Holiday Wishes Upon the Wind

"Can't enjoy yourself?" he asked. "You know me. Your body knows me. You have always known me. Before time, you knew me. Open up and give yourself to me. I know how long you've waited to be touched like this. You're so responsive, so ready for me," Collin crooned.

"But you'll be gone and I'll be alone again. If we do this, it'll be like losing you all over again." Raechel felt her control slipping, she watched as his leg nudged between her thin, limp legs and moved them aside. She watched as his hand trailed up her thigh, rising past the numbness and tickling her skin on the edge of feeling.

"Look into my eyes. Listen to me," he ordered softly. Raechel looked.

"This is a gift. Take it for what it is. Please, baby. Do you know how lucky we are to be having this moment?"

She trembled as he lifted her shirt, glided his lips across her abdomen setting her core on fire. He lifted his head and Raechel stared into those familiar hazel eyes. Allowing herself to swim in the sensations he created, she dove into the overwhelming emotions threatening to drown her in their intensity.

Collin nipped at her waistline and she moaned.

"I love you." Raechel breathed as he repositioned himself. He stretched her thin leg gently back, and hooked her knee over his muscled thigh so it didn't slip off. Then he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her back against him as he sheathed himself within, cradling her to his chest.

Although the car accident had rendered her permanently paralyzed, Collin had been the one to patiently push her limits of feeling, evoking sensation where doctors told her there would be none. She had been pretty inexperienced when she had met Collin. She'd only been with one other guy and that was when she was in college. That experience had been nothing to write home about, and so there really wasn't much she could remember to compare lovemaking with before the accident to lovemaking now.

Raechel couldn't feel her labia or even her clitoris, but somehow when Collin touched it with his tongue, her stomach muscles tightened in response. Collin angled himself and when he aimed upwards he swept against her sweet spot. He slid out, pushed back in, stroked her G-spot. The muscles of her abdomen beneath his hands jumped in reaction.

A pressure built deep within Raechel and when Collin's teeth grazed her neck, she crashed, flinging her head back and crying out. Collin continued to rock within her, his hands traveling up and down her feminine curves. He rolled her nipples with his fingers. He sucked on the flesh of her neck. His balls tightened and he grunted, slamming into her, shouting her name.

"I need more. More of you. More of us. More time!" she pleaded, emotions and memories sweeping her away. "I love you!"

"I love you." He whispered, kissing her hair. "One wish granted. Two to go." Collin said mysteriously. Raechel looked back at him, quirking her brow at the impish grin on his face. "Sleep my love and know I am always with you. Always and forever. ."

***

Warm breath bathed Raechel's face. A snorting sound startled her awake. Memories of Collin faded into the background, along with the pleasure, which still hummed through her body from her phantom husband. "Oh Wind," she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Dammit! NO! Come back! Please, please, Collin, come back to me," Raechel wailed. "It's not fair," she sobbed uncontrollably.

Noting the power was still out, Raechel sat up to check her legs. She blinked down at herself. Her midriff showed and her bra was unlatched in the back. She wondered how that had happened. Was it possible Collin had really been here? She shook her head and unwrapped the blankets. Her legs were still warm and fine. She latched her bra, tucked her shirt in, and re-wrapped the blankets around herself.

A tinkling sound came from the distance. Both Raechel and Windust cocked their ears to listen. It sounded oddly like the chime of sleigh-bells. The last time she had heard sleigh-bells was three years ago, the most bittersweet day of her life.

***

"What's the excitement about? It's so cold out!" She shivered in his arms. "I shouldn't be out in this cold, what if my legs get frost bitten?" Raechel asked a very giddy Collin. She had been jolted awake by a freezing, cold, wet-something in her face. Collin stood in the doorway with his winter coat and ski pants on, gloves, hat, and a snow ball in his hand. He had just whinged a snow ball at her face.

"What the hell, Collin!" she screamed. "What are you, twelve? I'm all wet!"

"Wake up sleepyhead. It snowed last night! We have to go out and play in it." He sounded just like a twelve year old, too.

