Monday morning, Christmas Eve, dawned clear and cold. At eight o’clock the community center was open with children bustling around, finishing last minute decorations and set painting.

One end of the stage had been marked off for a live nativity scene, a mirror of the manger scene on the toymaker’s table on the other end of the stage. As each piece was repaired, the live nativity scene was acted out by the children.

A minor crisis erupted around eleven when the older man who had volunteered to play the toymaker got ill and had to bow out. Reluctantly Nicholas de Santos gave in and agreed to help out. When he heard the news, Joe nudged Frank with his elbow, nearly swiping a painted set piece with bright red paint. “Told you.”

Frank rolled his eyes. “Watch what you’re doing.”

The deli down the street sent lunch about an hour after that and everyone stopped their projects to eat. After lunch, there was a full dress rehearsal. Frank and Joe propped up the last of the painted set pieces against the back wall. As they walked across the stage to the steps, Joe lingered at the makeshift crèche. It had once been a toy horse barn. “Hey, Frank, look,” he said, pointing to two plastic figures that looked like they’d come from a toddler toy set.

“Joe, be nice.”

“Hey, there’s no Baby Jesus yet.”

Frank looked around. “I thought Carol had said everyone brought something.”

“We have to have Baby Jesus, Frank.”

“I agree but we don’t have one to spare. Remember? That’s why Mom bought a new set last year after Christmas. Baby Jesus went missing.”

Joe grunted. “We’re detectives, why didn’t we go looking...” He shook his head. “No. He’s not missing.” Without another word, Joe left the community center and was gone.

Frank hurried after him but the van was already pulling out of the parking lot. Where was his brother going now?

*****

You know, when you’re seven years old, it’s still easy to believe in magic. And I did. I was sick that year for Christmas, I think it was either the flu or strep throat or something. Mom had told me that Baby Jesus was a special baby and so I felt if I kept the baby with me he’d make me get better.

I don’t remember if it worked but I didn’t think about all that again until last year. That had been the first Christmas after...losing Iola. All I wanted was to shut myself away, pretend it had never happened, that the world wasn’t that horrible...that the magic was still there, I’d just forgotten how to look for it in the little things – like a ceramic figure of a baby in a manger.

I remember the closer it got to Christmas, the more I kept taking the baby and putting it on my desk to go to sleep at night. I don’t care how silly it sounds, I was trying to muddle through any way I could.

I pulled up to the house. Both Dad and Mom were at the community center, and Aunt Gertrude was gone too, somewhere with a friend. I darted inside and hurried to my room. On Iola’s birthday this year, I made myself box up all the little mementos and stuff that she’d either given me or left at the house. I knew exactly where Baby Jesus was.

It took me all of two minutes to find the box and the figurine. I thought I heard a noise as I headed for the stairs but figured I’d not shut the door good. But there was someone on the second floor landing as I left my room.

“So resilient, despite the odds.”

“Lucian De Ville. What are you doing here?”

He shrugged, adjusting the lapels of his black coat. “Magic is nothing more than tricks, illusions. It’s not real.”

“Maybe it is.”

“Magic is as elusive as hope, as love. This world has drifted so far apart, there’s no need for the magic now.” He gave me a cold smile. “It’s mine now, all of it.”

“No. There’s still hope, love and magic in the world. There are still good people in this world who try their best to help,” I added, thinking of Doc Robertson.

De Ville heaved a sigh. “The community center will be mine.” He took a step forward. “Now give me that trinket. You have no need of it any more. It’s hardly magical, it’s porcelain, nothing more than clay to be shattered and broken.”

I moved back a step. “Like you thought you could break me? Make me think everything was my fault—”

His cold smile widened. “Tell me your regrets, Joseph. Tell me your sorrows. Confession is good for the soul.”

I shook my head. “Why don’t you tell me yours? You lost any claim to the community center already, all the council members know what you’re up to. You admitted to breaking and entering to smash the manger scene. That may not earn you life in prison but it was something very naughty. Santa should give you only coal in your stocking.”

De Ville’s smile faded. “Santa is nothing more than a myth,” he said, sounding ticked. “A faded myth to a jaded people. No one believes in that anymore than the trinket in your hand.”

