"Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la la!" Fiona Phillips and Annie Thielen practically screamed the song to wake up all of their sleeping family and friends. Arm and arm they skipped down the hall, you would barely know they were teenage high school girls.
"We hear you!" Jack yelled as he sat up in bed. He was very warm and happy under the flannel blankets and down comforter. Yet what kind of Christmas would it be if Fi didn't run down the halls warbling at 7am? At least she waited until 7. Any earlier and he might have to kill her.
He could hear the reactions of Carey and Clu in the form of chasing Annie and Fi down the stairs. The girls were giggling and the boys were cackling. *Those brothers* Jack thought to himself, *chasing girls no matter how old they are*. He threw back the covers and stepped onto the cold wooden floor. "Yeesh!" he squealed as he quickly found his wool slippers and hooded sweatshirt. He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and then headed down to join in the festivities.
"Merry Christmas Baby!" his Mom greeted him at the bottom of the stairs with a big hug and a hot cinnamon roll.
"Oh this is heaven." Jack began to salivate as he held the cinnamon roll.
"Oh yes I know, spending the holiday with the people you love and sharing in the miracle of Christmas is overwhelming for me too!" Molly Phillips ranted on to her son, obviously missing his reference to the roll. She seemed to happy though and Jack knew this was always hard for her. He kept quiet and ate the roll.
"You bet Mom."
"Let's open the presents!" Clu exclaimed from over on the couches where everyone has gathered. Ned and Irene on the love seat couch, Clu and Carey on the floor with huge pillows, Annie and family on the smaller couch, and Fi on the big couch waiting for Jack and her Mom.
"Sounds good to me." Jack replied as they joined everyone. And with that they took turns opening presents. Annie and Fi compared the clothes and CD's they had received. Fi had given Annie the new CAKE album hoping to get her into some cool music outside of the pop genre. Jack laughed as Fi opened her gift from him. They always had fun with each other and this year Jack had wrapped her paranormal books almost 20 times and in many boxes.
"Jack, there's still something left for you. It came in the mail a few days ago." Molly walked over to the closet and pulled out a small package wrapped in blue angel paper. She walked over and handed it to Jack.
"To: Jack, From: Gabe" he read. The memories flooded through his head. Gabe had meant so much to him but they knew they were fooling each other by even trying to go out. Their relationship had faded to a casual friendship with e-mails every few weeks. they had never talked about Christmas.
"Angel wrapping paper." Fi whispered to herself with a smile. It made sense.
"Well, let's see what it is" Jack said with a smile as he carefully tore at the paper. Removing the layer of wrap he exposed a small leather book. A journal he guessed. He undid the leather strap around it and out came a letter. His name was printed on it in beautiful script. The book was a journal. Lined pages pressed between the deep brown leather cover. It smelled amazing, like leather and Gabe.
"That is so beautiful Jack, I had forgotten all about Gabe." Molly said as looked at the journal.
"Now I guess I should send her a New Years present or something. Get even."
"Good idea Jack. We'll help you out so you don't pick something stupid too!" Fi pestered her brother.
"Thanks for having hope in me sis." Jack replied in his trademark sarcastic tone.
"Anytime Bro."
"Are you going to read the letter?" Carey inquired.
"Yah, later. In private."
"Ooo. A private letter hmmm. Can I read it when your done?" Clu teased.
They all packed up their gifts and cleaned up the wrapping paper that danced about the floor. Soon everyone was dressed and helping make the dinner feast. Jack remained upstairs in his room, in his pajamas, clutching the journal and letter in his hands. With shaky hands he opened the beige envelope and pulled out a letter written on pale blue stationary. The words were written in her beautiful printing and they melted together as he took it all in.
Dear Jack,
This may seem cruel, I know I hate it when someone can't tell me something to my face and instead makes me suffer through their written thoughts. But right now I can't tell you such things in words. It has been hard for Daddy and me. The farm may be thriving and we have been able to hire so much help but the gloom is still present.
The bone-marrow transplants helped for a while. I was improving greatly and I thought it was all over. Over a year later I was tiring easily and one day I collapsed at school. My system can't handle this and no treatment or supposed "cure" can help. They told me that on medication I might live until February of next year.
By now I have ruined your Christmas. But Jack, I need you. You were the one who kept me sane when I was falling apart. Right now I am so scared. I need you to call me and just know why I can't say anything through the tears. I would have waited and sent you this letter late but I fear the end might be sooner than I think. Forgive me Jack for laying this all on you so suddenly. Please be there for me.
The journal is too write. You denied it to be frequently but I know you love to write. Write poetry, songs, or simple journal entries. I can't explain why this all seems so twisted. Sending a gift and then this letter. We have always worked in mysterious ways.
I love you Jack. Please love me too.
Gabe
Of all things he expected to read that was as far off base as anything. There was shock, then sorrow, then the bitter realization. Shaking even more now he reached to pick up the phone and dial the number he hadn't even thought of for months.
"Hello?" A female voice answered.
"Gabe? It's ummm Jack."
"Jack." Her voiced trembled. "Thank you so much for calling," she sounded weak and tired. "Merry Christmas." He could hear the silent tears falling down her face.
