Christmas Delaney had one stocking that wouldn't stay up no matter how often her mother tugged on it. Her sash dangled down her back, its ends catching on the bushes that scratched her arms when she played with Henry Lee. Her freckled face stared determinedly at Mrs. McKay's black cat when it crossed her path, as she was highly superstitious, and she swore under her breath that one day she was going to rid the neighborhood of beasts like this one.

Christmas had big plans for herself when she grew up and they didn't include sitting on a porch shelling peas like little Miss Prissy Susie down the street. And she certainly didn't want to end up with a pack of stuffy-nosed brats who pestered their Ma constantly for pickles, bread and milk like Mrs. Hoover had. Christmas also had no intentions of mending socks, bottling peaches, or making quilts with tiny stitches like the church ladies. And she postively had no aim - absolutely none at all - of ending up like her own Ma, poor as a rat in a hole with nobody to take care of her.

Instead Christmas believed that someday she was going to wear a big hat with feathers, ride wild horses, go to Salt Lake City and eat ice cream from a tall glass dish. But even if she didn't do those things, it wouldn't matter because there was only one thing she had to do when she grew up: Christmas Delaney was going to fly.

And she was getting ready now. In fact, she practiced flying every day with Henry Lee.

At first, they began by jumping off the fence. It seemed harmless enough to Henry Lee until he landed on a patch of gravel. When he started to cry because there was a rock stuck under his skin Christmas panicked. Ma was just around the corner and Christmas knew that if it were discovered that she was trying to fly again, Ma would make her clean out the coal bin.

"Stop bawling, you scaredy cat," she hissed.

Henry Lee put his hand over his mouth and bit it hard until the tears ran down his face. He recognized the look on Christmas' face and forced himself to obey.

But after that day, Henry Lee attempted to avoid flying practice, telling Christmas that he had piano lessons to go to. Christmas quickly became wise to that excuse and so each day, as soon as the school bell rang, she waited for Henry Lee by the school door, grabbed him by the arm, and escorted him to old man Nelson's abandoned field.

The field, which was filled with various fruit trees that were past their prime, was safely tucked behind a large red fence and was nestled between two broken down barns. It was a perfect spot for flying because the tall, soft grass broke their descent while they learned.

"Christmas stop it!" Henry Lee yelled one afternoon as she began dragging him away from the school yard. "I can't go with you today. I have something more important to do."

"You shut your mouth, Henry Lee. Nothing is as important as flying. Let's go."

"No. Christmas, didn't you hear? Today Miss Larsen is going to decide who is going to be in the Christmas pageant. I want to be in it."

"That's stupid," Christmas said crossly. "Why would you want to be in some sissy pants Christmas play?"

"Because it's Christmas! It's for Christmas. I've never understood why somebody like you would hate Christmas so much. You're named after it."

"It's none of your business why I don't like Christmas, Henry Lee," she growled, grabbing him by the nape of the neck. "Just leave it alone, if you know what's good for you."

Henry leaned against the school, picked up a few pebbles and started throwing them at a bucket. "Well, I don't care," he pouted. "I'm tired of not talking about it. Christmas is a good time of year and I like it. So come on... Why don't you come in and see about this pageant with me? You might surprise yourself and have a good time. And if you're lucky, you might even get to have the part of the Christmas Angel. You're a girl, you know... And the Christmas Angel is always a girl."

"Why would I want to do something as dumb as that?"

Henry Lee stopped throwing the pebbles and looked at her with amazement. "Don't you know? I thought everyone knew - even you. Oh Christmas, the Angel gets to fly. They hook her up on ropes and then they fly her over the audience and she lands on the stable. It's the highlight of the show."

"She gets to fly!" Christmas exclaimed, not able to hide her excitement from the small boy. "I could fly. Of course, I would be on ropes, but that would be a good chance to practice flying over people. It would give me a chance to know what it was like for my Pa when he..."

"Your Pa?"

Ignoring Henry, Christmas walked into the auditorium, signed the audition list and sat down.

"Christmas Delaney!" Miss Larsen called. "Climb up on the stage, child. Let me take a good look at you."

Christmas tried to appear regal as she balanced on the edge of the musicians pit like a tight rope dancer. To put her in the correct frame of mind, she imagined she was walking through a voluminous pink cloud and off in the distance she heard an angel voice singing, "Peace on earth, good will towards men."

She tried to glow.

"You're sweating, child. Wipe your brow and say the piece."

"Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

Trembling, Christmas waited for the verdict.