“That’s funny. I could have sworn Santa was around, maybe even getting ready to deliver all those presents. I’m sure in this day and age, he’s very connected to the Internet, able to bypass houses that have no chimneys.”

For a moment, I thought I’d pushed too far. De Ville’s eyes narrowed into slits and he took another step forward. “It is not over, boy.” He lowered his voice almost to a whisper. “What is light without dark? Love without hate? Good without evil? I am a part of you all...you can never defeat me.*”

“Lucian, that’s enough.”

We both turned to look down the stairs. Nicholas de Santos came up the stairs, clad in a dark blue suit, his silvery blue eyes furious. He stepped up to Lucian. “Enough.”

Lucian growled something under his breath and darted down the stairs. Nicholas turned to me. “You’d better get back to the community center. It’s almost time for the pageant.”

I took a deep breath, made sure the Baby Jesus was tucked safely in my pocket. “Was Lucian really...?”

“Do you really want to know?”

I thought about it for all of a second. “No, I don’t.”

Nicholas nodded. “Good. Go on. I’ll lock up.”

I nodded and ran for the van.

*****

Frank sat with his mother, watching the dress rehearsal. The children were earnest and innocent as they went through the script. Carol herself was narrating the story.

Frank glanced at his watch and frowned. Joe had left nearly an hour ago. He’d acted like he knew exactly where the Baby Jesus was, so what was taking him so long?

An older girl was in the middle of “Silent Night” when the lights went out. Frank jumped to his feet and ran for the double doors. The sky was clear and sunny. He turned around. “I’ll check outside.”

“We can’t do the play in the dark,” said a little boy dressed as a shepherd.

Carol patted his shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

Frank darted outside and saw a black car speeding away. He saw footsteps in the snow around the building but since he wasn’t sure where the electrical lines were, he wasn’t sure if the wires had been cut.

As he circled the building, he saw the black van brake to a halt in the parking lot. He ran up to the van as the driver’s side door swung open. “Joe, where were you?”

Joe shook his head. “You probably wouldn’t believe me. Let’s get Baby Jesus in the manger.”

Frank searched his brother’s face for a moment and nodded. “Go. But be careful. The lights are out.”

Joe didn’t ask why, he just hurried into the building. Frank made one more check around the building and then noticed that there was a crack in the back door. Stepping inside, he found the breaker box...

*****

Someone had found some old battery-operated lanterns and there were dim shafts of light in the room, just enough for me to see my way to the stage. I hurried up the steps and set the Baby Jesus between the figurines of Mary and Joseph. Right at that moment, the lights flickered on.

Frank came back into the main room but everyone was busy, talking, running around that I didn’t get a chance to ask him what happened. They started over on the dress rehearsal and both Frank and I got busy moving the set pieces back and forth.

Before we knew it was time for the pageant to start. Voices echoed through the building as parents came in to see the play. Frank was on one end of the stage and I was on the other, moving pieces when we needed to.

The kids nailed it and whenever I sneaked a glance or two around the curtain, the audience seemed totally caught up in it. I spotted Chief Collig by the double doors and the mayor was on the first row of metal chairs. 

By the time the pageant was done, I was half convinced that the lights coming on had been nothing short of a miracle. I met up with Frank as the kids joined their parents and everyone stayed for refreshments. “Hey, you know, the minute I put Baby Jesus in His place, the lights came back on.”

Frank cleared his throat. “I’m thirsty.”

“Frank...”

“I found the breaker box.”

I sighed. “So much for Christmas miracles then.”

Frank shook his head. “You’re home, Joe. That’s the best miracle of all.”

I grinned. “I knew you’d be happy to have me back, no matter what you say otherwise.”

Frank rolled his eyes. “You’re hopeless.”

I laughed and caught sight of Vanessa as she came toward us. “Go have fun with Callie. My girl’s here.” I held out my arms and she stepped into them. “Hey, babe.”

She hugged me. “Merry Christmas, Joe.”

“Merry Christmas, Vanessa.” And it was definitely going to be a merry one.   

(* movie reference: “Legend” 1985)

The End