Christmas Tree in Summer

“Summer Vacay, come already,” Jenny complained as she closed her locker. She looked back at Carrie and handed over her books. “Sorry about Mitch. Another one bites the dust, huh? You would think you’d learn by now.”

Carrie shrugged. “Just wasn’t meant to be.”

“You don’t get it. You’re not hearing me. Carrie, seriously, it’s like you are from another world or something.” Jenny slammed her locker. “I mean, you shouldn’t have ever been with him. He’s a bad apple, Girl. None of the guys you pick are good for you.”

“I don’t pick them,” Carrie reminded her. “Mom does. It’s about the only thing I can do that makes her happy.”

“How can you be so clueless? I don’t care if it’s your mom. She doesn’t understand who she’s picking. It’s your life anyway. Oh, whatever,” Jenny sighed. “Did you get my homework?”

“You missed six problems. I’ll help you over lunch period,” Carrie told her as she jostled the books again, seeing what she had been reading. “The Pearl by John Steinbeck? Couldn’t they send you something more pleasing to read?”

“Sorry, I don’t think they care to send me the freakin’ Christmas Carol.” Jenny picked her books back up. “Thanks. I know you’d keep holding them forever if I let you. So, what took you so long?”

“I stopped by the shelter. They needed some simple canned food, and mom won’t let me near there.” Carrie slightly bounced on her feet with cheer. “Technically it’s wrong. I didn’t listen to her. She also caught me with some questionable music last night again.”

“Questionable?” Jenny’s eyes lit up. “Are you finally coming round? What, bad lyrics?”

“Cheery music.” Jenny just looked at her as if she were mad. “Mom still won’t let me listen to cheery music.”

“Uh huh. Your mom is so weird.” Jenny rolled her eyes. “I have some CD’s you can borrow.”

“That’s great, but I don’t like foul language or hateful words. I live in this world, surrounded in it. I want to escape in my music.” Carrie closed her eyes, searching for the notes in her head. “Oh, wait.” Her concentration broke. “She took my CD player away.”

“Ugh, your parents,” Jenny groaned as she looked behind her friend. “Oh no. Don’t look now, Carrie.”

Carrie turned around and saw Mitch coming over toward them. He was the son of a lawyer. He had been her latest fix up. Carrie had broken up with him a short time ago when he started spreading rumors. Rumors that made him adored, but her less than becoming. “Good morning, Mitch.” He sincerely smiled at her as he grabbed some of the books in her arms. He looked toward Jenny and nodded.

“Don’t even think about it. I mean it.” Jenny waved her finger in front of him. “Leave her alone. She already broke up with you.”

“Jenny, that’s mean. Carrie is a big girl.” Mitch laughed and looked at her. “You know, I don’t know if she was right. Did we officially split up?”

“Yes, now get the hell out.” Jenny held her books tighter. “Out of here.”

“Can’t I ask her?” Mitch sat the books on the floor and pulled Carrie closer into his embrace. “I think you and Jenny should come over to my place tonight. I have enough room in my heart to love both of you.”

“Jerk!” Jenny tried to push him off of Carrie, but he held on tighter. “Stop it. Let go of her.”

Carrie found herself struggling to be free too. She wasn’t stupid. She knew what he meant. “That’s a mean thing to ask me, Mitch. You started those rumors with no respect for me, and I won’t date someone who is so mean.”

“You are so hilarious.” Mitch started to mock her in a high voice. “You started rumors with no respect for me and I won’t date anyone who is just a big meanie meanie big bully.” He laughed. “You always were fun. Come on, we could have fun again? I think you, Jenny, and I could all do something together? We did last night.”

“We did not! You stop spreading rumors, Mitch. And I swear, if I hear something with me involved, you’ll regret it,” Jenny threatened him. “Everyone knows we are decent.”

Carrie pushed herself away from him. Her mother’s choices were getting worse. Next thing she knew, she would want her dating a felon. “Please go away.”

“I do not approve of how you are handling her.”

Carrie looked to her right and saw a familiar guy. She didn’t know where she’d seen him before, but he wasn’t carrying any books. He had on a blue sweater with glittery snowflakes, nothing she’d seen on any boy at school. His hair was a flowing warm cocoa brown. Where did she know him from?

“Who are you?” Mitch asked him, finally letting go.

“Kringle,” the boy said. “Kris Kringle.”

Mitch and Jenny both laughed.

“Where’s your sleigh?” Mitch teased him. He put his hand on Carrie's head and rubbed it. “Oh, she knows I’m only teasing. Don’t you, Carrie?”

Carrie straightened her clothes back out, but she looked over toward the familiar guy. He was mad yet confused by Mitch.

“Like I told you. Just like last time.” Jenny blamed Carrie more than Mitch. “You’ve got a big sign on your head that says ‘Take advantage of me.’ If you don’t smarten up, Carrie, you’re going to be mugged before you even graduate high school. Maybe worse.”

