“Oh, she is so adorable!” Maddie exclaimed.
“Can I hold her?” Caleb asked.
“Let’s let your great grandma hold her first,” Steve said, coming over and gently guiding the kids to back off a bit.
Joan reached down into the box and carefully lifted out the kitten. Cradling the white ball of fur to her chest, she stroked the kitten’s head with her chin. A loud purring emanated from the tiny creature.
“Looks like she likes you, Mom,” Sheila said, leaning against Rick whose arm was draped over her shoulder.
Joan looked up at her daughter and future son-in-law. “So this is what you’ve been planning behind my back?” she asked. “I had a feeling you two were up to something when it took you so long to rinse those dishes.”
“We had the kitten in the garage. Steve picked her up for us yesterday,” Sheila explained.
“Thank you so much, sweetheart. I love her.” Joan said happily, reminiscing about all the times she’d been tempted to get a cat but had denied herself because of Phil’s allergy to the critters.
Sheila looked up at Rick. “Thank him,” she said. “It was his idea.”
“Really?” Joan asked, looking into Rick’s eyes.
“Sheila mentioned that you’d always wanted a cat. I thought it might be a good time,” he said.
Soon the kitten was being passed from person to person as they all discussed names. “I think I’ll call her Josie,” Joan announced. “I had a best friend growing up named Josie and she had almost white blonde hair like this with the brightest blue eyes.”
“Josie suits her,” Michelle said as she nuzzled the kitten.
“I agree,” Maddie added.
“Then it’s decided,” Sheila said. “Joan and Josie—it has a nice ring to it,” she added with a smile.
“We’ve got one more thing to open,” Madison announced as she dragged the box from Phil out of the corner.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The first thing out of the big box from Phil was a package for Caleb. All eyes focused on him as he tore open the wrapping paper. “Red! My favorite color!” he said, lifting out a balsa wood airplane.
“That’s the kind of plane I used to have as a kid,” Rick said from across the room. “Can I have a look?”
“Sure,” Caleb replied, making engine noises as he flew the plane over to him.
“Look here, son,” Rick said as he pointed out some lettering on the side.
Caleb pointed and said, “Hey, that’s my name.”
“Yep. Caleb’s Cargo Carrier. Looks like you’ve got a new business!”
“Let me see it, dear,” Joan said, reaching in Caleb’s direction.
Holding the plane high above his head, he flew the plane over and gently landed it in her lap. She handed Josie to Sheila and carefully examined the plane. As she ran her fingers over the smooth wood, she imagined Phil sitting out in the shed assembling and painting the aircraft.
“I think there’s more,” Steve said to Caleb as he lifted another package with the boy’s name on it out of the box.
Caleb opened it to discover a children’s picture Bible with a bookmark shaped like a sword. “Cool!” he said as he flashed the miniature sword.
“Maybe we can start reading this tonight at bedtime,” Steve suggested.
“Good idea, Pops!” the boy replied, and Joan couldn’t help but chuckle.
The next present in the big box had Madison’s name on it. Quite the opposite of Caleb, she carefully slipped her fingers under the tape and eased the paper off. Inside was a carved wooden box with a heart on top engraved with the letter M. As she lifted the lid, she discovered a dainty gold cross necklace and a white leather Bible with her name in gold letters in the bottom right cover of the front.
As she held up the Bible to show everyone, Michelle turned to Joan and said, “That’s just like the Bible you and Grandpa gave me when I was Maddie’s age.”
Madison took her items over and showed them to Joan, one by one. Then she leaned over and hugged her great grandma. “Thank you, Grandma Joan. I love them.”
As she admired the handiwork on the box, she replied, “Don’t thank me, sweetheart. These were from your Grandpa Phil. He did this all on his own.”
Madison snuggled up against her. “I miss Grandpa,” she said sadly.
“Me, too, honey,” Joan replied, tipping her head and leaning it against her great granddaughter’s.
