by T. K. Chapin
“Thanks. I just hope Floyd likes it. It’s a little different than the photo I got… but I don’t think it’s a bad different.”
“Where’s that photo at?” Chris asked.
“Over on the wall above the workbench right over there,” I said pointing.
Chris went over and looked at the photo and then back at the table. “I’d say it’s an improvement.” Coming back over to the table, he nodded. “Maybe you can make and sell some of these down at the feed store?”
Shaking my head, I said, “The money Levi paid for the oak isn’t an investment I’d want to sit on for very long. And a table like this might take a while to sell.”
“I didn’t even think about waiting to sell it; you’re probably right,” Chris said.
“Let’s get it covered up before Levi shows,” I said going over to the wall to grab the blankets and a tarp. Levi hadn’t seen the table for the last month of work. He saw some of the shaping on the table and the chairs, but not much. He wanted to be surprised with Floyd and Margret when they see it. As Chris and I finished covering the table, Levi pulled into the driveway.
Reversing in, he backed the trailer up to the bay’s opening. I came out of the shop and helped him navigate back the rest of the way in.
“I’m so excited!” Levi said, jumping out of the cab of his truck and hurrying back to us.
Nodding, I smiled. “Hope you all like how it turned out.”
“I have every bit of confidence in you,” Levi said patting my shoulder.
We all helped load the table onto the trailer and strapped it in with tie downs. Chris and I even wrapped the chairs up tight, mostly to keep them from getting damaged from the snow, but it also had to do with it all being a big surprise.
After loading, Chris and I jumped into my truck and followed Levi over to Floyd’s for the big reveal at the Christmas Eve celebration. Floyd and Roy’s family do a gift exchange on Christmas Eve and back a few years ago they started including us. It was nice to be included since we didn’t have much of our own family around for the holidays.
Arriving to Floyd’s house, Levi was able to pull the trailer around the milk house undetected. I just parked my truck in the driveway in front of the house. Levi came running from the milk house to catch up to us before we went inside.
“How’d you manage to not have the dogs barking and Margret and Floyd out here greeting us? They seem to always do that,” I said.
“Jeremy and Craig are in on the surprise, so I made sure to let them know to keep the dogs locked up in the milk house and Floyd and Margret down in the basement with music pretty loud.”
Chris and I both laughed. Chris said, “That’s genius, you went through a lot of work to keep it a surprise as long as possible.”
“I can’t take the credit, Jess came up with the plan,” He replied grinning as we headed inside.
“Speaking of, is she coming?” I asked.
“Yeah, she had to go pick up her cousin from the airport. She’s coming to stay with us for a while on the farm. I tried talking Jess into letting me go instead, being pregnant and all, but she insisted on going.”
“Ahh… I see,” I replied.
Walking inside the house, Craig was coming up the stairs and he looked relieved to see us. Whispering at us, he said, “Thank heavens you are here, they’ve been getting cranky down there!” Craig is thirty two and lives in Spokane with his wife Melanie. He has a son and two girls. He works at the biggest plastic factory in the area, Spokane Plastics, as a traveling sales representative.
“Thanks for keeping them away,” Levi said grinning. “It’s going to be awesome.”
“You still haven’t seen it?” Craig asked.
“Nope,” Levi said.
Craig turned to us. “Is it pretty nice? Levi showed me some of the work you’ve done in the past… pretty impressive, Dylan.”
“Thanks,” I replied. “I think it turned out nicely. I’m glad I was fortunate enough to make a career out of my passion.”
Coming up the stairs, Jeremy, Floyd and Margret all smiled at us.
Jeremy was thirty three and lived with his wife and two daughters in Spokane. He also works out at the plastic factory with Craig, but he’s one of the shift leaders on the factory floor.
“Oh, jeez!” Margret said, smacking Jeremy’s arm. “Look at what you two boys did! I don’t even have the punch ready and we have guests!” Almost running, Margret continued past us and towards the kitchen. “I’m so sorry Dylan and Chris; the boys were keeping us downstairs listening to silly Christmas music really loud…”
I laughed. “That’s okay, we just barely got here.”
“I know. I just hate to not be prepared for guests!” She said, as she pulled out the fruit punch and lemon-lime soda from the fridge in the kitchen.
“Where are the women who put up with you two? And the kids?” I asked, looking at Craig and Jeremy.
Craig laughed a little and replied, “The kids are downstairs playing and the women are on their way here. They decided to grab a few last-minute Christmas gifts.”
I nodded. “Last-minute shopping on Christmas Eve is always fun.”
“Punch is ready and I’m setting out some finger foods here in a minute for you all to enjoy while the ham finishes in the oven. The girls should be here soon and then we can open gifts,” Margret said from the kitchen.
