“So, are you back for a rematch?” Case Johnson, a boy living at the home, asked as he approached.

“Of course,” Kiki teased. Throughout her many visits, she had taught Case how to play Chess. When she first met him a few years back, he had been very shy and angry at the world. But now, an infectious smile spread across his beautiful mahogany face that touched his eyes.

“Well, I hope you brought some new moves with you.” He smiled as he set up the board. “The old ones are getting lame.”

Kiki laughed. “Now, wait a minute here! Who taught you how to play in the first place?”

He looked up from the board and raised an eyebrow. “You did. But the teacher is about to be schooled.”

Kiki lifted an eyebrow. “We’ll just have to see about that now, won’t we?”

Case motioned over the Chess board and sat down in the chair pushed up to the small round table, the farthest away from the fire. “After you.”

“Why, thank you, kind sir.” Kiki knew that when he got older, the girls had better watch out; he was going to be a lady killer.

Kiki sat down across from him at the table, positioned to the left of the fireplace, with her back to the fire. “Are you warm enough? Would you like to trade places?” she asked, wanting to make sure that he wasn’t too cold.

Case smiled and waved his hand dismissively as he finished setting up the pieces. “No, you sit there. You need to warm up.”

“Hey! I’m the one that’s supposed to be taking care of you! Not the other way around.” Kiki rubbed her hands together, warming them.

Case sat up a little straighter in his chair. “I’m almost a man now and I can take care of myself and you, too.”

Kiki scoffed. “Thirteen is not a man.”

“Thirteen and a half,” he corrected, looking over the board, already considering moves.

Kiki laughed. “Hey, don’t wish your life away. Enjoy being a child for as long as you can. Hopefully, you’ll be an adult a whole lot longer than you’ll be a child.”

Upon more than one occasion, Kiki had thought about adopting him herself. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why he hadn’t been adopted yet. He was a great kid and had a wonderful personality. She guessed that the right family just hadn’t found him yet.

“When I grow up, I’m going to stay in Christmas Cove and work here at the Children’s Home,” Case said out of the blue, looking down at the Chess pieces. He had set up the white pieces on her side. “You go first.”

“Thank you, sir. How gallant of you.” Kiki picked up a chess piece and made a move. “That’s good and all, but what happens if you’re adopted and you move away?”

Case shook his head as he made a countermove, not looking up. “Not going to happen.” Then he looked into her eyes and smiled. “Besides, I’m happy here. The kids and people working here are my family now.”

“Case, don’t close yourself off to love and having a family. Just because you haven’t been adopted yet doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.” Kiki studied the board and made another move. “You have such a wonderful personality… anyone would be lucky to call you their son.”

“Check,” Case announced, taking his hand off the chess piece. “Thanks, but let’s just enjoy Christmas. Okay?”

Kiki nodded, studying the board, feeling her eyebrows pulling together in concern. “Now wait a minute here! You can’t already have me in check.”

Case smiled proudly. “I’ve been pulling up moves and patterns on the Internet.”

“Cheater,” Kiki teased, and then made a move to get herself out of check. “Looks like I’m going to have to stop talking so much and concentrate.” She looked up and smiled. “You’ve stepped up your game, young man.”

He laughed. “Well, prepare to be beat, because I’m coming for you.”

“Oh, I believe that!”

Kiki laughed as she turned her attention to the game, listening to the sounds of celebration and laughter in the room and coming from the kitchen and dining room. A little blonde girl walked up to her, wearing a frilly dress with a big wide bow tied in the back, and wearing black patent leather shoes and tights. Her hair was pulled up into curls.

“And how are you this evening?” Kiki asked her.

“I’m good.” The little girl couldn’t have been more than six years old. She took a step closer to study the table. “What cha doing?”

“We’re playing chess,” Case replied.

“Can I play?” She looked up, her eyes hopeful.

Case laughed. “You can watch. It’s a game that takes time to learn how to play.” He made another move and looked up at Kiki. “Ha! Check!”

“Again?” When Kiki saw the disappointment in the little girl’s eyes, she asked, “Would you like to pull up a chair? We could teach you.”

“May I sit on your lap?” the little girl asked.

Kiki smiled and pushed her chair back from the table. “I’ll tell you what. Come sit on my lap and Case and I’ll teach you how to play. How’s that?”

A broad grin spread across her face as she nodded her head vigorously. “Move that one.” The little girl pointed to a white Chess piece.

Kiki looked down at her, surprised. Then she checked the board. She was right. “You know how to play?”

The little girl shrugged. “I play with my dad.” She reached over and moved the piece for Kiki.

Kiki’s eyes opened wide. “You don’t live here… at the Children’s Home?”

“Nope.” The little girl leaned forward, studying the board.

Lines formed along Case’s forehead as he concentrated. After a moment, he moved a piece.

The little girl reached over and moved another piece, then looked up at Case. “Check.”

Case’s eyes almost bulged out of his head. “No way!”

“I’m afraid so.” The little girl sighed.

Kiki bit her lower lip to keep from laughing. Case had turned into a regular Chess master over the past few months and here this little girl was beating them both.

Case studied the board and then moved another piece.

“I see you’ve met my granddaughter, Abby,” Evelyn said as she set a cup of hot chocolate at the edge of the table near Kiki. Then she leaned in and stage whispered, “Don’t play her for money. You’ll lose your shirt.”

Kiki laughed. “Oh, I believe that!”

“Check,” Abby announced again, her voice matter of fact, concentrating hard on the game.

“Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!” a voice resonated throughout the house.

Kiki looked over and Santa Claus himself filled the doorway, dressed in a red suit, sporting a natural white beard, and carrying a sack filled with toys. Smiling executives dressed in business suits—both men and women—from The North Pole Lodge, were with him, carrying packages wrapped in brightly colored paper.

The children all ran to Santa and shouted a chorus of “Santa!” “Look! It’s Santa!” “Santa Claus!”

Abby jumped down off Kiki’s lap and ran over to join the other children, the game forgotten. But Case sat in his chair, frowning as he studied the chess board.

“Don’t you want to see what Santa brought?” Kiki asked.

He shook his head and then reset the pieces, having given up on the game. “No. That’s kid’s stuff.”

Kiki reached over and squeezed his hand, claiming his attention. “Hey. You never get too old for Santa.” Kiki looked across the room. The children were gathered around Santa, even the older ones, and she didn’t want Case to miss out. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we go over and see what Santa brought together?”

“Okay.” Case’s shoulders sagged as he got to his feet.

Kiki slid her arm around his shoulders. “Hey, cheer up! It’s Christmas, after all.”

Case looked up and shook his head. “I just can’t believe Abby is that good. I mean, she’s just a little girl.”

“Well, the game doesn’t ask for a birth certificate.” Kiki chuckled, ruffing his short black hair. “Come on. Let’s go.”

Case relented and sat down with the other children at Santa’s feet, and Kiki stood back and watched.

“It just warms your heart.” Evelyn stepped up beside her, as they watched Santa with the children. “That’s what Christmas is all about, isn’t it? The spirit of giving.”

Kiki nodded as she watched Santa pass out the gifts to the children, one by one. “It sure is.” Children squealed with delight as they opened their gifts. At that moment, Kiki didn’t want to be anywhere else.