ᎾN ᎢᎻᎬ NᏆNᎢᎻ ᎠᎪY ᎾF ᏟᎻᎡᏆᏚᎢᎷᎪᏚ ᏔᎬ'ᎡᎬ ᏩᎾᏆNᏩ ᎢᎾ ᎢᎻᎬ ᏢᎪᏚᎢ, NᎾ ᎾNᎬ ᎠᏆᎬᏚ ᏚᎾ ᏆᎢ ᏚᎻᎾᏌᏞᎠ ᏴᎬ Ꭺ ᏴᏞᎪᏚᎢ
(This one isn't very Christmasy, but it's February so that's not important anymore. Sorry I'm a procrastinator. I temporarily lost inspiration... for a month. But I couldn't leave this unfinished 'cause it makes me feel bad.)
***

Spot stood with his face pressed against the glass window pane; his eyes trying to take in all of the brightly painted toys on display. Antonio stood next to him, his nose smudging the glass.

Their breath fogged up the display window. Antonio huffed as he impatiently cleared it with his sleeve, then he resumed his eager position.

"Sean! Look at that train!" He breathed, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Spot did and felt his eyes widen in awe. It was very possibly the most glorious toy train the seven year old had ever seen in his life--and probably the most expensive too.

"It's for a rich kid, Tony."

"Says who?" Tony asked, puffing out his chest. "If I want it I can have it. It don't matter how much money I gots."

Tony paused, shooting another look at the train, and bit his lip. "How much do you think it is?"

Spot scanned the tin toy and rubbed his chin like he'd seen his father do so many times. "Looks like a Clockwork train to me."

"A what?"

"You know! The kind that moves without you movin' it!"

"Oh," Tony nodded. "A 'canical train."

"It's probably two or three dollars."

"Two or three?" Tony exclaimed.

Spot shrugged. "At least."

"Man," Tony sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets with an annoyed 'humph'. "Either theyse crazy or you is, and I sure hope it ain't you 'cause we're friends."

"It's okay," Spot patted his friend's shoulder. "If I ever gets rich, I'll buy you one."

"Really?" Tony brightened at the thought.

"Really! I'll swear it!"

"You better not be kidding, Sean," Tony warned as he cocked an eyebrow and pursed his lips--an expression that Sean recognized as the look Mrs. Higgins gave Tony when he and Spot got in trouble.

"I ain't! It's Sunday! You can't lie on a Sunday."

Tony seemed comforted by that thought and grabbed Spot's arm, dragging him away from the window.

"Where are we going?"

"My house!" Tony grinned.

"But I gotta go back to the lodge!"

"Forget about that place! Tomorrow's Christmas and Mamma's makin' panettone!"

"What's that?"

"You'll see!" At Spot's nervous look Tony rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, it's real good!"

When they got close to the tenement where the Higgins' lived Tony broke into a sprint. Spot followed, hot on his heels. It was getting dark and both boys were terrified of being left alone when the sun disappeared and the streets went black; especially in this part of the city.

Spot followed Tony up the stairs, avoiding a drunk man who'd fallen asleep on a landing. They made it to the next floor where seven or eight children were playing marbles on the floor.

"Buongiorno Tony!"

"Angelo! Come va?"

"Così così," the boy shrugged. "E tu?"

"Benissimo!"

Spot watched on in confusion as the the two boys chatted excitedly.

"Chi è quello?"

The question came from a smaller boy with a dirt streaked face and a suspicious glare directed at Spot.

"What'd he say?" Spot whispered.

"He wants to know who you are. This is my friend Sean," Tony announced.

The first boy, Angelo, gave him a wave and a smile. "You want to play?" He asked, motioning to the marbles.

Tony shook his head. "Mamma's making dinner!"

The boys all groaned, complaining and playfully jeering their friend.

"Guastafeste!" One exclaimed.

Tony laughed and shook his head. "You're not changing my mind!"

Tony led Spot up a few more staircases until they got to his family's room. Spot had been there before, but he was always nervous. What if Mrs. Higgins didn't want him there anymore? He sure wouldn't blame her.

"Antonio! Where have you been!" They could hear the familiar voice the second the door opened.

"Mi dispiace Mamma. Sean and I got distracted," Tony said as his mother fussed over him.

"Sean?"

Spot's heart dropped a bit; it seemed she hadn't noticed him.

In the next moment she was in front of him, hurrying his coat off and asking him if he was hungry.

"You are both freezing!" She gasped. "Go! Sit by the fire!"

