Work Text:
“This…is so boring,” Mike groaned as the whole Wheeler family passed by more Christmas trees. “We’ve been out here forever!”
“Michael,” Karen warned gently.
“I think that one is pretty!” Holly commented, pointing to a random tree.
“That one is missing too many branches,” Ted said to her. “What about this one? It’s much fuller.”
Nancy drifted away as her family began their annual argument about the hunt for a Christmas tree. As usual, it had to be up to her to make the decision. She sighed and wandered what was left of the slim pickings. Of course they’d pick the highest end one they possibly could. They were the Wheelers, after all. She found the perfect tree and called her dad over to have a look. Finally, there was one they could all agree on. Her eyes settled on a figure standing off to the side with a pair of adults.
“Robin?” Nancy questioned, drifting over to her.
The girl blinked in surprise, as if she couldn’t believe she was being talked to, before breaking out into a friendly and joyful smile. Nancy wished a moment in time could be framed, because she would certainly pick this one.
“Hey, Nancy! How are you??”
“I’m okay. How are you doing?” Nancy couldn’t help but smile back at her. No matter what she was feeling in the moment, Robin could invariably lift her mood.
“Well…” Robin glanced back at her parents before looking at Nancy again. “We’ve been here for a bit, but I don’t think we’re gonna get a tree this year.”
“Oh?”
‘I didn’t realize I lived in a bubble!’
“Yeah, our budget is under $100, but, seems like prices went up.” Robin shifted. “But don’t worry about me. Okay? How are you, then? Did you guys get a tree?”
“Yeah, finally,” Nancy muttered. “Listen, Robin–”
“I gotta go,” Robin blurted, quickly walking off.
Nancy fiddled with her purse. She knew a significant amount of cash was in it. But she was also aware that Robin’s parents probably wouldn’t accept charity, Robin as well. The only thing she could think to do was give them a Christmas they really deserved…without telling them who it was from. While they were in the midst of leaving, she approached one of the tables with a wad of cash in hand. It was a simple matter of stating who the tree was for and providing an address to drop it off at. Nancy had been to Robin’s house precisely once, but it was more than enough for her to remember where Robin lived.
Now all she had to do was wait. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long, for just two days later, Nancy got a phone call right after getting home from Christmas shopping. She managed to pick up the phone before her mother could get to it.
“Wheeler residence,” she greeted politely.
“Nancy!” Robin exclaimed. “You won’t believe what showed up at my house today.”
“Oh?” Nancy set down the shopping bag in her hand, catching her mother’s eye. She was curious about the conversation.
“A Christmas tree! Right on the porch.”
Nancy smiled. Karen raised an eyebrow. It seemed she officially had an audience to the conversation.
“Really. That’s…super random.” She bit her lip and leaned against the wall behind her. “You think it ended up there on accident?” She didn’t usually find herself to be a good liar, but hopefully she was playing ignorant well enough.
“No, there’s a delivery address for this house,” Robin said. “Return sender…anonymous. So someone just donated this tree. Why?”
“Well, why not?”
“Because! It’s just charity. Me and my parents, we don’t really…do handouts.”
“Come on, it’s Christmas, Robin.” Nancy knew she had to be careful not to let Robin know she was the one responsible. Not that she was about to take the credit. “Maybe it’s just…a miracle of some kind. A generous miracle.”
“Nancy, do you know who sent this?” Robin was suspicious now, so clearly she had to dial it back.
“No, no I–” She faltered, feeling an immense guilt overcome her. Maybe she should just come clean and make things way less complicated between them.
“I did,” Nancy admitted finally. “When you weren’t paying attention.”
The silence on the other end was so long, that for a moment Nancy thought Robin had hung up. Rightfully so. What sort of friend was she, anyway? Well, that was something she had known the answer to since she was fifteen. Her, on the stairs, drenched from the pool. Barb, pleading with her to realize who she really was. And Nancy refused. She let her go. Now she was dead. Gone. The words exchanged, her actions, that was something she could never take back, no matter how many good things she tried to do. Perhaps she was only doing these good things to fill the hole Barb had left behind, and the even bigger holes the guilt wore into her soul and making her into human Swiss cheese on the inside. But no one could see that, no one but her. No one could feel it but her. She knew doing good things for selfish reasons was possible, but she didn’t think she’d be one of those people. She was about to hang up the phone when Robin’s voice startled her back to reality.
“You’re serious, Nancy?” Her voice cracked.
Despite everything, she was still here.
“Y…yeah. Everyone deserves to have a nice Christmas.” She let out a breath, the tension releasing from her shoulders, between her shoulder blades, and her back.
“I…I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much.”
I did something right.
“No problem, Robin.”
“Wanna come over and decorate-”
“Yes,” Nancy blurted. “I’ll be over right away. Bye.” She hung up, heart hammering in her chest. She finally caught sight of her mother staring at her.
“What was that about, Nancy?”
“I, uh…” Nancy stammered for a moment before gathering herself. “I got Robin and her family a tree. She wants me to help decorate it.”
“That’s…not exactly what I meant,” Karen said in amusement. “But sure, you go have fun.”
“See you later, Mom.”
Nancy smiled and grabbed her purse and her keys. All she could think about now was how something as simple as a tree had brought her and Robin closer together. Now that was a real Christmas miracle.