In Her Letter to Santa, My Daughter Asked for ‘The Same Heart-Shaped Earrings Dad Gave to My Nanny’ — I Went Pale
A request for the identical heart-shaped earrings that her husband reportedly gave their nanny surprises Dorothy when she reads her daughter’s naive letter to Santa. Doubt turns into suspicion, and Dorothy discovers a devastating reality connected to a long-kept secret.
For me, Christmas will always be the most enjoyable season. My name is Dorothy. Our holiday customs are what make our time with my husband, Jerry, and our eight-year-old daughter, Ruth, so special.
Ruth writes a letter to Santa every December, neatly wraps it, and puts it in the freezer—a strange practice that makes perfect sense to her.
“Mom, that’s how mail reaches the North Pole! Her eyes widened as she said, “I saw it on TV.”
It was the same this year. Ruth had been at the dining table much of the evening, her face twisted in concentration as she drew something on her letter and popped little almonds coated in chocolate into her teeth.
She chirped, “It’s done, Mommy!” before rushing to the freezer and tucking it in with all the pomp and circumstance of a royal proclamation.
I gave her a smile. I assumed Ruth was requesting the typical items, such as a playhouse, a new set of paints, or perhaps even the glittery unicorn toy she had her eye on.
I was eager to fulfill her small Christmas desires, whatever they were. Ruth was not a challenging child, and she only made requests for goods on Christmas. She would always want a giant chocolate cake, even on her birthday.
I sneaked into the kitchen that night to read Ruth’s letter after she had gone to bed and Jerry had been reading to her.
It had turned into a small custom of mine. Seeing what magic my daughter thought Santa could bring her, as well as all the explanations she offered for his inclusion on the “Nice” list, allowed me to get a glimpse into her world.
However, my breath seized in my throat and nearly choked me when I unfolded the paper.
A drawing of a set of heart-shaped earrings and Ruth’s vibrant calligraphy covered the page. Below the image were the following words:
“Please bring me the heart-shaped earrings that Dad gave to my nanny, Santa! I’m grateful.
I went cold.
Suddenly, the air felt too thick and the room too quiet.
What in the world was she discussing? Our nanny, Gloria, had received heart-shaped earrings from Jerry?
My heart pounding, my hands shaking, I read the note again. Why would Ruth request Gloria’s earrings? Why would Jerry ever give jewels to our nanny?
The way Jerry’s face lit up when he joked with Gloria, the casual way he asked her to stay late when I had work functions, the considerate gifts he’d given her over the years—small things, yes, but enough to make my stomach turn right now—were just a few of the moments that came back to me.
Did I miss the obvious? Was Jerry having an affair in front of me?
I went about my day the following morning as though nothing had happened, but on the inside, I was falling apart. As Jerry departed for work, I gave him a cheek kiss and pretended everything was all right. My mind, meanwhile, was racing.
“What’s on the agenda today?” Gloria was adding milk to Ruth’s porridge when I asked her.
I needed to be sure Gloria would be doing something useful with my child now that school was out for the day.
Gloria grinned and added, “We’re going to work on Ruth’s school projects,” “And then we’re going to read!”
I remarked, “Sounds like a plan,” “I will spend the majority of the day in the study because I have stuff to complete. But Ruthie, we can get smoothies later. Gloria, you are free to depart early.
Gloria took Ruth’s breakfast and nodded. Eating outside, they had developed the practice of identifying birds as they went.
I got my laptop and purchased a nanny cam after Ruth and Gloria had left the kitchen. It seemed unreal, as though I had unexpectedly entered a scene from a horrible soap drama. If Jerry denied everything, I wouldn’t be any closer to the truth, even if I detested the fact that I couldn’t just face him directly.
The camera arrived a few hours later, thanks to a service that was incredibly quick but incredibly costly. I hid it among the Christmas decorations when I set it up in the living room.
I had to know, even though I didn’t want to.
The following day, I dropped Ruth off at school and Jerry left for work as normal. Gloria was at home cleaning while listening to Christmas tunes on the radio.
I pretended to grin and advised her to lock up after she left because I would be coming home from work late.
By mid-morning, however, everything had shifted.
The nanny cam software had detected motion when my phone buzzed. Jerry was there in the living room when I opened it. My heart fell. He wasn’t meant to be at home.
As I gazed at the screen, I saw Jerry give Gloria a tiny, gift-wrapped package. She opened it with a startled expression before grinning.