The women soon arrived and conversation filled the air around the living room as the fire crackled in the fireplace. We were just waiting on Jess and her cousin to arrive. I, myself, was deep in a conversation with Craig about his latest visit to Odessa, Texas for business when suddenly it was interrupted by a knock on the door.
All the adults went silent for a moment as they looked over to see Jess come through. That baby bump of hers was growing and I greeted her with a smile across the room before I directed my attention back to my conversation with Craig. Then a woman came in behind Jess, capturing my attention once more. I suddenly was a loss for words in the middle of my conversation with Craig. I couldn’t help but lust after the woman’s beauty. It had an intoxicating effect on me. My pulse quickened, my palms went sweaty and I felt an intense and burning desire for her inside of me. She was more beautiful than any woman I had ever seen. Curly, flowing blonde hair dangled perfectly next to her cheeks, and her eyes were an inviting ocean blue. She smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her as she spoke with Jess.
“Dylan?” Craig said, breaking into my thoughts.
Trying to shake off my desire, I turned back to Craig. “Sorry about that…”
“You were saying?” Craig asked, leaning in to listen a little better since the room was growing louder with conversation.
“Umm… yeah… I’m lost.” I laughed, shaking my head.
“Dylan, come meet Jess’s cousin,” Levi said over near the door.
Craig looked over at them and then nodded to me. “Go ahead, man. Our conversation can wait.”
Standing up, I walked over to Levi. I felt nervous as I got closer to the one that ignited this fire inside of me. Part lust and part curiosity kept me on the path towards her. She was lingering near Levi, right between him and Jess. As I made my way across the living room, I said a prayer to myself for God to help me. I felt lust for this beautiful woman and I needed God’s strength. Accidently tripping over Kelsey, the three year old who was playing on the carpet below my feet, I said, “Oops!” as I hopped out of the way, nearly stepping on one of her fingers.
Finally arriving over at Levi, Jess and this woman, I extended a hand to greet her. “Hi, I’m Dylan. How do you do?” How do you do? What was I thinking? That line was terrible. I could feel my cheeks go red with embarrassment.
“I’m glad to be off that airplane,” she replied smiling. “I’m Allison.” Placing a hand on the little boy and girl who accompanied her, she continued, “This is Sammy and Olivia, my children.” I was so intoxicated with her beauty; I had failed to notice the children
earlier.
“Nice to meet you all.” I smiled down at the children and then back up at her. “You’re happy to be off the plane? I take it you’re not much for flying?”
“No, never have been…” Bumping her shoulder into Jess’s, she continued, “Probably why I don’t get out to Chattaroy often.”
“Yeah, didn’t even make the wedding, brat.” Jess laughed.
“I don’t care for flying either… Where’d you fly in from?” I asked.
“We’re from Atlanta,” she replied.
Jess bent down to Sammy and Olivia. “I need to take your mom into the kitchen for a moment. Could you stay here?”
Both children remained respectfully quiet, but nodded to Jess. They seemed like well behaved children compared to some of the kids I had seen in public.
“How old are you, Olivia?” I asked as I bent my knee to meet them both at eye level.
“I’m six. And Sammy’s five, but he’s shy. Where’d our mom go?” she replied. Sammy shuffled his steps and hid behind Olivia.
“She just had to go into the kitchen in the next room over. That’s neat—you’re six years old.” Leaning to one side to see Sammy a little better, I asked, “Did you ride on a big airplane?”
He hid his face behind his sister more.
She looked at me, “See, told you, shy.”
I smiled at her. “I guess you’re right.” Standing up, I began to turn and leave. “Guess he wouldn’t be interested in a magic trick either,” I said over my shoulder as I glanced back at Sammy and saw his little brown eyes peek out from behind his sister.
“What trick?” he asked curiously.
Turning back to the two of them, I bent back down. I retrieved the wooden coin I kept in my pocket and held it up to him to see. “This coin is magic.”
“How?” he asked, stepping out from behind Olivia.
Holding it in my palm, I said, “Now you see the coin…” Closing my palm, I let it slide down my sleeve without him seeing and said, “Now you don’t.” Opening my hand, it was gone.
His eyes widened. “Where’d it go?”
“Where all the magic coins go,” I smiled, standing up.
“No, really, where’d it go?” Olivia asked.
“Don’t you know that a magician never reveals his tricks?” I asked.
“Why not?” Olivia asked.
“Because the magic would be lost.”
“Olivia, Sammy, you can come in here now,” Allison called out from the kitchen to them.
“I’ll see you two around,” I said and went to go sit back down with Craig.
“You’re really good with kids,” Craig said. Leaning in closer to me, he continued, “There’s just something special about having your DNA running around your house. You really ought to put yourself out there, Dylan, and find a lady to settle down with.”
