Page 16 of Christmas Wishes

"I have a present for you. You might not want to accept it, though."

"Oh?"

He hands me an envelope and I open it up. Paid in full, it says. I keep reading page after page and realize that my mortgage has been paid in full and my credit card debt too. I stand up, distraught.

"Gene, what did you do!"

I start pacing around the dining room table, rereading the papers over and over again.

"This is too much, I can't possibly accept it."

"What's going on?" Connor asks.

"He paid everything. We're in the clear." I hesitate. "It's too much money, I'll never be able to repay you."

I hand Connor the papers. I don't know if he'll understand them, but he needs to see what Gene Mitchell has done for us. Who does something like this? I know he has changed, but this is ridiculous.

"Will you calm down, Lilah."

I walk up to him and grab his shirt with both my hands. My fists scrunch up his shirt as I pull him to me.

"Why, Gene?"

"You're important to me. I had the money to do it, so I did."

I bury my head in his chest and sigh in relief.

"I don't think you should keep working the flower shop, though. I have a better idea." He says.

My brother approaches us, a weird look on his face. He wants to be thankful for what has happened, but still resents Gene.

"We'll pay you back." Connor says.

"It's a gift, Connor, but you, Lilah and the Mcallister boys here can help me on my new project as thanks."

"We're in!" The twins shout from the living room.

I don't know what to say or how to feel about all this. Is it real? Has Gene really solved all my problems? This affects the way I feel about him. How could it not? I sit down on one of the stools around the kitchen counter and watch Gene warily.

"What's this great idea you have?"

"I think Woodland Falls needs a Youth Center. And I want you to run it, Lilah."

"Wow, that's a big project. I don't know if I'm capable of running a non profit like that."

"Well, we can't start building right now, unless we find a suitable building that's already available. So that means you have the rest of winter to figure out everything. I'll help as much as I can, of course, but I want you to think of it as your baby."

"Gene…"

"Think about it, Lilah. Kids like me would have somewhere to go after school and maybe even get the support they need." Connor says.

"Okay, I'll help run the place, on one condition."

"Name it." Gene says.

"That's it actually. I want to name it the Mirna Mitchell Youth Center."

Gene's eyes become shiny, but he's able to hold back the tears. He's not able to hold back his hug and he puts his arms around me and whispers in my ear.

---