Disclaim: Own nothing. Not even the story. Ok well some of it I do...other wise...well read A/N it explains better
hehe. I own a (maybe a few, don't know yet) charters but there not just mine, Aricrazes too. Kenny is the name of
one of my GREAT friends
that lives in FL. You know how you are.

A/N: I got an e-mail from a friend, who is also a ff.neter, Jordansgirl. About a lady, it touched my heart so I
decided to write a story about it and with the help of Aricraze I, OK WE did it. :)

The Surprise

She hurried fast into her local department store, to do some last minute Christmas shopping. She looked at all the
people that surround her left, right. They were everywhere, she grumbled to herself. She would be there forever,
and yet she had so much to do. She wasn't like she was in high school, well she was but not as much. Now she
sometimes put things off, to much. And this time it would be cutting it close.

Christmas had began to be a drag. She just wanted to sleep right though it and right though New Years. All the
parties planned and all the shopping she has to do. Seems to her there just not enough time to do it all. She
hurried the best she could though all of the people in the store. She again mumbled to her self about how much
the prices were for the toys, and wondered if the kids would even play with them. She looked around and found
herself in the doll aisle.

While looking at one of the dolls, she thought she could give her three year old daughter, she spotted a little boy,
about 4 or 5. He was holding a very lovely doll, he kept touching her so gently and held her. She just keep looking
over at the little boy. She could not help herself but wonder, who the doll was for. She watched at a women, who
he called his grandma, turned at the sound of his voice, "Are you sure, I don't have enough money?"

The lady turned and replied, with such sadness in her voice, "I'm sorry. But you don't have enough for it. Now
stay here while I get a couple things. Keep looking at the toys."

He simple nodded his head and continued to look at the doll. After a minute, I walked over to the little boy and
asked him who the doll was for. He told me that his sister wanted it really bad for Christmas. That she just knew
Santa would bring it to her for Christmas. I couldn't help but notice the sadness in his voice as he mentioned his
sister. I had told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it for her.

"No." The little boy looked down, "Santa can't go where my sister is. I have to give the doll to my mommy, to take
it to her."

I asked him where she was at. He looked at me with the saddest blue eyes, "She has gone to be with Jesus. My
daddy said that my mommy is going to have to be with her."

My heart had nearly stopped beating. The little boy looked up at me again and said to me, "I told my daddy to tell
my Mom, not to go yet. I told him to say wait till I got back from the store. Do you want to see my picture?"

"I'd love to." He pulled out a few pictures out from his pocet and handed it to me. He told me they were token on
there family vacation last year. And he wanted his Mom to take them with her so she wouldn't forget him. And he
loved her so much, he wished she did not have to leave him, but she was going to be with her sister.

He lowered his head and grew silence. When he was not looking, I reached into my purse and took out some
money than asked him if we should count the money one more time. He grinned and you could see his white teeth
with one tooth missing, "YES. I just know there has to be enough." He replied.

As we counted the money, I slipped the money in with his. Of course it was plenty for the doll and some extra. He
looked up, as to the ceiling, "Than you Jesus for giving me enough money." He than looked to me, "I just asked
Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll so my Mom can take it with her for my sister. And he heard me. I
also asked him for some more so I could buy my mommy a white rose. She really loves them."

In a few minutes his grandma came back and he told her what had happened. She smiled at me knowing I was the
one who gave him the money. And mouthed a thank you to me. I nodded my head and continued on with my
shopping.

While I was finishing my shopping I could not get the little boy of my mind. I had finished in a different sprit than
what I had started. On my way to the check out I passed the paper stand. I grabbed one and checked out. I than
went and sat down on a near by bench and took out the paper and began to read it. There was a story in there
about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and leaving the Mom in critical condition, and the family
with the decision of keeping her on life support or taking her off. And they had decided to take her off the 24th.
Which was today.

