This story is based loosely on events in the lives of the members of the group *Nsync.  What is depicted in the story came from the imagination of the author.  The author has never met any of the members of *Nsync or to his knowledge have not met any angels or had any personal dealings with God. 

       This story is offered for your enjoyment this holiday season.  With the chaos of today's world I'm offering this little story as a beacon of hope.  May this holiday season be a happy one and the coming new year a safe one.

"Hi, Mom," Stacy said as she walked into the kitchen.  "Where is everyone?"

"Your brother went to pick up Meredith at the airport.  And your Dad took Mikey Christmas shopping."

"Oh. . .  How is Mikey doing?"

"He's getting there," Diane said.  "I thought after the incident at Thanksgiving we would have some problems"

"But nothing happened?"

"A nightmare that night.  Your brother took care of him that night.  So far there hasn't been any repeats."

"He's amazing."

"Yes, Mikey certainly is," Diane agreed.

"Mom, I meant Jamie.  My little brother is going to make a great dad."

It was past seven on Christmas morning and the house was eerily quiet.  Diane stopped at the open door to Mikey's room and found the boy sitting on his bed reading.  "Good morning," Diane called out.

Mikey looked up and smiled.  "Good morning, and Merry Christmas."

"I thought you'd have everyone up by now opening presents."

Mikey looked confused.

"Go on baby, wake him up," Diane said indicating Lance's room.

Sneaking into Lance's bedroom Mikey found Lance sleeping on his stomach with his left arm and his head hanging off the edge of the bed.  Mikey started to giggle as he lightly ran his finger over Lance's ear.  Lance swatted at whatever was touching his ear.  Still giggling Mikey tickled the end of Lance's nose.  Lance once again swatted away what ever had landed on his nose.  Reaching to tickle Lance's ear again he was grabbed and tossed onto the bed and Lance started tickling him.

"Now who's the one getting tickled?" Lance asked as he worked Mikey's tickle spot.

Mikey writhed under Lance's attack.  "Stop, please stop.  I'm going to pee my pants."

Lance stopped and lay beside Mikey.  Rolling over on top of Lance Mikey smiled and said, "Do you know what day this is?"

"Ah, is it Tuesday?"

"Yes, what else?"  Mikey prodded.

"Ahem, it's garbage day."

"No!"

"Meatloaf day?"

"No silly, it's Christmas!"

"It is?  Are you sure?" Lance teased.

Mikey looked off to the side of the bed and nodded.  "Ethan said it is.  And angels don't lie." 

Lance looked to where Mikey had just looked then back to Mikey.  "Is Ethan here?"

Mikey climbed off of Lance with a mischievous grin.  Walking to the door Mikey paused, "He was."

Slipping on his robe Lance followed close behind Mikey.  Lance found Mikey at the bottom of the stairs gaping into the living room at the Christmas tree.  The lights were all lit and there were presents piled all around.  Placing his hands on Mikey's shoulders he guided him into the living room where Diane and Jim were already waiting for them. 

"Merry Christmas, Mom," Lance said giving him mother a kiss. 

"Merry Christmas, Jamie," Diane said giving her son a hug.

"Merry Christmas, Dad,"

"Merry Christmas, son."

Diane held out her arms to Mikey.  "Merry Christmas, baby."

"Merry Christmas, Diane," Mikey said giving her a big hug.  Turning to Jim he gave him a big hug also.  "Merry Christmas, Jim."

"Merry Christmas son."  Jim said giving Mikey a big bear hug.

"Mikey, you want to pass out the presents?"  Diane asked.

Mikey eagerly agreed.  Picking up the first package he read the card and set it down in front of Diane.  One by one Mikey read the card and placed it in front of the proper person, leaving Stacey's and Ford's gifts under the tree for them to open when the arrived later in the day.  Everybody's pile of gifts was growing as the gifts under the tree diminished.  Mikey's heart sank a little when he found only one gift with his name on it.  Picking up the last three boxes he forced a smile back on his face and gave Diane her gift.

Diane looked at the card and saw it was from Mikey.  "Why, thank you, baby."

Mikey watched as Diane opened his gift.  Diane smiled as she held up a new wallet.  "Thank you, Mikey."

Grinning Mikey handed Jim his present.  When Jim opened the gift he found a new necktie.  Holding up the tie showing everyone Jim said, "Thank you son."

Turning to Lance Mikey held out the largest box to him.  "Merry Christmas, Jamie."

"Thank you, Mikey."  Ripping the paper off the gift Lance found a model kit for the space shuttle.  "I love it," Lance said as he gave Mikey a hug.  "Will you help me put this together?"

Mikey nodded, happy everyone liked their gifts from him.  Mikey handed Lance another gift to open.  One by one all the gifts were open. 

Lance picked up Mikey's gift and handed it to him.  "Now it's your turn."

