Christmas Wishes, Part 1
This one isn't that wacky. I actually think it could be a movie.
Mom and Daughter are settling down for their first Christmas without Dad, who left them earlier in the year after having an affair. Daughter, 7, is throwing herself into the Christmas spirit. Mom is worried that daughter is sad, but resolutely trying to make the best of it.
Daughter makes lots of decorations for the apartment and spends a lot of time writing her letter to Santa, which contains a poem, a comic, and a list of Christmas wishes. Mom asks if she can read it, and Daughter says no — if Mom sees the Christmas wishes, they may not come true. Over Daughter’s shoulder, Mom sees the drawings and decorations, but she can’t see the list. Mom wishes she could see it, because Daughter doesn’t seem to want anything in particular.
Mom plans a snuggly evening in for Christmas Eve. She has a closet full of presents and decorations that she’s been planning to pull out, but she’s been so busy between work and childcare. She plans to stay up late Christmas Eve to play Santa, setting up the apartment to be a Christmas wonderland when Daughter wakes up the next morning.
Unfortunately, Mom is a heart surgeon and her patient who’s been on the transplant list all year is finally ready for surgery — Christmas Eve night. Not only are Mom’s plans scuttled, but she doesn’t even have a babysitter — her regular ones are all out of town or busy with family for the holiday.
Mom knocks on the door of Neighbor’s apartment down the hall. Nobody answers. Then Neighbor comes down the hall, crumpled Lost Cat flyers in her hand.
“Putting up more flyers?” asks Mom.
“Giving up,” says Neighbor. “It’s been two weeks, and I got complaints from the management company about the flyers. I don’t know if Cat is coming back.”
“Listen,” says Mom, “I know kids aren’t really your thing, but…”
“No,” says Neighbor, who has two bottles of wine and a sad movie in store for her tonight. Her family is all the way across the world, and her long-term girlfriend broke up with her recently and took all their friends. She’s not in the mood. But Mom persuades Neighbor to watch Daughter.