Chapter One

It was Christmas Eve, and the snow was falling thick and fast outside. A lone figure stood in the street, looking up at the sparkling lights on the houses around them. This was not just any figure, though. This was Andrew, a man who had made his fortune in the stock market, and was now one of the richest people in the world. But he wasn't feeling very rich right now. In fact, he was feeling rather lonely.

He had no one at home right now. He had no family he could call his. No one to love, no one to love him. 

Andrew's family had been very wealthy, but they had also been very cold and distant. His parents had never been very affectionate, and they had always expected him to follow in their footsteps and become a successful businessman. He had done that, but it had come at a cost. He had lost touch with his childhood friends, and he had never really had time for a relationship. Now, on Christmas Eve, he was alone in the cold, surrounded by strangers who were celebrating with their families.

He wanted that too. A family. To call his own. 

As he stood there, shivering in the cold, Andrew made a wish. He wished for a family, one that would love him and accept him for who he was. And then, something strange happened. A shooting star streaked across the sky, and a warm light began to glow around him. Suddenly, he found himself in a different place, a place where Christmas was in full swing. There were carolers singing in the streets, and people were laughing and smiling as they carried packages home.

What was this place? Who were these people? Where was his mansion?

Andrew looked around, confused and a little afraid. Then, a kindly-looking woman approached him. "Welcome to Christmas Town," she said with a smile. "We know you wished for a family, and we've brought you here to show you what that might look like. Come, let me introduce you to some of the people here." She led him through the streets, introducing him to families and couples, all of whom were enjoying the holiday together. Andrew started to feel a little less lonely.

This was something he yearned for so much. Something he dreamt for every night... He knew this all sounded strange to believe in magic, in a wish but he didn't know maybe he was dreaming or something and at least in a dream he could get what he wanted.

What was this feeling? This happiness that boiled inside him. This joy this little gave him by just calling him her father. 

Andrew looked at the little girl in his arms and felt a rush of emotion. He had never known anything like this before. She looked up at him and said, "I'm so happy you're here. We've been waiting for you!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards a house with a lighted porch and a warm glow coming from the windows. As he approached the door, it opened, and a woman stood there, smiling. "Hello, Andrew," she said. "Welcome home."

She had a warm smile on her face. Her arms open for him. "Come!" She took his hand and hugged him with the warmest hug Andrew has ever gotten. "My love, I missed you!"

Andrew was stunned. This woman was calling him her love. He didn't know who she was, but he felt a strange connection to her. It was as if he had known her his whole life. She led him into the house, and he saw a beautiful Christmas tree decorated with ornaments and lights. There were stockings hanging by the fireplace and the smell of gingerbread cookies wafted through the air. "This is your home," the woman said. "We've been waiting for you to come home."

"My home?" Andrew asked with a surprised expression.

"Yes, your home," the woman said. "You see, you've been lost for a long time. But now you're home, and we're so happy to have you here." As Andrew looked around the room, he saw a little boy and girl playing by the tree. They looked up at him and smiled. "Mommy, who's this?" the little boy asked. The woman smiled at the children and said, "This is your daddy."

"My daddy?" The little boy's eyes perked up with excitement. 

The little child ran over to Andrew and gave him a big hug. The little girl followed suit, wrapping her arms around his leg. Andrew felt tears welling up in his eyes. This was more than he could have ever dreamed of. A family, a home, and love. It was more than he had ever known. "But how?" he asked, looking at the woman. "I don't understand." The woman smiled and said, "It's simple, really. Your wish came true."

"Really?" His dream just came true just like that?

"Yes, really," the woman said. "Your wish to have a family and a home was so pure and so strong, it made its way to us. We knew we had to help make it come true." As Andrew looked at the children and the woman, he felt a warmth inside that he had never felt before. He knew this was his family, and he would do anything to make them happy. "What do I do now?" he asked. The woman smiled and said, "Just be the best dad you can be."

"That easy?"

"That easy," the woman said with a laugh. "Just love these children, and they will love you back. That's all it takes." Andrew looked at the little boy and girl, and he felt his heart swell with love. He knew he would do everything in his power to make them happy. "Thank you," he said to the woman. "Thank you for making my wish come true." She smiled and said, "You're very welcome. But the real thanks goes to you. You're the one who made it all possible."

"How did I do it?"

Andrew was confused. 

"You did it with your heart," the woman said. "Your desire for a family was so strong, it reached out and found us. It's amazing what the power of love can do." As Andrew thought about what she said, he realized she was right. His love for his family had been the driving force behind his wish. And now, it has made it all come true. He looked at the little boy and girl and knew he would do anything for them. "I'll do my best," he said to the woman. "I promise."

After those words that old woman he had seen before appeared in front of him. The family he had just gotten disappeared. The beautiful tree, the house... Everything was gone. Andrew looked around seeing nothing but snow and people who were going around with their families. It was as if he stuck in a nightmare. 

