“Grampa!” Tesia shrieked, as her brother pointed him out to her. She quickly dashed over to the old man, who sat upon a rocking chair.

“Tesia?” The old man called out. “Is that you, Baby?”

“It’s me Grampa!” Tesia told him, coming to a stop in front of him. She leaned in to kiss his cheek. “J broughts me!”

“Well now, wasn’t that nice of him?”

Tesia giggled. “You wanna hear a story Grampa?”

“Sure, Baby,” her grandfather replied, as her brother reached them. “Hello Alex.”

“Hi Grampa,” A.J. smiled. “Long time no see.”

“Longer for me, than for you,” their grandfather replied wittingly. “May be blind, but I’ve not lost my wit.”

A.J. laughed. “No sir. You haven’t lost that – yet.”

“Watch it, Young Man. I can still take you over my knee, should it be so needed.”

A.J. rolled his eyes.

“And don’t roll those eyes at me, Alexander,” their grandfather scolded with a smile.

“How - ?” Tesia wondered.

“Grampa knows everything, don’t yah Gramps?”

“Sure do!”

Tesia giggled again, climbing into their grandfather’s lap. “I broughts my book. Wanna hears it?”

“I’d love to!” Their grandfather exclaimed. “Do start.”

Tesia kissed his cheek, then opened her book, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: ABC’s For A Better Planet, and began to read. “A if for…”

A.J. stood watching them together, a large smile upon his handsome face. He’d known their grandfather would enjoy Tesia’s visit more than anything else this Christmas – he’d been asking to see her for quite a while now.

“I’m sorry for runnin’ in the halls,” Tesia apologized to the second grade teacher who’d caught her. “Gots excited an’ forgots to walk. It’s Christmas vacation now!”

“Yes, Tesia, I know that it is,” the teacher answered. “But do be careful. I would not want for you to trip and end up falling down stairs or through a glass door.”

“I’ll be more careful! I promise!” Tesia assured her. “An’ aren’t you goin’ home for Christmas?”

“Once I’m done grading papers, I’ll be heading home.”

“You means, you gots homework on vacation?”

“Yes, Tesia. Teachers aren’t as lucky as the students. While you guys get to go off and play in the snow and sleep in late, us teachers have papers to grade and pills to pay.”

“Oh. That sucks,” Tesia said softly. “Wish you coulds goes an’ play too.”

“So do I Dear, so do I.”

“I’d invites you to Christmas dinner, but we’re goin’ to New York!”

“New York? Wow. Why New York?”

“’Cause I wanna sees snow and Christmas tree an’ Christmas lights covered in snow!” Tesia exclaims excitedly. “An’ I wanna goes ice skatin’, an’ sleddin’, an’ all thats other goods stuff!”

“Well, do make sure to have as much fun as possible. When you come back, you’re going to be stuck working on fractions and all that again.”

“Thinks we shoulds have a winter carnival,” Tesia stated softly. “Only – we gots no snow here in Cali.”

“No. We don’t. But, a winter carnival does sound like a wonderful idea. You have a wonderful Christmas Tesia.”

“You too!” Tesia told her, smiling warmly. “An’ don’ts forgets to go sleddin’ – leasts once!”

“I won’t. I promise,” the teacher guaranteed her.

Tesia waved goodbye to the teacher she thought of as cool, and speed walked down the rest of the hallway, anxious to get home and pack for New York.

“Tesia, Baby, come here please,” A.J. called softly.

“Yeah?” Tesia replied skeptically. She wasn’t sure if she was in trouble for something or not.

A.J. sat upon the couch in their Hotel room in New York, and pulled her into his lap. “Baby, we need to talk.”

“‘Bout what?” Tesia asked.

“About a little surprise I got – though I’m not sure how you will react to it.”

“It a goods surprise, J?”

“Yes, Baby T. I think that it is.”

“Then why you worried?”

“Because – you are hard to tell things to. You know that you are, Tesia. We have all told you that.”

“Yeah…”

“Baby, remember how when Daddy died, you asked what would happen to you?” A.J. asked carefully, knowing their father’s death was still a very touchy subject. “Remember you were worried you would have to go back to Florida?”

“Uh-huh,” Tesia nodded quietly, feeling sad at the mention of their father.

“Well, Baby, you won’t ever have to go back to Florida – not unless you want to.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“How come?”

“Well, Baby T. I adopted you – you are legally mine now. No one can ever take you away from me again.”

“Nobody?”

“Nobody.”

“Wow,” Tesia breathed softly. “I likes thats…but…”

“You missed your Daddy,” A.J. finished, hugging her close. “Baby, I know that you do. I miss him too.”

“It’s nots fair,” Tesia pouted.

