Handle with care

She was so tired; the last few weeks of work were insanely busy. So many last minute things to do, but tomorrow would be the start of her holiday, she could not wait. Kay closed her eyes out of sheer exhaustion and fell instantly asleep

She awoke with all the excitement a seven year old could have on Christmas morning. She heard her mom calling her, “Are you awake Kay? Come to the living room we have a surprise for you” She ran to the living room as fast as her little legs could carry her, heart pounding with excitement. “Merry Christmas sweetheart” said her mom and dad in unison. “Do you want to open your presents?” said her dad. She looked at them and shouted “Yes, yes, yes, but first you have to open yours okay” She handed her mom and dad their gifts and watched with great anticipation as they opened them. Mom received a hand drawn picture in a photo frame made out of cardboard and macaroni. “Its beautiful honey” she said and gave Kay a hug. “Now you, dad” she said. He opened it calmly, looked at the empty tin can covered in brown paper and colourful stickers and said “What is it honey?”  “It’s for your desk daddy, you put your pens in it” she said. “Ah, just what I need” he said and gave her a kiss on her forehead “Now you have to open yours “He said gently.

She opened the biggest present that was under the tree and squealed with excitement as she discovered its contents. “It’s the Rapunzel Barbie with the flowing long golden hair!” she exclaimed, “thank you, thank you, thank you, it’s just what I wanted”. Then something shiny caught her eye. It was sitting to the centre of the tree all alone, hints of silver streaming from it. “What’s that?” she said, pointing to the little silver box in the corner with a big pink ribbon on top of it.

“I don’t know honey” said mom with a puzzled look on her face. Dad looked at the mysterious box and then at mom with suspicion. Mom met his gaze and shook her head and shrugged her shoulders as if to signify that she too was just as flummoxed by the appearance of this little box. Was it from Father Christmas? She thought, did he really exist? Mom turned to her and said “Well why don’t you open it and find out?” almost as if she was reading Kay’s thoughts. She walked over to it, picked it up carefully and placed it on her lap. She shook it gently, and then sniffed it, as if that would give her some clue as to its origin. She looked at the pink bow; it was the most perfect bow she had ever seen as if it was formed in a factory, both sides in perfect symmetry. On the side of the box was a little card that read, For K.

She tugged ever so gently at the ribbon, being careful not to tear it. As the bow unfolded and the ribbon fell silently to the ground, she began peeling back the silver paper. “What is it?” said mom. A stream of light flooded the room, “I don’t know” Kay replied. Then Kay woke up.

She sat up in bed, looked at the bedside table, the alarm clock read 4:25. Dammit, she thought what a dream. Then it caught her eye, the little silver box with its perfectly formed ribbon. She reached for it, hands trembling and immediately ripped open the box.

As she stared down at this gift, she heard an audible voice from within it saying; “This is your future Kay”.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift! That’s why it’s called the present.