The old woman cleared her throat to talk. "Don't distress Andrew."

"How can I not?! Where are they?! Where's my family?! "

"Your family isn't gone," she said gently. "They're still there, in your heart. You created them with your love, and they will always be with you." Andrew looked down at his hands, trying to make sense of what the woman was saying. "I don't understand," he said, shaking his head. "I thought they were real. I felt it. I felt the love."

"They are real dear Andrew Bennett. Your family is real because your love for them is real. " 

" SO WHERE ARE THEY NOW? " Andrew felt like he was going crazy. How could he feel like everything he wanted was here and then it all just disappeared? 

"You have to go find them. And really make them yours. You see dear Andrew what we can do here in Christmas Town is make you see your dreams, we show you what you have. What you're about to have. But you need to go fight for it." 

" Anything! I can give anything to make this wish come true. Just tell me!"

The old woman looked at him with compassion in her eyes. "You don't need to give anything. You just need to keep living. And keep loving. It's not something that can be done overnight. This is a journey you have to take." Andrew was silent, trying to understand what the woman was saying. "But I don't know where to start!" he finally said. The woman smiled at him. "Start where it all began. Start by loving yourself."

"No." Andrew shook his head. "You don't get to do this to me! You can't give me something and then take it away!"

"I want the family that I saw. The family that you gave me. A wife and children! I want that."

"I understand," the woman said, "but that's not how this works. You can't just demand love and family. You have to create it. You have to be open to it. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and take a chance." Andrew looked down at his hands again, his mind whirling. "But what if I fail?" he whispered. "What if I try and it doesn't work?"

Andrew stood up straight . His best business face upfront. "I don't have to work for it. I'm a billionaire. I can just buy it... " He smiled. " I'll buy myself a family for Christmas." 

" You can't do that Andrew. You know it in your heart that you can't do that." 

" Wanna old woman? I'm Andrew Bennett I've never lost anything in life so I'm not going to start now. I'll find a family for myself and I will love them with my heart and soul. You'll see." 

The old woman chuckled. "Really?" She sighed, " I want to see this happen. So I'll take you up on that wager young Andrew. Let's see who's wiser shall we."

"Let's see" Andrew said in a smug tone. "I should have thought of this a long time ago! I can buy a family! It's so easy!"

"Okay. Let's say you do this how will you keep them? You're saying you're gonna love them but what about them? Will they love you back?"

"You sound confident."

"I am. " Andrew smugly smiled. 

"Well." The old woman straightened herself. "How interesting. I didn't think this would come to this. But this does sound fun. So let's do it."

"Do what?" Andrew had his eyebrow raised in confusion.

"The wager dear boy!" The old woman screamed jolly. "I give you thirty days. To find this family... Buy them as you say and make sure that they love you by Christmas day."

"Thirty days? But Christmas is tomorrow. How is that even possible?"

"Oh dear boy this is Christmas Town! We have magic. And I'll give you a do over shal I say. Thirty days before Christmas. And by Christmas have a family that loves you. That you didn't work for, that you didn't build, that you just bought as if they were cattle from a farm."

"And when I win what will I get?" Andrew asked making the old grey woman smirk. 

" What more would you want dear Andrew? If you win you would have gotten your family. Your biggest wish."

Andrew nodded. He really did not need anything but love of family. He had everything else.

"And what of you dear old woman? What would you get if I were to lose this wager?"

"Well the satisfaction of you losing of course!" The old women giggled merry with glee. 

Andrew was now not so smug anymore. The old woman's face had turned serious. 

" Oh. And you will forfeit something dear boy. You will forfeit what you want the most. The thing you're always looking for." The old woman said this with a mischievous smile.

"I will not lose!" Andrew said determined.

"We'll see dear boy."

And with that Andrew felt a sudden change in the place he was in. Again he saw everything disappear and when he looked again he wasn't back to where he was standing before he was transported to the world unknown. But he was in bedroom staring at the mirror. At himself in the mirror.

With a bit of fear and amazement he slapped himself. Trying to see if he had been asleep all this while. But he hadn't been.

It was all real.

Now he just needed a family for Christmas.

And that was where the hard work came in. The clock was ticking and he had thirty days to do the impossible. No one had ever just bought a family. How was he supposed to find a family that would love him? He'd have to be careful who he approached. Maybe he could pay someone to pretend to be a family? But that would feel like cheating. What would the old woman think of that?

What he knew though is that now he had a chance. And he'd take it. "I want a family". He pointed at himself on the mirror. " You're going to get a family."

Andrew nodded at his reflection in the mirror. He was determined to win this bet. But how? He looked around his apartment. Maybe he could start with small acts of kindness. Helping people in need. Maybe if he helped people they'd be more inclined to help him back. He started small by cleaning his apartment. He needed to clear his thoughts and this was the first step.