“I know, Baby. But like I keep telling you, life isn’t fair.”

“Wants its to be,” Tesia whimpered.

“Shh. I know,” A.J. murmured, hugging her even closer to him and kissing her head. “But I’ve got you now, Baby. I’ll take very good care of you – you know that I will.”

Tesia hid her face into her brother, as her lone tears began to fall. “Do I – do I calls you – Daddy – now?”

“Only if you want to, Honey,” A.J. told her gently. “You can call me that if you like. Or, you can just stick to calling me J all that you want.”

“Likes J for now.”

“Then that’s fine, Baby,” A.J. replied, kissing her neck playfully.

Tesia giggled slightly, as she began to squirm a bit. “J! Its tickles!”

“Good. It’s supposed to,” A.J. smiled.

Tesia smiled back at him through watery eyes. “Loves you J.”

“I love you too, Baby T.”

Tesia and A.J. boarded one of the New York city busses, as they were going to go do some last minute Christmas shopping. They had thought they were done, but Tesia had suddenly remembered she hadn’t gotten a thing for Marcus and wanted to do so more than anything. Once on the bus, they dropped a quarter in.

Tesia smiled at the bus driver, and sat down behind him. She liked to sit behind bus driver’s, so that she could listen to them talk on the radio, or she would talk to them, so that they wouldn’t get lonely.

“Hi!” Tesia chirped, smiling at the bus driver in the review mirror.

The driver returned the smile. “Hello. How are you?”

“I’m goods!” Tesia answered. “We’re goin’ shoppin’!”

“That sounds like fun,” the driver stated, keeping his eyes on the road, but glancing at her occasionally as well. “Last minute Christmas shopping?”

“Uh-huh!” Tesia nodded. “Forgots to gets Marcus somethin’.”

“Oh. Well, you can’t have that, now can you.”

“Nuh-uh,” Tesia shook her head. “Loves Marcus!”

“Do you know what you are going to get him?”

“A teddy bear, ‘cause he’s one…’cept when he’s mad,” Tesia replicated. “An’ somethin’ else. Somethin’ he can use.”

“That sounds like a very nice idea.”

Tesia smiled at him still. “You done your shoppin’?”

“No. Not yet,” the driver chuckled. “I’m a last minute shopper too.”

Tesia giggled. “It’s fun! Lots of people an excitement!”

“Yes, there sure is a lot of that,” the driver agreed. “So, where are you and…”

“My brother!”

“Your brother, shopping?” The driver asked, finishing off his previous sentence.

“Dunno yet. Will when I sees a good place to shop.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Yeps!”

“Tesia, Baby, let the man drive please,” A.J. told her softly.

Tesia sighed. “Kay.” She flashed the driver a grin. “I’ll tells you when to stop.”

“Alright,” the driver nodded.

They drove for a little bit longer, when Tesia suddenly saw a place she wanted to shop at.

“Stops please!” Tesia told the driver urgently. “Founds a goods lookin’ store.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the driver riposted, pulling the bus over and to a stop. “Here we are. Your Christmas shop stop.”

Tesia giggled. “Thanks!” She said, then handed him twenty-five dollars. “Here. So the next hundred people can ride free!”

“Why, thank-you,” the driver said, looking and sounding completely shocked. “That’s very nice of you. I shall be sure to keep track and tell them they can thank a little girl with a leopard print hat.”

Tesia giggled again. “It’s my brother’s hat. I’m gonna gets a new one.”

The driver nodded. “Ah. I see. Good luck hat shopping then.”

“Thanks!” Tesia called, climbing off the bus with A.J. “Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas!” The driver called back, closing his doors and continuing on his way.

Tesia was staring at a very nice looking train set in the huge department store they had found. Normally trains brought her great joy, but at them moment, all they brought her was great sadness. Her Daddy had loved trains more than anyone she had ever met. Trains were his passion – something he could call his own, as well as a hobby.

A.J. soon found his little sister, standing in front of the huge train display the store had set up for Christmas. He came up behind her, placing his hands upon her shoulders. “Nice, isn’t it?” He asked softly.

Tesia nodded ever so slightly, blinking back her tears. “Yeah…” She answered, just barely above a whisper. “Daddy…Daddy would’ve…would’ve liked…liked it…”

A.J. gave her shoulders a light squeeze. “Yes, you are right about that, Baby.”

Tesia sniffled as the train went past them, its whistle blowing suddenly. She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands, then let them hang down at her sides once more. “J…?”

“Yes, Baby?”

“Cans we…Cans we gets…gets the train?” Tesia asked in a whisper. “Please?”

A.J. smiled softly. “Sure can, Baby,” he answered gently.

