Brian walked slowly down the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets, his head down. That unmistakable chill in the air mean it was winter, but there would be no snow. Florida never had snow.
He sighed, exhaling a plume of vapor that dissipated as it rose into the air.
The worst part that he was alone. It’d been three months since Holly had left him, but her absence especially paining him now. He hated spending Christmas alone.
Brian sighed again as he approached a church and climbed the front steps. At least churches had twenty-four hour service, Brian thought. He tried the doorknob.
“Well, they used to,” he muttered, sighing a third time and sitting down on the top step.
Brian sat, absorbed in his own loneliness, for a good twenty minutes until something made him look up.
A girl with shoulder length brown hair was heading towards him, and when she saw him look up, she waved exuberantly. He looked around and then back at the girl.
“Hi,” she chirped as she neared him.
“Hi,” he murmured. “Do I know you?”
“No,” she replied, sitting beside him on the step. “But I can sense loneliness a mile away, and you’re sending it in a ten mile radius.”
“Oh, look, I don’t believe in one night stands.”
The girl giggled and tapped his arm.
“No, silly. I’m not coming onto you. It’s just that you’re alone, and I was wondering why, because holidays were never meant to be alone.”
Brian stared at her. “Who are you?”
“Well, my name is April, if that’s what you mean.”
“Yeah, I’m lonely. My girlfriend left me, and now it’s just not Christmas without her.”
“You’re selfish.”
“What?” Brian exclaimed indignantly. “You don’t even know me!”
“True. But you’re still selfish.”
“And why is that?”
“You’re so wrapped up in what you don’t have, that you haven’t thought about what someone else could be missing.”
Brian just stared at her.
“Look, you see that family over there? The mother wants to give her children a good Christmas, but she can’t afford a tree.”
“Where’s her husband?”
“He died.”
“How do you know-”
“Now how do you they’ll manage to buy a tree?” she asked, ignoring his question.
Brian took his eyes from April and looked across at the tree farm. Then he resolutely got to his feet and headed over to it.
April watched as he conversed with the manager, then headed back over to the church.
“Well?”
“I told him that whatever tree they really wanted I’d pay for and I gave him my credit card.”
April smiled big and nodded. “Good, you’re almost there.”
“Almost?”
“Yeah. You know everyone should be happy at Christmas, but do you know why?”
Brian thought about this for a moment.
“Christmas isn’t material at all,” he finally said softly. “It’s about love and happiness and being able to feel and spread that, even if it’s only once a year. And I should be grateful for what I do have, and not dwell on what I don’t.”
He looked up at April and knew he had gotten it right. Her smile was radiant, and Brian suddenly realized that she was radiant.
“You’re a good man, Brian Littrell,” she said, standing.
“But… what… how…”
April just smiled serenely and her glow became so bright that Brian had to look away. When he was finally able to look again, he saw she had gone. He stood up, looking everywhere for her.
Finally deciding that he would be unable to find her, he caught the eye of the Christmas tree farm manager and went over for his credit card.
He had reached the church again and was putting his wallet back in his pocket when he saw someone else walking towards him.
Her blonde hair shone in the streetlights and Brian realized who it was.
“Holly,” he said when she had reached him.
“Hi, Brian.” Her blue eyes stared into his.
“What’s up?”
“Brian, I just wanted… I’m sorry. I was selfish. Our relationship wasn’t just about me. It’s about both of us. I was selfish and stupid and I’m sorry. The things we said were so wrong.”
“I was a little selfish, too,” Brian murmured. Holly’s eyes shone with tears and Brian reached out a hand to her. She took it and walked up the stairs until she was beside him.
“I love you,” he whispered, taking her face in his hands.
“I love you, too.”
As they kissed, somewhere a small bell chimed. Somewhere, an angel got her wings. And right then, it began to snow.
