Boughs of Holly
Point Place, WI
December 23, 2006
9:00AM
The boxes that contained the holiday joy were all in the living room all lined up
against the back wall. There was no Christmas card arch around the front door, all of
the cards were unopened and placed in a neat pile on top of the entertainment
center. And for the first time that the young boy remembered there was no tree.
Things took a serious tone in the Forman house after Thanksgiving when Paige
experienced some bleeding and under doctor's orders had to spend the rest of her
pregnancy bedridden. Eric was scared that any moment his wife would suffer a
miscarriage. Eric acted like he was on auto pilot, a scruffy faced auto pilot, who went
to work for the sole purpose of bringing in money and making sure the medical
insurance was there for his family. He put a little ceramic tree on Paige's nightstand.
It was white with sapphire colored light nubs and that was the extent of the Forman
holiday decorating. Jacen was able to get his weary father to sign papers that he
could get a job at fifteen years old. He was marking and stocking the shelves at
Pricemart. There were no stories about "I used to work there when I was a young
boy." Jacen knew if Paige had a miscarriage it would kill the both of them. He had
his head on the kitchen table in half awake mode. He had to go to work at noon and
the stress was starting to get to the young boy too because he really didn't want to.
None of this seemed particularly fair.
The doorbell rang and Jacen was forced out of his exhausted slumber. He was
wearing the trademark Pricemart red smock.
There was a man dressed in all white and Jacen wondered if it was the angel of
mercy or maybe death in disguise?
"Delivery for Forman."
That seemed impossible no one ordered anything for delivery.
"Okay."
"Sign here, please."
The man handed him one of those electronic clipboards with those metal pens that
no one could write legibly with.
He had a small shred of curiosity in him when the box on the dolly cart was about the
size of an upright vacuum cleaner. The man in white wheeled it in the entry way for
him and Jacen was about to let the box sit and rot there like everything else. He
could go back to his kitchen table nap but he figured why not open the box?
He heard rustling in the kitchen and went to see what it was. Paige was good at
obeying the doctor's orders. She was quiet during all this, afraid that the littlest action
would make the baby go away.
His father was pouring orange juice in two glasses. He really needed a shave. He
looked like he hadn't slept in a month, which was partly true.
"Hi, Dad."
"Hi, Jacen."
"How is Paige?"
"Sleeping, but I'm waking her up for breakfast soon."
"I can make it."
"No, son, that's okay. I need to keep my hands busy."
"She'll get through this."
"I hope so," Eric put together the collapsible tray, "I-I don't know what to do if---"
"Don't think about that, Dad."
Jacen could see the joy was out of his father's eyes. He put together a tray of orange
juice and cereal for two.
"Do you have work today?"
"Yeah, but not for a few hours yet." And he hadn't showered or changed clothes
himself since last night.
"Okay. I'll give you a ride."
"Thanks, Dad, I keep telling you that I can walk."
"No. I'll give you a ride."
"I'll see Paige before I leave." Jacen was afraid that his presence and he didn't know
why, would be upsetting to her. He didn't want to be the miscarriage trigger.
When his father was gone Jacen went back to the mysterious box. He didn't bother
to tip the box over on its side to see the return address. His hand went to the gift
card that was in a sealed overlay on top of the box.
Dear Jacen and Mr. and Mrs. Forman,
Extending you some holiday cheer.
LJ, Best Wishes,
Mindy Swanson
Jacen felt an exuberance that wasn't in his body not even one minute ago. He didn't
even need a box cutter to open up the box. He just used his hands. He threw the
tissue paper on the floor as if he were three years old again and trying to get to the
good stuff in the box.
It was a tree! A pre assembled, fully lighted artificial Christmas tree!
Mindy bought him and his family a Christmas tree! He smiled. This was one of her
best signals ever. Things were going okay with them, but he was confused over all
the stuff she wanted to do but still didn't want to take it to intercourse. He was going
to pay her a visit before work to thank her in person for this gesture but first things
first he wanted to assemble the tree and clean up the tissue paper and packing
peanut mess before his father reappeared which wouldn't be until it was time for him
to go to Pricemart.
For the first time in a long time Jacen Forman felt hopeful that the Forman family
would get through this and the baby would be born healthy. They all had to be okay.
Fa la la la la la la la.
