This is unacceptable!” Santa Claus bellowed. “There’s a child’s name on my list without a present written next to it!” He turned to his helper elf and said, “It was your job, Felix, to check for problems like this. Now we’re at this girl’s house and I have no gift for her.”
“Oh, dear—I was meaning to talk to you about that. We received Jasmine’s letter, but it didn’t mention what she wanted. There was only a drawing of a snowflake.”
“A snowflake?”
“Yes, Santa,” a tiny voice replied.
“Who said that?”
“I did. I’m Jasmine. I didn’t know how to spell snowflake.”
“I see. By the way, shouldn’t you be asleep?”
“I didn’t want to miss you. I had to know if you could help me. I promised my mother that someday I would take her back to the snow she loves. She was born in the north. Her name is Sarah. We only moved here because I needed to see a special doctor.”
“Taking your mother on a trip should be easy enough once you’re older,” Santa explained. “Or perhaps I can arrange something for next year.”
Jasmine sighed. “That’s the problem, Santa. I don’t think I’ll have a ‘next’ year.”
Santa noticed the bottles of medicine near her bed. He exchanged a concerned glance with Felix.
“I thought if I couldn’t go with my mother to the north, maybe I could bring the snow here—with your help.”
“I wish there was something I could do, but I don’t make the snow.”
“Then who does, Santa?”
“Why, the Old Man of the North, Boreas. Most know him as Father Frost. That’s his job, along with sending forth the cold winter winds.”
“Oh.” Jasmine’s shoulders drooped. “So you can’t help after all.”
“You can still have a present if you’d like. I’m sure we can find something on the sleigh.”
“I don’t really want anything else. Thanks.”
Santa turned to Felix and whispered, “This isn’t working. I’ve promised to deliver a gift for every good child. Now what am I to do?”
“Perhaps Boreas could send a little snow her way. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.”
“I don’t know,” Santa said while stroking his beard. “He’s a bit of a grump, though I suppose we could try. Pull Comet and Dasher from the team—they’re the fastest. Have them take you to Boreas. Explain the situation and ask if he can help. And remember to address him respectfully. You’ll need all the help you can get.”
AFTER THE long trip back north, Felix found Boreas sitting alone in his icy castle. He explained the situation.
“What? Nick must be out of his mind! I can’t make snow that far south, even in the winter.”
“You’re our only chance, Father Frost. You have to try.”
“It’s impossible.”
“Are you sure?”
“How? I could huff and puff all day and never make snow in that desert.”
“You might if you had help.”
“Help?”
Felix shuffled his feet and avoided eye contact. “Yes—help.”
Boreas’s brow furrowed. “Just what are you suggesting?”
“Your daughter—in the south?”
“That insolent child! Never! And I asked that the name Khione never be spoken in my presence.”
“I didn’t, Father Frost. You did.”
“Humph! That’s irrelevant.”
“I hear she’s very good at making snow.”
“Well, of course. She is my daughter, after all.”
“Then it might work?”
Boreas rolled his eyes. “I suppose it’s possible that it isn’t impossible.”
“Then you’ll try?”
“Oh, all right. But only if you’ll do the asking,” he said, pointing an icy finger at Felix’s nose. “And I doubt she’ll agree.”
COMET AND Dasher barely had time to rest before starting the trip to the South Pole. Felix, nearly exhausted himself, made his best effort to convince Khione to work with her father.
“Father comes begging for my help? I hardly think so. He’s too controlling. He wants everything done his way.”
“He made particular mention of your ability to make snow. And how you’re very special.”
“He said that?”
“Words to that effect,” Felix said, crossing his fingers. “Please, Khione, for Jasmine. Help her keep the promise she made to her mother. Surely you can understand.”
“Well—only to make certain Father doesn’t disappoint another little girl.”
“Wonderful!” Felix said with a smile. “I’ll make the arrangements.”
IN THE gray skies above the desert, Khione and Boreas approached each other. Neither offered a warm greeting.
“Father?”
“Yes, Khione?”
“I want you to know I’m only here to help Jasmine.”
“As am I—and as a favor to Nick. I suggest we get on with it.”
EARLY CHRISTMAS morning, Jasmine awoke, rubbed her eyes, and looked out the window. A few white flakes drifted to the ground.
“Mother! Come quickly!”
Sarah, fearing something wrong, came running down the steps. “What is it, Jasmine?”
“Look, Mother! It’s snowing!”
“Snowing? How can that be?”
“I asked Santa to bring snow for you. Can we go outside? I’ve never seen real snow before.”
“Only for a moment. You’re very weak. I’ll have to wrap you up warmly.”
LOOKING DOWN at Jasmine’s house, Boreas grumbled as he observed the meager results of their efforts.
“I know we’ve each done our best, Khione, but there’s little to show for it.”
“Perhaps we can give it one more try, Father—together.”
Boreas looked at his daughter and gave her just the tiniest hint of a smile, then nodded. “All right, then—together—on three.”
“THE SNOW is really swirling now, Jasmine. It’s just like I remember!”
Sarah looked into Jasmine’s face. Her eyes were closed, her heart still. It was Jasmine’s first snowfall, and her last. Sarah held her all that much closer as the glistening flakes danced around them. Jasmine had kept her promise—as had Santa—and, from that day on, every snowflake reminded Sarah of that most special Christmas of all.