Prologue

Darryl Nelson

It was Christmas again, my favorite time of year. Not only for the visit from Santa Claus, but because I got to spend a whole week with my best friend, Stevie.

We’d been driving all day, with lots of potty breaks because Mom was pregnant with my baby brother or sister, and I was getting so bored.

“Are we nearly there yet?”

“Darryl, we're about two minutes closer than the last time you asked.” I roll my eyes as she hides a smile from me and my questions.

“It’s not my fault I couldn’t tell how long we’d been driving!”

“I saw that, son.” Daddy puts on his pretend stern face, before he pokes enough of his tongue out that I can see the silver ball that he wears in it, and I poke mine back at him before my grin breaks through.

“It's not too much longer, bud. What are you going to do when you get there?”

“I'm going to give Stevie her present!” I’d chosen it myself, and wrapped it myself, and I just knew she would love it.

I’d refused to put it in the bag with all the other presents we’d bought for Uncle Andy and Auntie George, but I was a little worried now that holding it for the last eight hours might have been a mistake.

My hands were starting to get a little bit clammy, and the wrapping paper was a little damp beneath them.

Finally, we pull up onto the driveway, and Auntie George is pulling open the door to Daddy’s side before he’s even turned the engine off.

“Hey Smidge.” He chuckles, giving her a kiss while Mommy and I clamber out.

Uncle Andy greets us from the doorway, with his baby son, Grayson, perched on his hip. I push past the adults who insist on blocking the whole doorway and find Stevie standing in the living room by the huge Christmas tree, her pretty red hair twisted into two long plaits which hang down over her shoulder.

“Hi, Stevie… I got you something.” I hold out the present, squeezing my lips between my teeth as I wait for her to rip the paper off.

“Thank you, Darryl!” She squeals as she opens it and throws her arms around me, and I feel my cheeks heat up.

“This is the best present ever! Ever!!”

Stevie’s favorite movie in the entire world was ~The Nightmare Before Christmas~. She watched it so many times that she knew all of the words, not only to the songs but to all of the film.

She had lots of things from the film already – including a board game and a bedspread – but one thing she hadn’t been able to find was a Sally doll.

Oh, she had little figures and stuff, but no soft doll. I’d found one for her when we had been abroad for one of Mommy’s press tours and had begged my dad to let me buy it for her.

“Hey, pipsqueak,” Stevie’s older sister, Carrie, walks over to us and ruffles my hair. “What’cha got there, Stevie?”

“Darryl got me Sally! Isn’t she perfect!” Stevie’s smile warmed up any room she was in, but the beam that I had managed to put on her face with my present made me feel like I was invincible, like Superman in Auntie George’s favorite films.

Carrie looks incredulous at the raggedy looking doll. “I have no idea why that character is your favorite, Stevie.”

“Because no matter how many times she falls to pieces, she can be put back together again.” Stevie’s voice is low with reverence as she strokes Sally’s hair, the shade almost the same as Stevie’s own hair.

“I’ll always be there to help put you back together, Stevie,” I say shyly, and I feel Carrie’s hand ruffle my hair again. I was trying to grow it out like Daddy’s but so far it was only just down to my cheekbones.

“That’s pretty cool, Darryl. Good choice, dude.” I grin up at Carrie as she sweeps her black hair off her shoulders and gives me a wink.

“Come on kids!” My dad grabs me, making me squeal, and tips me upside down. “It’s time to give everyone else their Christmas Eve presents now, little dude.”

After the present exchanges, and some hot chocolates and candy, we were bundled off to bed in plenty of time for Santa to come visit. I always shared Stevie’s bed when we stayed together, topped and tailed under her ~Nightmare Before Christmas~ sheets.

“What did you ask Santa for this year, Darryl?” she whispers, nudging my foot with hers.

“I asked for a baby brother.” I really didn’t want a little sister to have to look after, at least a brother would be able to play with me.

“Silly billy…Santa can’t bring you a brother! You needed to ask the doctor for that.” Stevie giggles as I snake my hand down to her feet and tickle her.

“So, what did you ask for, Miss Smarty-pants?” I try to hide a yawn.

“I asked for a trip to Disney World so I can see Jack and Sally in real life,” she giggles, her sweet voice making weird feelings swirl in my chest.

I fall asleep listening to her tell me about the other things she’d asked for, for Christmas—like every year—and before I knew it, I was opening my eyes on Christmas morning, two stuffed stockings waiting for us next to the bed.

“Happy Christmas, Darryl,” Stevie’s sleepy head lifts off her pillow, and I return her smile.

“Happy Christmas, Stevie.”