A Miracle Wish

The Westons have just moved into a new house. It has everything that the Weston's wanted. Ray has his workroom to do his sculpting and painting. Tandie has her large kitchen with every imaginable cooking tool. But, for little Kellie, the new house was missing one thing. Someone to play with. And to top it off, they moved during Christmas break. Poor Kellie is far away from her loving relatives, and she has no friends.
She was spending a very lonely Christmas holiday.

Earlier that very day, Kellie had wanted her mother to spend some time with her.

"Momma, will you please play with me?"

"I'm sorry, baby, but I have to finish the laundry, then I have those new orders I have to fill. You know how busy I get during Christmas time."

"Then, what should I do Momma? I'm tired of watching movies."

"Well, why don't you play with your Barbie. You love your Barbie that Grandmother gave you."

"It's not the same as a real friend."

Later, Kellie visited her father in his workshop. She normally didn't bother him when he was working but she thought, just maybe this time, he'd stop to play with her. After all, it was Christmas vacation.

Ray had to control his anger when he saw his daughter standing next to him. "Kellie, you were told not to come in here unless it was important."

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I was hoping you would come play with me outside for awhile."

"Young lady, I have to complete this painting and I still have five more garden gnomes to make before Christmas, and I already have orders coming in for St. Patrick's Day leprechauns. I don't have time right now to play. Go ask your mother."

Kellie looked down at the wooden sculptures on the floor.

"I bet if you were real, you'd play with me, huh Mr. Gnome? And what adventures we would have. You would have time for me, wouldn't you Mr. Gnome? Oh, how I wish you were real."

Tandie was worried about Kellie. She herself always had her own brothers and sister to play with, even when all her own friends were being punished and had to stay indoors. She had no idea how it felt to be an only child. Especially an only child in a new neighborhood on Christmas holiday. Especially an only child who was taken away from her grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins. Tandie decided she should spend more time with Kellie and took her with her on her errand downtown.