The Star Knew

I sighed and took one last look at my garden.
Winter was coming way too fast; frost already had begun to cuddle itself along the branches of the sicamore trees.
The air chilled my bones and made my teeth chatter in a fast, rythmical tempo.
"Leah?"
I heard my mother's voice calling me from the front porch.
My garden sat there dying, suffering. I could almost feel their pain.
"Coming, mother!" I grudgingly stood up,squeezed my eyes shut tightly, and wishing silently that winter was never possible, that my flowers could live forever in peace, harmony, and serenity. But when I opened my eyes, everything was the same: the pircing frost, fatally destoying my beauties, the chilly wind racing their ways through the trees, and my obnoxious mother calling me with a tired voice.
As I stepped into the house, warmth spread over me, and I sighed dreamily.I saw a sparkle and a twinkle out of the corner of my eye, and I suddenly wondered what it was.
But that dreamy feeling didn't last for long, as my mother barked at me:
"How can you survive out there? Leah, it's twenty degrees outside! You might've caught a cold! Heavens, if you did, what would the family say at Christmas Eve? And to think you would be more considerate of other people's health! You KNOW the family's coming over at Christmas Eve to exchange presents and have a nice turkey dinner with my best potatoes and gravy! Why, Leah? Why?"
I shrugged, relieved she was done. "I'm sorry, Mom. REALLY, I am. Can I go to bed now?"
My mother stiffened. "That's it? Just an 'I'm sorry, Ma?' That's it?" She closed her eyes tightly, as if in deep with thought. "Yes," she whispered irritably. "You may go to bed."
I hurried off before she could say anything else.
I had spent at least fifty dollars on trying to make that garden. I wasn't about to let it got to waste.
As I lay in bed, my teddy bear, Charlie, in hand, I soon drifted off to bed and dreamed about Christmas.

When I awoke the next morning, I was sweating terribly.
My sweat pants and sweat shirt I had put on last night were still onme, and I quickly changed into a tanktop and shorts.
"Wasn't last night ice cold?" I wondered quizzically. "How could it just change to sizzling warm?"
As I stepped into the kitched, I was greeted by my mother, joyfuland cooking chocolate chip pancakes on the stove. "Good morning!" she sang to me spiritually to me as I took a seat at the table. "Today's forcast is ninety degrees! Oh my goodness, baby!" Her mouth dropped open. "You're sweating!"
I scratched my head. "Yeah, I guess I was sleaping with a sweat suit on."
She gave me an nasty glare. "How terrible of you to do so! You know that it's summer!"
I shook my head. "WHAT? SUMMER? No, it can't be! Lat night it was winter!"
My mother stared at me, a confused look spread across her face. "Hmm? What's winter, honey?"
"You know, Christmas? The family coming over? Snow?"
She smiled and placed a plate on pancakes in front of me. "Leah, it sounds so magical. But I have no idea of what you're talking about. This Christmas thing sounds amazing, and this snow? Is that a type of burrito, or something?"
I couldn't believe it. How could she forget about winter? About snow? But most importantly, about Christmas?
I shook my head. "I'm not so hungry anymore. Mom," I said as I stood up from the table. "Save them for the birds. They get hungry around this time of year. The snow hides their food and-"
"What is this nonsence about snow?" she cried. "My goodness, Leah, what are you reading thes days? Leah, you know Harry Potter isn't real! How could you believe that-"
"Mom! This isn't FROM Harry Potter! This is what happened yesterday, and my flowers dying, and-"
"What?" she interrupted. "You're flowers? Dying?" She burst into laughter. "Leah, that's a funny one!"
Huh? I rushed to the door and gasped as I peered outside. My flowers were huge! Massive! Gigantic! They had to be stretching to at least five feet!
"But how, Mom?" I asked. "How could they-"
"It's summer, Leah," she replied when she finished laughing. "Nothing dies, everything lives. Everything grows, everything stays warm all year round. Like your flowers. Soon they'll be growing taller than that moonbounce at your last birthday party!"
I crossed my arms angrily. This was getting out of control. "Okay, Mom, enough of the joke. It's winter, and you know it. Christmas Eve is today, and frost IS outside. Stop it! You're reallt starting to scare me!"
Mom shook her head. "Leah, this is no joke. I am telling you the truth. I have never heard of Christmas Eve or snow. I haven't even heard of the word 'winter!' Actually, you're the one that's starting to scare ME!"
I couldn't belive it. What was going on?
No Christmas? No snow? No winter?
I breathed deeply. "Mom, so you've never heard of winter, you've never had a Christmas, and you've never played in snow?"
She looked thoughtful for a minute, trying to look into her past, but came back to reality and shook her head. "Nope. Never."
I nodded and gulped. "Alright," I choked. "I'm going outside."
As I stepped outsied, heat rushed over me.
Then, I gasped. It was all coming back to me! The twinkle outof the corner of my eye! I must've seen a shooting star! I wished for there to never be winter, to never be cold and-my face drooped. What had I done?
I ruined everything. How could I make winter come back?
"I wish-" I said aloud. "I wish....I wish that everything were back to normal!" I squeezed my eyes tight, but when I opened them, everythig was the same. The heat, the tall flowers-
"Leah?" my mom called from inside. "Can you help me with the gravy?"
I gasped. Could it be? Was it really-
Istepped inside and grinned huge. I laughed and laughed. A Christmas tree stood in the corner of the living room, Christmas music plsyed joyfully, and my mom stood over the stovepouring gravy on potatoes!!!!!
It was a dream come true! I could hardly believe it!
This had to be the best Christmas ever!
"Sweety!" my mother laughed. "Why are you in a tanktop and shorts? It's freezing outside!"
I laughed too!
"Sorry, Mom. I'm going to change now."
"Don't worry about it!" I heard her say as I was climbing the stairs to my room. "Merry Christmas, Leah!"
Tears formed in my eyes as I replied, "Thanks, Ma! Merry Christmas to you, too!"

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