The shouts and noise of young children playing can be heard as Pussy Willow and a cameraperson moves down the corridor towards a large room that is decorated with Christmas decorations made from paper and medical equipment. In one corner, an ivy set up is decorated like a Christmas tree, the heartbeat monitor providing the flashing lights. Kids in pajamas and hospital gowns are rushing around the room where nurses are trying to get their attention. Suddenly as Pussy moves into the room, the sound of bells can be heard.
“SANTA!” scream all the kids as the door on the opposite side of the room opens and a figure moves into the room. The red suit with a furry white trim covers the figure as a rather large sack is over one shoulder as Santa moves into the room with a jolly ho ho ho. Surrounded by the children, he is guided to a chair in the middle of the wall and pushed into the seat there.
“Hold on you guys, Santa just got here and needs to relax before listening to your Christmas lists. So we invited our favorite elf to come and tell us a story,” says the head nurse in a santa hat. Collectively, the kids moan in disappointment before a cough from Santa has them quieting as a young woman walks into the room dressed as Mrs Claus, a pair of half glasses resting on the tip of her nose with red curls tucked under a red velvet and white mop cap. The red velvet dress hugs her curves but flares out into a skirt that is trimmed with white.
“Hello there,” says Sam Marlowe in a kindly voice. “I was asked by Santa here to come and read you a story and well, I couldn’t disappoint Santa, now could I?” The children agree that disappointing Santa would be a bad thing as Santa himself moves forward and holds out his hand to Sam to guide her to the seat where she settles and pulls out a book.
“Shhh,” says a nurse as she kneels beside the wheelchair of a young boy who shyly smiles at her before he reaches out and grasps at the hand of the nurse who offers her own smile. Across the room, a boy snorts and calls out that he wants to talk to Santa.
“You know, if the kids want to have the story after they talk to Santa, who am I to argue,” offers Sam who sees Pussy at the back of the room motioning at her. The kids shout their agreement as Santa is once more surrounded. Sam gets out of the seat and moves to allow Santa to sit down. She moves towards Pussy as a line up starts in front of the Santa figure. Reaching her friend, she stops and turns to watch the kids.
“So Pussy, how did you know I was here tonight?” she demands softly, barely heard over the squealing of the kids in the lineup.
“Oh come on Sammi, of course I knew that with it being Christmas and you being you, it was either an orphanage or children’s hospital,” begins Pussy with a giggle. “That and I called and your sister answered and told me.”
Sam’s eyes roll as she answers the giggle with one of her own. “I should have known, investigative journalist that you are. But seriously, what are you doing here in Houston?”
Pussy looks at her friend. “I’m here because I know you weren’t at the show on Sunday and you have a match this week at the last Climax Control that I really need to talk to you about.”
Sam crosses her arms and quirks an eyebrow to take in Pussy who is quietly motioning for the cameraman to start to filming. “Pussy, I was at an airforce base, not the ends of the Earth. I heard about my match coming up this week and I have to wonder why I was chosen to team with Cat Riley. But wondering that won’t stop me from teaming with her or helping her win. I couldn’t let anyone down when they are teamed with me. So I guess that means that Cat and I will be making the best team in that match. But one of the things that I don’t know is who we are facing.”
“That is an interesting thing…you are facing Crystal Zdunich or Hilton,” says Pussy before continuing, “and her friend and enforcer Mercedes Lewis. This is a team that have teamed before and are friends so they seem to have the advantage in this match.”
Sam watches the kids with Santa seeming to have not heard what Pussy has said. Pussy begins to speak but Sam holds up her hand for a moment. “I heard what you said and you know, they may be the best of friends and they may have teamed before but you have to ask yourself just who is this Mercedes Lewis? Have we seen her in SCW before? Have we seen her wrestle or even grace a ring in SCW? Not really and if that is the case, how much do you think we need to worry?”
“But Sam, she is teaming with Crystal Hilton,” adds Pussy.
“Oh and that is supposed to scare me?” teases Sam with a gentle nudge against the arm of the interviewer who laughs. “I suppose you could make a case for the fact that it was Crystal who took my title when I was the Bombshell Champion and I will freely admit that yes she did win the title from me but you also have to remember she needed to cheat to do that. And I am a little bit older and a little bit more ringwise and I am able to see her for what she is and I know my limitations and believe me Pussy, when it comes to wrestling, I have stopped limiting myself. So when I get in that ring, I let myself go and I hit that ring full throttle and nothing stops me when I put my mind to it.”
Pussy nods but speaks up as the cries of the kids seems to mute. Motioning for Sam to follow her, she moves to the windows where the sunset is bright and frames Sam. “Listen Sam, I know that you seem to think that you can talk all tough and that but in reality, you have one hell of a match coming up before Christmas and you have to give credit where credit is due and that is the fact that Crystal has had your number in the past and…”
Sam again holds up a hand to interrupt Pussy. “I appreciate what you are trying to say but you have to realize that I am more confident nowadays. See I used to feel that I wasn’t the capable wrestler that I am now. See, two years ago when I faced Crystal, I was the young rookie and was so unsure of myself but now, after what I have gone through these past two years and the fact that I have won more titles and I have climbed mountains that others can only dream of, I know that I am going to be better than Crystal at Climax Control. And besides, have you seen my partner? She will definitely have her eyes on Crystal considering that she will be facing her at Inception. So I guess that means that I am going to have to keep my eyes on Mercedes Lewis.”
