Frank felt like he was being watched, and whipped his head around in time to catch a glimpse of a small child with blond hair. 

Jumping to his feet, he pushed through the drove of other last minute shoppers and raced after the child.  Behind him he heard his best friend, Chet Morton, yelling after him, “What’s wrong?”

But Frank was oblivious to him as he tried to find the child again.  He didn’t know why, but he knew he needed to find that little boy.

Puffing, Chet Morton caught up to Frank when the dark haired boy just suddenly stopped and looked around wildly.  But it was no use.  The child was gone.

“What’s…wrong?”  Chet asked trying to catch his breath.  Frank looked at his friend and then, because he really didn’t know why he wanted to catch the boy, he just shook his head, “Sorry Chet, I thought I saw Santa.”

Chet threw him a look – he didn’t believe him – and Frank grabbed his arm and pulled him back towards the food court where they were checking out the other shoppers while they grabbed a drink and gave their aching feet a rest. 

Shopping on Christmas Eve was insane!

“Man, I still can’t believe Prito’s gone,” Chet remarked as he thought about their Italian friend whose family had moved back to New York City a couple of days ago. 

His father, Aldo Prito, had owned Prito Construction, which had struggled to stay competitive against some of the larger construction firms in the area. 

Finally the company went bust, and the Pritos were forced to move back to New York where Aldo Prito’s older brother had offered Aldo a job.

Tony, along with another boy, Phil Cohen, used to hang out a lot with Frank and Chet.

“Yeah – I’m going to miss him,” Frank said, sighing loudly. 

Tony had moved, and Phil was gone to his grandmother’s for Christmas – the gang was pretty much down to him and Chet.

“His dad made the most awesome pizza,” Chet said, rubbing his hand across his stomach for emphasis, and Frank laughed.

“Yeah, maybe he should have opened up a pizza joint or something.”

The boys sat in silence for a few moments, thinking about the Pritos, until Chet, looking at his watch, realized it was near suppertime.  “Come on, it’s almost time to eat.”

Frank couldn’t’ help but take a stab at his friend, “You need to look at your watch to know when it’s time to eat?”

“Ha, ha,” Chet said, feigning indignation, “Come on…you know my mom hates to be kept waiting.”

“True,” Frank said, thinking fondly of Chet’s mother, Catherine Morton.  She was like his second… well third mother actually, he grinned, thinking about his mother and aunt. 

Trying to make their way to the parkade through the crowd of people, Chet accidentally stepped on the foot of a big, blond haired guy who had cut in front of him.

“Watch it, Lardo,” the blond boy snarled as he angrily pulled his foot back.

“Sorry Biff,” Chet apologized, but the other boy wasn’t ready to let it go at that.

“What are you doing here anyway?  This mall doesn’t have a grocery store,” Biff continued, enjoying the look of embarrassment on the stouter boy’s face.

“Back off, Biff,” Frank warned, stepping up beside Chet, “Or else all you’re going to get in your stocking is a lump of coal.”

Biff snorted when he saw the Hardy boy, whom he hadn’t noticed until now.  “Well I should have known that your bodyguard wouldn’t be too far away.  Don’t sweat the coal, though, Hardy, I wouldn’t want your head to have to go empty on my account.” 

Biff’s best friend, Stephen Fell, laughed and then they walked away to meet their girlfriends, Jan Biggerman and Lisa Hann.

“Come on,” Frank said, steering Chet away from the bullies, “You mom’s probably waiting on us!”

* * *

The little boy followed the big blond haired guy and watched him talking to his friends.  He was very saddened by what he saw.  Brushing past the big guy, he met his eyes briefly and then he was gone.

* * *

Shaken to the core, Biff Hooper watched the blond boy disappear into the crowd.  The little boy had pushed past him and then looked up right into his face. 

For one brief second they had locked eyes and in those young vibrant blue eyes, he saw such an intense look of disappointment that Biff felt ashamed…he just couldn’t figure out for what. 

But then as he saw the back of Chet Morton’s head before he lost sight of it in the crowd – he knew why….

* * *

Catherine Morton sat down at the table and waited. 

Christmas Eve dinner was ready, and all they were waiting for was the boys.  Mr. Morton was in the living room watching “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  He knew better than to be in the kitchen…or rather, in the way, as his wife would put it, on Christmas Eve.

As Mrs. Morton listened to Jimmy Stewart’s voice blaring from the TV, she felt very sad. 

Although outwardly she put on a brave face, Catherine Morton found Christmas to be the hardest time of the year.  For her, Christmas Eve wasn’t a time of joyous celebration… it was a time of mourning.…

It was 16 years ago this very day that while driving through a busy Bayport intersection; she had been struck by a car and miscarried her unborn child.

Catherine had been in her third trimester and the doctors had done everything they could but it was no use.  The injuries were too severe, and Iola Catherine Morton died in utero.… 

Hearing Chet’s old jalopy coming up the driveway towards the farm, Catherine went over to the sink and splashed some water on her face.  She didn’t want her son to see her upset.

Mr. Morton had also heard the car, and coming in from the living room, he watched his wife drying her face, and his heart ached for her. 

He too mourned for the daughter he had never known, but it was different for him.  Although he had felt the baby kicking in his wife’s ample pregnant belly, he hadn’t lived with it inside him….

Going over to her, he gave his wife’s shoulder a quick squeeze before going outside to greet the boys. 

* * *

The little boy with the vibrant blue eyes was crying.  She should have been here.