“Merry Christmas Eve!” I called out to him. Tobias flew through my window.

(Hey. Thanks for giving out those gifts for me.)

“You’re welcome. Thanks for giving me an idea of what to get Rachel.”

(Sure. Um… I kind of have a Christmas gift for you.) I felt guilty.

“Oh don’t do that I didn’t get anything for you.” Tobias thought-laughed. This was something I rarely heard since he never thinks to let us hear him laugh. His large black eyes, something the hawk body could not claim, were dancing in enjoyment.

(What would you have given me?)

“That’s basically where I got stuck.” I smiled.

(Well if you could turn to a bird…) I nodded and began to change to a hawk. (Something I had recently acquired.)

Tobias led me to a high tree. From here I could see the whole town. The setting sun melted into a salmon colored sky and made all the snow covered world look like a bowl of rainbow sherbet.

(Merry Christmas Eve,) Tobias thought to me. He never said sorry for coming to that meeting but I have a feeling that this Christmas gift his way of expressing it. And you know something? It was the best Christmas gift I have ever gotten.