Finn
I wake up before dawn on Christmas morning and realize I don’t dread the day as I usually do. There’s a difference between waking up to Forensic Files reruns on Christmas morning and waking up with someplace to go…
When I get there, Callie’s front door is open. I look through the screen door and don’t see her, so I knock and call out, “Miss Callie?”
I hear her calling something back, so I step inside, carrying my plastic grocery bag and the two plants.
Her tree is still lying on the floor in the small formal living room area. I set the poinsettias down and poke my head in the kitchen.
Callie is sitting in her wheelchair in front of the sink. The turkey is in the pan, but I can see that she’s having trouble with it.
“Miss Callie?”
“Hello, sweet boy,” she says. “You’re just in time. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m weaker than I thought I was.” She laughs as if she’s not bothered at all. “It’s cooked but needs to be warmed. I didn’t know how I was going to get it in the oven.”
“I got it, Miss Callie. You mind if I spice it up a little?”
“You know how?”
“Sydney didn’t tell you that I used to be a chef?”
“I . . . don’t know. Did she?”
“I picked up a few things from the grocery store. I thought maybe I could take it up a notch.”
“Well, aren’t you talented?”
I laugh. “Why don’t you reserve judgment until you taste it?”…
She claps her hands. “Oh, you are precious!”
“Yeah, that’s what they always call me.” I laugh to myself. “Hey, where’s Sydney?”
She looks around, confused. “I’m not sure.”
“But it’s Christmas. She’s not still working, is she?”
“Yes. Yes, that’s where she is.”
“Are you sure?”
Callie looks a little disturbed. “She said she’d be here.”
Irritation sweeps over me, but it’s quickly chased away by sympathy for Sydney. Something bad must have happened.
I decide I’ll just do my best to distract Callie until she arrives…
Callie has a grand time looking through the box and pulling things out as I get the tree set up. I wheel her to the tree, and she helps hang the ornaments at seat-level as I string the lights onto the branches. I see a bunch of ornaments with little girls’ pictures, and she handles them delicately…
I go back into the kitchen and work on the casseroles…I just wish I knew when Sydney will be here. There’s nothing ruder than expecting someone to cook Christmas dinner for you and not telling them when you’ll come. I fight back my indignation, and then it hits me. I wasn’t feeling upbeat about Christmas with Callie. I was really just looking forward to being with Sydney.
Funny how things like that sneak up on you.
Taken from “Catching Christmas” by Terri Blackstock. Copyright © 2018 by Terri Blackstock. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/.
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