Avalee's Gift

by Linda Apple

  “And he wasn’t invited?”

  “Lexi said his mother-in-law was apologetic, but offered no explanation for not inviting him this year.”

  I grabbed my purse and walked to the door. “Need anything else?”

  “No, that should do it.”

  “Well, if you think of something, text me.”

  “I don’t text. I talk. Now run along. They close early on Christmas Eve.”

  When I pulled off the driveway, I admired Jema’s house. It was like a bright star in the neighborhood. AJ had strung lights on the house, around the trees, and on the bushes. In the yard were lighted reindeer. One had a red nose. All the other houses along Washington Avenue had trees shining from the windows, but other than that, the street was dark. It was good to have a child in the neighborhood.

  Christmas morning dawned cloudy and cold which was fine by me. If I couldn’t have a white Christmas, at least I wouldn’t have to put up with a bright Christmas. I could fool myself the clouds teased with the possibility of snow…like last year.

  Momma was upstairs getting ready, so I had the whole downstairs to myself to be quiet and mentally prepare for the day. I poured a mug of coffee, sliced a piece of cinnamon pecan loaf, and settled in front of the fire. Everything felt strange. Off. Last year I was so busy I couldn’t think. The girls and I were laughing, crying, all up in each other’s business. Ty and I sat here, in front of the fire….

  In my mind’s eye, I pictured Ty with his parents. They were probably sitting around a beautifully decorated table getting caught up on the past thirty years, laughing and crying. Making memories. I missed him. Really missed him.

  The Grandfather clock tolled eleven times. Everyone was due to arrive at eleven-thirty. We had just enough time to pour our naughty and nice eggnog into the punch bowls and set out the appetizers. When the clock chimed the half-hour, Felix had Mrs. Armstrong on his arm at the door. Momma opened it and Mrs. Armstrong said, “Naughty. I’m getting too old to be nice.”

  AJ and Junie were the next to arrive. Momma took the little girl’s hand, “Come with me, sugar, I have something to show you.” She led the child to the tree. “All of these are for you, baby.”

  Junie’s coffee-brown eyes opened wide with delight. She grabbed Momma’s hand. “All those presents are mine, Big Momma?”

  “Yes, baby. They are all for you, and you can open them after we eat.”

  Junie turned and grabbed Mom’s legs in a hug. “I love you, Big Momma.”

  Momma looked up at me. “We’ve adopted each other.”

  AJ watched with a huge smile. I couldn’t imagine how wonderful it must have felt to see his little daughter so happy.

  Mrs. Armstrong hobbled on her cane and put another package under the tree. “This one is for you, too, Junie.”

  Mom’s eyes rounded and she looked at me. I got her message clearly. Will wonders never cease?

  Junie danced around the tree clapping her little hands. “Thank you, Miz Strong.”

  “You are welcome, little lady.” Pearly looked to AJ. “I really appreciate you bringing Junie to visit me in the evenings. I get right lonely at times.”

  Junie kept dancing. “When do we eat? When do we eat?”

  “Well, we are all here, so we might as well go to the dining room and commence.” Momma bent over Junie. “And then, we’ll open presents.”

  When we were all seated, Momma spoke to Felix. “Sugar, would you ask the blessing for us?”

  “Yes, ma’am, it’d be my pleasure.” We all joined hands and I listened to Felix’s rich bass voice intone a prayer. “Lord, we are joined at this table by a common thread. Your love. While we are all so different, we all have you within.”

  I looked over at Mrs. Armstrong. Her eyes were shut tight, and she was nodding her head. Indeed a wonder. Closing my eyes, I turned my attention back to Felix.

  “You are the golden thread that weaves our lives together, and I’m grateful to you Lord. Today and always may we honor you by honoring each other. May we be grateful and show gratitude to others. May we give as we receive. Keep us close, Father, and on your path. Thank you for everyone here today, and especially for our Miss Cladie. Amen.”

  We all repeated together, “Amen.”

  In no time, the food was passed around and eaten. Junie’s feet barely hit the floor on her way to the family room. It is uncanny how the first ripping of paper really livened things up. Her delighted squeals and prancing around the room holding up the gift she’d just opened had us in stitches. It felt so good to laugh. By the time she finished, there was a mountain of paper, empty boxes, and bows.