"That was fine, child. You can come down from there now."

Christmas walked down the stairs, attempting to glide like an angel. She had to be the angel. She just had to. Everything depended on it.

"Watch out, Christmas!" she heard Henry Lee yell. "A garbage can!"

But the warning came too late and Christmas felt herself falling face forward on the ground, the can toppling over her and lunch goop landing on her back.

Immediately a shout of laughter filled the auditorium which was shortly followed by the sound of the door banging as Christmas burst out into the cold air.

"Forget it. I'll just learn how to fly for reals."

(to be continued...)

"Listen to these directions carefully, Mrs. Taylor," Mary Delaney said. "Take two of these pills in the morning and two at night. They are natural relaxants and you'll feel better right away."

"Why I have to take pills is beyond me," the voice beneath the feathered hat snapped.

"Because the doctor says that you have a heart condition, dear," Mary replied.

"I do not!" the voice declared, as the feathers danced wildly about. "I have a delicate nature, as any civilized woman does. If you were a civilized woman, Mary Delaney, you would have a delicate nature, too. Look at you. Why, I don't think I've ever seen you wear anything but that old blue rag and this green one you are wearing today. You need to sharpen up because you are in public."

Mary heard the sound of a chair squeaking in the back room. Smoothing her hair back, she hurriedly escorted her customer to the door of the shop, "Now, dear Mrs. Taylor, you are absolutely right. I supposed I do need a new dress. But these pills are perfect for a lady such as yourself - with such a fine, gentle character. I understand that they are prescribed to the finest ladies who live on capital hill in Salt Lake City and that they report that they make them feel perfectly wonderful."

The feathers acquiesced.

As the tinkling bell on the door signaled that the transaction was complete, a stern male voice demanded, "Mary!"

"Yes, Mr. White?"

"I thought that I told you that you were not to discuss the patient's medical conditions with them. Simply give them their medications, collect their money, and send them along."

"Yes, sir."

"And don't humor them. I've told you before; I don't care to coddle people. It's better for them to face the truth. They are sick. They will die. Let them get on with it. "

"Yes, sir."

"Are you finished cleaning the fountain yet?"

"Not completely, Mr. White. I was just about through then Mrs. Taylor came in and then I had to help her..."

"Stop it. Just get back to work or I'll find someone else who will be glad to do it for you."

"Yes, sir."

Sighing, Mary crossed back to the marble countertop behind the soda fountain. She had already wiped down the mirrors, washed the glassware and the silver. The seltzer fountains remained to be scrubbed and polished. As she worked, a small trickle of lemon flavoring dripped on her finger. Unable to stop herself, she lifted her finger and tasted the tartness. Tears welling in her eyes, memories of lemon seltzers shared with Samuel crowded into her mind.

"Stop it, Mary Delaney. You stop it right now," she scolded herself. "It won't do you a bit of good to think of such things."

But it was too late and everywhere Mary looked she saw Samuel standing in the drugstore.

She had met him Samuel in this room. When Mary came into the store, carrying nickels begged from her father so that she could have seltzers, Samuel acted as if he didn't notice her. But then one evening, when she was crossing the street to the Five and Dime store, Samuel burst in front of her and asked if he could walk her home.

There was never a girl as happy as Mary was in that moment. She was young, pretty, and the most carefree boy she knew wanted her company.

It was just five years later that they married. Samuel had swept her off one night after a dance to stand with him before the Justice of the Peace. When her father learned that she had married a Delaney, had been so angry that he forbade Mary from setting foot in his house again. Mary would never forget the look on Samuel's face and how the light from the house crossed his hair as Samuel told her father that he would be happy to make certain that Mary would never have to see her father and mother again. And Mary would never forget - as long as she walked the earth - the sight of her Ma peeking out from behind the curtain that dark night, tears running down her face as Samuel pulled Mary down the sidewalk.

Seven years later Mary was a widow working for Mr. White. The crotchety old man had hired Mary out of respect for Samuel, but these days, he seemed eager to dispose of her, considering any feelings of obligation he had towards Samuel satisfied. Mary was living in a rented house, scraping by on a clerk's salary, and was raising a daughter that seemed bent on killing herself by jumping out of trees.

"You reckless fool," she whispered. "Look what you've done. Just look what you've done."

(to be continued...)

Salt dripped into Christmas's mouth from the tears streaking down her cheeks as she ran over the aged, log fence behind Anderson hotel, around the freshly cut lumber waiting to be used at McKay's and down the lane to the barn in her own backyard. It was the tallest, private edifice she knew in town and it was time to climb to the peak.

