"At once," Wendy replied resolutely, for the horrible thought had come to her: "Perhaps mother is in half mourning by this time." This dread made her forgetful of what must be Peter's feelings, she said to him rather sharply, Mrs. Evans said. She is laying on the bed telling the Peter Pan story beside her daughter Rosie who is always fascinated with every bedtime story that her mom read.
"Peter, will you make the necessary arrangements?" Mrs. Evans continued, her voice is very kind and sweet.
"If you wish it," Peter replied, as coolly as if Wendy had asked him to pass the nuts.
Wendy decided to go back home. With a wish and a pinch of pixie dust, they made the pirate ship fly! They all sailed on that ship through the sky to the nursery window again. The children's parents could hardly believe that their children had been to Neverland. Wendy, John and Michael never forgot Peter Pan even after they grew up.
Mrs. Evans closes the book and glimpses at her daughter that has paid all interest to her bedtime story.
“Mom, why does Wendy want to leave Neverland and come back home. She can have fun in Neverland forever and she doesn't have to grow up as well!” Rosie asked with curiosity.
“You will understand when you grow up” said Ms. Evans, with a kind voice. She smiles and kisses three other dearest children before turning off the light. “Have a good night sleep my love” she said and left the room.
“Good night mom” said Rosie.
Rosie is a little cute girl with light brown eyes and has blonde curly hair. She was born with a disables leg so she can’t walk without a wheelchair or a stick. She is homeschooled school and has no friends apart from her twin- Jimmy. However, she has got the best family which fulfills her life.
Rosie lives in Cheshire, Chester a small town in the west of England which is one of the most visited cities in the UK. She has a big passion for travel and wandering around her hometown. Though, she can't walk, she always travels by delving into her imagination and reading books. There are many places she would like to travel to like wandering around the wall of Chester- the long history
pathway bridge which doesn't even fit her wheelchair. Therefore, most of her adventures are only from the mountain of books that she read.
Her life is not easy. However, Rosie has the most wonderful family. Mom, Dad and her twin that fulfill her life completely.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans are always taking good care of their child. Her twins Jimmy decided to learn homeschooling with her so that Rosie will not feel lonely. He is her best friend and only one friend she has got.
Every day after Mr. Evans comes back from work, they always spend family time together and make this house sweet like home. Rosie never suffers with her disable leg with the loves around her. Until…..
Today is Christmas Eve. Rosie feels the real vibes of Christmas, the best time of the year that she has been waiting for. Rosie is sitting on her favorite cough in her room with a fabulous view of the street. It is where she always reads a book and watches how life of her neighbors is going outside the windows.
Each house in the street starts decorating their house. She sees people messing around with their Christmas tree, their furniture or the decorations. The Evans always spend their time together in this warm white house in Baker street. They watch Christmas movies together with a cup of hot chocolate milk, have a special dinner at home, tell stories or play chess games together every year. She loves this season so much.
“Rosie” called Mrs. Evans from the kitchen.
“Yes mom” she replied
“It’s time for Gingerbread cookies” Mrs. Evans tells her as she knows this is her daughter's favorite part. Yes!!! She rashly catches her stick and walks as fast as she could to help her mom prepare the dough and the frosting. The kitchen is full of bakery smells. Plenty of brown-yellow gingerbread cookies are on the table. Mrs. Evans lets Rosie decorate the Gingerbread cookies with sugar frosting. She is really determined, slowly paints it, concentrating on her first gingerbread to become the loveliest Gingerbread man.
Suddenly...something she thought was only her imagination happens. Her Gingerbread becomes alive. He stands up and then runs away before Rosie can say anything. Rosie is shocked by what she saw. “Is that true? Am I drunk or is it just my imagination.”
“Mom I think my Gingerbread has just run from the trey”
“Oh Rosie, you always have a great at imagination” giggled Mrs.Evans. Her voice is kind and soft as always.
“But I do really see it. He gave me a smile before he left too!”
