicholas looked away, not because of the kiss, but because it felt like he was intruding on something private between the two of them. Uncle Chris kissed her forehead once more before heading to his office.
“Now, tell me about that black eye.” Aunt Georgia sipped at her cocoa. “I'm assuming it's why you're hiding out here?”
Nicholas nodded, peering into the depths of his hot chocolate with the one good eye that wasn't under a bag of peas.
“And?”
Nicholas sighed. “I got in a fight.”
Aunt Georgia blew on her hot chocolate without drinking it. “Somehow, I think there's more to the story.”
“I was walking past the elementary school and saw this freshman I know there. He's a total jerk. He was telling the little kids Santa isn't real,” Nicholas replied. “I didn't want him to ruin Christmas for those kids.”
He could still feel the hot anger coursing through him as he'd hit the playground bully.
He'd tried to be an adult, but it hadn't worked. There was a fight. The parents of the younger children broke it up. The other kid ran off with a bloody nose, but the first graders still believed in the magic of Santa Claus. Nicholas knew they'd find out eventually, but they didn't need to learn it that way.
Aunt Georgia nodded thoughtfully before setting her mug on the small table.
“You know how I feel about physical violence,” she said. Her face was stern but it softened quickly. “However, I think you did the right thing. No one should get the magic of Christmas spoiled with less than a week to go. I think you're still on the nice list.”
Nicholas felt the fear woosh out of him. His parents disappointment he could manage. The idea that Aunt Georgia wouldn't agree with what he'd done had terrified him. He'd almost gone home, but Aunt Georgia's house was the place he felt safest.
Nicholas loved his parents, but they were busy people. His mother was a professor and his father a busy market analyst. They were wonderful people that he adored, well, as much as a teenager could adore their parents. Aunt Georgia always had time for him.
He loved the way she made him feel around the holidays: special. As an average student with all the regular growing pains of a teenage boy, Ni
cholas often felt like he didn't belong. It didn't help that his parents kept moving him around the world. He didn't have a place that truly felt like home.
Aunt Georgia always made him believe that he belonged with her. She made him feel like the most special person in the world. He looked forward to winter break every year because it meant he got to stay with Aunt Georgia. He got to go home.
The fact that she was sick weighed heavy on Nicholas. He wished there was something he could do that would make his aunt feel better. It was his one Christmas wish that she would get better. He was even considering a trip to the local mall to ask Santa, even though he knew it was just some guy in a suit. It still might help.