TSS - A Christmas Bear

A Christmas Bear

Mildred Volt walked out of her living room. It was the night before Christmas and she always loved Christmas. The warmth and happiness of a family being together that you could only feel during Christmas was amazing. She opened a door and she looked inside. A little boy was sleeping, his light-brown hair peeked out from underneath his blankets. Mildred smiled, he looked so lovely. She silently closed the door. Another Christmas with the whole Volt family. Almost the whole Volt family. Lionel was still in Dimension Ten with the Wobble men.
Mildred sighed, another Christmas without Lionel. She didn’t know how many would follow.  She walked back into the living room and she grabbed a photograph album. She was looking to some pictures and suddenly a picture fell down. Mildred grabbed it and she smiled when she saw what it was.

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“Mommy, look!”

Mildred put her camera away and she looked to Victor. “What is it, dear?” she asked and she smiled. Victor was wrapped around in the angel’s hair. “You look adorable.” she said. Her hair was falling down from her ponytail. She put her hair like that, so her hair wouldn’t be in her way, but every time it fell down from her ponytail.

Victor started to yawn.  “It’s starting to become too late for you.” a British voice said and Lionel lifted Victor up. “I’ll bring you to bed.” Lionel removed the angel’s hair carefully from Victor and he walked away.

Mildred sat down on the couch and she removed the band out of her hair and her hair fell down on her shoulders. She loved Victor, just as much as she loved Lionel. It was so amazing to have a little family like this. She had this family for two years and three months and she wanted to have another little member of the family. But maybe when Victor was four years old, she and Lionel had all the time of the world to have another child and Victor would be old enough to understand why he had to share his parents love.

“Hey, what are you thinking about?” sounded and Lionel sat down next to Mildred.

“Lionel, do you want to have another child?” Mildred asked when she looked to Lionel.

Lionel smiled. “I’d love to have another one.” he said and he gave Mildred a little kiss on her cheek. “Why are you asking that?”

“Just curious.”

“Do you want to have one now, because then we have to start very soon.” Lionel said with a teasing smile.

“Maybe within two years, when Victor’s…”

“When Victor is old enough to understand what’s going on.” Lionel nodded. “I’m afraid that won’t happen.”

Mildred looked to Lionel in a shock. “What…What do you mean?” she asked.

Lionel sighed. “I’m going on a mission to Dimension Ten.” he said.

“To…to the Wobble men?” Mildred asked and Lionel nodded. “But when are you going? When will you be back?”

“I don’t know.” Lionel said. “When the first signs of the Wobble men appears, I have to go. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

“But can’t…”

“They are expecting their first child, it wouldn’t be fair to let him go away while he didn’t see his child.”

Mildred nodded and she let her head rest on Lionel’s chest. “I don’t want to lose you already.” she whispered.

Lionel’s hand ran down Mildred’s hair. “You’re not going to lose me, Mildred. I wish it could be different, but it’s not.”

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Mildred sighed. It was just a few days before Christmas and they both had to act that everything would be alright, so Victor wouldn’t noticed anything.  Even though he was just two years old, he noticed it when there was something going on.  She looked to another picture. This one was made on the last Christmas with Lionel.

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“Merry Christmas.” sounded and Mildred turned around in her bed.

“Merry Christmas.” she said and Lionel gave her a little kiss.

Lionel smiled and he got out of bed. “Do you want some tea?” he asked and Mildred nodded.

“I’ll get Victor dressed.” she said.

“Okay.” Lionel smiled and he walked away.

Mildred stepped out of her bed and she walked to Victor’s bedroom.


A little bit later she walked with Victor into the living room. “Look, Santa came to give us some presents.” she said with a smile when she saw the presents underneath the Christmas tree. She placed Victor on the ground and he walked to the presents. “Let me see.” Mildred said and she kneeled down next to Victor. “This is yours.” she said and she gave a present to Victor. Victor just ripped the gift-wrapping off the present and he gave his mother a big smile.

“Teddy.” he said and Mildred smiled. Victor held a blue teddy bear in his hands.

“He looks cute.” Mildred said. She stood up and she looked to Lionel.  “Why did you bought this?” she whispered.

“I thought it would be a nice present to give to him before I’ll leave.” Lionel looked Victor, who was playing with his new teddy bear. What Mildred didn’t know, is that the young Professor Professor placed  a transmitter in the bear, so he could talk to his son. “Well, when are you going to open your present?” Lionel asked.

“Alright.” Mildred said and she saw a big present. “Not again.” she laughed. Last year, Lionel gave her a big present. Well, at least she thought it was a big present. But it was a big box instead with a ticket to a Health Spa. She loved to be there, if she didn’t worry so much about Victor. “So, what is it this year?” she said when she opened the box. In de box was a smaller present and Mildred grabbed it. She opened the little box and when she saw it was, she looked to Lionel. “When did you do this?” In the box was a pair of earrings, they were shaped like silver stars, with little diamonds in it.

“Last week, after you told me they were broken.” Lionel said with a smile. “You wear them ever since our marriage, so I thought this would be a nice gift.”

“Well, it was your marriage gift.” Mildred said with a smile and she placed them in her ears. “Thank you.” and she gave Lionel a kiss on his cheek.

“Always a pleasure.” Lionel said with a smile. “So, where’s my present?” he said and he looked to the box which was left. “I guess this is mine.” and he grabbed it. He took away the gift wrapping and he smiled when he saw what it was. It was a pocket watch, the old antique watch. He wanted one, because his own father had one like this, but his father lost it. Mildred remembered about it last week, when she was thinking about the perfect Christmas present for Lionel “Thank you, Mildred.” Lionel whispered.

