On Christmas Eve, a Rich Man Meets an 8-Year-Old Boy Who Asked for His Help Finding Family

Dennis, a wealthy but lonely man, finds a lost eight-year-old boy in the town square on Christmas Eve. Memories of his own early years haunt Dennis, who quickly discovers that his life is shifting in unexpected ways.

The square was alive with twinkling lights and the sound of laughter. Children glided across the ice, their faces rosy from the chill. Couples walked arm in arm, smiling, wrapped in scarves and coats, leaning into each other for warmth. Near the towering tree on the corner, a small group of carolers sang, their voices filled with warmth despite the crisp air.

I tried to feel something as I took it all in. You would assume that an orphan who became a wealthy businessman, like myself, wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in this environment.

Yet, just like every single holiday season, I found myself alone. Over the years, I’d been in a few relationships, but my partners saw dollar signs, not me.

I felt someone bump into me, and when I turned around, I saw a young woman lying on the ground, grinning up at me. For a moment, I couldn’t help but smile back at her infectious laughter. She had a spark that surprised me, and she was gorgeous and had brilliant eyes.

“Oops,” she chuckled while remaining seated. “I apologize! I suppose I’m not as skilled at skating as I once believed.

I said, “It’s okay,” and offered to assist her up. “You sure you’re okay?”

Almost as fast, though, a towering man approached and drew her away from me while frowning. “Hey, friend, what’s going on? Having an affair with my girl?

“No, I wasn’t,” I answered hastily as I stepped back and raised my hands. “Just helping her up, that’s all.”

“Yeah, well, don’t,” he whispered, glaring at me as he escorted her out. Mouthing a hasty “Sorry,” she glanced back once before they vanished into the crowd.

I shook my head and stood there for a while. I mumbled, “So much for miracles,” I turned to go, prepared to go home.

Then my coat gave apart with a slight tug. I looked down at a boy when I turned around, almost expecting to see that female again. His brown eyes were large and he had a frightened expression on his face; he could not have been older than eight. His palm was shaking as he gripped a tiny keychain.

He said, “Excuse me, sir,” in a quiet and courteous tone. “I… I need assistance. My family is nowhere to be found. It had been days since I last saw them.

Like a blast of icy air, the words struck me. “You… you lost your family?” I lowered myself to meet his eyes and requested. “When did you last see them?”

The child shuffled his feet and looked down. “I don’t know. But I’ve been looking for a while. However… But don’t contact the cops, please, sir.

“Not the police?” Perplexed, I asked. “But if you’ve been lost for days—”

He gave a forceful shake of his head. “No, no law enforcement. I’ve heard that the police occasionally take children away from parents who don’t have much money. Furthermore, my family doesn’t have a lot. They are impoverished. I fear that they will take me away as well.

I felt a twinge of something I hadn’t experienced in years as I gazed at him. I had experienced what it was like to be a child who feared being taken away.

I placed a hand on his shoulder and murmured, “Alright,” quite gently. “I swear, no police. We’ll simply… we’ll work this out. Alright?”

His face lit up with relief as he nodded. “Thank you, sir. I had no idea who else I should ask.

“Call me Dennis,” I addressed him. “And what’s your name?”

“Ben,” he answered, gripping his keychain more tightly.

My words were, “Alright, Ben,” “Come with me home. Are you aware of your residence?

He gave a nod. “It’s a short distance away. I am able to demonstrate. I believe I recall.

My driver arrived at the curb after I called him, and we waited outside. Ben got in first and settled into the rear seat. I closed the door behind me and looked at him. “So,” I replied, attempting to strike up a conversation, “what sort of keychain is that? It appears to be quite unique.

His fingers encircled the small silver heart on his keychain as he glanced down. “It’s… well, it’s just a keychain they give you at this place I stayed at once.”

I took a closer look and saw that it appeared to be familiar. Quite familiar.

“So, you like Christmas?” Instead, I inquired.

He muttered, “Yeah, it’s nice,” while continuing to gaze out the window.

I got out and accompanied him to the front door when we arrived at the address he had provided. First he knocked, then again. Quiet.

He responded, “Maybe they went to my grandparents’ place,” but his voice was unconvinced.