I had a felling that the two stories were connected somehow. After I got done with all my shopping I went and
got some more white roses and went to the funeral home, where the young women was. She had died. There say
laid, holding one lovely white rose and the beautiful doll and the picture that the little boy had showed me in the
store. I left there in tears, I felt my life change, I was overwhelmed by the love that little boy had for his little sister
and his Mom. And how curl it was that in a split second, a drunk driver had took the little boys life and ripped it
apart.

Later that night I was at home, cooking supper and waiting for my husband to come home with our daughter. The
food was ready, I left it on low so it wouldn't get cold. I went in the living room and sat down, waiting for him. I
turned on the TV and it was the news, with the story of the little boy again and it brought tears to my eyes. My
husband walked in with our daughter in his arms sleeping, and asked me what was wrong. He put our daughter in
her room and came back out to me. I told him the story of what all went on today, and how I was so glad they were
ok, and how much I loved them both. He turned to me and said, "It's ok Val. That's where there supposed to be.
That was god's plain for them. Everything will be ok."

I kissed him on the lips and replied, "Thanks, Tyler. Let's eat."

When we were half way done with our meal, our daughter woke up and came out. She climbed up on her chair and
I passed her some food. She was pretty cute and smart for a 3 year old. And we ate, Tyler talking about his long
day at work as a doctor.

*Six years later*

I drove along the snowy road, trying to defrost the windows while inching
forward. I know it sounds dangerous, but I was in a rush to get to my daughter's fourth grade Christmas
performance. It was darkening outside and almost difficult to see anything on the road, due to the heavily falling
snow. There were no other cars in sight, and to tell the truth, I was more than a little scared.

I managed to reach my daughter's school safely. A boy of about nine was handing out flyers, and I accepted one
graciously. He looked strangely familiar, as if he'd been occupying my every dream, but I shook it off, thinking he
was one of my daughter's friends.

The Christmas play, a heartwarming drama, started in a few minutes, and my daughter was one of the lead
characters. The boy who had passed out flyers stayed in the back of the stage, his bright eyes and cheerful smile
lighting up the whole room.

After the performance, I congratulated my daughter, Alexerdra, and asked her who that boy was. "Oh, that's
Kenny, he's real quiet but real nice," she replied, and ran off with her friends.

I kept thinking about Kenny. I knew I'd seen him before, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Two days later, I was shopping for Christmas presents with Alexerdra. I went straight to the doll section - I'd
grown to love dolls after that experience six years ago. I bought a doll for Alexerdra every year after that. She
never understood the meaning behind it, and I never planned to tell her.

We were walking down the doll aisle when suddenly Alexerdra collapsed. I was overcome with panic. What was
wrong with my daughter?! "Alexerdra," I shouted, gently shaking her body. When I received no response, I
started shrieking. I couldn't help it.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a boy appeared in the aisle. "Kenny?" I said in disbelief. Where had he come from?
One-second the aisle was empty, next second he was there. No time to worry about that. "Please help, anything..."
I begged, almost in tears. He just nodded, his eyes taking a grief-stricken glow. I watched him as he slowly raised
his eyes toward the sky, then back to Alexerdra. "What are you doing?" I asked hurriedly.

"I'm asking Jesus to please help Alexerdra. It worked before, it will work again." It was barely audible, and I had to
strain to hear it, but I definitely heard what he'd said. And it was at that moment that I knew where I'd seen him
before.

I stared at him with tears in my eyes, remembering that one day so many years before. Glancing back at my
daughter, I saw that she was, needless to say, slowly opening her eyes. I turned back to thank Kenny, and smiled
at him with all my heart, knowing that words could not express my gratitude. He simply nodded with his saddened
eyes, but a grin lingered on his face. He mouthed a silent "thank you" to me. Then he was gone.

Three weeks later, Alexerdra told me that Kenny's dad had shot himself right in front of his son's eyes. She looked
at me with tears trailing down her cheeks, and said, "Kenny is gone."

"What? What do you mean he's 'gone'?" I asked frantically, fearing the worst, and knowing the worst was true.

My daughter just stared at me. "He picked up that gun and killed himself on the spot."