Angel Gifts
Copyright 2014 Mia Rodriguez
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Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
Preface
Don’t ever believe the slippery, yucky nonsense that human beings can’t change. Even gigantic snow monsters have been known to stop terrorizing people when they figure out the enormous importance of everyone and everything on earth getting along. Humans are a lot more logical than dim-witted snow monsters that always forget how huge they are and destroy buildings and other things without meaning to.
These silly creatures also forget to take their cold medicine before climbing the highest mountains in the North Pole and get the most horrible colds, sneezing tons of snow all over the place. I hate to burst your bubble, but you might as well know that there are many times when you think it’s snowing, but it’s really a snot nosed snow monster with a thunderous cold.
Another unpleasant thing about snow monsters is that they often neglect to pour foot powder on their humongous, stinky athlete’s feet. I mean really, really smelly feet! You see, they step on all kinds of yucky things like smelly swamps, reindeer droppings, and elf ear wax.
Santa of course chastises the reindeer for being so unhygienic and elves for cleaning their pointy ears with their fingers and flicking the wax to the ground, but the reindeer and elves continue their rein of yuckiness. Secretly, they like annoying the snow monsters who roar when they step on a reindeer turd or feel the gross squishiness of ear wax under their feet. Snow monsters really get furious when these things happen, but as I said before, they have been known to control their hot-ice tempers and change into gentler and kinder creatures. I repeat, if they can do it then people can change too. Of course they can!!! Believe me when I tell you it’s more of a won’t than a can’t. People’s mouths and brains may fill themselves with, “I just can’t!”
Then they give the big litany of can’t complaints:
I can’t do better.
I can’t be better.
I can’t, can’t, CAN’T!
(It’s really: I won’t, I won’t, I won’t.)
It’s really within reach of their free will to become better people. Just ask Snowy Claus.
Chapter 1
“Snowbella, I think you should accompany Alma Aurora this Christmas Eve,” Santa stated, his voice thoughtful and solemn.
“Gramps, you want us to deliver the Christmas gifts again?” Snowy asked, surprised.
Snowy could hardly believe that a whole year had already gone by since that fateful night when her gramps had forced her to deliver the presents alongside the angel Alma Aurora who gave out the spiritual gifts. If you don’t already know the story, please don’t judge Santa Claus too harshly. Don’t call him irresponsible for supposedly neglecting his duties. Give him some slack. You see, Santa, being a good and caring grandfather, had decided he needed to do something about his granddaughter’s horrendous and deplorable attitude about Christmas.
Admit it that you would probably do what he did to get a loved one on the right path.
To Santa, being who he was, it was just too much for him that his own flesh and blood didn’t appreciate the best time of the year when people’s often cold and stony hearts cracked open even just a little bit. He loved that magic filled the air with bright lights, pumpkin spices, and good cheer. Indeed, it was the season of miracles—when anything could happen. It was a time when God’s touch was clearly visible everywhere.
Celebrating what Jesus’s birth meant to the world—well, that was the best thing about the Christmas season in Santa’s view. Way, way better than any high gadget toys or pricy things he would deliver. Santa’s humble nature caused him to always give Jesus his rightful place at the head of the Christmas table. Santa never forgot even for a single second that while he delivered material things, Jesus delivered love.
Love was the best gift anyone could have, Santa thought. Corny and mushy but true. Of course many people would growl that they’d rather have a new Porsche or a majestic mansion than the silly emotion of love.
Well, thought Santa, try having either one of those things without any love around you. Let’s see how much you love your things if there’s no one to share them with. So many misguided ideas out there!
These harmful ideas that only caused unhappiness were precisely Santa’s biggest worry last year when his only granddaughter hadn’t outgrown her rebellious necessity to despise Christmas.
Yes, only a short year ago the tween Snowbella Navidad Claus had hated Christmas.
She had been dreadfully mean to the snow monsters, elves, reindeer, and to the other creatures of the North Pole. The elves and reindeer in particular got the brunt of her brattiness. She’d spike the elves’ delicious holiday eggnog with laxatives, and she’d pour dog food in the reindeer feed. Can you believe such behavior coming from Santa’s granddaughter of all people? The elves would be so hopping furious they’d jump to the height of the twenty foot tall giant snow monsters and then would have to rush to the bathroom. The reindeer would be absolutely furious too at what they perceived to be an unforgiveable insult.
You see, it was about reindeer pride. Big time reindeer arrogance! You know reindeer--always bragging about being Santa’s special helpers who helped deliver the Christmas gifts. “Humph, we’re most certainly not dogs!” they’d exclaim when they would find out about the dog food. Snowy would giggle and the reindeer would get even more incensed and call her names like Snowy-ugly, Miss Scrooge, and Snowy Cooties.