“So you just give birth to that cookie, good for you!!” her mom said and smiled but Rosie knows she thinks it is a joke anyway which makes sense. Rosie blows it out of her head and starts decorating the second piece but nothing happens. It is just a cute Gingerbread with a sweet frosting. Maybe her mom was right, she might read too many books.
Everything went well as usual after the weird thing in the afternoon. She did so many things after that and almost forgot about the mysterious Gingerbread until she opens her bedroom door. There is a thick dark blue book she has never seen before on her bed. The book is moving magically like there is something inside it.
She moves closer to the book, not sure if she has already gone mad sincethe alive Gingerbread man. Now she absolutely sees the moving book. She moves a bit closer…Don't breathe...and then “I got you!”. The Gingerbread man jumped off that book. He is up on her bed, eyes connect with Rosie for a while. Rosie was just too shocked to do or understand anything. And then after this awkward moment, the Gingerbread man said “Hi, Thanks for the handsome face you paint on my face. I really love it” he looks friendly. Rosie still stays in silence, she is shocking again. He can talk!
“Who are you?” She asked with a scary voice. “I am Johnny, I may be your guide if you ask me ” he said and gave Rosie the widest smile as much as he could from his sugar frosting mouth. What's wrong with this day? All the weird things run around her head and then she thinks everything is going dark, feels dizzy and then she falls on her cloudy soft bed.
She wakes up hoping all the thing is a dream but when she opens her eyes the book is still there by her side. She looks around her room, the Gingerbread man is not here anymore. Rosie opens the book with curiosity and then she sees something that she wishes she wouldn't have seen in her entire life. It is her mother's dairy. There are many pictures of her inside. She was building a sand castle with Jimmy and other pictures that have likely been taken while they are running in a playground. Her leg is nothing but fine. What really happened to her. Why does everybody say she can not walk since she was born? Has everybody been fooling her since she was born?
In this terrible moment, Mrs. Evans comes quickly inside Rosie’s room. Her face is like she comes to look for something and then she stops, stares at the book
in Rosie’s hands. They looked at each other. It is clear that Mrs. Evans' face looks suddenly pale as well as Rosie who really has no idea what to say. “Rosie I think we have something to tell you and you should know” her voice full of stress. “What is this mom? I can run in the sand with Jimmy and you say Iwas born with a disability. Is this why you never let me see my childhood pictures?”
Mr. Evans and Jimmy step in, they have already heard everything from outside. He said with a guiltiness in his voice “Rosie please, believe me we want to tell you. But we don’t want you to feel terrible.”
“Actually, your leg became disabled because of the car crash while you were five years old. We were coming back from the trip and then it happened unexpectedly” he confessed.
“We are really sorry about that” said Mr. & Mrs. Evans, they look really sad and that gets rid of all of Rosie’s irritation. She totally understands no one wants this to happen. She is going to forgive her parents but Jimmy suddenly said
“l am so sorry too. I should never find out about cheating so that mom and dad might not have a big arrangement and the accident might not happen” Jim only wants to say sorry to Rosie but what he has just said makes it worse.
“Oh no, I can not believe it. So, you ruined my life because you had cheated on each other?” Rosie asked “l used to think you are always my best support but actually you are the cause! Three of you!!” She shouted. “I thought I could live with it but not anymore! after l know this terrible truth!”
Everyone looks at Rosie with guilt in their eyes. Mrs. Evans’s face is full of tears. The room stays in silence for a while. Jimmy is opening his mouth trying to convince Rosie to calm down then an eleven-year-old Rosie splits the words out
“I DO WISH I DID NOT HAVE HAD A FAMILY!!!”
These words hurt everyone in this room but no one blames her because they totally understand Rosie's feelings. “Well we think we should go now. We truly have nothing to say but sorry” said Mr. Evans and everyone left the room.
What Rosie knew had already ruined her Christmas that is coming soon next week. Rosie feels really disappointed with her family. The fact of cheating does make it worse. This night before sleep, she makes a wish to be able to walk again.