"Seriously? Ohmygod, get out of here with that! I am not going anywhere until I have my hot cocoa and you know that," Raechel huffed.

"Cocoa is waiting on the counter. Get up." He tore the blankets off her.

Raechel glared at her husband.

"This is how you wish me a Happy Anniversary?" It was their first wedding anniversary. While she loved surprises and expected one of him, this was not what she'd had in mind. She lowered the electric bed and reached for her chair.

"You don't need the chair, baby," he said, rushing forward and swooping in on her.

"Wha--?" She gasped as he slid his hands under her atrophied legs and lifted her into his arms.

"Coat. Where's your coat?" he asked.

"On the coat rack. Put me in my chair Collin. What is with you?"

Without answering her, he dashed into the living room, grabbed her coat and plunked it on her. He dropped her onto the couch and gathered the rest of her winter-wear. Quickly and clumsily he threw the rest of the clothes on her, shoving her feet into the silly boots and stuffing her hands into her gloves. He tossed her scarf around her neck, cinched up her hood, and lifted her once more.

"Where are we going in such a hurry?" Raechel asked.

"You'll seeeee..." he sang. She had never seen her husband so giddy and animated before. It made her head spin. "Close your eyes, my beautiful wife," he instructed. She glared. "Or else I'll blindfold you and have my way with you," he challenged as he stomped out of the house.

"All right, all right. I'm closing them. No need to blindfold me and you can have your way with me later. It's entirely too early...." Raechel's jaw dropped open and tears filled her eyes.

"Collin..." she gasped. "Oh my god, it's, it's..."

"A sleigh ride all for you, my fair maiden." He beamed at her, kissed at the tear trickling down the corner of her eye and gently eased her onto the red, leather, covered seat. He lifted her legs and wrapped her in a fleece blanket and a couple of layers and then took his seat beside her.

"Driver, we're ready." He told the man in the front seat holding the reins. The driver looked back at them, winked, and nodded his head, his white beard floating in the wind. Raechel knew it was Old Mack their neighbor, but he was dressed as Santa Claus and looked so authentic that she did a double-take. He wore a dark, fur-lined, red, velvet Santa suit that had a black leather belt with a wide, gold clasp over his tubby belly. His white gloves held the reins and he gave them a little tug. Off they went. Both horses, Windust and Cruise, neighed and pawed at the ground before taking off at a gallop. The sled glided effortlessly across the snow as Collin tucked Raechel against his side and kissed her cheek.

The tinkling of bells resounded in the still air.

***

"Bells. Tinkling of bells. That's where I know that sound! Windust, someone must be in that old sleigh!" Raechel exclaimed excitedly. "Oh, that means I'm rescued! Collin was right. I wished for him first and he came. Then I wished to be found and rescued." Raechel watched and listened eagerly as she heard pounding and the sound of a saw right outside the stable door.

"Raechel, you in here honey?" The deep voice carried through the slats of wood.

"Yes, I'm here! I'm right here!" she shouted back.

"Stand, err....sorry, wheel away from the door. I'm coming in!" The voice warned her. Raechel was still on the ground. Her chair was too far out of reach and she was trying to conserve her energy. She leaned against Windust and held her breath as she heard a chainsaw start up.

"Almost there!" The voice outside promised. She recognized Old Mack's voice right away. It was the deepest most resonant voice she'd ever heard. It was easy to see that was the reason the town had nominated him as the official Santa Claus. He was the perfect man for the job.

"Okay Mack, I'm out of the way." She let him know. Sawdust flew into the barn. The horses stomped their hooves, whinnied, neighed, and gnashed their teeth together nervously. There was nothing Raechel could do to calm them down other than talk softly to them, which she did. Old Mack's round, apple-cheeked face appeared in the crack of the stable door. He was grinning from ear to ear as he rammed the door with his shoulder. Raechel wondered how that could be safe for him to do at his age, but breathed a sigh of relief as he jimmied the swollen wooden door open.

"Ah, there we go." He beamed at her. "Let's get you out of here, honey. You must be chilled to the bone and famished. I have hot cocoa and cookies in the sleigh." He was dressed as Santa Claus!