Yes, last year Snowy hated the Christmas season and wanted to make sure that everyone was miserable along with her. Her parents, Rosita and Kris Jr. tried with everything they could to straighten out their daughter. They made up Christmas carols for her, decorated her room with shiny lights and spectacular ornaments, and cooked her favorite foods like tamales and tacos in the shape of Christmas symbols. Rosita was certain her mother’s old Mexican recipe for tamales had transformative powers. While the tamales would make Snowy smile and giggle with joy while she ate them, after she finished them, it would be a different matter. She’d be the same bratty daughter. To Rosita’s and Kris Jr.’s immense surprise and chagrin nothing seemed to work. Their daughter hated Christmas and couldn’t get along with the Chrismasy creatures at the North Pole no matter what.
In all fairness to Snowy, though, the creatures were plenty mean to her too. The elves would fill her room with Christmas crickets that would chirp Christmas carols all night long. The reindeer would pour vinegar in her pumpkin spice chocolate drink.
Anyway, that had all changed the Christmas Eve night that her famous grandfather had made her deliver the gifts.
“You want Alma Aurora and I to deliver the gifts again?” Snowy repeated
with acute curiosity.
“No, Snowbella, I’m delivering the presents this year along with Gabriel.”
Just hearing Gabriel’s name made Snowy smile. She had an enormous crush on that very special angel.
“Gramps, I don’t understand. Why do you want me to accompany Alma Aurora?”
“You’re the perfect person to help with this mission?”
Snowy’s eyebrows came together in perplexing wonderment. “Mission?”
“Yes, a very important one,” Santa announced.
“What will Alma Aurora and I be doing while you and Gabriel deliver the gifts?”
“You’ll be helping to save Christmas for a lot of people,” Santa declared.
Chapter 2
“What?” Snowy blurted.
“Alma Aurora will explain once you get to your destination. Please just trust me, Snowbella. Your help is very much needed.”
“Okay, Gramps. If you say I can help then I’ll be glad to do whatever I can.”
It gave Snowy an exhilarating injection of pride and happiness that her grandfather and Alma Aurora needed her for something. It made her feel that her life was important.
Christmas Eve came quickly at the North Pole with all the celebrations and work leading up to that day. By that time Snowy was more than a just little curious about what she and Alma Aurora would be doing that night.
Snowy stood next to her grandfather at the sleigh waiting for Alma Aurora. The reindeer were already getting restless. It’s not common knowledge that these animals suffer from impatient disorder. They hate, Hate, HATE to wait. I know it’s hard to believe since they have to wait at every house in the world for Santa to deliver the gifts and then get back to the sleigh. I’ll tell you a secret since you’ve stayed with me this far—Santa provides them with games on specially made reindeer electronic tablets, so they have something to do while they wait for him. They enjoy games like Flappy Flying Reindeer, Dragon/Reindeer Flight Fight, and even the old fashioned game of PAC-REINDEER. At the moment, however, Santa had forced them to put away their tablets and start preparing for flight, but they were jittery and trying to pick a fight with Snowy to ease their boredom. Fortunately, Snowy wasn ’t falling for it. She was doing a terrific job of ignoring their nudges and pokes. Honestly, they’re no better than spoiled, rambunctious children. But those are reindeer for you. Gotta love them the way they are.
Gotta accept their childish ways.
Alma Aurora finally arrived. Snowy watched with fascination as the angel materialized from thin air. First an amazingly luminous light appeared. It was like the sparkle and glitter of the brightest stars. Then the gleaming light got bigger and bigger until it became Alma Aurora’s form.
Suddenly Alma Aurora stepped out of that bright light form. She was dazzlingly incandescent as usual with her long black hair streaming well over her shoulders, her lively, kind dark brown eyes greeting everyone, her light cinnamon skin shiny like silk, her golden wings fluttering, and her wide, warm smile grinning a welcome.
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” Alma Aurora blurted apologetically with a breathless tone as if she had been in a huge hurry.
Heya, I bet you didn’t know that angels could be late—even with their special flight abilities.
“It’s okay, Alma Aurora,” assured Santa. “You’re not that tardy and besides, I’m sure you had a good reason for it.”
Alma Aurora nodded profusely. “I had a meeting with Jesus.”
“Jesus?!” Santa Claus blurted, his hand on his heart.
Snowy’s eyes grew completely round. “Wait a minute,” she murmured with an excited voice. “Are you talking about the Jesus? The one whose birthday we’re celebrating?”
Alma Aurora grinned. “Yep. I couldn’t resist and sang him the Happy Birthday song already.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Snowy. “You were late because you were singing to Jesus?”
“That’s a good reason to be tardy,” stated Santa. “A very good reason. The best.”
“Actually,” began Alma Aurora, “I was late because he was giving me some pointers and advice about this mission Snowy and I are on today.”
Snowy’s saucer-like eyes opened even wider. “Wow!!!”
“I think it’s just amazing how he should be in full celebration of his birthday right now,” Santa stated, “but instead he uses his valuable time to help you.”
Alma Aurora grinned. “That’s Jesus—thinking about other people and not himself.”
“Wow!” Snowy couldn’t help blurting out again.
