Home Is Where The Heart Is - Part IV of IV

Satisfied Little Lisa was sleeping comfortably, Megan put the book in the zip-lock and stored it back under the seat. Then she moved her hand around until she felt the envelope in another zip-lock that she kept hidden there. She thought of it as her 'Special Envelope' because it contained her savings. She got paid every two weeks, and she put ten dollars of each and every paycheck into the envelope and secured it in the zip-lock. Without fail. And she never touched it either, except for times like now when she permitted herself a moment to feel it's contents and look toward the future. One day she would have enough saved up for their own apartment. It might take a while, but she was determined. She didn't plan to spend the rest of her life living like they were. One day she and Little Lisa would have their own place to really call home. A place they could decorate anyway they wanted and it'd have a real bed for each of them and a real kitchen to cook in. And she was committed to making that dream come true, too, no matter how long it took. Until then, though, they would make the best of what they had. Even though every day was a challenge, they were doing the best they could. And she never, ever forgot that no matter how bad things were, they were never as bad as they'd been with Darren. That and the fact that Little Lisa and I are together, she thought. That was the main thing - the best thing.

            Satisfied her savings were secure and safely hidden, Megan sat for a minute staring out the front window. Gusts of wind were blowing, keeping the windshield clear. The parking lot was empty except for two cars parked by the front entrance. It was the cleaning crew: Tim and Ramon, two twenties something guys who would spend the night getting the store ready for when it opened at six in the morning on today, already, Christmas Eve.

            Then the snow started falling again, a sure sign it wouldn't be getting too cold tonight, maybe ten degrees or so. She watched, mesmerized by the way the flakes drifted past the tall flood lights, sometimes swirling like tiny ballerinas dancing in the night. Soon she felt her eyes getting heavy so before she nodded off she roused herself. There was one more thing left to do.

            She reached over the back seat for her shoulder bag and took out the twinkle lights, snow globe and doll. She ever so carefully took the lights out of their packaging and strung them around the inside of the car and turned them on. The snow globe she set on the dash. She was surprised to find that it was also a little music box. She tried it out for just a moment, not wanting to wake her daughter. The song was 'Silent Night.' Perfect. Finally, she took out the Rainbow Barbie and looked at it, grinning to herself and thinking, 'How she comes up with these things, I'll never know.' Smiling now, in a good mood, she wrapped the doll inside the special stocking cap she had bought a few weeks earlier at the Dollar Store. It was an 'Elsa' hat and had long golden braids hanging from it just like the main character from the movie. She wrapped both items in a Target plastic bag as carefully and as quietly as she could, and set the package on the dash panel next to the snow globe. There, she thought to herself, all set.

            Then she slipped off her boots, put on her own thick socks and pulled her feet up onto the seat and tucked them under her for warmth. She looked out over the parking lot. The snow falling was peaceful, nearly obscuring what little traffic there was a quarter mile away on the highway. The world was shutting down. Megan went through the list in her mind of what she would be doing tomorrow, Christmas Eve: she had to work from three in the afternoon until ten. Until then she and Little Lisa would go to a public library she knew would be open from ten in the morning until noon. It would be the highlight of their day. Little Lisa liked the children's section and they could read books together until closing. Then, before going to work, they would go to a nearby big box store and wander around, staying warm and, hopefully, not drawing any attention to themselves. And, most importantly, she promised herself to resist any potential last minute holiday temptation and not take anything.

            But there was one final thing to do on this late, wintery night. She leaned over and shook Little Lisa gently. "Hey there, sleepy head," she said rubbing her hand over her daughter's tiny shoulder, caressing her softly, "Look what happened while you were asleep."

            And while Little Lisa woke up, Megan looked around the car: the white lights were on, casting a magical glow inside, reflecting off the snow that was covering the windshield. Some of the snowflakes outside on the glass even twinkled, adding to the feeling of wonder in the car. Megan was inspired to star humming, "Silent Night," just like the snow globe.