  While Momma and AJ cleaned up the mess, she noticed Pearly hobble off to the bathroom and took the opportunity to ask him about how they had come to know Pearly. He told us about how their dog Chewy had run off and hid under Pearly’s porch. When they finally retrieved the puppy, he noticed some sagging boards and offered to fix them. Of course, Pearly showed him other things that needed fixing and of course, he was happy to help. All this time, Junie entertained the old woman. And now she embraced them like family. A true Christmas miracle. A child had led her from prejudice to respect.

  I made a pot of coffee to go with one or more of the four desserts Mom had made, which she promised she had barely tasted. Acid reflux was already threatening, so I ran upstairs to my room for an antacid. When I walked in the room, I found a startled Junie. She backed up with her hands behind her. “Honey, what are you doing up here?”

  “Nothing.” She started easing out the door.

  “What’s that behind your back?”

  “Nothing.”

  She looked so small and frightened. I had no idea what to do about whatever she was hiding. “Just a minute. I need to get something in here and then we will go down together.”

  She nodded. But when I came back to my room she’d already gone downstairs. I scanned the room. Everything looked to be in the right place. I really had nothing of value anyway, except…my engagement ring. When Ty insisted I keep it, I slipped it off my finger and put it in the velvet box and stuck it in my lingerie drawer. I felt silly checking, but I did anyway. For several seconds I rifled through my things growing more and more panicked. It was gone. I knew the child wasn’t a thief. She probably just saw something pretty and wanted to play with it. Maybe she dropped it somewhere and thought she’d get in trouble so she was hiding the empty box behind her. I dropped to my knees and looked under the dresser. Nothing.

  When I returned to the family room, Junie sat by the tree playing on her tablet while everyone laughed and visited. I hated to spoil the jovial atmosphere with accusations, but I wanted my ring back before she really lost it.

  “Ava, honey, would you help me bring the desserts out?”

  Perfect. Mom would know what to do. As we walked, I told her what had happened. Momma drew her eyebrows together and said in a low voice. “That baby didn’t take your ring.”

  “But it’s gone and I caught her snooping in my room. And, when she saw me she threw her hands behind her. I’m not saying she is a bad child, just curious. What should I do?”

  Momma stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out a pecan made to look like a mouse. It had pink paper ears, black bead eyes, a pink bead nose, and string for its whiskers and tail. On the back of the pecan was a piece of looped yarn for hanging the ornament on the tree. “She was putting this in your room as a surprise. She made them for us.

  “Oh.” Now I felt like a jerk. But where was that ring?

  Momma thought a minute and snapped her fingers. “You put that ring in the lockbox. Remember?”

  “No?”

  “Yes. Yes you did. I remember it as clear as a bell.” She patted my shoulder. “You are too young to be forgetting things like that. Now take this cake to the family room and put it beside the punch.”

  I felt somewhat relieved. The last few weeks had been a mental battle, so it was no wonder I’d forgotten. But just in case, I decided to check the lockbox
as soon as the bank opened. Just to be sure. And if it was there, I needed to make an appointment with a psychologist. It was time to get a grip.

  ****

  The next morning I dressed early and hurried down the stairs hoping Mom wouldn’t see me trying to sneak the lockbox key from the desk. I didn’t want it to look like I didn’t believe her, but the more I thought about it, I didn’t. I may have been distracted these past several weeks, but I’d remember what I had done with something so precious to me.

  She kept the key in the secretary in her sitting room. I slid open the drawer and scrounged around. No key. I checked the other drawers. Nothing. Where did she put it?

  “Morning, baby.”

  I whirled around. “Morning, Momma.”

  “Looking for something?”

  Think, Avalee. Think. “Lozenges. My throat is getting scratchy.”

  “I keep those in the kitchen cabinet. You know that.” She eyed me. “You are dressed mighty early. Going somewhere?”

  “Errands. We leave for Italy tomorrow, and I had a few things I needed to do.” I hadn’t fooled her one bit.

  Her lips turned up at the corners like the cat that caught the mouse. “Okay then, while you are out, would you get me some BC Powders? I’m sure they don’t have those in Italy.”