Carrie brushed what she said off, but Kris bristled at her comment.

“There is no reason for anyone to harm anyone. Why would they?” He looked toward her, seeking an answer. She wished she knew. Jenny pushed her away toward class, giving Kris a snide look. She must have thought he was making fun of her too, but Carrie didn't believe that. She was wrong about people many times, but she doubted she was wrong about him.

“Mugged. Worse?” Kris walked behind Carrie, but he noticed another boy being shoved into a locker. Such violence for no reason. Weren’t there any bright spirits left? He smiled at everyone who passed, but they either didn’t make eye contact or looked confused. Didn’t anyone smile at each other anymore? As he walked by a boy with headphones on, he picked up on some of the lyrics.

Those were dirty words. Kris stood and listened at a distance, his ears pricking up slightly to hear better. These were the words in Carrie’s world. Kris didn’t understand everything, but he picked up enough. This place was filled with pain. Kris wanted to go back home where everything made sense again, but this was what his future Mrs. Claus dealt with daily. People hurting and picking on others. When he’d seen the way Mitch touched Carrie, Kris had felt something in his heart that he rarely felt, rage. Mitch had no right, and she gave him no right. Mitch was a bad boy, a naughty one the likes he'd never met before. This had been what she had called a boyfriend?

People were taking advantage of the warmth Carrie had been born with. They thought she was stupid, but he knew the truth. It was a simple fact:

She was merry. It was not stupidity. It was what made Carrie who she was.

Kris didn’t need to see much more of Carrie’s world. He only had a little time left, and he wanted to do something for her.

Something special.

“Phillip? Phillip!” Carrie's mother yelled as they came in through the front door. “What were you thinking? It’s the middle of June. What is a Christmas tree doing here?”

Carrie's mouth dropped and so did her school bag. This wasn’t mere decoration; it was beautiful and timeless. She moved toward the tree. The Childers’ trees had always been fake, propped up year after year. She touched and smelled the pine scent coming from it. It was a real Christmas tree.

There were no lights on it, but white candles in holders that lit up the edges of the branches. It was filled with ornaments she had never seen before, but they appeared to be antique. There were more than fifteen with single snowflakes, each one unique. Glittery with white flakes. Tight fitting ornaments in colors she had never seen so bright. Towards the top there were ornaments that were moving on their own. A drummer slowly drummed, while snowmen turned. It was as if someone had gone back a hundred years and grabbed a tree from someone’s home. As Carrie inhaled the aroma and touched the treasured decorations, she wondered who had done it. Her mother was wrong. This couldn’t be her father's work. He wouldn’t want to make her mother mad. Not only that, but he wouldn’t go out, buy a real Christmas tree, and decorate it in the middle of summer. “Dad, who did this?”

“I can’t believe you,” Carrie's mother scolded her father again. “A real tree is in my house. In June?”

“It wasn’t me. It was, well, it was…” he placed his finger beside his mouth. “It was someone. No, it couldn’t be. I wouldn’t let a stranger into my house. I guess, maybe, sleep walking? I took a nap.”

Carrie's mother shook her head and it wasn’t long before the tree was taken down. Candle by candle, and ornament by ornament. Its beauty and mystery remained in her head though. Who had done it, and why?

***

Carrie went to bed early, sneaking one of her tapes into her old deck. Carrie's progress was the same as last year, so her parents decided she would be visiting colleges herself. Maybe she would feel something when she was right there? She didn’t know. She only knew that tonight; he was coming back. Kris. She couldn't believe it, but he had been at her school that day in June. He must have set up the Christmas tree back then. Like he had stated previously, she only remembered when she stared at the bell, but she would remember tonight. Carrie moved toward the window where she held the bell that he had given her. After a whole half of a year, would he show up again? And if he was the son of Santa Claus, why didn’t he help his own father? There were also questions, real questions she wanted to ask so bad.

Why didn’t all good children receive gifts? Why didn’t anyone really believe in his father? Why was it when kids learned the truth, that only the gifts from their family were found under the tree, and none from Santa? There had been no evidence he existed, not even a tiny amount. Nothing. Carrie knew, and after learning the truth, she had hunted around to see if she was being misled. There were no sightings, and there was no hope. The mall Santa was fake. The radio communication that tracked his sleigh, it was invented for the children. Even a tiny amount of reindeer droppings on a roof would have helped.

Tonight, she was dressed in her new birthday sweater. It was white, different than the other years for some reason. She wore some white sweatpants, and she kept her coat closed. This time she would be prepared. Instead of seeing a bedhead in a white robe and pajamas, he would see her in a better light. Carrie watched the clock impatiently, unable to rest. At eleven, she snuck downstairs. She didn’t want to risk missing him at all. She sat down, quietly watching the fireplace. Kris would be coming soon. She looked at the bell in her hand. Soon.