Just then, Sheila squealed. “I guess we’d better get this little kitty into the litter box,” she said, holding the dripping feline in one hand as she cupped the other under it’s bottom. “I’ll be right back.”
Rick leapt to his feet and followed her, opening the door into the garage so she could continue to hold Josie securely.
Soon they returned to the festivities. “Let’s see what else Dad packed in there,” Sheila said as she and Rick took their seats.
Next out of the box was a gift for Michelle. In similar fashion to her daughter, she delicately unwrapped the package slowly.
“Just rip it!” Caleb exclaimed, and everyone laughed.
Michelle lifted out a hand mirror with an intricately carved frame. Attached to it was a little note ~ When you look into this mirror, Princess, remember that the young lady you see in that reflection is the Daughter of a King and the Bride of Christ. She walked over to Joan and perched on the arm of the couch beside her. “Look, Grandma. Isn’t it beautiful?”
Joan took the mirror in her hands and inspected the craftsmanship of the floral vine that wrapped around the glass. Running her fingers over the raised flowers, she imagined Phil doing his own final inspection. It was almost as if she could feel the impression of his fingertips on the wood.
“Do you think he actually carved this himself?” Michelle asked.
“I’m certain of it, honey. Your grandfather carved a mirror for me for our first Christmas together. It wasn’t nearly this detailed. But over the years, he got lots of practice whittling away back there in that shed.”
“I’ll treasure it forever,” her granddaughter said as Joan handed it back to her.
A box with Tim’s name on it was the next package out of the box. Inside was an old black Bible with Timothy engraved on the front. He flipped it open to find an envelope inside. Pulling out the letter inside, he began to read silently while everyone watched.
“Read it out loud,” Caleb said, leaning against his uncle.
“Okay, here goes.” Tim cleared his throat and began. “Dear Tim, This Bible was my grandfather’s. His name was Timothy, too. It seemed fitting that you should have it. He spent a lot of time with this book, and I still remember sitting under the old sycamore tree at his house, as he’d read passages aloud to me. His love for scripture was what motivated mine.
“You’ve got a godly heritage, young man. I sure do hope you’ll follow in the footsteps of my Grandpa Tim, and sink your roots deep into the heart of God. No matter how carefree and easygoing your life may be today, we all have our share of challenges along life’s path. The words you find in these pages are so much more than just words. They are life and hope and a promise for tomorrow. Don’t miss those treasures, Tim. They are for you.
“I’ve left one more item for you, too. But it wouldn’t fit in this box. You’ll find it out in the corner of my garage with a red blanket covering it. Remember that wagon we built together when you were seven or eight years old? Well, I did a little work on that project of ours, and it’s up and running again and ready to use. You’re an uncle now, and hopefully one day you’ll also be a dad. That wagon is for you to share with the kids in your life. Take good care of her. She’s looking pretty good now.
“I’ll be waiting for you on the other side, son, and I’ll be looking forward to hearing all your adventures. Love, Grandpa.” Tim’s voice cracked a little as he read the last line. When he looked up, his eyes met Joan’s, and she could see his tears.
“Come over here, honey,” she said.
Tim came and knelt in front
of her and she wrapped her arms around him as they both dissolved into tears. The room was silent and everyone was still. Finally, Tim pulled back a little and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll never forget him, Grandma. Promise.”
She couldn’t speak. But she nodded and tried to give him the best smile she had as she wiped away the tears.
No one moved except Tim, who turned and sat at Joan’s feet leaning against the couch for support. Michelle reached down and put her hand on her brother’s shoulder for a moment, and he turned, looked up at her and smiled.
Finally, Joan said, “Is there anything else in there?”
Steve peered into the box. “Oh. There’s something here for me,” he said, sounding surprised.
“Open it, Dad,” Caleb piped up.
“It’s another Bible,” Steve said as he opened the package.
“That one was Phil’s,” Joan said, instantly recognizing the worn leather cover. “It was his first Bible when he started preaching.”
