It was a cool, crisp night. All the stars were out and it was one of those nights when the entire universe could be seen without the use of vision enhancers. All that could be heard was the waves crashing on the shore below the peak. But what made this perfect night in Cape Cod was the date: December 25, 2001. It was the time for miracles. And, for Luis and Sheridan, one would definitely be needed…
It was on that night that it happened. The two lovers were on their way home from a friend’s Christmas party. Though the night was perfect, the road that they were driving along the peak wasn’t. As hard as Luis tried, the car became harder to control as it skidded on a patch of black ice. As fate would have it, Luis was thrown from the car just before it flipped over the guardrail. Luis slipped into unconsciousness after seeing the car disappear over the ledge... with Sheridan in it.
The next morning at sunrise, Thomas and Tabitha DiAngelo decided to take a walk on the beach. The sun shone on the water so brilliantly that it resembled millions of tiny diamonds. It was then that they noticed a disruption in the array of sparkles. Poseidon seemed to have released something from his grasp. As the elderly couple approached, they saw that it was a lady! Looking around, they saw nothing that could have caused this lady to become unconscious. They decided to bring her home with them.
Around the same time, Luis began to stir. As he awoke, he immediately began to look for his beloved Sheridan. Looking over the guardrail, he saw the car wreck on the ledge below him but no Sheridan. Just as he was about to go down and look, a car pulled over.
"Are you alright?" the driver asked.
"I’m okay but my girlfriend is down there," Luis explained, "we were in an accident last night."
"Get in. I’ll take you to the police station," offered the driver. Luis muttered his ‘thank you’ as he climbed into the passenger seat of the car. And off they drove into town.
Sheridan awoke in a room painted light sea foam green with simple furniture: a bed, a dresser and an intricately carved hope chest. The door to her left opened and in walked a kind looking, elderly woman carrying a tray with, what looked like, a glass of water and a bowl.
"Where am I?" asked Sheridan. She looked around in confusion at her surroundings.
"You are in my home," answered the woman, "my husband, Thomas, and I found you unconscious on the beach," the woman continued, "my name is Tabitha DiAngelo. Do you know who you are?" inquired Tabitha. Sheridan thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Well, you are welcome here for as long as you like."
"Thank you, Mrs. DiAngelo…" began Sheridan.
"Oh, please, call me Tabitha and my husband Thomas," interrupted Tabitha.
"Thank you, Tabitha," said Sheridan, "I appreciate your kindness."
"You are most welcome," Tabitha said warmly. The two women shared a smile and chatted for the remainder of the afternoon.
Meanwhile, Luis had arrived at the police station. As he walked up to the main desk, he became more and more anxious by the second.
"Excuse me, officer," he began, "there has been an accident over at the peak. My girlfriend was in it but I can’t find her. Will you help me?" Luis’s blue-green eyes were full of worry and the officer noticed this. So, the policeman complied with his request. They gathered up a search and rescue team to go and look for Sheridan. They searched day in and day out for three days. On the third day, December 28th, they gave up looking for her in the wreckage and began asking for her around town.
Back at the DiAngelo household, Sheridan hadn’t had much luck remembering who she was, or anything for that matter. She only had slight images of what might have been her past. On the morning of December 28th, Tabitha walked in to see how her guest was doing.
"How are you today, dear?" she asked.
"I’m fine. But I haven’t had any memory flashes though," Sheridan replied as she began to stand. She stood up too quickly, though, and became dizzy. In an effort to regain her balance, she reached for her night table, knocking a lamp over in the process. Just as it crashed, she had a strange, overwhelming feeling…
~Flashback~
She was in a car with someone and it appeared that she was coming home from what looked like a party. She looked over at the driver and he gazed into her eyes lovingly. He mouthed the words ‘I love you’ and she smiled at him. The memory suddenly flashed to watching him being thrown from the car as she was tossed from a cliff.
~End flashback~
"Oh my goodness!" cried Sheridan while standing up suddenly.
"What is it dear?" asked Tabitha.
"I just remembered something!" she exclaimed, "I was in a car accident with my boyfriend," she struggled to remember his name but to no avail. "I don’t remember his name or if he died in that accident! I can’t remember anything! This is so aggravating!" Sheridan thought for a moment, "did you and Thomas find anything that could tell me if he’s alive or not?"
Tabitha shook her head with a grim statement on her face. Sheridan’s face fell, "in my memory, it was apparent that we were in love. Why do we have to be separated?" Sheridan continued, "I have a feeling that this man is the key to my past."
The next three days were hell to Luis. New Years’ Eve was just around the corner and Luis had just about given up hope of ever finding his love. Though his heart told him otherwise, Luis shut himself away and told himself that she was dead. There was a constant struggle between heart and mind for three days.
It was 11:00 PM on New Years’ Eve when he decided to go to the park and welcome the New Year by himself. He arrived at the park around 11:30. Luis looked up into the starlit sky and found the Christmas star. It is called the Christmas star because it is brightest during the holiday season.
"Starlight, star bright, I wish for Sheridan to come back to me. I know she is probably dead, but if the holidays are the time for miracles, grant me this one wish," Luis closed his eyes and hoped against hope for his wish to come true.
Tabitha and Thomas decided to take Sheridan to the park to see the fireworks at midnight. As the entered the park, Sheridan spotted an unusually bright star in the sky. She closed her eyes and wished with her whole heart. ‘Please let me find the man from my memories. I just know that he’s the key to my past!’ Sheridan opened her eyes and continued walking until a strange feeling compelled her to look towards a person sitting on a park bench. As she walked closer, the man seemed more and more familiar. She touched his shoulder.
Luis was sitting on the bench just staring into space until he felt a strange, yet familiar, feeling around him. He felt something brush against his shoulder. Luis turned around only to end up gazing into the most familiar eyes that he had ever seen; these were the eyes that he had gazed into millions of times before. There was no mistaking it: this was his Sheridan.
As soon as she’d touched his shoulder, a flood of memories came rushing back to her including a name: Luis.
"Luis?" she whispered. But before she could say anything else, she was swept up into the most passionate kiss that she’d ever experienced in her life.
"I love you," they both said simultaneously as the clock struck midnight.
The fireworks began as Luis and Sheridan snuggled closer together on the bench: Thomas and Tabitha looking on the whole time.
"I guess it’s true what they say, right Thomas? Miracles happen…" Tabitha began.
"And wishes come true," Thomas finished for her as they smiled at the couple on the bench.
THE END