She soon had their boots off as well and had made them change into warm, dry socks. A quilt was wrapped around the two of them and Spot pulled it tighter around himself as he shivered.

Tony was complaining as his mother kissed his cheek and rubbed his hands to warm him up. Spot sighed. His friend didn't realize how lucky he was.

Mrs. Higgins, sensing her son's embarrassment, got up to finish the meal. The two boys, now warming, were content to watch Mrs. Higgins bustle about the tiny room as she fixed up dinner. She seemed to be making some kind of soup and Spot couldn't wait; no one cooked better than Mrs. Higgins.

As she worked she hummed, then sang softly. Spot's mind drifted back to his own mother in their kitchen back home. His memory of her was fading, but he remembered that she sung too. He couldn't help but think that his mother would have loved Mrs. Higgins.

Soon she slid the bowls down in front of the boys and they scrambled for spoons.

"This is not a competition Antonio!" Mrs. Higgins exclaimed.

Tony, who had soup dripping down his chin, reddened and apologized quietly. Mrs. Higgins smiled at him fondly as he wiped his face.

Tony's food was gone in record time and he chattered on about his day to his mother. Spot sat beside him, slowly savoring each spoonful. He didn't know the next time he'd get a hot meal.

The next hour flew by and the children had convinced Mrs. Higgins to tell them stories about her beautiful homeland. In the two years that he'd known her Spot had yet to find one fault in his friend's mother. She did everything wonderfully--storytelling included. She weaved tales of the lively villages and sparkling oceans and left the boys resting their chins in their hands as they hung on to every word.

"I think it's time to go to bed," she laughed. It was nearly nine and it seemed she had noticed Tony's eyes starting to droop shut.

"No it's not! I'm not tired!" Tony tried to hide a yawn.

"Yes you are. Go get ready."

"Mamma-" Tony whined.

His mother ignored his plea. "A nanna!"

"But what about Sean?"

Mrs. Higgins turned to look at him and Spot shook his head. "Don't worry! I was just about to leave."

"Sean, it is too late for you to go out. You can stay here for tonight."

"Really! The boys will be worried about me."

"No they won't," Tony scoffed. "You said one of 'em hit you!"

Mrs. Higgins pursed her lips and looked at Spot. "Is this true? Did one of those boys hurt you?"

"It didn't hurt that much," Spot tried to shrug it off. "I was being annoying anyway; I deserved it."

"If I see him I will show him what happens when he hurts one of my boys!" Mrs. Higgins' cheeks tinged pink at the thought of one of the older boys hurting Sean. She had known that she shouldn't let him stay in that lodge!

"Really, they're alright. They ain't usually like that. They'll miss me!"

"Will they really? Don't lie to me Sean," she warned.

Spot sighed, shoulders dropping as the hard truth sunk in. "They won't notice."

"You're staying tonight," Mrs. Higgins said firmly.

Tony cheered and went to clean up as he'd been told. Spot went to follow him, but was stopped.

"Sean, come here."

Spot paused, then turned around. "Ma'am?"

"Why didn't you want to stay? It's okay. I only want to know."

Spot suddenly found the floor very interesting. His hands played with the loose thread on his sleeve and he pulled at it.

"Stop." Spot felt a warm hand on his wrist. "You'll ruin your shirt. Look at me."

Spot met her eyes nervously. They were a deep brown filled with warmth and kindness. She was one of the prettiest and nicest people he'd ever met in his whole seven years of living. He couldn't believe that anyone could be mean to her. His eyes caught in the fading bruise on her cheekbone and he looked down again.

Mrs. Higgins followed his line of vision and her hand moved to her cheek. She flinched when it touched the skin and her eyes widened.

"Oh, caro," she murmured as she hugged Spot close to her. "He's not here! He's gone upstate. You'll be okay, we won't get in trouble."

Mrs. Higgins smoothed down his hair and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Now go off to bed."

Spot gave her a shy smile and nodded. This was the first time he'd spent the night here; the first time in a year that he'd be tucked in at night.

He curled up under the blankets next to Tony who was nearly asleep. Mrs. Higgins came in a minute later and sat down on the edge of the bed. She stroked their hair as she sang a lullaby.
Spot didn't have a clue what she was saying, but it didn't matter. It sounded beautiful.

"Ninna nanna ninna oh, questo bimbo a chi li do?"

Spot closed his eyes, a smile forming on his face. It was like he was back with his family just in time for Christmas.