Steve opened it to find his own letter in the front. As he pulled the stationary out of the envelope, something gold fell to the floor at his feet. He stooped down and picked up a girl’s ring with a tiny diamond.
“What does the letter say, honey?” Michelle asked.
Steve skimmed through it and handed it to her. As she read it, her eyes teared up.
“Read it to us, Mom,” Caleb requested.
“This one’s not a read aloud, sweetheart,” she said. Then she handed it to her mother, who read through it and passed it on to Joan.
Joan lifted the paper and began to read silently.
Dear Steve,
This ring is like the one I gave to our daughter when she was Madison’s age. I wanted her to know how very special she was to me, and that she was also a treasure to God.
It’s tough raising a girl to womanhood; especially in this day and age when so many of the morals and principles of God’s word are no longer honored by our society. Your Madison is at an age when she will begin to determine her course in life. Talk to her about the importance of purity and of finding a godly man for marriage.
If I have any regrets in my life, I’d say it was being busy with ministry. I tried very hard to make Michelle’s mother and grandmother my top priority. But it was a continuous balancing act. As I look back on it, I wonder if some of the heartaches Sheila experienced in her marriage to John could have been avoided if I would have somehow been even more present in her life.
All that said, I see God’s hand through it all. Sheila is my treasure. And my greatest joy was seeing her turn her life back over to God.
I hope you understand how important you are in the lives of your kids. It can be awkward at times with a girl. But a father has the ability to make his daughter feel like a princess. I know Madison feels that way. I hope she always will. And it’s my hope that this little ring will be an important symbol for both of you until the day you find yourself at the altar giving your precious daughter’s hand to the man of her dreams.
Joan and I didn’t get a chance to raise a son. But if we would have, I’d like to think he would have been a lot like you. I’m so thankful you are Michelle’s husband. She is a very blessed young woman. And Caleb will become a great man, if he follows your example. Keep up the good work, Steve.
With love,
Grandpa Phil
Joan nodded and handed the letter back to Steve. “Still preaching from the grave,” she said with a smile.
Steve gave her a warm smile and showed the letter to Michelle. She read through it and then handed it back to him, giving him a hug as she did.
“Here’s something for you, Grandma,” Madison said as she handed a small package to Sheila.
Taped on the top of the box was a note from her father. She opened it, and read aloud, “These are some treasures my mother gave me to pass along to you. You may remember one of them from our little tea parties when you were a girl.” She opened the box and pulled out a porcelain teacup and saucer. Inside the cup was a tiny velvet box. Carefully opening the hinged lid, she found a beautiful antique wedding band.
“Oh, my,” Joan said. “That was your grandmother’s wedding ring.”
Sheila lifted the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger. It fit perfectly. Stretching out her hand and admiring it, she looked over at Joan. “Did you know about this, Mom?”
“I haven’t seen that ring in years,” she replied. “He must have been keeping it in his sock drawer with his father’s pocket watch.”
“Wait, there’s something else,” Sheila said as she lifted another envelope from the bottom of the box. Inside, she found a letter and a DVD. Scrawled across the front was a note. “These are things I want you to always remember, Princess.”
She pulled out the letter and started reading it, but her tears prevented her from finishing. “I think I’ll keep this until later,” she said. “I wonder what’s on the DVD.”
“Let’s watch it,” Caleb said.
Sheila handed it to him, and he turned on the television, popping the DVD into the player. Immediately, Phil appeared on the screen.
“How on earth?” Joan said. Then she remembered her letter and how Phil had explained that the neighbor boy, Trent, had helped him with the gifts. “So this is how they make movies now?” she asked.
“Yep,” Tim answered. “It’s pretty easy actually.”
As Phil began to speak, something stirred in Joan. “You know, honey,” she said to Sheila, interrupting their focus, “I think maybe you’d best watch this yourself, first.” She tipped her heads toward the children. “You can share it with us later.”