I turned to look back at the square, where lights were glimmering. I knelt down to his level and whispered, “Okay, Ben.” “Perhaps we should give it some time. While we wait, how about we return to the square and take in a few activities? Have you ever gone skating?

His eyes glowed as he gazed at me. “I haven’t! Can we?

Grinning, I got to my feet. “Yes. “Why not?”

Ben’s face brightened with anticipation as we made our way back to the square. With lights draped around each tree and kids running around, the entire area was ablaze. It had been a while since I had done anything for the holidays, but tonight was different.

“So, skating first?” I nodded toward the ice as I asked.

Ben’s gaze widened. “Really? Can I?

“Of course. Let’s go skateboarding.

We were on the ice a few minutes later. Initially unsteady, Ben’s small arms flailed as he lifted off. Despite my lack of expertise, I was able to remain upright. We stumbled, slipped, and giggled. For the first time in years, I felt lighter.

“Look, Dennis! I understand. He yelled, moving a bit more steadily, and his face was beaming.

I partially joked, “You’re a pro already,” as I chuckled. “I’m gonna need lessons from you!”

We attempted throwing rings onto bottles, one of the carnival games, after skating. Even though he didn’t win, his excitement almost toppled the entire stand.

He glanced at the nearby kiosk and said, “Can we get hot chocolate?”

“Of course,” I responded. We found a bench to settle on and observe the bustle after getting our steaming cups. Ben was very happy as he sipped. There was a calmness in his face that seemed like a gift, and his cheeks were flushed.

A feeling that I hadn’t had in years began to develop in my chest as I gazed at him. Even though I had only known this child for a few hours, I already felt a connection. Furthermore, I didn’t want the evening to end.

After a while, though, I cleared my throat. “Ben, maybe… maybe it’s time to head back to the shelter.”

His face lowered for a second as he looked up in surprise. “How did you know?”

I gestured to his keyring with a soft smile. “As soon as I saw that keychain, I knew what it was. When I stayed there, they distributed the identical ones.

His gaze expanded. “You… you were at the shelter?”

I gave a nod. “A long time ago. I was about your age. I get it, then. I understand what it’s like to wish for a family, even for a single night.

Ben nodded slowly as his eyes fell to the floor. “I simply You know, I wanted to feel like I had a family. Only for Christmas.

“Yeah,” I muttered. “I understand. And Ben, I’m so happy I was able to spend Christmas Eve with you.”

I could see the appreciation in his eyes as he looked up. “Me too, Dennis.”

Silently, we made our way back to the shelter as the evening’s warmth settled between us. A familiar face was waiting outside when we got there. The young woman who had previously bumped into me was the one. When she saw us, her eyes opened in relief.

“There you are!” she said, running to embrace Ben quickly. “We worried about you a much. Let’s let the police know you’re returned.”

Ben mumbled, “I was fine,” and squeezed her palm. Dennis was helpful to me.

The woman’s face softened as she glanced up at me. “Thank you so much for bringing him back.” After exhaling, she smiled wearily and said, “My name is Sarah. Here, I volunteer. Since this afternoon, we have been looking for him.

I said, “Nice to meet you, Sarah,” understanding that this encounter couldn’t be a coincidence. For a few while, we stood there in silent, mutual relief. Her expression was a mixture of worry and something else—hurt, perhaps—and she appeared worn out.

“Rough night?” I asked after hesitating.

She looked away and nodded. “I discovered that my partner was cheating on me. “Of all nights, tonight.” She wiped away a tear as she chuckled pitifully. “But I guess that’s how it goes.”

“Well… would you maybe like to get a coffee?” I blurted out on instinct.

She glanced back to me after glancing down at Ben. “Actually… I’d love that.”

In the months that followed, I frequently visited the shelter. There, Sarah and I would get together, chat for hours, and lend a hand.

We became closer to Ben and to one other the more time we spent together. When we were all together, he appeared to sparkle, and before I knew it, the shelter felt like the home I had been missing.

Everything had altered by Christmas of the following year. Ben was now formally our son, and Sarah and I were married. We returned to the square on Christmas Eve, the three of us holding hands as we were surrounded by lights and laughter.

A miracle in the making, we sipped our hot chocolate, watched the skaters, and felt at peace as our own small family.

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