Behind her she could hear the screams of Henry Lee begging, "No, Christmas. No! Don't do it. Come back."

But Henry Lee didn't understand. And Henry Lee didn't know that when it was the most important moment of her life, she would be able to fly. Christmas knew that this had to be the moment that she had been waiting for simply because she couldn't stand to wait one more moment. She couldn't bear one more person saying "Delaney" in that certain tone of voice. She couldn't bear the sad look on her mother's face when she came in the door. And she couldn't stand being without her Daddy one more Christmas.

Once inside the abandoned barn, she scaled the rickety ladder with ease. She had been up and down it many times in preparation of this event and knew exactly where she should place each foot. Climbing over the hay hook, she made certain to not trip on the pile rope of whose end was still attached to that which was still strung across the main cavity of the barn. "Daddy told me not to touch the rope," she repeated to herself, as she had each time she had practiced.

And then carefully, Christmas scooted along the north rafter to the end of the roof line where she located the loose board that would allow her access to the roof. Squeezing through the narrow hole, she sighed with relief when she found herself surveying the entire town as she sat, perched on the roofline.

Through the trees she could see the red roof of her little home and wondered briefly what Ma would say once she realized that she was gone. "She'll be happy because there will be no more Delaney's in her house. Then she can go back to her Ma," Christmas thought stubbornly.

And then, the memory of her father's laughter coming from the kitchen that last night and her mother's cross voice thundered in her mind, as it had each time she had climbed onto the barn.

"Mary, I tell you, this is it. Everything will be better now. There is a miracle."

"You've said that before, Samuel," Mary stormed. "Why should I believe that this time is different?"

"Because it is different, Mary!" Samuel laughed. "There is something that you don't know… Something that is too wonderful to imagine."

"Well, then, if it is so wonderful, why won't you tell me about it?"

"It's a surprise, Mary. It's a Christmas surprise for you and our own little Christmas girl. You'll see. In the morning, you'll see."

"Put me down, Samuel," Christmas hear her mother say, "You're making me dizzy."

"Can I help it if I want to twirl my girl a little bit? Oh Mary, I'm so happy that I could fly! I could fly clear up to heaven and back again."

"You are a fool, Samuel Delaney… A dreaming, scamp of a fool. The worse thing I ever did is marry a Delaney. Now I'm all alone."

"Why Mary… You're not alone," Samuel's voice said quietly. "You have me and you have your Christmas girl – a gift from God born on the very day we celebrate the greatest gift of all."

"Yes, I have you… a man that has not taken care of me. And I have a daughter that is as wild as her father. I have that."

Christmas heard a silence so long that it seemed as if time had stopped. Finally, she heard steps, the door open and her father's voice say, "I suppose that we'll see if you are right. But for now, I need to fly off and do a few things. I'll be back sooner or later."

"Caw! Caw!" Christmas heard from the tree by the barn. Turning she saw a black crow starting at her as if to say, "What are you doing in my territory, little girl?"

"You don't know it, Mr. Crow, but I have inherited the ability to fly from my Daddy. He flew up to heaven, you know. And I'm going to fly right now."

Christmas scooted herself down to the edge of the barn, stood and held her arms out wide. Closing her eyes she imagined her arms turning into wings with glistening white feathers on them. She felt her herself turn into a bird and began to flap. Then, taking a big breath and willing herself to believe with every bit of power inside of her, she jumped.

The cold December air rushed across her face and she believed herself suspended in air. "I'm flying! I'm flying!" she thought. Suddenly, she felt a thud and two arms around her. Gasping she said, "I've found him. I've found my Daddy."

"What'd you go and do that for?" she heard a voice say. "You could have killed yourself."

Christmas opened her eyes and started to scream. She wasn't in heaven. She was standing on the ground again, back in her old life, and right in front of her was the most obnoxious red-haired boy that she had ever seen in her life.

"Come sit down here," the boy said, pulling her over to a fallen log. "You look a little bit like a cat I had once right before it keeled over dead."

"Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"My name's Scout," the boy said. "I'm just passing through and got myself a little lost along the way. That's pretty easy to do."

Christmas nodded at him. "I guess so. I've never been lost before so I wouldn't know. Where did you come from before you came here?"

"I was going on an errand and I took a wrong turn and ended up in this field talking to you. Someone is pretty mad at me."