“Thinks Daddy…Daddy would’ve…liked its?” Tesia questioned, struggling to get her sentences out now, as the pain in her heart was almost unbearable.

“Yes, Baby. I’m sure Dad would have liked it very much,” A.J. replied quietly, leaning down to kiss her head. “I’m sure he likes it this very minute too.”

“J?” Tesia began, turning to stare up at her big – and only – brother now. “Is Daddy…Is Daddy an Angel?”

“Sure he is, Baby,” A.J. assured her, smiling warmly.

“Evens ifs he dids all that’s bads stuff?” Tesia questioned, now looking worried.

“Yes, Honey. Your Daddy is an Angel,” A.J. stated firmly, though gently. “He fixed his mistakes the best that he could. He is an Angel; your Angel.”

Tesia gave her brother a small genuine smile then. “I likes thats,” she told him softly. “Daddy’ll makes a goods Angel.”

“Sure will,” A.J. agreed, leaning down to pick her up. “Now, how about going to see a man about this train?”

Tesia giggled a little bit, laying her head upon his shoulder. “Daddy’s train.”

“Yes. Daddy’s train,” A.J. responded, knowing he meant what he said.

After having had bought and paid for the train that had been on display, and assured it would be delivered to their Hotel room before Christmas, brother and sister continued on their mission to find Marcus some Christmas gifts. As they strolled along hand-in-hand, they couldn’t help but notice a woman and three children, huddle in an old bus stop.

“J?” Tesia whispered urgently, yanking on her brother’s sleeve. “J!”

A.J. stopped and leaned down towards her. “What is it, Baby?”

“They’re nots gonna gets stuff from Santa, are they?” Tesia asked softly, referring to the children with their mother.

“I’m afraid not, Honey,” A.J. replied sadly. “Their Momma can’t afford to buy them presents, and Santa might not be able to find them because they don’t have a home.”

Tesia frowned. “That’s nots right.”

“No Baby, it’s not,” A.J. agreed.

“Cans we helps ‘em, J?” Tesia wanted to know.

“What do you mean, Baby?”

“Cans we gets ‘em a house? Cans we gets ‘em toys? Cans we gets ‘em food?”

“Whoa. Slow down, Baby,” A.J. chuckled softly. “I’m afraid we can’t get them a house, as their Momma would need a job with lots of money for her to keep it. And though, I would love to give them one, I’m afraid I can’t. But, now, the toys and food, I’m sure we can do.”

“Cans we gives ‘em money?” Tesia queried, starting to look and sound excited. Luckily, they were far enough away from the family, that the family couldn’t hear what they were discussing. “So they cans buy their own toys?”

“Sure, Baby,” A.J. nodded. “How much do you think they’ll need?”

“A million!” Tesia exclaimed a bit loud.

“Shh,” A.J. shushed her. “Why a million, Baby T?”

“So they cans buy a house an’ nots hafta work an’ all thats stuff!” Tesia replied simply.

“Well, I think I can maybe part with that,” A.J. told her. “But, I’ll write them a cheque, okay?”

“Kay!” Tesia answered excitedly.

A.J. crouched down more then, and pulled out his check book – he carried it with him, should it be needed to settle things quietly – though he knew money couldn’t and wouldn’t buy his way out of everything; that wasn’t what he wanted to use his money for anyway. He wrote the cheque out, after Tesia had gone over to say hello and asked the one child their mother’s name.

“Cans I gives its to their Momma, J?” Tesia asked hopefully. “Please?”

“Yes,” A.J. rejoined. “But be careful not to lose it.”

“I won’ts!” Tesia replied excitedly.

“Now, act normal, if you know how to please,” A.J. told her. “You can hand it to them as we walk buy.”

“Kay!” Tesia agreed quickly. She took hold of her brother’s hand, and walked along the street with him, talking a mile a minute about Snoopy, Jazzy, and Marcus. As they passed the family of four, Tesia stopped to hand the mother the cheque, as her brother walked on. “Merry Christmas!” She told them, grinning widely.

The mother took the slip of paper from Tesia, and read it, her eyes going big as she did so. She looked up, and watched as Tesia ran to the man whom was her brother – a brother, who happened to be famous. She ignored her children’s endless questions, as she eyed the tall dark man, with the child at his side. Upon seeing him nod, she turned, smiling down at her youngsters.

“Children, this here in my hand, is Christmas. And those two who walked by and gave us this gift – they were God sent Angels,” she told her children.

“Wow! Real Angels, Momma!” They cried excitedly. “We gots Angels!”

Meanwhile, Tesia and A.J. continued on walking down the street hand-in-hand like they had earlier, before stumbling upon the family they had given Christmas and life too.