Auld Lang Syne
    by Kara French

	"I can’t believe it’s snowing!" Zack said as he looked out the car 
window.  "Sis, I honestly can’t believe it’s snowing, I mean, it never snows
in California!"

	"Well, believe it, Zack, and it’s not making the trip to Grandma’s 
house any easier," Ivy said dryly as she turned on the windshield wipers.  
"These roads are really slick and I can hardly see enough to drive. I don’t 
think we’re going to make it in time for dinner."

	"Oh, don’t be such a pessimist, Ive.  And besides, I really 
wouldn’t mind missing another family get together. Honestly, I don’t think I
can take a week of listening to Uncle Steve’s fishing stories, eating Aunt 
Judy’s fruitcake, and putting up with all of our little cousins running 
around the place.."

	"Zack!" Ivy shouted while trying to control the car. "How can you 
say that!  We hardly ever get go to any family gatherings because of Carmen!
Do you remember how disappointed Mom and Dad were last year when we couldn’t 
make it? And it’s bad enough that we couldn’t go up with them this morning 
because we had to finish stuff back at headquarters, but now because of 
this freak storm we’re going to be even more late!" In her frustration, Ivy 
hit a spot of black ice in the middle of the road. She swerved and slammed 
hard on the brakes.  The car skidded along the slippery asphalt before 
coming to a stop in a deep ditch. 

	"Oh, man!" yelled Ivy as she pounded on the dashboard. "This is just
great! C’mon Zack, get out of the car. I think we’re going to have to push 
our way out of this one."

	"All right, all right, I’m sorry," Zack mumbled as he got behind 
the car to push.

	"Okay," Ivy started, "On the count of three. One...two...three...
Push!"  Ivy and Zack started pushing with all their strength, but the car 
didn’t budge an inch.  They gave it a few more attempts, but each one 
failed, leaving them cold and exhausted.

	"Ivy," Zack heaved between breaths, "I don’t want to state the 
obvious, but I think the car’s stuck.  Call the Chief and have him get us a 
tow truck before we freeze to death out here."

	"Yeah, that’s the best thing to do." Ivy looked down at her wrist 
to find that her communicator was gone. "Don’t tell me I left it at home!"
She gasped, "How could I do this?"

	"Well, I left mine at home, too, because I was afraid little 
Jonathan would get a hold of it and break it like he did last Thanksgiving,"
Zack said remembering how his cousin had taken the device and fed it to the 
dog. "I thought you’d bring yours!"

	"Me too, but I guess I forgot to pack my brain along with my 
toothbrush. We’d better start walking."  Ivy looked around and saw 
virtually nothing but wide open spaces.  About a mile off on a high hill, 
she could make out the lights of a house. "We should head for that house 
over there," she said as she pointed off into the distance, "Maybe they’ll 
let us use their phone."  The pair started off along the road, watching 
their breath form ice crystals in the night air.


	"Finally," Carmen sighed as the string of lights lit up.  It had 
taken her several tries before she figured out that one of the bulbs was 
missing. This was her new home, and it was her old home, too.  After she 
had stolen her orphanage, she decided to place it in a remote area of 
Northern California. It had become her private place, where she retreated 
after a string of heists for reflection and relaxation. When she needed a 
place away from the hustle and bustle of V.I.L.E., she came here. It was 
nice to have a place to come home to at last, Carmen thought. V.I.L.E. 
headquarters was constantly changing location to escape detection, and even 
during her ACME days, Carmen felt that she didn’t really have a place to 
herself that was just hers.  And although she wasspending the holidays alone
this year, she really didn’t mind. 


	As her eyes surveyed the room she had just decorated, it reminded 
her of many holidays past.  The tree was in the corner, the same spot it had 
been in every year during her childhood.  Being back in the same building she 
grew up in, it was hard for Carmen not to reminisce about the past.  Looking
at the tree, in that same corner, brought to mind a certain Christmas when 
she was eight.  All of the little girls were hoping that Santa Claus would 
bring them a doll, or a game, or some other toy, even though they all knew 
that Santa Claus didn’t visit orphanages.  It was a bittersweet feeling; 
everybody loved Christmas, but they never got the brightly wrapped packages 
other, 'normal' children were given on that day.  She had stood looking at 
that same tree over twenty years ago knowing that there wouldn’t be any 
presents for her underneath it on Christmas morning, or for any of the other 
girls.  The orphanage didn’t have the money to buy them gifts, maybe a 
candy cane or two, but nothing special.  

      But, all that changed one year because of Mrs. D’Angelo, the new 
director of the orphanage.  She was a bright, vivacious woman in her early 
thirties then, and she always had a spring in her step and a smile on her 
face.  She was different from the other directors that had been there 
because she treated each girl like they were someone special and not just 
another disadvantaged kid. She really cared, it wasn’t just a paycheck to 
her.  Mrs. D’Angelo always gave Carmen special attention because she was the 
Golden Gate Girls’ School’s star pupil.  Well, that year Mrs. D’Angelo, out 
of her own pocket, made sure each girl had a present, and exactly what she 
wanted, too.  Carmen received hers personally.  It was a letter of 
acceptance to the San Francisco School For Gifted Children.  Mrs. D’Angelo 
had told her, "Carmen, this is the best present I could ever give you.  
You’re not like the other girls, you don’t want toys or games, and I know 
that.  I know you’re bored with school here and that you feel like you 
don’t fit in.  So, I’m giving you the chance to challenge your mind and 
better yourself.  I had to pull a few strings and call in some favors with 
the Department of Child Welfare, but I did it for you so that you would be 
happy."

     Carmen smiled at the remembrance of Regina D’Angelo’s kind words and 
compassionate deed.  She really had changed her life, through her gift and 
her example.  "I wonder what she’s doing tonight?" Carmen asked an empty 
room.  "Well, I suppose that’s enough nostalgia for one evening," she said 
as she tried to shake thoughts of the past from her mind.  "I really ought 
to try my hand at making Christmas cookies for the first time."  With that 
she laughed, picked up an apron and marched into the kitchen.

	To be continued....