"I'll bet it's your Ma. You look like the sort of boy that would get in trouble with your Ma."

Scout looked at her. "Say, what's your name?"

"Christmas."

"That's a funny name, but I like it. Where'd it come from?

"My Daddy gave it to me. My birthday is on Christmas day and he always said that I was the best present he ever got and so he gave it to me."

"Why were you trying to jump off of that barn? You could have killed yourself if I wouldn't have happened along like that."

Christmas looked down at the ground. "I was supposed to be the Christmas angel in the play. Miss Larsen picked me and everything. But when I told Ma that I had to have an angel costume, Ma told Miss Larsen that I couldn't be the angel anymore."

"So you came here and tried to fly because you can't be the angel in the play? That was a dumb idea!" Scout hooted. "Isn't that just like a girl? Who cares about being in a dumb old play?"

Christmas scowled at him. "That Miss Prissy Susie told everybody that the reason I couldn't be the angel was because I am a Delaney and Delaney's can't ever be nothing good. Well, I punched her a good one for that – right in the nose. And the blood ran everywhere!"

"Right in the nose?" Scout respectfully replied. "I don't think I've ever seen that before… I mean… a girl hitting a girl."

"Yeah. Well, I punched her a good one, alright. Then the school sent a boy to the drugstore to get Ma. Ma took me outside of the school and told me that I am just like my Daddy. I know I'm in trouble when she says that. And then she told me that she might lose her job because she had to leave work."

As Christmas talked, Scout started to walk around the field and touch the trees. "Say, Christmas. This looks kind of familiar to me. I think I've been here before. Maybe I'm not as lost as I thought I was."

"If you've been here before, how come I don't know you?"

Scout looked sharply at her. "You don't know me?"

"No." Christmas replied. "How could I know you? We just met. Are you trying to mix me up?"

Looking across the field, Scout said sadly, "I just thought that maybe you might recognize me because it would be really helpful if you did... Look…kid…you better go home now. It's getting dark."

"Oh no!" Christmas gasped before starting to run down the path towards home. "Ma will be home soon and I don't have supper ready. I'm going to be in trouble now!"

Turning to wave goodbye at Scout, she blinked when she saw that he was no longer in the field. "He's gone!" she exclaimed. "How did he do that?"

Suddenly, a soft gust of wind brushed her hair and unable to resist temptation, Christmas stopped in her tracks, spread her arms wide, and twirled about until her skirt blew out like an umbrella.

"I'm flying, Daddy," she whispered. "I'm flying."

(to be continued)

"I'm not going to do it" Henry Lee shouted, "and you can't make me!"

Christmas pulled on her red braid with exasperation. "Of course, I can make you. I can make you do anything I want. Just start walking and before you know it, it'll be all over."

The big brown eyes stared back at her, pleading for mercy, but Christmas was not moved. "Get going."

Henry Lee put his foot out and stepped carefully on the bridge.

"That's one. Now do another one."

Looking over his shoulder Henry Lee whined, "Do I have to?"

"Do it, Henry Lee, or I'll sock you a good one."

Henry Lee considered his options: On one hand, if he continued to walk over Thompson's bridge, he could get killed because it was a known killer bridge. Everybody knew it killed people and there wasn't a kid in town who would willingly walk over it. In fact, Henry Lee was terrified whenever he had to ride over the bridge in the wagon with his Pa. But on the other hand, if he didn't walk over Thompson's bridge, Christmas would punch him.

Christmas was fascinated with Thompson's bridge and Henry Lee couldn't get her to stay away from it. Usually, Christmas was the one who was out in the middle of it, hanging over the railing and staring down into the ravine. He couldn't think of how many times he had convinced her to come back to safe ground before the killer bridge gobbled her up. But today, Christmas wanted him to go out there and look over the edge of the railing and the mere thought of it made him want to cry.

Stepping forward again, Henry Lee heard a creak coming from the killer bridge's belly. "I can't do it, Christmas! The bridge is going to get me. I'm going home!"

"Oh, stop it, Henry Lee. It is not. You're a baby bottle chewer."

Henry Lee gasped at the sound of her words, turned, and ran back down the lane towards town. Christmas watched him disappear completely over the crown of the hill before walking softly to the edge of the center of the bridge. As she peeked through the railing her mind suddenly tumbled back to the sight of her Daddy come towards her on the stairway.

"There you are, you little scamp! I see you peeking through that rail."

Giggling, Christmas climbed the stairs as fast as her legs would carry her.