The promise of warmth was enough. Raechel wrapped her arms around his neck as he scooped her up. She giggled when his whiskers tickled her cheek.

"Thanks Old M-- Santa Claus." She hugged him close and blew a kiss to Windust.

"You sit tight and old Saint Nick will get you home in the wink of an eye," he promised. He set Raechel on the familiar red, leather seat and took up his place behind the horses. Her eyes widened.

"Are those real deer?" She gasped, pointing to, what could only be described as reindeer in the front of the sleigh. He winked at her, tapped his nose, and took gave the reins a jerk.

The sleigh held such memories for her, she was afraid she would start crying all over again. But then she remembered Collin's anniversary and Christmas gift to her. As they had sat together in the sleigh, singing Christmas carols and reminiscing about their childhoods Christmases, he handed her a card. The the card promised that by January, Windust would be hers, forever. She had been so happy and excited, she had cried with joy in his arms.

Those tears of mirth and love had turned very quickly into tears of sorrow and shock. When they returned from their magical sleigh-ride, Collin jumped off the sleigh and lifted his hand to Raechel's . She grasped them and in a display of chivalry, he placed a kiss across her knuckles. She giggled and blushed at him. As he was about to pick her up and help her down, he stumbled back and fell in the snow. So began the end.

But now, right this moment, the positive memories of love and life overshadowed the sorrow. And for once, Raechel was able to smile at the memories.

"On Dasher, on Dancer...." Santa Claus shouted. Raechel watched closely, telling herself that if the sleigh suddenly began to rise into the air, she didn't know what she would do.

"I love granting wishes!" Santa shouted back to her. "Ho Ho HO, Merry Christmas Raechel!"

***

"Raechel! Raechel!" A familiar high-pitched voice screeched. Someone was shaking her shoulders.

"Ugh, go away. It's too early." Raechel complained, squinting an eye open to see who was disturbing the most fantastic dream of her life.

"Raechel, oh God, are you all right?" She opened both eyes fully. Sarah's worried face was inches from hers. "How long have you been sitting out here on the step in this cold? How did you get out here? Where the heck is your chair?" She rambled on and on.

"Don't know. Chair is in the barn. Santa Claus, I mean Old Mack came and rescued me," she answered.

"What? Raechel, do you have a fever?" Raechel brushed Sarah off when she felt her forehead.

"I'm fine, just hungry. Can you get my spare chair for me from the closet?"

Sarah rushed off and came back with it, helping her into the chair. "Come inside and sit by the fire. I'll get you some cocoa."

Raechel started giggling "Cocoa and cookies. He never did give me any."

"What? Rach, you aren't making any sense. Start from the beginning." And so she did. She told Sarah exactly what had happened. She remembered everything up until the point of Santa Claus wishing her a Merry Christmas, the rest was a blur. The next thing she knew she was being shaken awake on the steps.

"Impossible!" Sarah breathed.

"I know it seems impossible. I can't really explain it otherwise, but I swear it was all so real. You should have seen Old Mack, Sarah. He looked just like he did the day Collin surprised me on our anniversary with the sleigh ride. Do you remember?"

"No. It's impossible, Raechel. Old Mack died last night of a heart attack. I never came home last night because I was in the hospital with him. And, I can't explain your um..." Sarah blushed. "You're interlude with Collin, except that, well you were probably fevered but...."

"Old Mack is dead?" Raechel gaped at the news. "If he's dead, then who rescued me?"

"Sweetie, I don't know. He's definitely dead. I was with him when he took his last breath. And you know what's odd? His last sentence was about you! Isn't that odd? He had the weirdest message for you too." Sarah pursed her lips.

"What did he say? What did he want you to tell me?"

"He also gave me something to give you. So odd. Anyway, he said 'Tell Raechel, wish granted,' and then he handed me this to give you. So here." Sarah handed Raechel a gilded envelope with her name on it. Her hands trembled and fumbled trying to open it. Sarah laid her hands on top of them.