            "Momma, look at this," Little Lisa pointed when she had finally come awake. "Look at the pretty lights." She excitedly pushed out of her blanket and sleeping bag and pulled off her mittens, scarf and stocking cap, and sat up in stunned silence, gazing around, her face lit by the magical lights as well as her happy smile.

            After a few minutes Megan showed her the snow globe, smiling to herself that, in all her daughter's excitement about the lights, she hadn't even noticed it. "Look at this, Honey," she said, pointing it out to her.

            "Oh, how pretty," Little Lisa exclaimed. She took it carefully off the dash and shook it, then held it gently in her hands, hypnotized by the snow scene inside.

            "And look at this," Megan said, showing her how to operate the key. And when Little Lisa turned it they both sat back in childlike awe as the sparkling snow fell and 'Silent Night' played, filling their old car with a joy and wonder only brought about by the magic of dreams coming true.

            When the song was over Megan next showed Little Lisa the package on the dash; beaming to herself when her little girl opened it, took out the stocking hat and squealed in delight. "Look inside the hat", Megan told her, and the squeals got ever louder as Little Lisa pulled out her new doll, holding it to her chest and smiling a wide happy smile.

            "Momma, how did all of this happen?" she asked, looking around the car in awe, with its white, twinkling lights, snow globe, Christmas music and her new doll and hat; taking in the transformation like it was now a scene out of a fairytale - a wonderland - a place she'd only glimpsed before in her imagination. Except now it was for real.

            "It just did, sweetheart," Megan said, hugging her little girl tightly, "Sometimes you just have to believe that things will get better. And if you believe it hard enough, sometimes they do." Then before Little Lisa thought about it too much and started asking too many questions, she changed the subject, "Do you like it, Sweetheart?"

            "I do, Momma, I really do."

            And that was good enough for Megan.

            They stayed awake for nearly half an hour, looking at the twinkling lights, playing with the snow globe and the rainbow Barbie, singing along with Silent Night and enjoying the peaceful snow coming down, both inside the snow globe for fun and outside the car for real. Megan even started the old Ford, turned the heater on and ran it for a few minutes to warm them up. A special gift for both of us, she thought to herself.

            Finally, when Little Lisa started yawning, Megan turned the car off and bundled her up again, making sure she had her new doll and was wearing her new stocking hat, before finally getting her calmed down and ready to go back to sleep. When Little Lisa was cozy and snuggled into her sleeping bag and blanket, Megan put on her own stocking hat and mittens and took a hold of her own blanket and stretched out on the car seat, holding her daughter in front of her. She then pulled her blanket around her and wrapped her arms around her little girl. Their shared body heat would help keep them warm.

            Just before Little Lisa fell asleep she turned and said to her mom, "I love the lights, and everything, Momma, it's almost like we have a brand new home."

            "Hush, sweetheart, you go to sleep now, Ok? I'll see you in the morning."

            "Will our new home still be here," Little Lisa asked, starting to nod off.

            "Yes, it will sweetheart."

            "And you'll still be here?"

            "Always, Little Lisa. Always."

            Then Megan wrapped her arms just a little tighter and listened to her daughter's breathing as it slowed, becoming deeper and deeper until she finally fell asleep, safe and secure in her mother's embrace. Then Megan, too, began nodding off, her mind relaxing now for just a few hours; a brief respite before the process of making it through another day started all over again. She took a deep breath and softly let it out, remembering Little Lisa's joy and happiness at the little bit of wonder she'd experienced. Things could be a lot worse, was Megan's last thought before she finally fell into her own deep sleep.

            The lights would be the first thing they'd see when they awoke in the morning. And the snow globe with it's pretty song would be there, too. And her daughter would have a new doll, something that would make her happy. Like Little Lisa had said, 'It's like it was a brand new home.' Megan had to agree. It wasn't much but at least it was theirs. Outside the snow continued to fall, and the temperature dropped. The wind buffeted the car and it was getting colder, but inside mother and daughter slept peacefully and held each other tightly - they were as warm as they could be. And, for tonight, that was warm enough.