By comparison the Swanson's house was a winter wonderland and even though
Jacen thought they always overdid the middle class Americana have-to-keep-up-
with-the-Jonses bit it was still refreshing to see a decorated house. They had those
drooping clear icicle lights on each level of the front of the house, which looked
romantic in the nighttime He was happy to see the decorations including all the
reindeer and through Nativity scene in the front yard. Yes the Swanson's were the
atypical conservative family ripe to be parodied on late night comedy sketch shows,
but at that moment Jacen didn't care if the mini van of doom was in the garage he
was going to climb up Mindy's trelace and surprise her. After all he was showered
and smelled of "Morning Rain" soap and his bottle of Old Spice.
Mindy's room was girly girly and very neat because her mother wouldn't allow her to
have a messy room. It was big, wide, and open. Her wallpaper was delicate pink
stripes with lavender flowers in the stripes. She had framed posters on her wall of
TeenNick idols. She had a frilly canopy bed that Jacen spent many a night
pleasuring himself and fantasizing about. To the right of the trelace was a small
balcony that was more for decoration then reading or drinking iced tea in the
summertime.
She was sitting on her vanity. She had a white vanity and a cherry wood desk! Yet
she was more down to Earth than her parents who seemed to actually form a
relationship with their possessions. He kept his balance on the white bars as he
watched her brush her hair. She should've kept it down but no, there came the
ponytail but the elastic had enamel boughs of holly design.
Mindy looked over and saw Jacen clinging to her trelace.
"Jacen!" She ran over to the window and opened it, "You're going to kill yourself!"
She helped him in.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
"Hmm. That was nice."
"Thank you for the Christmas tree."
"You're welcome. How is Paige?"
"The same."
"I saw your father yesterday in the pharmacy he didn't look good at all."
"I know. He's a wreck. I have to believe it will all work out."
She held his hands. "They will. I say a prayer every night. Guess what Jacen?"
"What is it?"
"My parents aren't home."
"Does that mean you want to fool around on the living room sofa?"
"No." She leaned in closer, "I want you in my bed."
She gently pushed him so he'd fall backwards.
"Are you sure, the last time we---"
Mindy straddled herself on top of him.
"You read my gift card?"
"Yes." He was ready to launch the missile of love and she wanted to talk about gift
cards.
"My mom was hovering over me so I had to write shorthand," she unzipped his
Pricemart smock. "LJ—Love Jacen."
He felt his eyes water. He had the Forman sap gene.
"Mindy, you haven't told me you loved me since----"
"I know…I'm saying it now. I love you, Jacen Forman."
"And I love you, Mindy Swanson. Oh—shit! I didn't bring any, I things /I ."
"I'm on the pill remember?"
"Now, I do. You're so beautiful." They both got into position with her on the bottom
and him on top.
She blushed. "I'm your present unwrap me."
"Will do, m'lady, will do."
Merry Christmas, darlings.
Eric helped Paige walk to the living room. He wanted to make sure that she wouldn't
get any bedsores and most importantly so that she could see what he found when he
came out to do the breakfast dishes. He pulled down the blinds so he could put the
lights on. He couldn't believe that Mindy sent them a Christmas tree. Maybe, he was
wrong about her for these years? He didn't mean to compare Mindy to Donna. It was
just that there were some nagging similarities and Eric didn't want to see his son get
hurt. Donna never would have made a gesture like that for his family! He knew that's
where Jacen had to be. He had to be back by eleven fifteen if he didn't want to be
late for work.
"Oh, Eric, it's beautiful."
"Mindy sent it."
"What a sweet girl."
"I feel bad, honey, that I didn't decorate. Jacen and I will---"
"It's all right, Eric."
Jacen came home and again was surprised when he came through the front door.
He did his best to hide his "I just had good sex with my girlfriend" face.
"Jacen, the tree is lovely. Mindy is a doll."
"I'm glad you like it, Paige. How are you today?"
"Okay."
"I have to use the little boys room. Help Paige back in bed, son."
Jacen did what he was told, even though he was nervous and uncomfortable about
the whole situation.
"Thank you, sweetie. I could've walked but your father worries."
"You're welcome. Maybe after work we can play cards?"
He didn't want to lose the bonding moments that they had since they had shared a
pepperoni pizza and bottle of root beer outside a few months ago.
"Sure," she yawned as she clutched her pillow.
He covered Paige up with her blankets and quickly and softly kissed her on the
cheek.
