One Magic Christmas. A. C. Meyer

place is called Gramado. It is in the South of Brazil.”

      "Ohhh" - she muttered, looking back at the screen. – “And what do I need to do this time?”

      The guardian looked in her direction, watching her closely.

      “Unlike other times, you'll need to go there.”

      She opened her mouth in a big O. Gabriela never left the kingdom of heaven for a mission. Never ever. All of her missions were executed at a distance and, thinking about it, she suspected that perhaps for this reason they had not worked out very well.

      “That's why this is a great mission, darling” - Angela said and focused all her attention on her. – “Your mission is to repair a broken heart.”

      “A love story?” - The young woman asked. She loved cases involving romance. It was so beautiful to see couples happily ever after!

      "Actually, not. It's a... um ... general case.”

      "Okay..." - she muttered, encouraging herself to continue, even though she had no idea of what a... general... case would be about.

      "You will be transported there and will need to interact with humans" - she said, and the young woman's eyes widened. – “You will spend time with Samuel and help him to fix his heart.”

      “But how... how... am I going to do this?”

      "You'll know when you get there" - she said, keeping the mystery. But before Gabriela had a chance to protest, Angela continued – “however, my dear, it is very important that you do not forget three things: nobody can know you are from here nor anything related to us; you need to complete your mission by Christmas Eve. When the bell rings midnight, your time on Earth is over.”

      She nodded, feeling stunned.

      “And the third and most important: being in human form, like them, your free will are going to guide your destiny. Stay focused on the mission and be careful with the choices you make.”

      “Will I have someone's help? And how do I know who this Samuel is? I'm very confused, Angela. And...”

      Once again, the guardian interrupted her.

      “Everything will be clarified when you are there. And whenever you need me, you will find the answers to your questions in the purity of a child. Now go, my dear. See you at Christmas.”

      And with the snap of her counselor's fingers, the world she knew disappeared.

      Two

      First day

      FACING THE COMPUTER, with the text editor open, Samuel closed his eyes as he repeatedly touched the tip of his nose with his index finger, as if inspiration would magically appear. With a heavy sigh, he pushed the swivel chair back and decided to go to the kitchen for some coffee. He had read on some website that the drink helped with concentration and stimulated creativity, but after the fourth - or was it the seventh? - mug of the day, he was feeling more electric than anything else.

      He was about to hit the button that would make the coffee maker, his best friend, work when he heard a loud knock in the room.

      "Damn it" - he huffed, running a hand over his face, the beard still to be done, and over his hair, which by then was messier than when he got out of bed. He saw no reason to comb or worry about shaving, when he would spend the day alone at home. It is, if he was not disturbed by unexpected and inconvenient visitors.

      The knock sounded louder and, distilling a series of curses, he went to the living room and turned the key, knowing who he was going to find on the other side of the thick wood.

      “Didn't I tell you to leave me alone, JP?” - He muttered as he saw his editor cross the wooden threshold and enter the cottage as if he owned the place.

      Since things started to go wrong, just over six months ago, his life completely turned upside down: his engagement was broken, he got away from his brother - whom he was very close to before all of that happened -, couldn't meet the deadline of his manuscript and lost his best friend (who was also his agent) - which justified the presence of his editor there. Since the bombshell had blown off, JP had taken on the responsibility of trying to keep him focused on finishing the manuscript and making worth the big advance he had received.

      "As I told you," - JP said, walking into the room and passing him without giving a damn about his hostile words. He was already used to it. Deep down, JP knew that a barking dog doesn't bite. Especially the one over there. – “the cottage, although far from downtown, is very comfortable ...”

      Samuca frowned at him, wondering why his editor was acting like a real estate agent, but before he had time to question what was going on, he heard a murmur beside him. He looked away from JP and came across the... cutest girl he had ever seen. The blond hair was full and fell in waves over the shoulders. She blinked her eyes, a shade of blue so bright it looked artificially coloured, as she scanned the inside of the cottage. Her features were very delicate, perfectly matching her small stature - at least a foot less than him - which aroused a protective feeling. The same he saw reflected in JP's eyes and which he vowed to himself never to feel since he was made a fool of. Without a doubt, she was beautiful. But more than that, she had a youthful and lively glow that would be able to infect the most serious of mortals.

      Except him, of course.

      The girl passed him, but ignored his presence, completely focused on the place. She was so dazzled by whatever she was looking at that she seemed to be in front of the eighth wonder of the world and not in a cottage on the ends of Gramado, far from everything and everyone - thank God.

      When she stopped a few steps in front of him, he observed her curvy body dressed completely in white, with tight twill pants, T-shirt, jacket and even a Converse-style sneaker, all white. She was almost... shining... if that was possible.

      Ah, damn, I'm delusional, Samuca thought to himself. It must be the fault of that last mug of black coffee I drank, he said as he slammed the door behind him. Shaking his head, he decided to regain control over his own life. Or at least, his home.

      “May I know what the fuck this is?” - He asked with a grunt, and JP stopped talking, looking away from the girl to Samuca. Samuca looked at him angrily, hoping his tone would be ferocious enough to expel them from there. When he looked at the girl, he was surprised to see that she had her hand over her mouth and her eyes wide, as if shocked by his behavior.

      JP shook his head in disgust and looked back at the girl.

      “Gabriela, this is Samuca.” - He waved his indicator in his direction. - "Forgive his manners." - JP said with a gentle smile. – “He has been away from civilization for a long time and must have forgotten how to receive a visitor.”

      “Visitors are only welcome when invited. That way, I can refuse the presence and avoid this ... uneasiness” - Samuca grunted, looking at the girl whose name he knew now.

      “I sent you an email two weeks ago, letting you know that I would bring your new assistant. Obviously, you didn't open it, as you do with most of my emails.”

      "Of course not. I don't have time to waste with small talk, after all, I have a manuscript to deliver” - he replied and looked again at Gabriela, finding difficult to look away.

      “Which is not ready...” - JP said, and Samuca shrugged.

      "Yet. Besides, I don't need a new assistant.”

      Managing to stop looking at her, the man passed them both cursing under his breath and was surprised by the crystalline voice that seemed to involve his whole body.

      "Of course, you need an assistant," - she said quietly. - "The house is a mess. Your job is late. And you need manners. And a haircut as well.”

      Her words paralyzed him, surprising him with the boldness of the girl, who barely seemed to have left school, even though the tone of her words contained nothing but kindness.

      “What the fuck are you ...” - he started but lost her attention when the girl looked around