The Christmas Tree Patch

The Christmas Tree Patch

Written by Lisa A Fallon            

December 2024

Their eyes wandered around everywhere in the local Christmas Tree Farm searching for that one perfect tree.

This year’s Christmas was going to be the best one ever. The Joy they were feeling was infectious to everyone around them. Everyone except for the little boy who was standing behind the barn watching them as they searched.

No one else noticed him hiding there behind a tall evergreen tree. The only tree on the farm chosen to be the towns Christmas tree this year. It was going to be cut and delivered to the town green next week.

He was watching the girl and her parents laughing and throwing snowballs at each other from behind the tree. A tear was starting to strickle down his face as he watched their joy. He wished so hard that he could be part of a family like that.  He stood there just staring as he had done so many days before, watching families come and go with their perfect trees. Laughing and smiling and so happy that they had found the perfect one for their home.

The little boy lived and worked on that farm, but his Foster Father would not let him interact with the customers, so he just watched from behind that tree all day dreaming of his perfect family. Each family that came by, he watched intently deciding if he would be a good fit into their lives or not. Like a Santa Christmas wish list, he crossed them off one by one, hoping to find the perfect family.

And there they were just a few feet away oblivious of his presence.

She saw him standing behind the tree just a few feet away from them watching her and her family. She caught just a glimpse of him watching them as he moved behind the big evergreen tree marked with a big red ribbon with a sign out front stating it was selected for the towns Christmas tree this year.

She wondered who he was and why he was hiding behind the tree just watching everyone. He didn’t see her glance his way, or that she had wandered away from her family, just as he heard his foster father calling him into the barn to bring him more tree twine.

She spotted some kittens hiding under a row of trees a few feet away.

She heard the mewing and went to investigate, when she saw five little kittens only a few days old hiding under a small tree.

As she approached them and picked one up to hold, the little boy came over to where she was kneeling on the ground. Momma cat was trailing just behind him, coming to check on her little family. She looked up in surprise and asked him why he was hiding behind that tree watching them. He just shook his head and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets not wanting to answer her.

She asked if he lived there, and when the kittens were born. She was delighted to see them all go to their mother, and wondered why they were outside under the tree in the cold, instead of in the warm barn.

He bent down and picked up one, without answering her. He noticed her dark brown curly hair tied up with a red bow, the same color as her coat, and asked why she was over here and not with her family.  She asked what his name was and if he was going to keep all the kittens. He told her his name was Timmy, and that they were barn cats, so they would stick around there he guessed.

She was glad to hear that the barn was their home and that they would be safe with him. He asked what her name was and if they had found their tree yet. She told him her name was Annabelle and that she thinks they found the perfect one, when she heard the mewing coming from this direction.

He still hadn’t answered why he was hiding and watching them, and if he lived there. He stuck his hands in his coat pockets again and looked away.

He had messy brown hair, with overalls on and snow boots covered with mud and snow. “I live here with my foster parents” he told her. “I came to live with them last year, and I was hiding because my foster father doesn’t want me interacting with the customers”. He told her.

Just then, she heard her mother calling her wondering where she had run off too. “That’s my Mom”, she said, “I’d better go catch up with them! I’m gonna ask Santa for a kitten this year!” She said, as she wandered back to her family. “It was  nice to meet you Timmy”! “Are you coming to the towns tree lighting ceremony when they deliver your tree?” She asked him looking back. “I’m not sure.” he answered as she disappeared among the trees.

He made his way back to the barn to grab the extra twine to bring to his foster father, just as he asked him for it again. He asked him if they were going to the lighting of the tree when they put it up? He told him yes, they were going to be presented with a certificate for donating the tree to the town this year, and he was looking forward to it. This was the first year their tree had been selected and he was excited to deliver it to the town green next week.

He saw the girl as her tree they selected was tied to the top of her car.  Her mother was handing out hot cocoa to them from a thermos she had brought. He watched with envy as she drank her hot cocoa with her family. He noticed her mom had a ginormous belly and realized she was pregnant. He watched as they all climbed into the car laughing and smiling as they drove away with their tree.

He prayed that he could be part of a family like hers. He turned and walked away back to where the kittens were hiding.

“Mom, Dad I saw five little kittens behind the barn there hiding under some trees.” “They were so cute! Can we get a kitten for Christmas this year?” “ I promise I will take care of it all by myself!” “ There was a little boy there who said they were barn cats and would be living there.” “Can we get one, please?” She asked her Mother. “It’s a big responsibility and with your baby sister or brother coming after the new year, it would be too much right now,” she answered her daughter.