In the night, Gingerbread man appears in Rosie’s dream. He carries an envelope that is bigger than himself. Rosie receives it from him and reads.
A magical wish from Santa
“Dear Rosie, we wish you a Merry Christmas this year. You have always been an amazing girl even you could not be able to fulfil your dream. We
really adore you. On this occasion, Rosie; the most special girl deserves to receive the special gift from us. Think of anything that you desire the most and make a wish. The wish you make will be true.
P.S. If the wish is about changing something in the past, it might affect the present.
Merry Christmas my dear, your secret Santa
Without any hesitation, she writes what she has always desired to have and suddenly the letters she has written light up, swirl and fly around Rosie like magic. The letters turn brighter and brighter for a while. She has to close her eyes against the gold light.
Rosie springs from her bed like all the things that have just happened was a dream but it is not. The miracle has happened. She can walk again as she has wishes!! She looks around and sees the Gingerbread man still stands in the same position he was in Rosie’s dream.
“Woohoo!! Let's go travel around this city as you wish.” said Johnny - the Gingerbread man again. Now Rosie understands why Johnny told her he may be her future guide. Because Santa may know she would make this wish.
“Let’s go. Can't wait!!!” she replied with the most happy face. Dressed herself and prepared her backpack for the first journey of her life. She is so excited but when Rosie comes out of her room to tell the great news, the house is empty like everybody vanished. She stunts for a while and then realizes about the conditions of the wish.
[P.S. If the wish is about changing something in the past, it might affect the present.]
At first, Rosie feels really bad because she just lost her family from her life but when the terrible truth she had known yesterday reminds her, she feels nothing at all. And now she has got a new little friend who is not just a friend but also a guide that can take her to any place she wishes. Even Rosie read mountains of Journal books but visiting each place by herself is her biggest dream!
Johnny is a really great journey partner. He stands on Rosie shoulder all the way through Chester city and guides Rosie the way she should go. She wants to wander around Chester city first as there are many iconic places like Esgate clock the most remarkable clock tower in the UK after Big Ben. She starts with taking a stagecoach bus to the middle of the city.
Along the way, Rosie sits next to the window and glances at the beautiful country road full with colorful oak trees along the way. The weather is nice today. The bus turns left, now it is nearby to the city, Rosie sees many people walk in and out of each shop. Finally, the bus slowly break and stop at the bus interchange, Rosie take off,
“Just walk straight forward to the Grosvenor alley first” Johnny points at the street to the Eastgate clock. No one notices him as he is tiny and looks like a girl doll. Rosie half walk half run. Being able to walk is really satisfying. She walks past the famous afternoon tea shop and many other unique shops like Mad Hatter tea table shop or antique library. What makes this city most charming and memorable is the architecture in this Grosvenor street which is full of the black and white half timber style along the pathway. She walks through the bridge. Try to take photographs as much as possible to collect her extraordinary memory.
She talks with Johnny while walking through the street, many people glance at her. She is quite a spot as Rosie is a really tiny eleventh year old girl. Also wear a pink hat ,red scarf and wearing a very thick dark blue jacket that looks bigger than herself. She carries a big brown suitcase and a Gingerbread man doll which makes her look attractive among the crowd. Rosie keeps walking, and finally she sees the clock tower. “There it is, this Grosvenor Esgate clock is the symbol of Queen diamond Jubilee. The most iconic place in this city”.
Rosie is absorbing the beautiful design of the clock and suddenly the clock turns backwards, everything around her is reversed to the past. She sees every single moment in the past since the accident has happened. There were arguments between mom and dad in the car. Rosie and Jimmy sat in the back seat. And then there was a bright light from the left side, the truck was driving with a high speed forward to the car. Her dad tried to protect everyone so he decided in that moment to turn the car to the right so it would be only him who was hit. Unfortunately, the truck slammed to where Rosie was sitting
So this is what it was and she does have a right to be mad at her parents who didn't drive carefully but seeing this situation again showed her that dad really wanted to protect everyone. Moreover, after that situation She got badly injured but her parents took care of her with their love until she had this happy life. All the scenes she saw from the reverse make her start missing her family and feel like she can forgive them now.