"Here, let me get a letter opener. I'll help you. You need to rest and recover. I don't how you got out of that barn with that huge tree blocking the way, but here you are and well, I just simply can't explain it." Sarah walked over to her antique desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out a letter opener. She handed it to Raechel.

"If Old Mack is gone, who's going to be Santa Claus for the children?" Raechel asked as she gently slid the letter opener under the sealed flap of the envelope.

"Jamal will be back this afternoon and will stand in for him. It won't be the same, but it'll have to work for now."

Raechel took out the letter and started reading.

My Beloved Raechel,

If you are reading this, then I am no longer with you. My heart finally gave, but I swear I am watching over you. I'm sorry for the secrecy about my health. I didn't want to worry you and didn't want to burden you. I thought it was something the doctors could treat and make better. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. Please forgive me, baby.

I wanted to safeguard my gift to you. You know that Old Mack is like our adoptive grandfather. He's come to love you as much as he loves Sarah and I. After my last trip to the hospital, I went over and asked to borrow the money needed to buy Windust for you. Old Mack would hear no such thing and suggested we barter, instead.

Sarah agreed to mate Windust to Old Mack's mare, Sky Dancer. He would keep the foal and in exchange, pay the track for Windust, himself. The deal was made. The foal is due to be born in early March, but Old Mack knows how much you love Windust. In this letter you will find the legal papers stating that Windust is yours. I made him swear secrecy. I was unable to give you Windust for a wedding gift, but I hope Windust for what was to be our third anniversary makes up for that. We've done it, Raechel. Windust is yours forever, baby! Here are the papers, signed, sealed, and just now delivered to your door.

I told you wishes come true if you just believed. I love you!

Always and Forever and Everlasting,

Your Collin

PS: Sarah, I know you are probably reading over Raechel's shoulder right now. There's a gift for you too. I hope it makes up for the struggle. I love you, big sis.

Raechel stared at Sarah. Sarah stared at Raechel, not believing what they had just read.

"S-Sarah, there's another letter here with your name on it." Raechel handed the envelope to her. "Wind's mine! He's mine. Windust is really and truly mine!?"

Sarah ripped open her letter and began to read, nodding her head.

"Well what is it? Is it a letter from Collin?"

"Collin has secured land for a larger farm for us." Sarah replied as she read, dumbfounded.

"But, can we afford a larger farm?" Raechel questioned.

"There's more. There's another paper. It-it's a Will."

"Collin's?"

"No. Mack O'Donnell. He left his entire fortune to Loving Care Farm. He had no living relatives left and thought of me and Collin as his own grandchildren."

"What? Old Mack left you...wait, he had a fortune?"

"Apparently. And there's more. Oh wow." Sarah's voice was thick with emotion.

"What, what is it?" Raechel bounced in her seat with anticipation.

"My divorce papers! The law finally caught up with Larry. He signed the papers right before they tossed his butt in jail. Rach, do you know what this means?" Now, Sarah trembled. "It means we're saved. We aren't going under. We don't have to sell a single horse. We have bigger land to expand and accept more children and persons with special needs to our farm. I'm free! You get to keep Windust."

"My third wish was granted and I got to have the most magical Christmas ever. An angel in the guise of Santa Claus rescued me, saved the farm, and allowed me one more moment with my husband." A wellspring of emotion rose up in Raechel as she wheeled forward and clutched her sister-in-law. They embraced with tears streaming down their faces.

"Merry Christmas and Happy Anniversary, Raechel," Sarah kissed her cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Sarah," Raechel whispered back. "I guess my Grandma was right, Christmas wishes can come true."

~~~~

I have to give a huge thank you to estragon for critiquing and copy-editing for me. He gave me sound advice on a few of the more sensitive aspects that came up when writing about this subject.

This story would not be as authentic as it is without MidniteRose's guidance. Being a wheelchair user herself, she helped me make sure that Raechel's experience with paralysis stayed on track and that her wheelchair usage was believable. Thank you!

Thank you, Nightshade for your support and for sharing so much to help this story come to life.

Happy Holidays to One and All. My wish is for you to have gratitude and find contentment in what you do have, but not to stop believing in the magic of possibilities - including love! <3