Santa turned to Snowy with a solemn expression. “Snowbella, now you know how important your mission with Alma Aurora is if Jesus is directly involved in it.”
“Wow!” Snowy blurted once more.
Alma Aurora nodded. “Yes, definitely important.”
Chapter 3
“I’m so honored to be asked on this mission,” Snowy declared.
Alma Aurora placed her right hand on Snowy’s shoulder. “Thank you for accepting.”
Santa glanced at his watch. “I’d better get going.”
“May we hitch a ride with you, Santa?” Alma Aurora asked. “I love riding in the sleigh!”
Santa nodded with a smile. “Of course you can come along. The more the merrier.”
Snowy, Alma Aurora, and Santa climbed on the sleigh. They ignored the grumblings of the reindeer. “Finally!” they kept muttering.
As the sleigh glided through the sky, Snowy couldn’t help feeling relieved that this time, unlike last year’s ride, it wasn’t raining. In fact, it was an incredible night with snow drifting down from the sky and a fully lit moon. The reindeer, however, complained that the night was much too bright and that they’d have to steer the sleigh with snow getting in their way.
Now, I’ve already warned you about them and their crotchety, spirited nature. Don’t act so surprised.
Gotta love them!!!
When the sleigh arrived at Alma Aurora’s said destination, Snowy stared startled and wide eyed at where she was at. From the roof of the chalet she could see everything. It was ultra-amazing to her.
Santa waved goodbye, wishing Snowy and Alma Aurora all the luck in the world. Snowy was so stupefied, she hardly noticed when her grandfather left.
“My gosh!” Snowy burst, finally finding words in her mouth, “We’re at the Worthington compound! I just can’t believe it!”
Alma Aurora nodded solemnly. “Well, believe it.”
“Wait till I tell my friends!” Snowy blurted.
“All of them watch the reality show—London Blair’s Fabulous Life?” questioned Alma Aurora, frowning.
“You bet!” Snowy proclaimed enthusiastically. “London Blair is the most awesome girl ever. She has the most spectacular adventures. Her family is so rich that she can afford anything, and she can do anything she wants! She can be in one country one moment and in another the next just to have ice cream or buy a pen. Can you believe it?”
Alma Aurora’s frown lines grew deeper. “Her life appeals to you?”
“Are you kidding with that question?—of course I envy her life. Most girls who watch her TV show do.”
“M-m-m,” murmured Alma Aurora in pensive thought. “That’s one of the reasons we’re here.”
Snowy’s eyebrow’s came together in puzzlement. “We’re going to be on her reality show. You’re going to let the world see an angel?”
Alma Aurora chuckled heartily. “No, of course not. We do most of our work in secret. Believe it or not, most humans aren’t prepared to see us. They’d really prefer to stay in their comfort level boxes.”
“Really?” questioned Snowy. “I’m so thrilled to know you.”
“I feel the same way about you, Snowy. Not all humans are like you. I mean you’re Santa’s granddaughter and you were raised in the North Pole where the supernatural is quite normal. For most human beings, seeing an angel would confuse them.”
“Confuse them?”
Alma Aurora nodded. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”
“I don’t see how seeing you would confuse them. I would think they’d be overwhelmed with awe.”
Alma Aurora shook her head. “People have their own selfish ideas about angels and seeing us would confirm in their minds what they think of us. Like for example, Joe Blow might take it as a sign that he’s about to win the lottery or Jane Blow may think she’s about to land the highest paying job. Many people think we’re like genies in a lamp granting wishes. Twisted right?”
“Yeah, twisted,” murmured Snowy, feeling guilty that that was exactly what she thought before taking the famous trip with Alma Aurora last year.
“We have strict orders to help people with what they need because what they want may not be so good for them. Surprisingly enough, human beings have very little understanding of their actual needs.”
“Wow!—really?”
Alma Aurora nodded vehemently. “Unfortunately yes. That’s why we don’t usually allow them to see us, but we’ll be experimenting with that tonight.”
“Experimenting?” Snowy asked, puzzled.
“All I can say is that it’s going to be a very complicated night. Are you ready for it?”
“I think so,” murmured Snowy. “I hope so.”
“You’ll be fine, Snowy.”
“I hope I don’t disappoint you and my gramps.”
Chapter 4
Snowy stared at the Worthington compound with a star struck awe. She and Alma Aurora were still on the roof of London Blair’s chalet. She noted that the Worthington compound was more like a kingdom than a homedom. The Worthington super mansion stood in the middle of numerous luxurious chalets. It even had a man-made moat that also served as a swimming pool around the enormous place.
“Snowy, take my hand,” Alma Aurora said, reaching out for her.
Snowy took her hand. She and Alma Aurora gently and with much precision flew into the chimney of the chalet they were on. Snowy’s stomach was jittery with the thought that she was in London Blair Worthington’s home—the one Snowy and her tween friends watched religiously every week to see what awesome adventure London Blair would get into.
Then it struck her. Why are Alma Aurora and I here? she wondered. What is this mission all about?
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