"Merry Christmas." He replied, the irony was too much for him. His own silent tears began to fall. "How are you?"
And with that, they wept together.
"We hear you!" Jack yelled as he sat up in bed. He was very warm and happy under the flannel blankets and down comforter. Yet what kind of Christmas would it be if Fi didn't run down the halls warbling at 7am? At least she waited until 7. Any earlier and he might have to kill her.
He could hear the reactions of Carey and Clu in the form of chasing Annie and Fi down the stairs. The girls were giggling and the boys were cackling. *Those brothers* Jack thought to himself, *chasing girls no matter how old they are*. He threw back the covers and stepped onto the cold wooden floor. "Yeesh!" he squealed as he quickly found his wool slippers and hooded sweatshirt. He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and then headed down to join in the festivities.
"Merry Christmas Baby!" his Mom greeted him at the bottom of the stairs with a big hug and a hot cinnamon roll.
"Oh this is heaven." Jack began to salivate as he held the cinnamon roll.
"Oh yes I know, spending the holiday with the people you love and sharing in the miracle of Christmas is overwhelming for me too!" Molly Phillips ranted on to her son, obviously missing his reference to the roll. She seemed to happy though and Jack knew this was always hard for her. He kept quiet and ate the roll.
"You bet Mom."
"Let's open the presents!" Clu exclaimed from over on the couches where everyone has gathered. Ned and Irene on the love seat couch, Clu and Carey on the floor with huge pillows, Annie and family on the smaller couch, and Fi on the big couch waiting for Jack and her Mom.
"Sounds good to me." Jack replied as they joined everyone. And with that they took turns opening presents. Annie and Fi compared the clothes and CD's they had received. Fi had given Annie the new CAKE album hoping to get her into some cool music outside of the pop genre. Jack laughed as Fi opened her gift from him. They always had fun with each other and this year Jack had wrapped her paranormal books almost 20 times and in many boxes.
"Jack, there's still something left for you. It came in the mail a few days ago." Molly walked over to the closet and pulled out a small package wrapped in blue angel paper. She walked over and handed it to Jack.
"To: Jack, From: Gabe" he read. The memories flooded through his head. Gabe had meant so much to him but they knew they were fooling each other by even trying to go out. Their relationship had faded to a casual friendship with e-mails every few weeks. they had never talked about Christmas.
"Angel wrapping paper." Fi whispered to herself with a smile. It made sense.
"Well, let's see what it is" Jack said with a smile as he carefully tore at the paper. Removing the layer of wrap he exposed a small leather book. A journal he guessed. He undid the leather strap around it and out came a letter. His name was printed on it in beautiful script. The book was a journal. Lined pages pressed between the deep brown leather cover. It smelled amazing, like leather and Gabe.
"That is so beautiful Jack, I had forgotten all about Gabe." Molly said as looked at the journal.
"Now I guess I should send her a New Years present or something. Get even."
"Good idea Jack. We'll help you out so you don't pick something stupid too!" Fi pestered her brother.
"Thanks for having hope in me sis." Jack replied in his trademark sarcastic tone.
"Anytime Bro."
"Are you going to read the letter?" Carey inquired.
"Yah, later. In private."
"Ooo. A private letter hmmm. Can I read it when your done?" Clu teased.
They all packed up their gifts and cleaned up the wrapping paper that danced about the floor. Soon everyone was dressed and helping make the dinner feast. Jack remained upstairs in his room, in his pajamas, clutching the journal and letter in his hands. With shaky hands he opened the beige envelope and pulled out a letter written on pale blue stationary. The words were written in her beautiful printing and they melted together as he took it all in.
Dear Jack,
This may seem cruel, I know I hate it when someone can't tell me something to my face and instead makes me suffer through their written thoughts. But right now I can't tell you such things in words. It has been hard for Daddy and me. The farm may be thriving and we have been able to hire so much help but the gloom is still present.
The bone-marrow transplants helped for a while. I was improving greatly and I thought it was all over. Over a year later I was tiring easily and one day I collapsed at school. My system can't handle this and no treatment or supposed "cure" can help. They told me that on medication I might live until February of next year.
By now I have ruined your Christmas. But Jack, I need you. You were the one who kept me sane when I was falling apart. Right now I am so scared. I need you to call me and just know why I can't say anything through the tears. I would have waited and sent you this letter late but I fear the end might be sooner than I think. Forgive me Jack for laying this all on you so suddenly. Please be there for me.
The journal is too write. You denied it to be frequently but I know you love to write. Write poetry, songs, or simple journal entries. I can't explain why this all seems so twisted. Sending a gift and then this letter. We have always worked in mysterious ways.
I love you Jack. Please love me too.
Gabe
Of all things he expected to read that was as far off base as anything. There was shock, then sorrow, then the bitter realization. Shaking even more now he reached to pick up the phone and dial the number he hadn't even thought of for months.
"Hello?" A female voice answered.
"Gabe? It's ummm Jack."
"Jack." Her voiced trembled. "Thank you so much for calling," she sounded weak and tired. "Merry Christmas." He could hear the silent tears falling down her face.
"Merry Christmas." He replied, the irony was too much for him. His own silent tears began to fall. "How are you?"
And with that, they wept together.