“Well, can we go back there to visit them?” she asked. “We can ask the owner of the tree farm at the lighting ceremony next week. Their tree was selected this year she told her”. “The little boy looked so sad”, Anabelle said. “He was watching us pick out our tree”, she said. “He didn’t talk that much, but he said he just moved their last year and that they were his foster parents.”

“I wonder what happened to his own parents?” her mother said. “That’s so sad this time of year to not be with your own family. I’m sure the Peterson’s are taking good care of him.” Her mother replied.  “I’m sure too.” her dad replied.

The following week couldn’t have come fast enough, Annabelle thought. The tree lighting ceremony at the town green was the next night and she was super excited. She was hoping to run into the little boy from the farm and ask about the kittens.

Timmy was done with his chores and he was actually excited about the tree lighting ceremony the next day. He was wondering if Annabelle and her family were going to be there. He decided to name one of the kittens after her and he wanted to tell her that. His foster parents didn’t spend a lot of time with him, as there was so much to do at the farm. He didn’t fit in with them, and he spent as much time as he could with all the farm animals. He still watched families come and go picking out their Christmas trees.

“Are we going to put up one of our trees in the house? “Timmy asked his foster dad. “Soon, Timmy, soon”. He answered. He was excited to tell him, that he had already picked out his favorite tree on the lot. He had placed a big red bow on the top, so he would remember where it was located. His foster Dad just shook his head and said nothing in return.

He checked on Momma cat and her kittens to make sure they were still doing ok. He had moved them all into the barn, in a horse stall that wasn’t being used. He had carefully placed a couple hay bales and some blankets to keep them all warm. He even put up a little tree he found among the bigger trees struggling to grow. He made sure Momma cat had enough to eat every day that he visited them.  Whenever he went into town, he purchased several cans of cat food with his allowance money he got from working on the farm.

“ You know, we are going to have to find homes for those kittens soon Timmy” his foster father told him. Timmy was holding out hope that Annabelle would convince her parents in adopting the kitten he named after her.

The next day was the tree lighting ceremony and Timmy was so excited he got up extra early that morning. He slipped out to the barn and checked on the kittens. Neither Momma nor her kittens were anywhere in sight. The tree was gone and the stall was cleaned out.

“You shouldn’t have cut down that little tree Timmy”. “It was part of the crop for future sales”. His foster dad said. “Where are the kittens and Momma Cat?” He asked him. “I took them into town to the animal shelter last night”, he said. “I need this stall for a new horse coming in this weekend.” He told Timmy. “But, I named one of the kittens for a little girl who is going to ask her parents to adopt one for Christmas”. He told him. “Well if you see them again, you can let her know where to find them” He said to Timmy, not caring that a lonely tear was falling down his cheek. “But, I was taking good care of them” He said. “Doesn’t matter” his foster Dad said. “This is a working farm, we have no place for cats here, and I need this stall”. “Go finish your chores.” He said to him.

As Timmy ran out of the barn in tears, he wished more than anything he could just move away. He ran into the trees and just sat and cried for what seemed like all afternoon.  Upon his return to the farmhouse, he noticed a strange car In the driveway. His foster Dad furious that he could not find him all day, escorted him inside and told him to wash up, that he had company.

After a few minutes Timmy returned to the living room and sat down across from the stranger who was watching him. “Hello, Timmy” she said. “My name is Tina, I am from the State Foster Agency and I have some news for you”. She told him. “I have a family looking for a little boy about your age to join their family. They would like to meet you, and make you part of their family”. “How do you feel about that?” She asked him.

Timmy looked at her and his foster parents with disbelief in his eyes. “But, I already found my family”, he said. “What do you mean you already found your family, Timmy?” She asked him. “They were here a couple days ago picking out their Christmas Tree”, he said to her. “I want to be part of that family”, he said. “That’s not how this works, Timmy”. Frustrated with her answer, Timmy got up and ran up to his room, full of disappointment and anger, he threw himself onto his bed and just cried even harder.

“No worries”, his foster dad told her, “he will be fine, go ahead and make the arrangements”. “We will have him ready for the meeting.” He told her.

“Great”, she said. “They are expecting to meet him tomorrow on Christmas Eve.” “I will be here in the afternoon with the family to meet him.” She told them.

Timmy did not want to go to the Christmas tree lighting that night, he was so sad and overwhelmed about what was going to happen the next day, he could barely breathe.  When he got out of the truck, he just ran to the town green and sat by himself on the park bench across the street, where no one would notice him. But Annabelle did notice him.

