Hi everyone! Happy Thanksgiving! đŚÂ Hopefully youâre all caught up. If not, go back and read parts 1-5, before you read part 6. This is the final part! Yay! If youâre all set, letâs jump right into it. Much love. â¤ď¸Â
Carol was awakened by sounds of children playing in the snow. She opened her blinds, and lifted her window up. It did her heart good to see some of the kids making a snow man, as others slid down the snowy hills on sleds and snow tubes. âHey you,â a couple kids who were playing in the snow in Carolâs yard, looked up and took off running when they heard her voice. They knew Carol as the mean lady. âNo, please come back,â she said to the kids who kept running. âWhat day is it?â she yelled. A teenager who was walking by, heard Carol ask what day it is, and he yelled up to Carol, âItâs Christmas!â âReally? Itâs Christmas? I didnât miss it? I didnât die? I still have a chance?â Carol yelled back to the young man. âUmm, sure, I mean, I guess. I donât know what youâre talking about,â the teenager yelled back, confusingly. Then he smiled, waved and continued to walk by. He shook his head. âWhat a weirdo,â he said to himself. âMerry Christmas everyone!â Carol yelled out of her window. She closed her window and checked her phone. It was seven am. She called Romona and told her that she could take Christmas off. She asked her to call all the other employees and tell them not to come in as well. âEveryone gets paid for today and a holiday bonus as well,â Carol said. Romona was thrilled. âThank you Carol. Thank you so much.â âNo, thank you Romona. Youâve been my best friend and the best executive assistant anyone could ever dream of having. I want you to know that I appreciate everything you do. This company could not function without you. Thatâs why Iâm promoting you to CFO.â Romona screamed. She told her fiancĂŠ, âBaby, Carol just promoted me to Chief Financial Officer. Ahhh, she screamed with excitement, again. Thank you so much Carol, and Merry Christmas.â âMerry Christmas Romona, and take care of Slim Jim.â âOkay, I will,â Romona said, not knowing Carol knew he was sick. After Carol got off the phone with Romona, she called Xavier. He didnât pick up though. She tried to call him again. Still no answer. Carol jumped in the shower and got dressed. Then she went to the shelter where Xavier volunteers, but not before stopping by the ATM. She wished she could have bought gifts, but who doesnât like money? âMerry Christmas,â she said, while passing out envelopes with cash inside. The guy who volunteered to ring the bell near Carolâs office was there. He was shocked to see Carol at the shelter. He couldnât believe that she was there, and she was giving out money. She even gave him an envelope of cash. During the afternoon, Xavier came by bearing gifts and ready to serve. He was thrilled to see Carol inside. âCarol?â he said in disbelief. âWait a minute. I must be dreaming,â he said. âSomebody pinch me.â Just then, Miss thing walked up and pinched Xavier. âOuch,â he said. âWell at least youâre not dreaming,â she said. Xavier introduced the ladies. âSo, youâre the lucky lady,â the woman said. Carol looked up at Xavier and smiled, âI am,â Carol said. Xavier smiled down at Carol and pulled her close. âActually, Iâm a very lucky man,â he said before giving Carol a peck on the lips. âWell, alrighty then,â the woman said as she walked off. âZay,â Carol said. âIâm so sorry.â âShhh,â Xavier said putting a finger over Carolâs lips. âForget about it. All that matters to me is that youâre right here, right now,â he said. âI love you,â Carol said. âWait, what,â Xavier said jokingly. âDid you say the âLâ word.â âI did,â Carol said. âAnd I meant it. Youâre an amazing man Xavier and I admire, respect and love the heck out of you,â she grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to her and they began to kiss. âWhew Chile, Itâs getting hot in herre,â one of the guests at the shelter said (in her Nelly voice). The manager at the shelter insisted that Xavier and Carol go home and spend Christmas together. âHonestly, youâve done more than enough,â she said. âWeâve got this. Besides, if the two of you keep going at it like this, Iâm gonna get pregnant,â she said jokingly. âGo ahead love birds. Get out of here.â As they walked out of the building, Carol said. âI want you to come with me somewhere.â âAnywhere,â Xavier said. They got into Carolâs car and headed up I-75. Two hours later they arrived at Carolâs parents home in Blue Ridge, Ga. Carolâs parents were overjoyed. âYou came home,â her mother cried tears of joy. âWelcome home, my daughter. Weâve missed you,â her father said. Carol introduced Xavier to her parents. âYou too came just in time. Dinner is almost ready.â After dinner Carol opened a couple gifts from her parents and she exchanged gifts with Xavier as well. They all listened to Christmas songs, danced and caught up. Carolâs parents even showed Xavier their photo album with all Carolâs childhood photos. Being home was bittersweet for Carol, but mostly sweet. Her dad turned off the stereo and brought out the Karaoke machine. He asked Carol to perform her Rudolph routine from third grade. He and Carolâs mom cheered her on. She was a little hesitant at first, but she did it. Of course, she added more sass, than she had in third grade, and she took a few opportunities to throw some flirtatious moves Xavierâs way. Everyone gave her a round of applause when she finished. âWow, I had no idea you could sing like that,â Xavier said. âWhat canât you do?â he asked her. âI canât imagine my life without you,â she said. âIâm so incredibly blessed that God sent you my way, she said as she cuddled into Xavierâs arms. Carolâs parents sing a few songs on the Karaoke, as Carol and Xavier watched and cheered them on. âI love you,â Xavier said. Carol grabbed his hand and kissed it, âI love you more,â she said. âOkay, enough Karaoke,â Carol dad said. He turned back on the stereo system and just then, Donny Hathaway, âThis Christmasâ came on. âThatâs my jam,â Carolâs mom said. âOh, turn that up please,â Xavier said. He and Carol got up and started dancing again. Carolâs dad turned up the radio and he and Carolâs mom danced. They all began to sing. âFireside blazing bright
We’re CAROL LINGâ (they all said, pointing to Carol, and she smiled and laughed) âThrough the night
And this Christmas will be
A very special Christmas for me.â
The End. Merry Christmas! đđđđžâď¸