Christmas Shoes

***Because I'm very tired of being asked the following questions I'm just going to answer them here:

1) Is the movie going to be shown this year? I have absolutely no idea. I am not affiliated with the studio in any way, shape or form.

2) Is the movie available on Tape/DVD and where can I buy it? Once again, I am not affiliated with the studio. I don't know.

3) Where can I buy the song? Try your local music store. I don't know. I'm not affiliated with the recording studio either.

Believe it or not I've never actually seen the movie nor do I plan to. I heard the song and it moved me to write this story. Continuing to pester me with me questions about the film and where to purchase the CD will result in this story being taken down off my website for good.***

Christmas Shoes
by Wyndewalker
AU: ATF
Feedback E-Mail: wynde@wyndewalker.com
Disclaimer: I don't own the lyrics or music to Christmas Shoes. They belong to the group Newsong
Author's Notes: The lyrics for the song follow at the end.

Christmas Shoes

Chris glared at his watch for probably the tenth time in as many minutes. It was 3:30 on Christmas Eve and he couldn't leave the office until he finished the report he was working on. Not that he was looking forward to battling hordes of other last-minute shoppers, and it always seemed like every idiot in the world decided they needed to go somewhere on this day. No, he was not looking forward to this. He wasn't looking forward to the holiday at all.

Adam would have been ten for this Christmas, at which point Chris had planned on giving him his own horse. Not just a pony, but a full-size horse. Only Adam had died nearly five years ago now. His son would never get to see or ride that horse.

With a muttered curse Chris saved the report to a floppy disk. He'd finish the damn thing at home and email it to the Judge. Grabbing his coat, he strode out into the main office area.

"I'm heading out, boys. Leave your... Where's Ezra?" He asked, suddenly noticing the Southerner's absence.

"Maude called to let him know she was catching an earlier flight in," Vin answered.

"Did he finish his report?"

"He said he'd leave it with Travis's secretary on the way out," Buck answered this time.

"Fine. You all do the same when you finish up. I'll see you all out at my place tomorrow."

They all wished him a Merry Christmas, though Josiah added, "If you change your mind about helping out, Chris, I'll be down at the 4th St Shelter. We can always use an extra hand."

"Thanks, Josiah, but I've got plans," Chris nodded and left.

*******

Chris tried not to growl as the line moved another inch forward. He really wasn't in the Christmas mood and just wanted to pay for his last two gifts and get out of there. The line inched forward again. There were only two more people in front of him. He sighed and looked down noticing the boy in front of him. He was pacing anxiously like little boys do, clutching a pair of women's shoes to his chest. He looked to be maybe ten years old, his clothes clearly hand-me-downs, and dirty. He frowned wondering where the boy's parents wwere and why they weren't with him?

He shook his head and looked around the department store. You'd think they'd have more than one cashier open on Christmas Eve. Chris really wanted to just pay for his package and get the hell home. The lady in front of the boy finally quit bitching about inflated prices and needing gift receipts for each individual item, paid, gathered her bags and left.

The little boy stepped forward and placed the shoes reverently on the counter and said, "Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my momma please. It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size. Could you hurry, sir? Daddy says there's not much time. You see, she's been sick for quite awhile. I know these shoes will make her smile. I want her to look beautiful if Momma meets Jesus tonight."

He dumped out two handfuls of change and a couple of crumpled singles, which the cashier began dutifully counting. Chris knew in one glance there wasn't going to be enough. The shoes were nearly twenty dollars. If there was ten on the counter he'd eat the toy robot he was buying Billy Travis. Sure enough the cashier counted out eight dollars and seventy seven cents.

"I'm sorry, son," said the cashier. "The shoes are nineteen dollars and change. There's not enough here."

He searched his pockets frantically then he turned and looked at me. He said, "Momma made Christmas good at our house. Most years she just did without. Tell me, sir, what am I gonna do? Somehow I gotta buy her these Christmas shoes."

Chris stared down at the little boy with hair so dark it was nearly black and his expressive eyes so full of hope, he looked like a miniature JD. Then he wasn't looking at the little boy but his own son and he knew he could no more deny this child than he could have denied Adam. He dug out his wallet and placed a twenty on the counter. "Give the boy back his money."

The cashier smiled and did as Chris said, quickly ringing up the sale. He even placed the shoes in a gift box free of charge. The boy clutched the box to his chest as if it held diamonds and said a polite thank you to the cashier. Chris would never forget the look on the boy's face when he said, "Momma's gonna look so great."

"Your welcome, son, and Merry Christmas." He replied and the boy scampered away into the crowd.