My mind whirled. I couldn’t spend any more time at my workstation. I picked up my luggage, muttered to my employer that there was a family issue, and then I drove home.
I thought I had entered a nightmare as soon as I came through the door. Gloria was sitting with the gift in her lap, and Jerry was still standing close to the couch. It was a pendant in the shape of a heart this time.
You know, something to go with those earrings?
When they saw me, they both froze.
“What’s going on?” With a quivering voice, I demanded.
Neither of them responded immediately. I quickly glanced at Gloria’s ears, which were visible due to her braided hair. And there they were.
The earring. Heart-shaped, exactly as Ruth had sketched it.
“Nice earrings, Gloria!” With a tone full of sarcasm, I spat. “Getting all of these things from my hubby must be pleasant. Consider. jewelry from the husband of another woman.
Gloria’s complexion turned pallid. She started to say something, but Jerry interrupted.
“Dot, stop,” he murmured, trying to reassure me by using my nickname. “I can explain it all.”
“Oh, I’m sure you can,” I cried in response. And it had better be good since it appears that you have been skulking about behind my back from where I am standing! “With our nanny!”
Jerry let out a long sigh and drooped his shoulders.
“You weren’t supposed to find out this way.”
“That’s your explanation, Jerry?” I yelled. “That you weren’t supposed to get caught?”
He rushed to say, “No, that’s not what I meant,” as he ran a hand through his hair. “Listen to me, please. The earrings. They aren’t mine. Not at all.
“What does that even mean, Jerry?”
After hesitating, my spouse inhaled deeply.
“They came from Brian. We were best pals, I guess.
Thick bewilderment took the place of the wrath that had been draining from my body.
“Brian? “Who is Brian?” I inquired.
For the first time, Gloria raised her voice, but it was quiet.
“Brian was Dorothy, Jerry’s closest buddy. “My brother.”
My thoughts were racing. Jerry sat me down and told me everything in a guilty voice.
Brian, his best friend, died of cancer fourteen years ago. He requested Jerry to take care of Gloria before he passed away. It clarified, at least, why Jerry had insisted that we hire her.
She had just lost both of her parents and was only 19 at the time.
Jerry replied, “He left me a box of gifts for her,” in a tense tone. For significant life events, such as birthdays, special celebrations, or times when she needed to feel his presence, he wanted her to have mementos of him. All of this was arranged while he was receiving chemotherapy.
I looked at Gloria, who had tears in her eyes.
Jerry went on to elaborate.
Since then, I’ve been keeping my word. The box included the earrings. Brian gave them to her because they were intended for her. Not from me.
His revelation weighed heavily on me as I looked at him.
“So you’re telling me all this sneaking around… you were keeping a promise.”
“Yes,” he murmured quietly. “Dot, I ought to have told you sooner. I simply had no idea how. It’s not exactly the type of topic that is discussed. And for me, discussing Brian is a lot.
“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Gloria was the one I asked. “You simply didn’t know about Brian and Jerry the entire time? Dammit, Ruth requested for these earrings. I believed something was going on because she asked Santa for them.
Gloria sadly shook her head.
“I had no idea that Ruth would notice the earrings, much less want them. I would have explained everything at once if I had. I never intended to stir any trouble for anyone in this place.”
That Christmas was a time of both healing and heartache. After a lengthy conversation with Jerry, I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of his pledge to Brian, even though I wasn’t delighted about the secrets. Gloria, to be honest, was a member of our family. Ruth loved her.
In an attempt to make Ruth comprehend the significance of the earrings, we made the decision to have a conversation with her while serving her a tray of waffles. Naturally, she was enthralled and continued to request that Santa bring her a pair.
And Santa came through.
Ruth discovered her very own heart-shaped earrings when she opened a small box on Christmas morning. For the first time in weeks, I felt my heart overflow with delight rather than doubt as her face glowed brighter than the tree.
Those earrings evolved into more than just ornaments. They turned into a kind of reminder of courage and love. Of the affection Brian has for his sister. Of Jerry’s devotion to his companion. And the love that, despite miscommunications, kept our family together. Ruth also learned the value of unwavering love and commitments from us.
The truth might be painful at times. However, it can occasionally heal.
And it did both this Christmas.
Here’s If You Love to Read More: Neighbor Asked My Son to Shovel Snow for $10 a Day but Refused to Pay — So I Taught Him a Lesson He’ll Never Forget
Here’s If You Love to Watch Movie: MyFlixerHD