"You better watch out!" Daddy growled. "I'm going to get you!"

"No, you're not! I'm hiding!"

Christmas climbed under her covers and pulled her pillow over her head. She couldn't see Daddy anymore so she knew that he couldn't see her anymore. Funny Daddy.

"Oh no! Where has my beautiful Christmas present gone?" Daddy's sad voice said. "And it is nearly Christmas morning and I want to open it. Whatever will I do? I can't find my present anywhere. I've lost it."

"No, you haven't, Daddy! Here I is!"

"There you are my little Christmas angel… right in bed where I put you. What a good girl you are!"

Christmas smiled. She had the most wonderful Daddy in the world.

"Daddy, do angels really fly?"

"Of course, they do, sweetie," he replied, tickling her. "They fly up to heaven and they fly back down so they can watch over little girls like you."

"They do?" Christmas said, wide-eyed. "Have you ever met an angel, Daddy?"

"I don't know, honey. Maybe I have and maybe I haven't. The Bible says that we shouldn't forget to entertain strangers because sometimes you might be with an angel without being aware they are with you. Maybe an angel has been with me and I just haven't known it."

"What would you do if you met an angel, Daddy?"

"I would ask the angel to teach me to fly, Christmas. I think I'd be good at it. And then I would fly right up to heaven and ask God to make everything better."

"But you'd come back, Daddy. You would fly back from heaven?"

Daddy laughed. "Yes, Christmas. If an angel taught me to fly, I'd fly right back to you. Nothing could ever keep me away from my Christmas present. Why, I just have to know what is in it and tomorrow is Christmas morning."

Snuggling down under the covers, Christmas yawned. "Maybe I can be an angel and fly, too, Daddy."

"You just be Daddy's little Christmas present and stay right under my tree. Now, go to sleep, honey, because Christmas morning is on its way and Christmas always brings nice surprises for good little girls like you."

Christmas closed her eyes and dreamed. "It wasn't so long ago, really," she thought. "It wasn't so long ago that Daddy tucked me into bed and told me that he was going to fly to heaven, if you think in angel terms. Maybe Daddy just got lost and now he needs someone to go and get him. Maybe I could go and get him. If I could fly up to heaven, Daddy will come back home with me, I'm sure of it."

"I'm just sure of it," she whispered. "I'll bet anything that if I just climbed up here and..."

"If you just climbed up and what?" a voice said.

Startled out of her trance, Christmas looked up to see Scout grinning down at her.

"Oh, it's you again," she growled. "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way over there," Scout pointed. "I have business to conduct."

"You have business to conduct?" Christmas hooted. "You sound like an old man."

Laughing Scout said, "Nah, I just sound like my old man. He taught me to finish a job, no matter what it took or how hard it was to do and that's why I'm here now. There's a nice stand of pine trees on the other side of the bridge and I'm going to cut one down."

"For a Christmas tree?"

"Yes," Scout laughed. "It is Christmas Eve tomorrow and it's about time I get one."

"I don't like them."

"Christmas trees? You don't like Christmas trees?"

Christmas shook her head vehemently. "Never had one since my Daddy died. Ma doesn't want one so I decided not to like them. It's easier."

Scout reached out to pat her shoulder. Seeing his hand moving towards her, Christmas jerked away, picked up a rock and threw it over the edge of the bridge. "Go away," she demanded. "Just leave me alone."

"Look kid, you're not thinking of jumping off of this bridge are you?"

Christmas turned and started walking away from him, "You don't know what you're talking about."

"It doesn't take much thinking to figure it out," Scout said, following her closely. "The last time we met, I stopped you from killing yourself because you were jumping off of a barn. And now I find you acting crazy on a bridge. What am I supposed to believe? That you are just out here admiring the view?"

"Why not?" Christmas sighed. "You have to admit it is beautiful out here. It looks like the gateway to heaven to me."

Scout grabbed her arm, spun her around and pulled her back to solid ground. "It's time you tell me what you are up to Christmas. What is this all about? Heaven? You want to go to heaven? You're just a kid."

Christmas shivered and pulled her sleeves down over her hands. "You don't understand, Scout. My Daddy was crossing this bridge and the angels came and took him to heaven. Mrs. Hoover told me all about it. She said he was going somewhere and it served him right because he deserved it when he would leave my saint of a mother alone on Christmas Eve. So I gotta fly, Scout. I just gotta fly up to heaven and get my Daddy to come back home."

(to be continued...)