Miss Julia Stands Her Ground

by Ann B. Ross

  I waved the papers in front of him again to shoo him out. He straightened his shoulders and tugged down his coat, all the while giving me a mean look. Then, with a great swelling of his chest to show he was undeterred, he folded his tent and slunk away.

  Those papers are safe now in my lockbox at the bank, and every once in a while I think of going down there and destroying them. The day is going to come when I will pass on to my reward, leaving the boy, who I hope will be a grown man by that time, with access to all my papers and possessions. I would purely hate for him to learn, sometime in the future when I’m not around to reassure him, that the issue of his paternity and his mother’s veracity had ever come up. I want Hazel Marie to believe that she has my trust, and I want the child to know that he is who he is, without any question or uncertainty entering their heads, or anybody else’s.

  So I’ll do away with those test results one of these days, but in the meantime, I like to have them available just to look at now and then. And, in case we should ever need them. You never know, do you? It’s always good to have proof, signed, sealed, and paid for, to wave in somebody’s face if the question ever rises again.

  Of course, I don’t need any tests or papers or official evidence to put my mind at ease. I never had any doubts about that child to begin with.

  Miss Julia’s Christmas Day Menu

  Breakfast

  (SERVED IN THE LIVING ROOM BY THE TREE)

  Pigs in Blankets

  Pecan Coffee Cake

  Orange Juice Coffee

  Lunch

  (DISPLAYED ON SIDEBOARD, SELF-SERVE STYLE)

  Oyster Stew

  Oysterette Crackers

  Waldorf Salad

  Tea Coffee

  Afternoon

  (OFFERED TO DROP-IN GUESTS)

  Lillian’s Fruitcake and Date-Nut Bars

  Cheese-Nut Wafers

  Fudge and Divinity Candies

  Coffee Sparkling Cider Hot Spiced Tea

  Dinner

  Roast Turkey and Cornbread Dressing

  Giblet Gravy

  Broccoli with Curry Sauce

  Creamed Onions with Almonds

  Squash Casserole

  Candied Sweet Potatoes

  Cranberry Orange Congealed Salad

  Cranberry Sauce

  Lillian’s Yeast Rolls

  Maraschino Cherry Christmas Pie

  Coffee Sparkling White Grape Juice Tea