APPROX. 20 YEARS AGO

 "Gabriella! Hija, come here…we must get on the train now. Hurry, do not cause us to be late!" Lorenzo Martinez called out as his young daughter scrambled to grab the one little bag she had been allowed to pack and not displease her father.

 "Yes, Padre." She said meekly and followed him out the door, clutching the small bag with all her might as she stared at the house one last time.

 They were going on a trip…but Gabi did not want to go. She knew that they would not be coming back, and she wanted to stay at home. It was the only home that she had known in her few years on this earth. The home where her mother had been before she died and left her only daughter along with the monster that was her husband. And now Lorenzo was forcing Gabriella to leave this home and the better part of her childhood behind.
 
 

 Half an hour later, they were both seated on a train. It was not going to be a pleasant trip, to say the least. The seats were so smelly and dirty that Gabriella didn't even want to sit down, but she did so her father wouldn't yell at her. She was scared of him, very scared. He was an angry man. A mean one that didn't hesitate to use his hands, his fists, to show his irritation.

 The six year old girl was worried. A gravely serious expression was etched onto her innocent face as she pondered this giant problem. How would Santa Claus find her is she wasn't at home? She wanted to ask her father, but not even that was worth speaking up. She was too timid…she would just have to find an answer on her own. She considered sending him a letter to let him know where she would be…but she didn't know where. And it cost money to send a letter, and she didn't have money. So she would just have to hope that he found out where she was and didn't forget her…
 

ON A NEARBY ROAD…
 

 "Mama?" An inquiring voice spoke up and Carmen Torres peered out the windshield of the car, trying to glimpse the road through the thickly falling snow.

 "Si, m'ijo?" She replied absently, straining to make sure that there were no oncoming cars.

 "Why do we have to go to Abuela's house for Christmas?" The youngest of her children, a dark haired little boy, asked from the back seat.

 "'Cause Abuela's gonna die soon and we have to see her before she croaks." A taunting older voice butted in the conversation.

 "Ricardo! Do not speak of your elders like that." Carmen quickly scolded. "Your abuela is not well, mi Antonio. She wishes to spent time with her grandchildren."

 "But why do we have to spend Christmas there? Why can't we stay at home?" Antonio pleaded on even though they were hours away from home. They had been driving all day, deep into their native country and were not far away from their grandmother's, their father's mother's, house.

 "This is a time to be with familia, m'ijo. And you are family. Are you not happy to see your cousins?"

 "I am, Mama." The sweet little childish voice of the 8 year old girl spoke up. Being the only girl in a family, she had learned quickly that her job was to be peacemaker, though usually between Ricardo and her mother. Antonio was normally a submissive nino, but for some reason he was upset today. "I can't wait to see cousin Alexia."

 "Bueno, bueno…now, Antonio, can you not be like your sister? Ricardo! Stop teasing your brother." Ricardo was a stubborn boy, bent on torturing his younger siblings. But, luckily for Maria and Antonio, he was the only one allowed to torture them, and he was fiercely protective if anyone else tried.

 "Okay, Mama…" Antonio said and Carmen returned to studying the road ahead of them.

 He didn't want to go to his grandmother's house for Christmas; he didn't want to see his cousins, or play in the snow…he just wanted to go home. Back to Sunset Beach, back to his friends and…home. He wanted to be in his own bed when he woke up on Christmas morning and run into his own living room and see what Santa had brought for them. But he was comforted by that they would be home soon. They were only staying two days…Christmas eve and Christmas day.
 
 

Torreón, Mexico, Pintoresco Motel
 

 Gabriella followed her father into the dingy little motel room and set her bag down gently. There were two twin beds in the room, one for her and one for her father. She didn't want to be here…the beds were messy and the blankets stained with things that she couldn't even begin to identify, nor did she want to. There was no decoration, just two beds and a chair by the door. A bare light bulb lit up the room dimly, and from the way it crackled and flickered, it could go out at any moment.

 "Muchacha, go out. Someone is coming that I must speak to and we do not need a pequeno ratón running around under out feet. There is a park across the street, go play there." Lorenzo ordered and Gabriella grabbed her tattered jacket and hurried out the door. The wind outside was frigid and unrelenting, but she preferred it to the noxious fumes that inhabited the motel room.