She saw the same boy who was hiding behind the tree at the Farm run across the street. His arms were folded and she saw that he was upset. She wondered why he was sitting there all by himself, and decided to go see what was the matter.  Timmy was shocked when he looked up to see Anabelle staring at him. The same girl he talked to at the farm.

“Hey there, it’s Timmy right” she asked. “How are the kittens doing? I told my parents I wanted one for Christmas, and I especially asked Santa in my letter to him as well”. She told him. “My foster dad took them away to a shelter”, he told her. “Is that why you are sitting here and not at the lighting ceremony”. She asked him. “Yes” , he said. “I was taking real good care of them too!” he told her.

“That’s just awful!” she said. “I bet they will find good homes though” she tried to reassure him. Just then, she saw her mom and dad waving her over to them, the ceremony was about to start. She felt bad to leave him, but she didn’t want to miss out. She was looking forward to it all week. “Cheer up!” she said “It’s Christmas” and she ran back across the street.

Timmy just sat there trying to compose himself for a couple more minutes, then walked over to the town green and stood in the back by himself watching Anabelle and her family enjoying the tree, and wishing so hard, that he could be part of a family like that.

That night Timmy was so anxious he kept tossing and turning all night long. He was dreading the next day, knowing that he was going to meet with a new family in the morning.  He knew he did not want to stay at this farm any longer, but he was nervous and anxious about leaving it too. He would miss all the animals, and he wondered if he would ever see his cat and kittens again.

After a couple hours of dreaming, he finally fell back to sleep.

“Timmy, wake up!” His foster dad was shaking him out of a dead sleep. “You have barn chores to do first, before your meeting with the social worker, so time to get up now!” He said.

Grudgingly Timmy rolled out of bed and got dressed. He stormed out of the house not even bothering to grab breakfast. He found his solace in the barn with the animals, and as he was sweeping out one of the stalls, tears started rolling down his face, as he thought about what was to come in just a couple of hours.

His Foster father had no heart, he thought to himself. He probably could not wait to pass him off to another family. Timmy could not imagine going to live in yet another new home, only to be a temporary place for him again. He prolonged doing his chores as long as he could, before heading back into the farmhouse.

“You are all covered in dirt Timmy”. “ I suggest you go take a bath and put on some decent clothes before the social worker and family arrives here very soon”. He told Timmy.

Timmy just nodded and replied “Yes, sir” “I’m heading up now”. He slowly made his way upstairs and just sat on his bed trying to collect himself.  Just then he heard a peck knocking on his bedroom window. He turned to look outside and saw a cardinal as red as his cheeks sitting on the window ledge just looking at him. Another cardinal was just landing next to the first one, when Timmy walked over to the window and opened it.

Neither one of the cardinals moved, but just sat there looking at Timmy as though they knew what he was thinking.  It was as if they were trying to reassure him that everything was going to work out just fine for him today. The two cardinals looked at each other and gave a small chirp to Timmy as they flew away just as quickly as they had appeared.

Timmy remembered the day his parents left him, and thought about the two cardinals who came to his window the day after the accident that took their lives. He had no relatives, and the next day he was placed in foster care.

He had a suspicion that these cardinals came to his window this day for a reason. Just like they did a year ago. It was a sign he thought. And maybe, just maybe it was an even better sign. Maybe his wish would come true that day.

As he thought about what it all meant, he felt a tremendous burden leave his heart. The chip on his shoulder subsided and he finally felt some relief enter into his whole body. He quickly bathed and wore his best outfit. The one he wore on the day of his parents burial. It still sat in his closet in the back. As he put it on, it was a tad bit too small for him now, but he didn’t care. As he tried to straighten out all the wrinkles, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and thought about that awful day.

As he was remembering that day, he heard a car drive up outside, and rushed to look out his window. He couldn’t quite make out who was coming in because of a big old oak tree blocking his view of the front of the drive where they were parked.

As he heard the knock on the front door coming down the stairs, he hid behind the hidden door under the stairs and just waited until he heard his foster dad call out his name to come downstairs.

As he slowly opened the door and walked into the living room, he saw the back side of a girl wearing a red coat with a red ribbon tied in her hair. As she turned around to greet him, she was holding the kitten he had named Annabelle. A look of recognition and happiness immediately came to her face as she smiled and introduced herself to him. “Hello” she said to him, “My name is Annabelle, and this is my new kitty”.

The End.

Author, Lisa A. Fallon

Christmas 2024