“What do you think about this clock huh?” Johnny asked with a glimpse. “I still have more to show you. Let's go! We are visiting London!”
After a long way in the train. Rosie and Johnny finally arrived at London station. There are so many people and they are really busy. Rosie follows Johnny who is leading her to the fresh air outside the station. Rosie is satisfied when she can beat whoever walks in front of her, she still doesn’t feel that similar with herself being able to walk as usual. She follows Johnny until he leads her to exist. Rosie is stunned by the vibes, building and everything around her.
Johnny gives her a London Bus tour. She has no idea where he got it from but it doesn’t matter. She is so excited to see everything in London as much as possible.
“Oh wow! London really is amazing!” She said while looking outside the windows of the bus. She takes many pictures of traditional red buses on the road and the red telephone boxes on the walkway. They pass Buckingham palace, drive through the river Thames on the tower bridge. From this position, she can see The London eye which is on the left side. Everything in London makes Rosie feel like she is being one of the characters in her favorite book - Harry Potter. Rosie is so happy with this journey but she has been thinking about her family all the way from Chester. It would be perfect if her family is with her.
The bus has stopped, Rosie knows exactly where she is. Big Ben is so enormous, classic and iconic. This is the second tower clock Johnny brings her to. And suddenly it is happening again! The clock hands are rolling like crazy again as the Eastgate Clock but this time, the time is showing her future. Rosie sees herself growing up in time lapse, walking like normal people , studying in high school as she wishes and has got many friends. She couldn’t imagine anything more perfect until it showed her that after coming back to her home. She lives alone in the house. No one there. There are only three black and white pictures of her mom, dad and Jimmy on the shelf. It was noted that they all died on that day by car crash.
After the scene of her future has ended , Johnny gives her another letter. Rosie opens it and reads.
“Now as you have already seen her past and her future destination of having a normal leg as you wish, I will give you another chance to decide the way of your life. If you choose to live like this, your destination will be as what you have seen. That goes pretty well, isn’t it? On the other hand, if you decide to have your family back by your side... you have to live with your handicap again and live and learn as a journey because nobody
knows what it is going to be in the future. I know this is a great dilemma for a little girl. But now, it’s time to decide, “Family or Yourself”
I Hope you will be happy with your decision. Your Secret Santa
“So it means that if I choose to live like this, my parents will be gone forever, right ?” Rosie asked Johnny
“I’m afraid yes, your decision will affect the past. Your family will pass away in that accident instead of you. But if you decide to live with your family, your leg will become disability again. But you can choose” said Johnny.
Rosie has clearly understood everything. What she got from Santa was not only a special wish but also the most precious lesson to make the right decision for the rest of herlife.
She closes her eyes, tries to solve the dilemma and try to make the right choice. It is tough until her mother's voice reading the Peter Pan story pops up in her head
If she was Wendy, what would she decide. To stay in the Neverland - the wonderful place forever or to leave the Neverland, go back home and live with her beloved family.
That day, Rosie had to ask her mother because she didn't really understand why Wendy decided to go home when the Netherlands is amazing. But know without having to find any reasons to answer, she fully understood
Rosie, a little girl in Chester, UK was born with a disability that her right leg had to be paralysis. The only thing that fulfils her unfortunate life is her family that always supports her. However, she still wonders how far she would be able to travel without her disability.
On Christmas Eve, a magical gift is sent to her and presents the young girl with an exclusive journey. When the trip ends, the young girl has to deal with dilemmas: she can either have her leg restored and lose her beloved family or live with her handicap but has her parents beside. Clearly, it is difficult for an eleven year old girl!
