Christmas Visitor

I hope he's OK. And, even if he never had another good day in his life, I hope he had a nice Christmas that year, or nice enough. I know I never forgot him, and I know I never forgot the way my parents welcomed him.

To this day, that was the most important Christmas gift I've ever seen.

[This story breaks the promise I made on my profile page, to write only fiction. Although many story elements changed during the writing, there really was a Greg (though not by that name), a Christmas eve, and an extra present. There really wasn't a Rachel. I lost track of Greg years ago, but the few things I've heard since were not happy. I've thought of him each of the almost-forty Christmases since, and wish him well. Maybe being welcome in our home for a day or two didn't change his life. I hope it made those few days a little better.

And I thank my parents again for letting him stay with us, as I do every time I think of Greg.]