So, I was decorating our tree today and this little chapter in Frank and Eva's life popped into my head. It's short and sweet…I may elaborate on it later, who knows. Enjoy and please review.
Frank had been with Eva for one Christmas, before she knew about his past; he knew nothing of the holiday, but played along with everyone quite well. Now that he is back in his home, with his wife and child, he is very curious to learn as much as he can about the holidays and traditions of his new home planet. Thanksgiving was easy enough for Eva to explain and for Frank to understand, Christmas, however, was going to take a bit more time.
"O.K., let me see if I fully understand," Frank starts. "You cut down a tree…"
"Well, I put up an artificial one," Eva laughs, "less hassle."
"O.K., you put up a plastic tree and decorate it. A large fat man watches you all year, then breaks into your house and leaves gifts while you're asleep…"
"Not a 'large fat man', Frank, Santa Claus…and he's not real exactly, well, Saint Nick was real, but Santa's what you tell children about…it'll make more since when Faye's a little older."
"Um, O.K., scratch the fat man for now. Er, you buys gifts for people because your God impregnated a woman without having sex with her…"
"It was the Immaculate Conception, no wait, that's a totally different church thing…anyway, it was a divine intervention of sorts." Eva can't stop smiling, Christmas was confusing Frank thoroughly.
Frank sighs. "I understand celebrating your God, but why in such a manner? Why plastic trees, fat men, and gifts?"
"Well, it is a tad more commercialized than…O.K., companies made Christmas into something totally non-spiritual, but it is a wonderful holiday and I promise that after a few more of them, you'll understand it and love it." Eva wraps her arms around her husband. "And there's another tradition that Christmas brings."
"Oh? And what might that be?" Frank asks raising an eyebrow.
Eva walks over to a cardboard box marked "Misc. X-mas" and pulls from it something that resembled a plant. "This is mistletoe, Frankie."
"That's a plastic piece of foliage as well?"
"Well, it never dies that way," she says, slightly embarrassed. "Anyway, it's customary for this to be hung somewhere in a room, usually from a ceiling or a doorway and when two people pass under it, they kiss."
Frank smiles broadly. "Well, that's something I can fully understand and enjoy." He pulls his wife close to him and gives her a lengthy kiss. When his lips leave hers, he looks as Faye, fast asleep in her playpen. "So, we have to lie to Faye about a man that leaves presents?"
"It's not lying exactly…how about we worry about that when the time comes?"
"O.K., love," Frank responds, still a bit confused.
"Frankie, how'd you play everything off so well last year? I mean, how was I so clueless about…"
Frank interrupts her. "If you remember, darling, your mother took care of everything last year. You weren't up to decorating because the doctor told you to take it easy with your pregnancy… I also did a lot of smiling and nodding. And when people started talking about buying gifts, I sort of followed the crowd."
Eva smiles. "Did you have anything like this at home?"
"We had a celebration of our goddess, but it was mainly spiritual, I must admit, that this holiday seems much more enjoyable."
"Well, are you catching on to it a little more this year?"
"Quite." Frank fidgets a little then asks, "So, um, is there anything in particular that you would like to receive for Christmas?"
Eva places her hand on Frank's face and looks deeply into his eyes. "Right now, Frankie, I have everything I could possibly want."