Chris smiled then paid for the rest of his packages. Pushing his way through the crowds, he began to feel the first niggling doubt that the kid might have been conning him. He tried to push it aside as an unfit thought for the season. Just because he saw the worst of society everyday, thanks to his job, and just because the holidays seemed to bring out every con-artist, didn't mean the kid hadn't been on the up-and-up.

By the time he reached the mall exit Chris was scowling again. He was just starting through the door when a familiar voice caught his ear. He ignored the woman berating him in Spanish as she herded half a dozen kids past him through the door and stepped back into the mall. Scanning the immediate area, he found the boy just as he threw himself into the arms of a man a little younger than Chris.

"Dad! Dad, look what I got Momma!" the boy shouted in excitement.

The man gathered up the boy in a tight hug then set him on his feet to look at him sternly. "Where have you been, Evan? I've been worried sick looking all over for you."

"I got Momma a Christmas present." Evan opened the box to proudly show his father. The man smiled sadly, his whole face softening.

"They're beautiful, son. She's going to love them. Now come on. Visiting hours will be over soon."

"Okay," Evan nodded, closing the box. He looked up at his dad. "Do you think I can stay with Momma tonight? It's Christmas and I-I want to be with her if she meets Jesus tonight. I don't want her to be alone."

The man gathered his son in his arms, lifting him up into his arms and heading towards the door. "We'll see what we can do, son. We'll see what we can do."

Watching them walk away, Chris regretted every uncharitable thought he'd had. At his truck he loaded his packages into the back seat and made a decision. It was nearly eight o'clock but he knew he'd be welcome where he was going. He made a quick stop first before pulling into the small lot behind the 4th Street Shelter. Chris grabbed the grocery bags from the back seat and headed to the back door of the shelter.

His entrance was met with surprised stares, then enthusiastic greetings. He was a bit surprised himself to find Buck, Vin, Nathan, and Rain helping alongside Josiah.

"What're you all doing here?" He asked, then blushed faintly when he realized how that had sounded.

"The restaurant we had reservations for overbooked and it was going to be a two-hour wait," Nathan answered for him and Rain.

"I didn't have anything better to do," Vin said with a shrug, taking some of the grocery bags from Chris.

"My date was able to catch a last-minute flight to Texas to be with her family," Buck said, coming to take the rest from him. "What are you doing here, pard?"

Before Chris could answer JD came in through the swinging door to the front carrying an empty soup pot. "We need more soup, Josiah! Hey, Chris."

"You're here too, JD?"

"Yeah, and Casey's out front helping pass out food. Turned out the party we were going to was just a frat house kegger. So, we figured we'd come give a hand."

The door swung open yet again, this time revealing Ezra, sans jacket, carrying a dirty little girl. She was crying quietly with her face pressed against his neck. "I'm quite certain I saw some cookies back here. Ah, Mr. Larabee. How are you this evening?"

"Getting by. I thought Maude was going to be in town tonight?"

"Yes, well, Mother received a last minute invitation to spend the holiday in Las Vegas with a gentleman friend of means."

"In other words, a rich guy," Buck translated with a grin.

Ezra rolled his eyes at the ladies' man. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company, Mr. Larabee?"

"Christmas shoes," Chris answered with a smile, handing the little girl a frosted reindeer cookie.

"Christmas shoes, pard?" Buck asked puzzled. Chris just smiled enigmatically as he shrugged off his duster and hung it up.

"Whatever the reason, we are glad you joined us, Brother," Josiah said, patting him on the back. "Why don't you help Nathan carve those turkeys?"

"Sure, Josiah." He took up a spot at the long table across from Nathan, selecting a carving knife and fork while Vin placed a roasted turkey in front of him. The song playing on the radio caught Chris's attention. "Hey, JD. Turn the radio up please?"

JD nodded and turned to the nearby radio to adjust the volume. The gathered men smiled in understanding as the song played. Sometimes, they needed a little help remembering what Christmas was all about.

~Fini~

Christmas Shoes sung by Newsong

It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line
Tryin' to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing 'round like little boys do and in his hands he held a pair of shoes.
His clothes were worn and old
He was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't believe what I heard him say

"Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see, mom's been sick for quite awhile
I know these shoes would make her smile
I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight."

He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here."
He searched his pockets frantically, then he turned and he looked at me
He said, "Mama always made Christmas good at our house
Through most years she just did without
Tell me, sir, what am I gonna do?
Somehow, I've got to buy these Christmas shoes."
I just had to help him out
And as I laid the money down
I'll never forget the look on his face
When he said, "Mama's gonna look so great."

"Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see, mom's been sick for quite awhile
I know these shoes would make her smile
I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight."

I knew I'd caught a glimpse of Heaven's light as he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy my way
To remind me what Christmas is all about.

"I want her to look beautiful if Momma meets Jesus tonight."