Steve took the remote control from Caleb and pressed the pause button. He glanced at Sheila, who nodded in agreement. Ejecting the disc, he slipped it into the paper case and handed it to his mother-in-law.
“Well, your grandpa was certainly busy out there in the shed,” Joan said to break the awkward silence.
“Is that all that’s in there?” Caleb asked, seeming eager to play with all his new toys.
Steve peered into the box. “Looks like there’s one more thing.” He pulled out a large manila envelope with Joan’s name on it. It appeared to be stuffed pretty full of some paperwork.
Her hands shook a little as she unfastened the tabs that hooked the flap down. The first thing she pulled out was another DVD pack. This one had two discs inside. She removed them and read the black marker on the face of each. “To share with family,” one said. “For my sweetheart only,” was written across the other.
“Well, let’s have a look-see at this one,” she said, handing the DVD to Tim. He popped it into the player and turned the television back on. Music filled the room as Phil and Joan’s favorite melodies played in the background of a slideshow of photos from their entire marriage. Starting with images from their wedding and continuing with a myriad of scenes, their lives together were chronicled over a twenty-minute show.
One of Joan’s favorite segments showed pictures from shortly after Sheila’s birth. All in black and white, they captured some of her most treasured memories with her husband.
Finally, the music faded and the slides stopped. Then a recent picture of Phil appeared on the screen, holding a sign that said, “My love will never leave any of you. See you on the other side.”
Joan smiled and sighed. “I think I’ll save the rest of this for later,” she said, gesturing to the pack of paperwork and the other DVD on her lap. “I’m so glad we got to all spend this Christmas together,” she added, trying to sound cheerful as fatigue began to overtake her.
Sheila must have noticed her fading because she said, “I think we’ll head back to our place now and get Josie settled in.” She glanced over at Rick.
“I’ll go load the cat into the carrier and put our things in the car,” he said as he stood to his feet. Turning to Michelle and Steve, he added, “Thank you for including me in this family Christmas. It means more to me than you can know.”
Mi
chelle smiled and nodded. “You are family, Rick. And in another week it will be official.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
When Joan, Sheila, and Rick got back to Sheila’s house, Rick set up the kitty’s litter box in the bathroom. “Let’s leave her in there for a little bit,” Joan suggested, making a bed for Josie on the floor out of some old towels. “I need to lay down and rest, and it will give her a chance to get acclimated to her new place.”
They closed the door carefully to avoid any possible paws that might be in the way. Josie was quiet, other than some scratching sounds in the litter box, so Joan said goodbye to Rick and gave her daughter a hug before going into her bedroom.
She placed the envelope from Phil on the dresser. The activities and emotions of the morning were more than she could handle without a short snooze. She wanted to be fresh when she pulled out the rest of the material her dear husband had left for her.
Stretching out on her bed, she closed her eyes and was asleep instantly. She slept soundly, dreamlessly for two hours. Then a soft knock on the door brought her back to consciousness.
Sheila stuck her head in the door, little Josie cradled in her arms. “Can we come in?”
Joan nodded and scooted herself up against the headboard.
“Someone was asking for you,” her daughter said with a smile as she placed the puffy white kitten on her lap.
Joan smiled and stroked her soft fur eliciting a deep purr that seemed out of place in such a tiny body. “Have you been behaving yourself while I slept?” she asked Josie.
“She did great until about ten minutes ago,” Sheila said. “We didn’t hear a peep out of her. Then I heard a little scratching sound, and found her sticking her paw out under the bathroom door and feeling around on the carpet.”
“You rascal,” Joan said to the kitten. Then turning to Sheila, she asked, “How long did I sleep?”
“About two hours.”
“Wow, I must have been really tired.” She cuddled the kitty to her chest. “What time is the dinner tonight?”
“Michelle asked us to be there around six. Rick and I thought we’d take a little walk at the beach before then and peek into the chapel to see what the lighting is like this time of day.”
From the Heart (Sandy Cove Series Book 5) Page 10