  “Sure.” When she left, I did one last search. Where did she put that darned key?

  Momma called from the kitchen. “That baby didn’t take your ring. It is in the lockbox.”

  “Then where is the key?”

  She reappeared in the door. “In the desk there.”

  “No, it isn’t.” Oops.

  “I figured that was what you were after.” She sighed. “I’ll tell you what. You run your errands, and I’ll look for the key if it will make you feel any better. And when you see your ring, you will owe my Junie girl a huge apology.”

  I felt my cheeks burn. “Does she know I suspect her?”

  “No, but I do.”

  And with that burden of guilt, I left to buy the BC Powders, because that was the only errand I really had to do.

  ****

  On the way home, I passed our house and drove to the playground where Ty had given me my ring. I stepped out of the car and slipped my gloved hands in the pocket of my quilted black coat, the same one I wore while playing in the snow with Ty last Christmas. The grounds looked so different. It was different. Last year everything was covered with snow. Last year I was with Ty. Now everything is brown and ugly. Now I am alone. I closed my eyes and imagined snow, and my footsteps crunching deep in its surface. I tried to imagine Ty with me, but I couldn’t. I had given up my relationship with Ty, but why did life demand more from me? Why my ring?

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  If this is a dream, then never wake me up.

  ~Avalee Preston

  The excitement of D-day—departure day—helped me to stop worrying about my ring, at least temporarily. David, Tryna, Molly Kate, Stan, and Lexi were supposed to meet me here at the house. I checked the clock. They’d better hurry. The limo was due in half an hour. Minutes later, I heard car doors slamming. Someone jogged up the porch steps and then knocked. When I answered, a blast of arctic air hit me in the face. Tryna stood there hugging herself. “Get in here, girl.”

  She traipsed in. “I can’t believe this. I’m going to Italy. On a private jet.” She held her hands together and bounced up and down on her toes. “I can’t believe it.”

  “Believe it.” David sauntered in with a Cheshire cat smile. “Hi Avalee.”

  “Hi David.” I crossed my arms and nodded toward Tryna. “What are we going to do with her?”

  “Got any Ambien?”

  Tryna slapped David on the shoulder. “Oh, stop. You know you are excited, too.”

  “I am.” David scrunched up his nose. “I’m just not much of a flyer.”

  “Oh, just you wait. A whole new world of flight is about to open up before you when you see Levi’s jet.”

  “Oh, oh, what?” Tryna started bouncing on her toes again. “Is it amazing?”

  “Beyond amazing.”

  Lexi called up the steps. “Hey, everyone, limo’s here. Get the lead out. Let’s go.”

  Tryna flashed a smile at me. “And you talk about me being excited.”

  “It probably has something to do with Luca and Sal.” I couldn’t wait until Tryna got an eyeful of them.

  “Who are they?”

  “I’m not saying. You are wound up enough.”

  While the driver loaded the bags, we climbed inside. In no time, we enjoyed coffee, ham biscuits, oatmeal-raisin muffins, and champagne while speeding to Memphis.

  I tasted the muffins. They were delicious. I offered one to Lexi.

  “No thanks, I hate raisins.”

  “Really? I love them.”

  “Pfff, they are a tragic waste of a grape that could have been wine.” Lexi grabbed a ham biscuit and turned to give Tryna the low-down on Luca and Sal. “Girl, those boys are fine.” She looked up, dropped her head back, and shrugged up her shoulders. “They make the trip way too short.”

  Tryna’s smile couldn’t have grown any broader. “I can’t wait.”

  David poked her. “Hey, you’re married.”

  “So?” She winked at Lexi. “Just because I’m on a diet doesn’t mean I can’t look in the refrigerator.”

  Lexi high-fived her. “You got that right. Besides, they are married, too. No matter, they are charming and eye-candy to boot.”

  David rolled his eyes and said to Stan who sat next to him. “See what I have to put up with?”

  “Hey.” Tryna nudged him. “I heard that.”

  With mischievous brown eyes David said, “I know.”