Snow was falling lightly around her, and it felt soft and feathery when she picked up a handful off of the ground. With a small smile on her face, she glanced across the street and ran into the park. Children all around were laughing and shouting, having a wonderful time. Gabriella watched a family of four ice skate across a glistening pond of frozen water. It was one of the most beautiful things that Gabriella had ever seen…all of the happy people, cheerful children…loving families. She secretly thought about the one thing she had asked for from Santa…and hoped with all of her heart that it would come true.
 
 

Torreón, Mexico, Torres house

 "Si, si…oh, Dos mio! It is so good to see you…" Ricardo, Maria and Antonio watched as their mother greeted her in-laws, people she had not seen since her husband's funeral almost a year ago. They were all three utterly bored and wanted desperately to escape the house full of adults. None of the other children were there yet…at least none that interested them.

 "Mama!" Carmen glanced over and saw the tortured expression on her children's face as Ricardo pulled on her skirt. With a nod to the woman she had been talking to, she walked over to the three.

 "Si, m'ijo? What is it?" She asked, looking sympathetic and slightly apologetic.

 "Mama," Ricardo asked, taking the initiative as the leader of the three. Being the oldest, he was used to doing that and neither Maria nor Antonio objected. "Can we go to that park across the street? I'll watch Maria and Antonio, I promise!"

 Carmen glanced out the window. The park that her son spoke of was in clear view, straight across from the house, and she could see no danger in letting the children play until their cousins arrived. "I suppose. But you must watch Antonio carefully!"

 "Mama! I'm not a baby." Antonio broke in. Being seven, he thought that he was old enough to watch himself now.

 "I know that, m'ijo. But your brother is older, and it is his responsibility to watch after you and your sister. But it will not hurt, si, you can go and play. Do not forget your jacket's though, it is cold out and you would not want to get ill would you?" She gently reminded and after buttoning each of their coats up tightly, she allowed them to take off out the door. She smiled at the sight of her three children laughing together. It was important to her to see them like that…
 

THE PARK

 Gabriella was kneeling down in the snow, trying to form something vaguely resembling a snowman and clutching her jacket tightly around her shoulders in an attempt to ward off the cold. Her snowman was quite small presently, but she hoped to make it larger.

 She had just managed to form a pile large to be the head, yet small enough for her to lift up onto the first two sections of ice when she felt a sharp jarring and found herself knocked down onto the snow. Her first impulse was to cry, but long ago taught self control taught her to hold back that impulse. She sat up and only when she saw what had become of her work of art did a few tears escape.

 "I'm sorry…" She heard someone say and turned around. A boy that looked about her ago had run into her and now felt awful when he saw what he had accidentally done to her snowman, and that she was crying.

 "That's…" She sniffed back a tear and wiped her eyes. "That's all right."

 "Uh…" Antonio didn't know what to say, but he wanted to do something to make her feel better. He had been trying to catch up with Ricardo, who had immediately told him to 'get lost', but his brother was long gone by now, so he had nothing to do but… "Why don't I help you make another one?"

 "Really?" Gabriella didn't have much interaction with other children, she hadn't even started school yet, but this boy seemed nice and she liked him. "Okay…"

 "Great." He smiled at her and started to form another base for the snowman. "I'm Antonio…what's your name?"

 "Gabriella…" She replied shyly as she bent down and helped him in the making of the new snowman.

 "There's a girl named Gabriella in my class at school. We call her Gabi…are you in school yet, Gabi?" She shook her head and grinned. Gabi. No one had ever called her that…she liked the nickname.

 "I'm gonna start school next year…I'll be in kin…kin…" She struggled to remember the word that her father had told to her.

 "Kindergarten?" He supplied and she nodded. "That's cool. I'll be in first grade next year," He boasted proudly.

 They worked side by side on the snowman for almost an hour having more fun than Gabriella could ever remember having.

 "Antonio! M'ijo!" He heard the voice of his mother call out and he looked up. Carmen was approaching them, looking displeased. "Antonio! Where is your coat, m'ijo? I told you not to take it off, you will catch cold now!"

 "I'm sorry, Mama. Gabi," He pointed to the girl, whose eyes were wide in fright, who was hoping that she wouldn't get in trouble. "Got cold and her jacket had all those holes in it, so I gave her mine."

 Carmen turned, just noticing the little girl who was wearing the warm wool coat. "You are Gabi?" She asked, and Gabriella nodded. "Where are your parents, child?"