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Mildred sighed. She placed the album away and she stood up from the couch. Her hand reached her neck while she wandered through the room. Around her neck was a silver necklace, which had an oval pendant attached to it. In the pendant were two pictures; one of her and Lionel on their wedding day and one of her, Lionel and Victor, who was just a few minutes old. Someone took the picture almost right after he was born. This was a gift Lionel left for her behind for Christmas. Just like Victor’s Christmas present. She found it a year after Lionel went to Dimension Ten when she was hiding the Christmas presents for Victor. He knew she hid it on the same place every time, so he placed his Christmas presents there, together with a letter to tell Mildred that when she found the presents, he would be still in Dimension Ten and that he still loves her, no matter what.

“Hey, mum.” sounded and Mildred looked up.

“Hey, Victor.” Mildred said and Victor gave her  a hug. “How was it?”

“Wonderful.” a British female voice said and Anita walked into the living room. “The best Christmas present I’ve ever had.” she sat down in the chair. “Do you mind if I place my feet on the salon table? They’re killing me.”

Mildred smiled. “I’ve been young and pregnant too, so I don’t mind.”

Anita placed her feet on the salon table. “Being pregnant is wonderful, but this little one can make me tired more than I could ever be.” and she placed her hand on her slightly swollen stomach.

“How’s Theodore?” Victor asked and he looked this his mother.

“He’s in a deep sleep now.” Mildred said. “He couldn’t wait until it was Christmas.”

“Sounds familiar to me.” Anita said with a teasing smile and she looked to Victor.

Victor chuckled. “You couldn’t wait for Christmas either.” he said and he gave her a kiss on her cheek.

Anita smiled. “Because I would have the ultrasound on the day before Christmas.”

“I almost forgot it.”Mildred said. “How was it?”

Anita gave a happy sigh. “Better than it could ever be.” she said with a smile. “For now, the baby seems to be healthy and totally complete."

“That’s good to hear.” Mildred said.

“Well, I think it’s time to go back home.” Victor said and he looked to Anita. “Or do you want to stay here?”

“Don’t rush a pregnant woman, alright.” Anita said when she got up of the chair.

“I’m just teasing you.” Victor smiled and he looked to his mother. “What time shall we be here?”

“If you want to have breakfast here, I would say around nine ‘o clock, half past nine, something like that.”

“That sounds more like brunch to me.” Victor said.

“Ten ‘o clock is brunch, not earlier.” Anita said, teasing Victor.

Victor smiled. “Let’s go, otherwise we’ll get into a fight.” he said with a smile.

“See you tomorrow, Mildred.” Anita smiled and they said goodbye to Mildred.

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“Good morning!” sounded when Victor and Anita walked into the living room.

“Mommy, daddy!” the little boy said.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Anita said and she gave Theodore a big hug.  “How was it with granny?”

“Great.” Theo said. “Santa brought me gifts!” he said happily to his parents.

“Did he?” Victor said and the little boy nodded. “Well, do you want to open your presents now, or do you want to wait after breakfast?”

“Now!” Theo said and Victor smiled.

“Alright.” he said and Theo grabbed a present. He unwrapped it and he smiled when he saw what was in the box.

“Look, mommy. I got a teddy bear, just like daddy!” Theo said and he showed Anita his dark-blue teddy bear.

Anita smiled. “He is wonderful.” she said and she looked to Victor. “I didn’t know you bought one.” she whispered to him.

“I’m sorry, but when I saw it, I thought it would be a nice gift for him.” Victor smiled.

Anita chuckled. “So, did Santa give us a present?” she asked to Theo, but he didn’t hear his mother. He was so happy with his gift, he didn’t hear anyone.

Victor laughed. “I think Santa gave us a present.” he said and he grabbed a little  present. “This one is for you, mommy.” and he gave it with a smile to Anita.

Anita smiled and she opened her present. “What beautiful.” she took a golden bracelet out of the box. “Thank you.” she whispered to Victor and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

Victor grabbed another gift. “Mum, this one is for you.” he called and Mildred walked into the room. “Merry Christmas.” Victor said when he gave his mother her present.

Mildred looked to Victor and Anita. “But I told you that…”

“We know, but this one is really special.” Anita said with a smile and Mildred opened her present.

“What…” Mildred held up a Christmas ball, which was painted in all kind of colors.

“We got two from Theo.” Victor said with a smile. “He made them at school and we thought you’d like to place one in your tree.”

Mildred smiled. “It’s wonderful.” she said and she gave it a beautiful place in the tree.

Anita grabbed another gift from underneath the Christmas tree. “This one is for you, daddy.” she said and she gave it to Victor.

Victor opened it and he gave a strange look when he saw what was inside the present. “Isn’t this…?” he looked to his mother.

Mildred nodded. “This was your father’s pocket watch.” she said. “I found it, together with a letter from him, a year after he went to Dimension Ten. He told me in the letter that you should get the pocket watch when you would be just as old as he was when he got it.”

“Thank you, mum.” Victor whispered and he placed the pocket watch back in the box. “I’ll keep it on a safe place.”

Mildred smiled and she grabbed a present from underneath the Christmas tree. “There is one more left for you two.” she said.

“For us?” Anita said when she looked to the gift. “But…”

“Victor smiled. “I guess I know what’s inside it.” he said. “Do you want to open it?”

“Sure.” Anita said and she opened the present. “Baby clothes?” she said and she smiled. “Really, Mildred, you didn’t have to do this.”

“But I did and I’m not taking it back.” Mildred said with a smile.

“Thank you.” Anita said.

“How about a Christmas breakfast?” Victor asked and Anita and Mildred nodded.

“Theo!” Anita called and Theo came to them. “After breakfast can you open the other presents.”

“Alright.” Theo said. “Merry Christmas!” he said when they sat down at the table.

The adults smiled. “Merry Christmas.” they all said.