I nodded. “I had something important to talk about with the grown-ups,” I said. “Good night.”
“Oh, Karen,” said Charlie. “I wanted to tell you that I think your reindeer got back to the North Pole safely.”
I stopped. “Really? How do you know?”
Charlie smiled. “Let’s just say I have some inside information. I have a feeling that Santa is very grateful for the help you gave his reindeer.”
“Gosh,” I said, wide-eyed. “Well, good night again, Charlie.”
“Good night, Karen. And Merry Christmas.”
Merry Christmas!
My eyes popped open. I looked at my clock. Six twenty-seven! I had to wait three more minutes before rushing downstairs to see if Santa had brought me anything.
I was so nervous and excited, I could hardly lie still. My toes wiggled. My knees wiggled. My bottom wiggled. I wiggled all over and thrashed my head around on my pillow.
I glanced at my clock. Six twenty-eight.
Finally, a long one hundred and twenty seconds later, six-thirty came.
I leaped out of bed and raced into the hallway. David Michael and Andrew were there too, in their pajamas. The three of us dashed downstairs.
This was the moment of truth. Now I would find out whether my reindeer had made it back to the North Pole in time to pull the sleigh. And I would find out whether I was on Santa’s “naughty” list or his “nice” one.
All sorts of packages lay scattered beneath the tree. Seven full stockings — one each for Sam, Charlie, Kristy, David Michael, Andrew, Emily Michelle, and me — hung from the mantelpiece.
“Hooray!” I cried. “Santa came!”
I ran to the Christmas tree and checked the labels. “To David Michael, from Santa Claus,” read the first one I checked. “To Kristy, from Santa,” read the next.
Then: “To Karen, from Santa Claus”!
I threw my arms in the air and shouted, “Yea! Santa brought me something! Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas, Karen,” said Daddy.
I turned around. There were Daddy, Elizabeth, and Nannie in their bathrobes.
“Merry Christmas!” I said again. I reached into my stocking. No coal! No straw! I pulled out a candy cane. A chocolate Santa. A marzipan pig. A hair ribbon, brand-new crayons, a bracelet. It was a Christmas miracle.
My family was talking and laughing. David Michael blew on a harmonica. Emily Michelle shook a snow globe. I thought about my reindeer.
I reached into my stocking again and pulled out a miniature book, a roll of butterscotch Life Savers, an egg of Silly Putty. At last only one thing was left. Far down in the toe of my stocking was a small box. It was wrapped in shiny paper. I stared at it. Inside was a tiny silver charm in the shape of a reindeer. Under the charm lay a folded piece of paper.
My heart began to pound.
I unfolded the paper. Written in blue ink was a note to me:
Oh, my gosh. A note from Santa Claus himself! I stared around at my family, who were opening their presents and talking and laughing and hugging. The biggest Christmas present ever had just happened, and they didn’t even know about it. Carefully I folded the note and slipped it into my robe pocket. I would treasure it forever.
But, as it turned out, I would never see my reindeer again.
Merry Christmas!
Love, Karen.
About the Author
ANN M. MARTIN is the acclaimed and bestselling author of a number of novels and series, including Belle Teal, A Corner of the Universe (a Newbery Honor book), A Dog’s Life, Here Today, P.S. Longer Letter Later (written with Paula Danziger), the Family Tree series, the Doll People series (written with Laura Godwin), the Main Street series, and the generation-defining series The Baby-sitters Club. She lives in New York.
Copyright © 1999 by Ann M. Martin
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First edition, 1999
e-ISBN 978-1-338-06288-5
Karen's Reindeer Page 5