 "My mother died," She said, "My father's in the motel room. I didn't want to stay in there." She pointed to the dirty little building across the street. Carmen's heart filled with sympathy. It was obvious that this little girl was not well off. She couldn't help but want to help.

 "Well, Gabi, would you like to ask your father if you could have dinner with your new friend?" The girl was thin and pale, and looked like she could use a good meal.

 Gabriella was elated. Her new friend was so nice, and she wasn't looking forward to spending Christmas eve with her father and whatever bimbo would be sharing the bed with him.

 "Do you, Gabi?" Antonio's dark eyes were glowing. He wanted her to eat with them, so he would have someone to talk to. None of his cousins were his age, and he knew that he'd be bored.

 "I…I have to ask my father." She said, not wanting to get her – or Antonio's – hopes up.

 "Si, si…go, we will wait." Carmen said, and Gabi took off, still wearing Antonio's coat.
 
 
 

 "Whaa…wha'd do you want?" Lorenzo was by now quite intoxicated and he squinted to try and get the image of Gabriella to stay still.

 "Can I have dinner with Antonio…his mother asked me." She said again, the third time, while he tried to comprehend it.

 "Wha…oh…dinner…" He slurred and grinned lewdly. "You only five and you getting' boys…I gotta watch you, puta…" She didn't bother to correct him on her age. "You think I gonna let you do off with some boy? Nah…you stayin' here…"

 She felt like crying. She didn't want to stay in this dirty room, she didn't want to have to listen to the nauseating sounds that she knew would come when he got drunk…or the other things. Turning, she bolted out the door and across the street. Tears were pouring down her face as she ran to where Antonio stood waiting with his mother.

 "Can you come with me, Gabi?" Antonio asked anxiously, then he saw the tears she had tried to wipe away and his face fell in disappointment.

 "M'ija…your father would not let you?" Carmen asked gently. Gabriella shook her head. "Well, maybe you can play again with Antonio tomorrow. You can share your presents from Santa."

 "I'm not getting any…" Gabriella said sadly, but too low for Carmen to hear. She was already pulling Antonio away, but he shot a confused look back at the girl. Why wouldn't Santa bring his new friend any presents?

THE NEXT MORNING

 Gabriella woke up early, as was her custom, the next morning. She felt a light fluttering of excitement in her stomach as she lifted the covers and peered into the room. Immediately, her hopes were extinguished. There was nothing in the room…Santa Claus had forgotten her.
 
 

 Antonio woke up in a room not far away to his sister's excited shaking. "Come on Antonio! Get up, Santa came!" He could already hear the ripping of paper and excited shouts as his cousins opened their presents.  He hopped out of bed and ran into the living room. Just as he had expected, everything was almost opened. A stack of presents in the corner were his and his brother and sister's, and he immediately ran over to it.

 After tearing apart the wrappings on all but one, something caught his eye outside. It was the girl he had met the day before. She was standing outside of the motel room, looking more sad than Antonio had ever seen anyone look. He remembered what she had said the day before, about not getting anything from Santa.

 Gazing down at the last remaining present, he suddenly got an idea. He found the name tag on it and carefully tore it off. After hounding his mother for a blank one, he carefully scribbled Gabi's name on it, and wrote From: Santa. He wasn't sure why she hadn't gotten anything for Christmas,  but he didn't like seeing people sad…he wanted to do something to help her.
 
 
 
 

 Gabi was sitting on the bed trying not to listen to her father snoring and drawing idly on a blank sheet of paper she had found when she heard something outside the door. Curious, she stood and went over to peek out the window. She couldn't see anyone there, but she did see something. Her heart pounding with excitement, she quickly threw the door open and smiled with delight when she saw the package on the concrete in front of her. It was wrapped in cheery red and green paper and, to her happiness, it said To Gabi, From Santa. She hadn't been forgotten after all!
 
 
 

IN SUNSET BEACH, CHRISTMAS 2000

 "Gabi?" Antonio said, and she looked up with a slightly confused expression. "I asked you to hand me that string of lights. Where'd you go?" He kidded. She blushed lightly. She had let her mind wander off.

 "Here you go." She handed him the colored Christmas lights. Antonio was decorating the mission, and Gabi was supposed to be assisting him. "I was just remembering something that happened a long time ago…"