Skylar smiled as she watched all the children mingling with Santa, she cried as she watched a toothless and dirty man hug Santa when he gave the man a new sleeping bag. When she had presented Marie, Mikey's mom with the suit the woman had broken down and hugged Skylar so tight. She knew that moments like these didn't come around often and she savoured the joyous feeling. She felt someone pulling on her skirt and she smiled when she looked down and saw Mikey and Mattie his sister smiling at her. "Hi guys, what's up?"
"We have a present for you," Mattie whispered. Skylar lifted her skirt so she could sit on the floor with the two children and gathered them onto her lap.
"Wow, I wonder what this could be?" Skylar said as she unwrapped the newspaper wrapped gift. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked at the pictures that the two children had made for her. Mikey had drawn a picture of him and her holding hands and dancing. Mattie had drawn a picture of her family and drawn an arrow to Skylar and tried to print “Our Friend”.
"This is the best gift I have ever gotten, thank you," Skylar hugged the two children tightly.
~~**~~
"Today I saw the true meaning of Christmas. Two homeless children who I have grown very attached to gave me the best gift of all. They drew a picture and included me in their family. The joy that their faces showed as I looked at their gift and cried is one I will never forget. Children are so pure, they have no hatred or violence in their hearts. These children who have known such lonliness and sadness in their short lives are so filled with love and hope. I only hope that one day I can be filled with the kind of optimism that they have.
I sat beside a man at dinner tonight that had been married to his wife for 40 years. She died last year and every night he still lays out her slippers and dressing coat, still brings her the cup of tea that he always brought her at bedtime. When I asked him why he said it was because when you find your soul mate that you become connected. That even though she isn't there with him that she is with him in spirit and that by doing the things that meant the most to her, that he is helping keep her close in his heart. Isn't that the greatest testament to true love that there is.
I remain yours in our journey towards true love.”
~~**~~
Skylar was at her office making last minute changes to the seating chart when Jessi called to tell her that they had arrived and were at the hotel. "Great I will see you all 5 pm. I look forward to hearing the boys perform." To be honest Skylar hadn't slept. She was excited at the prospect of being in the same room as the band. Kim Ann had called her every 10 minutes that morning to find out what she was wearing and how she should wear her hair. "Really Kim Ann, how old are you again?" Skylar teased.
~~**~~
Kevin and AJ were shopping in downtown Ottawa when Kevin saw a homeless woman and two children sleeping in their car. He thought back to the email that had made him cry. How the woman expressed her feelings of joy about the two homeless children who had shown her so much love. Kevin asked AJ if they could split up for a while and he ran some errands. He went to the grocery store, bought some blankets, clothes and some toys and walked back to the parked car. He knocked on the window and the woman awoke startled. Kevin smiled and tried to reassure her. Marie opened the window cautiously and looked at the attractive man standing in front of her. "Ccccan I help you?" she asked.
"Well I couldn't help but notice how cold it was and I saw that you were all sharing a blanket. At my house we were always taught that Christmas was all about giving and I couldn't bear the thought that you and your children would be cold and hungry at Christmas," Kevin handed the shocked lady all the bags he had bought.
"I can't accept these...Oh my," Marie was overcome with happiness and she started to cry. "Sir you are an angel, thank you so much," the woman smiled though her tears. Kevin looked in the backseat and saw two beautiful blonde children looking up at him with excited faces.
"Merry Christmas mister," the little blonde boy said happily.
"Kevin, my name is Kevin, what is yours?"
"Marie, and these are my two children Mattie and Mikey..how can I ever repay you?"
"No need, just promise me that you will always love these children and pass on the love to everyone around you.” Kevin waved goodbye and walked away smiling.
~~**~~
Skylar was touching up her lipstick when the caterers arrived. She showed them to the dining room and she went back into the main hall to check on the sound check. She was in the middle of explaining to Paige the need for the caterers to start serving cocktails as soon as the first guest arrived when she saw Jessi and the boys walk in. She straightened her pants and walked over to the group.
"Hi Jessi, did you find us alright? Why don't I show you to your dressing room?" Skylar led the group to the lavish room that had been set up for them. "People should be arriving any minute. Feel free to mingle, dinner will be served at 6 and you will take the stage around 7:30. On behalf of the staff and clients at Harmony House, thank you for taking time out of your busy holiday season to help us." Skylar smiled at the men and walked away.
Kevin watched the girl who was dressed in black pants and a sweater walk away. "I guess I was wrong, it can't be her."
~~**~~
"Kim can you zip me up please, I am late," Skylar was in her office getting changed while Kim Ann touched up her makeup.
"So did Howie look hot, oh my God I am so freaking out!" Kim Ann had turned into a slobbering, star struck teeny bopper when she arrived and saw the boys bus in front of the shelter. The girls were getting ready at the shelter and then hopping in a cab to drive to the benefit.
