.      The town was bright with orange shop lights. It was silent, only a few walkers other than me. Last night's snow fall hasn't melted since, leaving the streets and houses piled in its perfectly white coat. I walked across the street, dodging a few fast cars in the way. Under the street's bridge, children ice skate around frozen ponds. I never trusted natural ice over water. Who knows wether you fall in or not? I walked forward. The moon wasn't visible tonight. I kept walking. My boots were ready to give in to the cold, but the family shop was finally in view. Some cups of snow found their way into them, freezing up my feet. The shop looked bright against the night winter brought. Women with fur hats and men with expensive pocket watches passed by, ignoring the Santa suited people asking for money donations as they rang their bell.

DIINGG. 

       That bell has always needed to be changed. I stared up at it. It was too big for the door. Too loud. "Calypso? Is that you?" A faint voice came from the back. I turned back immediately. "Yeah! Its me." I looked down, spotting the piles of raw snow i brought in with me. "I'm in the back." They said. Instead of answering, i took off the thick coat. I had way too many layers on. I wouldn't be able to get out of the house without my mother forcing me. I walked past the shelves with wooden antiques. Each perfectly sculpted as horses or bird houses. I let my braid fall down to my shoulders. I could hear someone going over what heard like cluttered boxes. "Dad?" I swept through the back door. "Ah. There she is!" He got up with a grin. I smiled. "I have something for you." He turned around, grabbing a pretty circular box. Flower patterns were all around it. Sealed with a gold lock. I gasped. "Wow! It's so pretty- It looks almost like the ones outside the Broadway shops." I took off my gloves. "Yes, but what is more special, is that I made it just for you." My face was red with the peircing cold outside. But I smiled anyway. He dug through his pocket until he got what he was looking for. "There's a lock to open it. Here, the exact key you need- just don't tell Mystia." I didn't spare a minute to take the key. 

The box opened with a slow turn of the key. A tiny ballerina with rose-gold points stared up at me. "Is this-" "yes. A perfectly made ballerina." He turned the tiny gold lever. The ballerina dances slowly to a soft lalluby, spinning with her pink tutu. When it stopped, he closed the top shut. "Now you go home. Your mother is worried sick. And while your there, make sure to say you didn't come here." 

      I pressed back on the boots, giving a quick look back at my father. He carried this shop all by himself, and still managed to make me a beautiful Christmas present. I put my hat back on, feeling the wet top from the melted snow. Ignoring the freezing cold weather, I pushed forward and into the sidewalk. The tiny box was safe with me. I put my hand over the pocket of which I placed it in- feeling the rims and flowers attached.