A nurse moves towards Sam and Pussy who are talking. “Excuse me Sam but the kids are almost finished with Santa and then it will be storytime, so giving you the five minute warning,” she says.
“I’ll be right there,” replies Sam who smiles and waves. Pussy moves beside her once more as the pair turns towards Santa. “So, Sam,” begins Pussy. “What about Mercedes Lewis, she is completely unknown in this match and I am afraid that might be the mystery factor that could lead to Crystal and Mercedes to win. Thoughts?”
Sam thinks about it as she chews softly on her lower lip. “I guess you could say that Mercedes may prove to be the unknown factor but then again, you have to realize that in any match there are going to be many factors that could affect the outcome but I have to say again, I am confident that I will be prepared for whatever is going to happen in the ring. And with that last comment, I have to get back to the kids,” says Sam who begins to back towards the chair again as the Santa sitting there stands and dusts off the seat.
“Good luck Sam,” calls out Pussy who then moves to the side of the room and has the cameraman continue to film as Sam sits down on the chair and opens the book at her side.
Sam begins to read the story as children settle around her.
“Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house…”
<img src=https://canadian-spitfire.webs.com/samdivider2.png>
Flashback:
“And I heard him call e’er he drove out of sight, ‘Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.’”
A small redhaired child sat on a small cushion and stared up at a Santa lookalike sitting on the chair in the middle of the room. She is dressed in a long nightgown and had a small tube attached to an iv machine.
Suddenly a man can be seen leaning down over the small redhead. “Hey princess, don’t you think you want to come with me to see Santa,” he offers.
Little Sam Marlowe shakes her head slowly as she gets to her feet. “No Daddy, I don’t think that Santa can give me what I want,” she says slowly before she puts her hand in her father’s and turns to walk out of the room.
“How do you know Sammi,” asks her father as he follows her, holding her back enough to make her stop. “You don’t know if you don’t ask.”
Sam hangs her head and then without speaking, she moves towards Santa. The man reaches down and pulls Sam onto his lap. “Well now little girl, what can Santa do for you?”
Sam looks to her father then back at Santa and leans up to whisper into the ear of Santa. He listens then pulls away in surprise as Sam sighs and speaks out, “I know it will be really hard but Daddy said I should ask.”
Disappointment has Sam’s shoulders drooping as she moves to the tree that is set up across the room. Her father moves to talk to Santa who lets him know what it was that Sam wanted for Christmas. Once he finds out her request, he moves to Sam and taking her hand, he moves to the window with her and sits on the sill to be at her height as he smiles at her.
“Sammi, why didn’t you tell me what you wanted for Christmas?” he asks her.
“Daddy, I know that me asking for that was just going to be disappointing. I wish we could all be home for Christmas instead of here,” says Sam as she waves her hand to take in all the room. “I know we can’t Daddy but like you wanted me to, I asked Santa.”
“Princess, sometimes there are things that have to happen like having to be in the hospital over the holidays but it is important to have family around you at a time like this. I know you don’t like being here but you are here to get better. So we can have more Christmases. But I think we can do something for your Christmas wish…”
:End flashback
“And I heard him call e’er he drove out of sight, ‘Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.’”
Sam’s voice fades as she offers a smile to the kids who are sitting around her. Closing the book, she looks at the kids then motions towards the door where the parents of the children appear. The squeal of the children as they are joined by their families as others come in and begin to load tables with snacks and drinks for everyone.
The nurse comes over and smiles at Sam. “This tradition that you and your father started really brings the Christmas spirit to the kids here,” she says.
“I know that I had to do something,” offers Sam. “I remember wanting to have family with me for a Christmas feast when I was sick made me feel better. And I thought that I would continue it. Sadly this time I had to have it so much earlier in the season because I have to be in Nevada for Christmas.”
“Well Merry Christmas Sam,” the nurse says.
Sam offers a smile to the nurse who is joined by a child who pulls at her scrubs to get her attention. Sam waves her off and moves towards the drink table and picks up a glass and raises it as she is once more joined by Pussy. “So Sam, can we finish what we started earlier?”
Sam smiles and nods. “I tell you what, let me just give one last comment and then I am going to finish this party with the kids here.”
Pussy quickly motions to the cameraman to film Sam who looks directly into the lens.
“Crystal and Mercedes, tis the season for giving and fulfilling wishes and this week at Climax Control, I am going to be doing just that. I am going to be giving you all of my attention in that ring and when I am standing across the ring from you, I will be giving you the fight of your life. And I will be Sammi wrapping it especially for you. Another thing I am going to be doing is fulfilling the wish of beating you and my wish of walking into Inception and the New Year with a win,” says Sam. “You know that you are going to be in a fight when this Bombshell Roulette champion tags with Cat Riley and the two of us beat you on Sunday.”
Sam smiles widely before reaching for some glittery tinsel and putting it around her shoulders, she once more addresses the camera. “I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and Season’s beatings to you and Mercedes Crystal.”
Sam dissolves into a fit of giggles as does Pussy as the cameraman presses stop on the camera as the scene fades out with the children surrounding Sam and Pussy to laugh with them.
