"Joseph? This is your mother. Please wake up," a female voice called out. It was then that he felt a hand stroke his hair back from his face.

"Is he waking up?" his father’s voice called out from below.

Joe felt something cold dab his forehead and he could feel his body stir. He opened one eye, wanting to make sure that he was not going to see another spirit or ghost.

"HEY! HE"S WAKING UP!" Frank called out. "Are you all right Joe?"

"Frank?"

"Its me and mom and dad are here too. We have been worried sick about you!" Frank said, relief was in his voice.

"Why?" Joe asked. He had noticed that he was in his own bed and in his own room.

"When we got home at eleven, we found you laying in the snow by the van. You must have tried to fix something under the hood. The hood prop was snapped and it must of flew off and conked you in the head. We wanted to take you to the doctor, but you have been talking and carrying on, so we figured you would be all right. Besides the roads are so bad, that we didn’t want to make the trip unless you were really bad off," Frank explained.

"You mean the van is in one piece?"

"Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?" Fenton said with a chuckle. "I don’t think you can wreck it in the driveway… well maybe I shouldn’t say that. Lord knows my boys would find a way."

"What day is today?" Joe asked anxiously.

"It is very early on Christmas. I heard the clock strike midnight not too long ago," Laura Hardy answered. "Joe, you need to lay down and rest. I am going to go and get changed so I can stay up with him."

"Mom, tomorrow is a big day for you with all the family coming," Frank replied. "You need your rest. I will stay up with Joe tonight."

"Frank I can stay up with him," Fenton called out. But Frank would not hear of it. He was going to stay with Joe no matter what. Reluctantly, Mr. and Mrs. Hardy made their way to their room.

Frank went across to his room, changed into his pajamas, grabbed a blanket and came back over. He pulled up Joe’s old recliner next to his bed and stretched out in the old thing. He always hated that chair, but tonight it was going to be a blessing.

"Frank, you don’t have to do this," Joe protested, but Frank just sat there. Then there was an awkward silence between the two brothers.

"Frank?"

"What?"

"I just wanted to say how sorry I am for saying those things to you. I am also sorry about how I have been acting lately," Joe said, turning over in his bed to face his older brother.

"It’s okay Joe. I am just sorry for not taking more time to really see how you were feeling. I guess I assumed you would be all right. I never asked you. Then I think I did things here and there and kept myself busy so I would not have to face it. I should have been there for you."

"It’s fine Frank." Joe said. Frank turned off the lamp and the room was pitch black. The darkness reminded Joe of his dreams.

"Frank?"

"What Joe?"

"If I tell you something, you promise you will not laugh and never tell anyone else about it," Joe said, looking at the ceiling.

"I will try not to laugh, but you are funny sometimes with some of the ideas you come up with," Frank said, his eyes were still closed.

"I think I saw Iola tonight," Joe said. Frank opened his eyes and sat up. Frank was afraid this would happen. Joe was hallucinating. Joe could pick on Frank’s momentary silence. "Look Frank, I know you think I have lost it, but listen to my dreams." Joe preceded to tell him about everything. When Joe was finished telling his story, Frank sat back and thought for a minute.

"Now remember, it is just between us that this happened," Joe reminded Frank. Frank nodded his head.

"Oh! I have to go and finish Mom’s gift!" Joe said, hitting his head with the palm of his hand.

"I finished it tonight before church," Frank added. "I figured you would not get to it."

"Thank you Frank!"

"Don’t mention it."

Then Joe sighed again. "I forgot to go back to the computer store and pick up your gift! I can’t believe I did that."

"Its okay Joe," Frank reassured his younger brother. He did not want to see him get up and move around a lot. He figured that it was best that Joe rest and stay off his feet.

"I got you a sound card so you can play those other types of games," Joe said with a frown.

"Those are expensive Joe!" Frank said, sitting up and looking over at Joe.

"I saved up the money I had been saving from doing odd jobs here and there."

"Thank you Joe. It is a wonderful gift, but you have already gave me the best gift of all," Frank commented.

"What? That is all that I was able to get you this year," Joe said dumbfoundly.

"Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that don’t cost a thing. The greatest gift that you have given me this year is that you have brought my brother back," Frank said, sitting back. "You might be a brat at times, but I don’t know what I would do without you."

"I don’t know what you would do either," Joe said with a laugh. Frank hit him with his pillow and put it back behind his head.

"I do have to tell you one thing," Frank spoke up. "I sort of picked up the ring that you left in the box at the cemetery. I just didn’t want to see someone steal it and I thought that maybe you had forgotten it or was not thinking clearly."

Joe got quiet. "I suppose you read the letter too?" His voice was serious.

"I am sorry Joe, I just wanted to help you and you were not talking and…"

"Its okay Frank. I would have done the same if I was in your shoes," Joe remarked. "I just don’t know what to do with the ring. I feel like there is only one person that I can give it to, and I can’t."

"Let me go and get that out of my jean pocket before mom accidently washes them with the ring in it!" Frank commented. He got up and went over to his room.

Just as Frank left the room, a white cloud like mist appeared in his room Joe looked over towards the mist and could not believe his eyes. Iola Morton was standing there dressed in her usual jeans and red sweater. Her eyes twinkled and she held up her hand. Joe could not believe it! Iola was wearing the ring that he had saved up to give her. His heart was so full of happiness, that he could not express his thoughts into words. He simply smiled at her. She blew him a kiss and disappeared as peaceful as she came.

"Joe! I can’t find the ring! I must have lost it somewhere. I am so sorry. I will go down and check mom’s car…" Frank said in a panic. But Joe was not upset at all.

"Frank, don’t worry about it. It is fine."

"But I lost the ring Joe. I swear I didn’t mean to lose it. I never lose things!"

"Frank, it is okay. I think I have an idea of where it is any way. I will look tomorrow. Lay down and get some sleep," Joe replied to his panicking brother. "Honestly, it is okay."

Frank settled back into the recliner again. "Well, it is Christmas. And I don’t say it often and when I do you go three shades of red, but I do love you little bro. Merry Christmas Joe. It is so nice to really have you back."

"I love you too Frank. But you have Iola and her friends to thank for that one," Joe said looking up at the ceiling. It was there that he saw a cloud of white sparkly stuff floating in the air. Joe could literally smell Iola’s favorite body perfume when a small cool breeze went across his face.