Mikey slowly unwrapped the box.  Inside he found another box.  And inside that box was another box.  Smiling nervously Mikey opened the last box.  Inside he found an envelope.  Picking the envelope up Mikey looked questionably at Lance.

"Go ahead and open it," Lance excitingly said.

Mikey opened the envelope and found a heart shaped Valentine.  Opening it Mikey read; Will you be mine.

"Thank you," Mikey softly said.

Lance took Mikey's hand.  "It's not what you expected.  Is it?"

"No.  It's real nice.  I like it."

"Mikey, what did the card say?"  Diane asked.

"It, it says, Will you be mine?"

"Mikey," Lance said putting a finger under the boys chin lifting his chin so he was looking at him.  "The card asks you a question. . . .  Will you be mine?  Will you be my son?"

Mikey's eyes teared up as he threw his arms around Lance's neck.  "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"I think that was a definite yes," Jim laughed.

"I love you, Mikey," Lance said. 

"I love you too, Dad." Mikey said as he wiped the tears from his face.

"Hey, sport," Lance said, "I think I dropped a gift behind the couch will you go get it?"

"Sure, Dad."  Mikey pulled out the end table and looked behind the couch and froze.

"Do you see it son?"

"Ah, there's a whole bunch of presents back here."

"Well pull them out and let's see who's they are," Jim said with a grin.

Mikey pulled out over a dozen packages of varying sizes. 

"I wonder who those are for?"  Diane asked.

Getting down on the floor Lance picked up the first package and read the tag.  "This one says, to Mikey from Santa."  Picking up another package, "This one says, to Mikey from Grandpa." . . . .

Stacy and Ford arrived for Christmas dinner.  "Mom, Merry Christmas," Stacy greeted her when she walked into the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas, dear," Diane replied as she put the dinner rolls into the oven.

Mikey burst in the back door, "Grandma, I put all the papers in the trash.  Do you want me to do anything else?"

"No dear, thank you for taking out the papers."

Mikey noticed Stacy, "Merry Christmas, Aunt Stacy."

"Merry Christmas, Mikey," Stacy answered a little confused.

"Mikey, go tell the others dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.  And tell your dad and uncle they are not to start playing with your x-box until after dinner."

"Okay, Grandma."  Heading out into the living room Mikey announced, "Grandpa, Grandma said dinner in fifteen minutes. . . ."

Stacy looked to he mother, "Ah, Grandma?"

Chuckling Diane said.  "Guess what your brother got for Christmas?"

"He's out in the back yard."

"What's he doing?"  Lance asked.

"He said something about needing to talk to his friend, Ethan," Stacy said.

"Oh, okay, thanks."  Lance went out the back door and spotted Mikey standing under a tree.  As Lance approached he froze in his tracks when he saw a man dressed in a white suit shaking hands with his son.  The man turned to Lance and smiled.  Giving Lance a nod of recognition, the man turned and started to walk away.  After a few steps the man vanished.

Mikey ran into his dad's arms.  "Mikey, who were you talking to?"

"Oh, just Ethan.  I told him about my Christmas presents."

"Ah, was Ethan dressed in a white suite?"

"Yea, Dad.  Why?  Did you see him?"

"I thank so.  I think so."  Looking at his son Lance asked, "Did you have a good Christmas?"

"The best!"  Mikey said with a big grin.

Lance sat down with Mikey under a tree.  "You know son it's just going to be you and me.  Do you think we can make this work?"

"I know we can. . .   That is until we find me a new mom."

"A new mom!  You want me to find you a mom too?"

"Of course.  You need a wife so I can have a new baby sister."

"What new baby sister?"  Lance asked amused.

"Ethan said that we would find me a new mom in a couple years and when I'm eleven I will have a new baby sister." 

"This new mom of yours, do I know her?"

"Ethan said you haven't met her yet."

"But how will I know her?" 

"Don't worry, when we meet her we will know.  We will fall in love with her and she will fall in love with us."

"Ethan told you that?"

Mikey nodded.

"What else has Ethan told you?"  Lance asked.

"I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you."

"Tell my what?"

"About going into space."

"What about going into space?  I'm never going to make it into space. Right?"

"Oh, you will go into space," Mikey said.  "But not for a while."

"How long is a while?"

"Long enough for me to grow up.  Ethan said we would go into space together."

"Together? . . .  Oh!  I get it.  We will fly together on that commercial space transport they are planning."

"No.  We will be taking the shuttle into space.  You will be a mission specialist and I will be the captain."

Lance looked into Mikey's eyes detecting no falsehood.  "We are going into space," Lance said softly, once more.

"Ethan said we would be the first father son team in space." 

Lance hugged Mikey.  "So we are going to be a team."

"We already are a team, Dad.  I like the sound of that. I have a dad."

"I like the sound of that too son.  I love you Mikey."

"I love you Dad."

Merry Christmas to you all.