The Fifth Nutcracker

The snow fell as though God had shaken his Earthly snow globe. Seven-year-old Liza Stephens stared silently out the window. The train rattled as it passed over a bridge. Seated next to her was Liza’s grandfather Al. Grandpa Al stroked his white beard as he thought about what the answer to his crossword puzzle would be. A book of crossword puzzles sat in Grandpa Al’s, and he clenched a baby pencil between his white teeth.

‘’Do you think we’ll find all five nutcrackers this year, Grandpa,’ Liza asked.

Grandpa took the pencil out of his mouth and chuckled. ‘’I don’t know but I do have a good feeling that this could very well be the year we collect all five Nutcrackers.’’

‘’Why is it so important that we find all five nutcrackers,’ Liza asked.

‘’I’ve never ever been able to collect all five nutcrackers on any of my yearly trips, but I feel this year is different.’’

‘’I hope it will be different for you this year but what if you never collect all five nutcrackers Grandpa?’’

‘’Well, God willing, I’ll be back next year to try again.’’

‘’What time is it Grandpa,’ I asked.

Grandpa looked down at his wristwatch and spoke in a husky voice. ‘’ It’s 6:20 a.m.’’

My mouth dropped open. ‘’Are you kidding me,’ I groaned.

‘’We’ve only been riding on this train for twenty minutes ugh!’’

I slumped down in my seat as I let out a heavy sigh. ‘’Don’t worry sweetie,’’ Grandpa Al started.

‘’Half the fun of the journey is getting there.’’

‘’Huh,’’ I asked.

‘’Never mind,’ Grandpa Al said.

I rolled my eyes. Two hours passed. I practically hopped off the last step of the train as I exited the train. The sidewalks glistened with snow. ‘’What’s this town called again Grandpa,’ I asked.

‘’Hendersonville,’ Grandpa Al said.

‘’I like this town,’ I said.

‘’It looks like a town you would find in a snow globe!’’

I had to jog to keep up with Grandpa Al. He always walked fast. He had never been a smoker, or a drinker and he only ate healthy stuff like fruits and vegetables and things like that. The name of the shop we went into was called Gifts and Things. A gust of dry, hot air smacked me in the face. A gray-haired woman stood behind the counter, dressed in red, oversized turtleneck sweater and dark brown slacks.

She smiled at me, and I smiled back. Grandpa Al walked right up to the checkout counter. Sitting in a big, white box stood two, little, nutcrackers. They were both blue. I picked up one of the nutcrackers and studied it. His blue suit glimmered in the relatively dark store. His black boots shone so brightly I thought I would go blind from staring at them.

I handed the funny little, fellow to my grandfather and he smiled. ‘’First nutcracker of the season, there’s magic in that, you know?’’

‘’Magic, really? You don’t say!’’

Grandpa Al placed the nutcracker up on the counter. The lady behind the checkout counter said ‘’that’ll be ninety cents.’’

I chuckled when I heard the cashier’s croaky voice. As Grandpa Al dug through his wallet, I noticed the cashier staring at me. ‘’They say nutcrackers are guardians; they are very protective of their owners,’ the cashier whispered.

‘’Really,’ I said.

The cashier nodded. Our eyes met and I shuddered. Something about her seemed otherworldly! Her metallic blue eyes shined like the paint on a new car after its first washing. As Grandpa Al and I were exiting the gift shop we heard the cashier ‘’take care.’’

Back on the train, my grandpa and I sat across from a man dressed as Santa Claus. I tugged on my grandpa’s jacket sleeve. ‘’What, princess,’ he whispered to me.

‘’It’s Santa,’ I whispered enthusiastically.

Grandpa Al looked up from the newspaper he had been reading and frowned. He looked down at me. I could see the bewilderment in his face as he spoke. ‘’Where’s Santa?’’

‘’He’s sitting right over there,’ I said, pointing to the seat across from us.

‘’I don’t see anyone,’ Grandpa Al said.

My jaw dropped. ‘’How do you not see Santa Claus sitting right in front of you, Grandpa,’ I argued.

‘’Sweetheart I don’t see anybody, you’re imagining things,’’ Grandpa Al argued.

I groaned and shook my head. I heard a booming voice say ‘’only those people who truly believe in Santa Claus can see me,’ Santa said.

‘’What would you like for Christmas, sweetheart,’’ Santa asked.

I placed my finger on my cheek, as I sometimes did when I was thinking about something awfully hard. I laughed. ‘’ I guess I wouldn’t mind one of those Christmas Miracles you hear about in all those Christmas movies,’’

Santa smiled warmly and spoke in a voice smoother than honey. ‘’I’ll see what I can do!’’

Santa winked and gave me a quick little nod. Grandpa looked up from his paper and shot me a curious look. ‘’Who are you talking to, honey?’’

I looked at Santa and he placed his finger to his lips, and I smiled. ‘’I’m just thinking out loud,’ I giggled.

After collecting four of the nutcrackers, Grandpa and I wandered into the fifth store and we both saw there were no nutcrackers. I hugged my grandfather and I cried into his stomach. ‘’Don’t cry, darling we tried our best,’’ Grandpa said.

‘’It isn’t fair, Grandpa you worked so hard to get these nutcrackers,’ I said.

We rode home in silence. The next day, I unwrapped a present. I smiled. A nutcracker wearing a white suit grinned up at me and I smiled. ‘’Grandpa, Santa gave me the last nutcracker but I’m the wrong person to give this to; it belongs to you!’’

Grandpa shook his and smiled a half- smile. ‘’No darling,’’ Grandpa said, his voice smoother than butter. ‘’It belongs to you.’’