Christmas Eve, Midnight.

One of the most popular taverns in Lucky County is actually located quite far away from the central town. Though it is rather small, the tavern has many visitors all year long, especially during nighttime. Tonight, however, there seemed to be a visitor not stopping for the drinks.

As usual, Sally was behind the counter, manipulating the glasses of drinks in various colors. Though wearing quite plainly, her eyes reflected a sign of confidence. It was also at this moment a deep low man’s voice echoed in front of her. “Go back to your home right now.” The voice showed no emotion nor mercy.

Surprised, Sally looked up. The man was wearing a black jacket, and eerily, a mask covering the entire face – as to disguise his emotions and appearance. Looking at this complete stranger, Sally shooked her head politely, pointing at the cups she was juggling earlier, “I can’t.”

The man didn’t reply. He simply walked around directly to the counter. Sally froze for a moment and then quickly stepped up to block him, “Staff only.”

Without listening, the man pulled away her arm and started speaking rapidly. While this time, Sally let the man go and quickly left the tavern with a concerned expression on her pale face.

Nicolas was riding on his sleigh, up above the clear sky towards the city area. He had to send all the gifts the kids wished for in this town. Working as a Hidden Santa, Nicolas holds a job that is very demanding for families these days to fulfill the wish of children. However, very few have ever applied for the job: while the job is somewhat well paid, the company for some reason required every Hidden Santa complete confidentiality of their work from anyone and restricted their activity only inside their headquarters all year long except for the day of gift delivery. At least I could still send the money back. He thought.

Nicolas wandered around and placed gifts through chimneys for children – as told in the traditional fairytales. He enjoyed this process, seeing the children’s hopeful smiles on their faces, that’s all he wanted. Time flies, he had only two more gifts to send. He quickly checked the delivery list. These two presents belong to a bigger brother and younger sister, both in primary school.

It was getting colder outside; snow began to fall like drops of tiny crystals. Nicolas accelerated.

Soon he arrived at the location. It was a rather small house compared with those luxury dwellings in the town around. This is an old house, the paint on the wall outside was peeled off by the rustling wind, exposing the cracked red bricks inside.

Nicolas crawled into the chimney quietly and opened the door of the bedroom. The children were sleeping together on a piece of patched blankets, covered with a thin bedsheet. Even though the heating was on, the room was still freezing cold. Nicolas walked closer.

The brother lay on his sides and embraced his sister, while the sister was slightly shivering in his lap. Nicolas frowned and shooked his head slightly. Sighed, he placed the presents for both kids down and turned to leave.

Just then, a pair of hands grabbed his leg. He instantly froze.

Nicolas looked down, it was the girl.

“San…ta?” said the girl in a curious yet weakened voice. Nicolas relieved a little and examined the girl. The girl’s face was pale even in the darkness; she was wearing a set of pajamas. Now she lay on her stomach and looked straight into Nicolas’s eyes. To his surprise, her big shining eyes were now filled with tears.

Nicolas opened his mouth slightly, but the girl continued. “Where is… my mama?” she lowered her head slightly, rubbed out her tears, and forced a slight smile.

Nicolas felt his heartstring tugged hard. He kneeled down and smiled, “What is that right there?” he pointed towards the gift box next to her. Since it was packed by himself, Nicolas knew well what was in there – a set of playhouse toys for children to experience and simulate a mother’s adult life early on, the wish vowed by the girl a week ago.

Nicolas’s company has received many postcards for Christmas. Though the majority of the wishes written were ordinary and plain, some wishes required some interpretations. For example, one of the postcards they received demanded “Happiness,” so the interpreter decided to send a box of chocolates to the family – as a plausible alternative.

One of the weird wishes they received also has only one word. On the card was written nothing but “mama”. Many interpreters had discussed the possible product the wish is pointing to: some suggested clothing, and others even pointed out a brand of cup noodles with the same name manufactured originally in Thailand. But in the end, considering the fact that the gift was wished for by children, they go on with the idea of a play house set.

The girl’s sight followed Nicola’s fingertip toward the box sitting quietly next to her pillow. Quickly rubbing her watery eyes, she tore open the gift box and peeked inside excitedly yet doubtfully. Nicolas smiled lovingly at her. The girl, however, didn’t.

Smaking the box down on the floor, her eyes were filling up with tears again and she cried out, “I wanted Mama, not this!” Nicolas jumped, bewildered.

“Stop that, sis.” A soft yet commanding voice rang aside. The sound belonged to the brother, who was awake only moments ago. Nicolas turned to the brother.

Resonating with the sister’s sob, the brother gently padded her back, and explained, “Our drunk dad run away from the house; mother’s a night-time restaurant worker; she has to be serving the customers starting from early evening. She won’t be home until noon, every day, to earn enough for us.” The brother stopped abruptly, eyes also reddened. The brief yet realistic explanation hit Nicolas hard. The girl wanted her real mother. Nicolas took a deep breath, quietly embraced the two kids, and turned to go.

The girl moaned louder. She crawled forward to grab Nicolas’s arm but was instantly pulled back by her brother. She wiggled hard and turned to his brother, but he simply shook his head. Nicolas closed the door behind him and sighed hard.

With the storming sound of an engine slowing fading away, the brother put his arms around his sister’s neck and rubbed her head lovingly. He felt her body shivering lightly. He holds her even tighter. The sister cried harder.

The snow is falling even faster and stronger. A woman wrapped in rather messy clothes dashed quickly toward the town. Numbness on her fingers and toes didn’t hinder her movement; she was now going even faster.

The sister finally stopped crying. Her brother remained in the same posture, afraid that she may cry again. Holding on for nearly an hour, the sister eventually fell asleep.

The brother carefully and slowly set his sister on the blanket, folded the bedsheet they were sharing, and covered her body completely to keep her warm. Trembling, he turned to the presents smashed by his sister earlier. He took the contents out and started assembling them for his sister, hoping that she may feel happier after seeing them. Only a while later did he notice something else in that box. A sticker?

Before he grabbed the paper, a rapid round of knocks on the door reverberated across the entire house. Startled, the brother strolled out quickly to check on the visitor. When he opened the door, he was stunned, hardly believing the person he was seeing. “Mom?” He hugged his mom hard as the shaking voice cracked from his mouth. Unbelievably, he peeked outside the door. Still midnight. Joy flushed unstoppably inside his body. “We got to go see sis!” He was almost shouting.

When they opened the door to the bedroom, the sister was already awake, sobbing quietly. Hearing the sound of the door, the sister turned. Instantly, she can no longer hold the tears inside her eyes. She cried out aloud.

Sally walked closer and embraced her, “Don’t worry, I’m here now.” Her voice was comforting as usual but unlike usual, the sister’s tears didn’t magically stop themselves; instead, it got worse.

It was the brother who noticed the odds. The sticker! He lurched forward and snapped the sticker-looking paper in his hand and instantly froze.

Along with the sister’s eternal dropping tears, Sally also saw the sticker. It was actually a note, the handwriting on it was messy as if it was written in a hurry:

DADDY LOVES YOU FOREVER