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| Ooops! |
All good things come to an end
though, and as the credits rolled Mia slid off the sofa and bounced on the rug.
“Beep! Beep!” Her high pitched squeal made me wince.
Raina’s piping voice joined her
sister’s raising the level of cacophony. Samantha reached for Raina to quiet
her.
Mia’s smile widened and her hops
took on a frightening forward motion.
“No!” Samantha grabbed for the
little arm, but Mia giggled just out of reach and brushed my Christmas tree.
Terry’s grab overshot her and he
crashed into the branches. Bells and crystal tinkled then an ornament shattered
on the hearth.
Everyone froze. Terry’s eyes were
round, brimming with tears as he turned to me. “I…I’m…” His chin trembled.
Our first Christmas ornament, a
paper-thin porcelain bell, lay in glinting shards across the ceramic tile.
“It’s okay.” I swallowed a lump. If
one of the tiny crystal angels, each unique had fallen, I’d just sweep it up,
but the bell… How Tom’s face had lit up when we found it… My eyes were
threatening to rival Terry’s as my tears welled.
Then I saw Samantha. She had rolled
herself up as small as she could and was tucked back into the narrow gap
between the sofa and my recliner.
Letting my vision of Tom go, I
pasted on a smile. “Nothing the broom and dustpan won’t fix.”
Mia leaned over the wreckage, one
chubby hand stretched toward the razor-sharp slivers.
“Mia.” My back groaned as I leaned
over, tucking her into my arms. “Don’t touch. That’s an ouchie.”
I handed Mia off to Terry. “Let’s
clean this up.” The broom made short work of the mess and as I tossed the bits
of thirty-four year old memories into the trash can, Samantha slowly unwound.
But her eyes were wary, watching my every move, calculating when I’d get angry.
I swallowed hard once more to clear
my throat. The child needed me at my best.
“Why don’t we color now?” I grabbed
the pile of coloring books I’d bought for them, and knelt down on creaking
knees in the middle of the rug—well away from the tree. “Pick out a book. I’ve
got enough for everyone.” And enough crayons, too. The three little boys
settled in.
Mia and Raina’s eyes began to sink.
Maybe a nap was in order for them.
I finally settled back into the
recliner, pinned to my seat by the twins as their sleeping warmth weighed me
down. Samantha picked up the bowls and I nodded at her. She stepped over
Terry’s legs where he and the other boys sprawled on their tummies peacefully
coloring away.
My eyes were as heavy as the girls’.
The soft Christmas music wove its magic through the room. I’d be ready for a
silent night when Cherie came to collect this crew.
I jerked awake. The doorbell had
roused me, but it didn’t ring a second time. Samantha had opened the door to a
blast of chill, damp air and Cherie’s smiling face.
“What a peaceful scene!” She lifted
Mia off my lap as Samantha grabbed Raina.
“Won’t you take your coat off and
warm up?”
“No. It’s high time I take this
menagerie home for the day. Besides, you helped me finish up in record time by
keeping them occupied. Nothing like Christmas shopping with the little grasping
hands everywhere.” Cherie’s smile deepened. “You’re a good friend for helping
out this way.”
Jo-Jo tugged at his mother’s jacket.
“Terry broke a ormanent!”
Cherie’s eyes narrowed as she pinned
the culprit in her focus.
“I was catching Mia! She nearly
climbed the tree.” His deep brown eyes were welling again. “Honest, Miss
Cherie.”
“Really, Miss Laura Grace?” Cherie’s
eyes demanded truth. “Is that the way it went down?”
Cherie’s focus shifted to Samantha’s
white face as she nodded over Raina’s head. “Samantha and Terry are great
toddler wranglers.” I smiled at the two older children. “I couldn’t have
managed without them.” I patted Mia’s back as she blinked sleepily from
Cherie’s arms. “Think nothing of it.” My heart twinged a bit at my word’s
reassurance, but it was better. Not the heartsick ache I’d expected.
Cherie nodded, satisfied. “Okay
then. Time to head ‘em up and move ‘em out.”
“I’m not done yet.” Jamie grabbed
for the box of crayons Samantha was filling.
Jo-Jo fumbled at his pocket trying
to hide a couple of crayons, but Samantha pried them loose.
“Take the coloring books and crayons
with you, boys.” I rose stiffly.
“Can I stay and help Miss Laura
Grace clean up?” Samantha looked from me to Cherie. “Please.”
“It’s okay with me.” I smiled at
her. “I could use the help. Tom did most of the cleaning. What do you say,
Cherie?”
She shrugged. “It’s okay with me if
you want to. I’ll come—”
“No, I’ll bring her home when we’re
done.”
“Okay,
Laura Grace. If you say so. Let’s get this crew into their coats.”
Have a happy week among all the preparations. I'll finish this scene all the way out next Tuesday. ;-)