"God you look gorgeaus!" Kim Ann said as she admired her friend's dress.
"Really, I look alright?" Skylar asked nervously.
"Yes, now come on my future endeavour is waiting for me" Kim Ann teased as the girls hailed a cab.
~~**~~
Kevin and Brian were talking with the Mayor of Ottawa when Kevin saw Skylar walk into the room dressed in a form fitting red dress with black fur cuffs. His heart raced and his mouth became dry. "It was her, she was the one who had been writing on the list," Kevin thought to himself. He had been playing over in his mind how he would approach the woman whose poetry and letters had consumed him for weeks. He took a breath and walked over to her.
"Skylar, right?"
The beautiful brunette turned and smiled at him "Yes, it's Kevin right? Kevin this is my friend Kim Ann, Kim Ann this is Kevin Richardson from the Backstreet Boys."
Kevin held out his hand and had to hide his surprise. So this wild haired red head was the girl who was vowing to make his friend into a man? "Nice to meet you Kim Ann, have you met Howie yet?" Kevin grinned as he watched the girl turn red. He led her over to where Howie and AJ were sitting and left her alone to work on her vow.
Skylar was waiting for the waiter to pour her a glass of wine when Kevin walked back over to her. "You did a wonderful job, this place is beautiful," Kevin replied softly to the woman.
"Well thank you, though I doubt it would have been half as packed had you and your friends not agreed to perform." Skylar's heart was racing and she was trying not to sound nervous. Kevin was so handsome in his tuxedo and he smelled so good. She saw Paige signalling for her. "Excuse me Kevin but I am needed," Skylar smiled and walked away.
"This is going to be much harder than I thought," Kevin thought to himself. The woman whose letters semmed to make her out to be so strong and in control, had turned out to be a very shy and vulnerable woman. She spoke so quielty. His thoughts were interrupted by a powerful and assertive voice. He turned to look up at the stage and his mouth dropped. The shy and vulnerable woman who he had just talked to was now up on stage and in a powerful and enthusiastic voice was welcoming everyone to the benefit. Kevin shook his head and listened intently.
~~**~~
The evening had begun to wind down and the movers and shakers of Ottawa were leaving. The evening had been a huge success and the boys had performed brilliantly. Jessi rounded the guys up and got them ready to leave. Kevin had tried all evening to talk to Skylar but she was always talking to someone whenever he tried to approach her. He saw her talking to Kim Ann and excused himself for interrupting.
"Are you leaving?" Skylar asked, with a trace of disappointment in her voice.
"Yes, we have to leave, we have an appearance tomorrow and we have to leave tonight, I just wanted to say thank you and congratulations," Kevin held out his hand and smiled.
"I owe you the thanks," Skylar slipped her hand into his and blushed as Kevin brought his lips down to brush her hand.
"I wish we could have spent more time together, anyway thank you for sharing with me the true meaning of Christmas.....charity." Kevin smiled and walked away.
~~**~~
"Have you ever done something that you wish you could take back? I met a wonderful and sweet man tonight and I hid from him. I knew that he wanted to talk to me more but I was overcome with his beauty, not just his physical beauty but the beauty that flew from his body, his smile could melt icicles, his voice could light up the dark sky. He was so charming, he made sure that he talked to everyone and posed for pictures. He was so kind and I hid.
Why is it that whenever I meet someone that is whole and complete, I run. My friend said that he talked to her about his family and how much Christmas meant to them and she said she was instantly at peace when he spoke. She said that he engaged her in an experience. Isn't that beautiful? Engaged in an experience. Wow...I know that I can't turn back time but for tonight I will dream about the conversation we could have had, the way his eyes sparkled when he spoke to me, the sad look that took over his beautiful and kind face when we showed the slides of the hundreds of homeless people who we help every day. He has been blessed with a beautiful soul and I find myself wishing that he had shared some of that beauty with me.
Yours as always,
Dr. Lonely Heart
~~**~~
Kevin wiped the tears from his eyes. He had rushed to his computer when he got back to the hotel to see if she written. As he read her email he found it different, he now knew who she was and he felt that he was intruding on her personal thoughts. He was so touched that she had described him in such a flattering way but he thought she had just said it to be kind. He longed to write back and tell her that he forgave her, that he could hardly talk when he saw her, how he wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be alright, that he was the one she had prayed for very night, but he couldn't. He didn't want to reveal himself yet.
~~**~~
”I am sure that this special man forgives you, he was probably just as nervous as you. Maybe he is the type that I described. Confidant on the outside and unsure on the inside. If your paths are meant to cross again they will. Destiny is the path that leads you through life and points you down the trail to happiness. Keep following the path and it will show you your destiny. Be patient and it will happen. Easier said than done I know but believe in the power of true love and you will find it.
Yours till the stars fall from the sky.”
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