Christmas morning
Jackie left a three o'clock in the morning voice mail from the Bahamas saying that
she and Michael just got married and that she was going to move to Denver to start
their married life. She did wish Paige and the baby well because even though Jackie
hated Paige she would never wish ill will like that on a mother and child. Jacen and
Eric did decorate the living room on Christmas Eve but with Paige having to spend
most of her time bedridden and with no guests coming over it seemed to be such a
waste. Even Mindy had to leave Jacen's present in the mailbox because her and
parents were going to Vermont on a ski holiday and the present wasn't ready in the
late afternoon when he came over to give Mindy her gift. There were many orders to
be fulfilled and they were overwhelmed. Jacen prepared breakfast. Before he put the
food on the tray he sat down to open Mindy's gift. It might have been corny but the
reason why he didn't open the box sooner was because he liked looking at the
wrapping paper. It was a sleigh ride scene with cartoon children. He opened it up. It
was a watch and a nice one at that. It was black with chrome detailing. It was
engraved on the back.
Timeless. Mindy.
Her lack of the word 'love' on the watch was probably because her mother was with
her in the mall and she couldn't use it. He knew that she did. She was starting to feel
comfortable saying it.
He smiled as he put his watch on. Ironically the gift he gave Mindy was a purple
leather band retro digital 1980's watch! His engraving was
J.F. M.S.=4Ever.
"Merry Christmas, son."
His father looked like death warmed over, "Merry, Christmas, Dad."
"You made breakfast. You're such a good boy."
He gave him a hug and even though he was an adolescent who didn't like to be
encumbered by parental hugs he let his father lean on him.
"Yes I did. Did you get Jackie's voice mail? She married that Michael guy."
"Really?" At that moment Eric could really care less. "That's great."
"Last night, I put all the presents in a bag and put them in your closet."
"You know what? We can all eat later. Let's open up our presents first. I'll get the
camera."
"Is Paige still asleep?"
"No, she's up. Bring her a glass of orange juice."
"Okay."
"Wait," Eric held his son's left arm up in the air, "Where'd this come from?"
"Mindy got it for my Christmas present."
"It's very nice."
"I got her a watch too. We are so synergistic it's not even funny."
Eric smiled. Even if he thought they were too young to be "in love", he wasn't going
to deny his son of his feelings for his beloved. Not anymore.
"Boys you didn't have to drape garland along the door frame." Paige smiled. But the
red and green swirls were beautiful and reminded her of a seasonal barber's pole.
"Nonsense. Who here wants their presents?" Eric held up the old Halverson's
department store bag.
"Eric, Jacen, you two didn't have to do anything. I'm just sorry I couldn't bake any
cookies."
"That's not necessary. These two big things are for you, my sweet." Eric put the two
packages next to his pillow so she could easily reach them.
Paige picked the snowman card off the snowflake patterned wrapping paper.
"Dear Paige, Merry Christmas. I hope you like your present. Jacen."
"I'm sure I will," she tore the wrapping paper off to reveal a miniature porcelain doll.
"Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz . Oh, Jacen this is very beautiful. Thank you."
Eric snapped a few pictures.
She hugged him. "You're welcome."
"I wonder who the other box is from?" Eric said winking.
Jacen rolled his eyes. His Dad was the king of the corny joke.
"Eric! The blue box with the white ribbon! Eric, you can't afford---"
"Open it up, Paige, and don't worry what I can and cannot afford to give my wife for a
Christmas present."
It was bottle of sheer signature fragrance and another little box within a box of petite
diamond stud earrings.
"Oh my…these are very beautiful. Will you put them in?"
"Of course."
"Thank you to my two wonderful men."
"Dad," Jacen whispered as his father finished putting one earring in Paige's ear.
"What?"
"Look."
"Oh my poor baby," he kissed her on the cheek and put the other earring in her ear.
"She gets tired so easily."
"Let's eat our breakfast. We can continue opening presents later."
Eric smiled. He didn't have to tell Jacen to help clean up the wrapping paper, bows,
and the presents themselves that were on the bed. He did it all on his own.
"Sounds good to me."
"How about if I put Paige's doll here?" Right on her end table in-between her
photographs of him at three and them on their honeymoon in California.
"That looks very nice, son."
"Dad, she's going to be okay. And so will the baby." Jacen said to his father as they
stood in the doorway.
"I hope so, Jacen," Eric tried to believe in miracles. Today was the day when you
were encouraged to believe in them, "I hope so."
He fell into his son's arms wanting to believe that their family was going to be all
right.
When they finished hugging each other. Eric closed the door softly behind them.
"I saw those little pink baby socks with the yellow ducks on them in your closet."
"I got those before Thanksgiving. I couldn't give those to Paige and risk---you know."
"You are a great Dad and you will be again." Jacen said as he put the waffles back
in the microwave.
"Thank you, son. You've been a great help around here as well keeping up with your
job at Pricemart and your schoolwork. You are awesome."
"I learned from the best."
"Thank you," Eric replied as he broke off a piece of bacon. "Thank you so much for
that."
Fa la la la la la la la.
