Sophie Was Blamed for Ruining Christmas — Then the Living Room Camera Showed the Real Culprit Had Four Paws
Chapter 2 — The Paper Inside the Ornament
Michael carefully lifted the largest piece of glass.
A narrow strip of yellowed paper was wedged inside.
“Dad?”
Richard looked over.
“What?”
Michael unfolded it.
Several handwritten musical notes covered one side.
On the other was a message:
RICHARD — IF YOU EVER HEAR THIS SONG AGAIN, YOU’LL KNOW I DIDN’T FORGET.
Below it was one name.
THOMAS.
Richard sat down immediately.
Michael noticed the change.
“Who is Thomas?”
Richard stared at the paper.
“Where was that?”
“Inside the ornament.”
Richard looked toward the broken glass.
“That’s impossible.”
Sophie had stopped crying now.
She was watching her grandfather.
Michael asked again.
“Who is Thomas?”
Richard slowly answered.
“Thomas Bell.”
“Friend?”
Richard looked away.
“Once.”
He and Thomas had grown up together.
Same neighborhood.
Same high school.
Same obsession with music.
Richard played piano.
Thomas played guitar.
As teenagers, they spent entire evenings writing songs in Richard’s parents’ basement.
Then one song changed everything.
“What song?” Michael asked.
Richard stared at the musical notes.
“Winter Morning.”
Michael recognized the title.
Everybody did.
Richard had recorded Winter Morning in his twenties.
It became a modest regional Christmas hit.
For decades, it played every December on local radio.
The family considered it Grandpa Richard’s song.
But now Richard was staring at Thomas’s handwriting.
And the first eight notes on the paper were the opening melody of Winter Morning.