  David and Tryna’s banter went on like that the entire way, thoroughly entertaining us. I could hardly wait for them to see the jet and I wasn’t disappointed. For a millisecond, they were speechless. Their mouths hung open like a baby’s waiting for the next spoonful of pureed bananas.

  “This is a living room.” David scanned the seats and made a beeline to the recliner next to the electric fireplace. He lifted his eyebrows and gave us his famous innocent grin. “I found my chair.”

  Tryna looked around and then at Lex. “Where are they?”

  “I’ll check. You sit there on the sectional.” Lexi disappeared through the galley door then returned with Luca on one arm and Sal on the other. Tryna sucked in a quick breath.

  “Here.” David waved a tissue at her. “This is to wipe up the drool.”

  Lexi clearly enjoyed showing off her boys. “Tryna, this is Luca and Sal.”

  “Hi, nice to meet you.” Tryna stuck out her hand and gasped when Luca fixed his clear green eyes on her, bent, and kissed it.

  “The pleasure is all mine.”

  Under her breath, Tryna whispered, “Not by a long shot.”

  Sal gazed down at Lexi with his sultry eyes. “What can we get for you? Coffee? Juice? Wine?”

  “A room?” David lowered one eyebrow and smirked at Lexi.

  “Oh, hush up, David.”

  “Well,” said Momma. “Since you boys are asking, I’ll have coffee.”

  Both men turned to her and their demeanor immediately changed from playboys to little boys seeing their grandmother. Sal spoke first. “Ah, Nonnina.”

  Luca took her hand. “Come. Sit here. It is the most comfortable.”

  In nine little words, my mother had turned the Chippendales into little grandsons competing for her attention, much to Tryna’s and Lexi’s disappointment. I might also add to David’s great amusement. Molly Kate didn’t notice any of this because she only had eyes for Stan as they snuggled at the far end of the sectional. Watching them made me think of Ty, which made me think of my ring and again, I wondered where it could be. I had a feeling it was most likely at the bottom of Junie’s toy box.

  ****

  Since there were so many of us, Levi sent a limo to pick us up. No one spoke on the way except for oohs and ahhs. I
taly in winter had a beauty all its own. When we pulled up to the mansion, David said, “No way.” He stared at me. “This is where they live?”

  “Tryna covered her mouth. “Oh my. Why I’d never move back to Moonlight.”

  Momma had tears in her eyes. “God love her. The child deserves this.”

  Jema came running out the door waving her hand. We piled out of the car hugging like we hadn’t just been there less than two months earlier. Levi followed with Jema’s daughters, Amanda and Olivia. Momma hustled over to them with her arms held high. “Levi, my boy! Amanda! Olivia! How are my girls? Oh, I’ve missed you all so much!”

  “Y’all come in, we will have your luggage brought in.”

  Carina stood by the door and greeted each of us as we walked in. When she greeted David, he stared at her kumquat hair and tried to smile through his grimace.

  Tryna kicked his foot and murmured, “Quit staring. You look like you just put your hand in a messy diaper.”

  Fortunately, Carina seemed oblivious to David’s silent scream. “Welcome, everybody. Follow me, and I will show you to your rooms.”

  Mom and I started to follow her, but Jema held us back. “I put y’all in the same room. Is that okay? We haven’t finished refurbishing the other wing yet.”

  “I don’t mind. That bed is large enough for three people.” I turned to Mom. “Just don’t snore.”

  “Mercy, child. Have you heard yourself lately? Now get on up them stairs and show me our room.”

  “When y’all have unpacked and freshened up, come downstairs to the library, just past the kitchen. Lillianna has our antipasti in there already.

  “Antipasti?” Momma frowned.

  “I’ll tell you all about it, Momma. Now, let’s go upstairs.”

  When Mom walked through the doorway, she stopped short and looked around. “Mercy, Lord, what a room.”

  “Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” I pointed to the bathroom. “Take a look in there.”

  “Why, fathers. I’ll need a ladder to get in that tub.”

  “There’s a shower over there.” I pointed to the stone enclosure.

  “There’s no curtain. Won’t the floor get all wet?”

  “No. It’s all good, Momma.” I dug in her purse. “Now check your blood sugar and then we will head downstairs. You are going to love the food here.”