“I would love to meet someone, but I’m waiting on the Lord to bring the right woman into my life. I’m hoping all I have to do is see the woman and God will whisper in my ear, she’s the one.”
Craig laughed. “If God starts verbally speaking to you, let me know and I’ll check you into a mental institution.”
I laughed. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I do, but don’t let yourself get in your own way, Dylan.”
I nodded. “I won’t.”
“Time to exchange gifts!” Margret said coming into the living room. Resting her hand on Floyd’s shoulder as he sat in his green recliner, she continued, “Parents find a seat, children, find your parents and sit near their feet.”
The women came and joined their husbands on the couches and in folding chairs, while Allison looked a bit lost. “Here’s a spot,” Craig said as he slid down to let her sit on the couch between us. Shaking my head, I laughed a little, knowing what he was attempting to do.
Taking a seat, she asked, “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” I said.
“Okay,” Margret said. “Now Molly is the second oldest grandchild and since it’s her turn to hand out gifts, she can take a seat right by the tree.” Molly beamed with a smile as she stood up from Jeremy’s feet and sat next to all the presents. “Go ahead and grab one, then hand it to that person. And FYI—there are gifts for everyone, blood or not. We are all family one way or another! Enjoy!” Margret smiled as she sat on the arm rest of the chair that Floyd was sitting in.
By the end of the exchange, the floor wasn’t visible in any area of the living room, thanks to all the wrapping paper strewn throughout. Kids were playing with their new toys and adults were hugging and thanking each other for their thoughtful gifts. My gift, which was from Floyd, was in a small box and still wrapped sitting on the bookshelf behind me. In all the excitement of the exchange, I had put it aside to watch as all the thankfulness poured out from the family.
“Aren’t you going to open your gift?” Allison asked.
“Yeah,” I replied. Reaching behind me, I smiled at Allison as I reached up and grabbed the box. Turning back to face everyone, I noticed Chris with a grin on his face across the room. “What are you smiling about Chris?” I laughed.
He shook his head.
Undoing the wrapping paper carefully, I slid out the box and popped off the top. Inside, lying in the cotton at the bottom was a keychain. It read: Got wood? Allison was looking in the box also and got a strange look on her face.
“What is that about?” she asked, looking up at me. When our eyes met, I felt a jolt rush through me.
Floyd, Chris and Levi began busting up laughing as I pulled the keychain out. Margret looked confused as she asked, “What’s it say?”
Flashing Margret the keychain, she said, “That’s highly inappropriate!” She smacked Floyd in the shoulder.
“He’s a carpenter! Come on!” Floyd defended himself as he smiled.
“Oh, you are?” Allison asked.
I laughed. “Yeah, it’s just a joke gift.”
“I guess that is pretty funny since you do woodworking,” she laughed.
“Exactly,” Chris said, coming over to me. “It’s awesome. Floyd was a little apprehensive, but Levi and I talked him into getting it for you.” He patted me on the shoulder.
“You know you like the keychain,” Levi said, grinning.
I nodded. “It’s kinda funny.”
Levi stood up and said, “Okay, everyone… there’s still one more gift left.”
Floyd and Margret looked over to the tree. “No, there isn’t,” they said at the same time.
“Everyone, leave your gifts behind and let’s go for a walk… This gift is for Mom and Dad or however you know them.”
Levi led the family outside and across the gravel driveway towards the milk house. As we walked, the children were whispering amongst themselves on their speculation of what was going on. The adults kept the table gift away from the children in fear they might blurt it out before it was revealed. As we came to the corner of the milk house, Levi stopped and asked for Floyd and Margret to come up to the front of the group.
“We all know you two were married just a few days after Christmas, and this year we wanted to do something special for you. This is a Christmas and Anniversary present… From all of us kids and grandkids.”
I felt extremely nervous as Levi spoke. There was a bit of fear with every piece of furniture I crafted, but this one especially. I had toiled so long on the table and chairs, trying to make sure every single piece was perfect… I’d be devastated if they didn’t like it. And after my father’s comment on the flaws, my nerves were unhinged in anticipation of everybody’s reaction.
Levi looked up at the sky. “The snow seems to have stopped. Chris and Levi, could you come get it ready?”
“Sure,” I replied, glancing back at the people to spot Chris near the back. I motioned with a nod to him to follow me. Chris and I undid the tie downs and pulled off the tarps, while leaving the blankets on.
Levi stuck his head around the corner of the milk house. “Ready for us?
”
“Yep.”
Everyone came around the corner and fixed their gaze on the blankets. More whispering came about by the children, then Levi interrupted. “Go ahead.”
Chris and I nodded to each other and pulled off the blankets, revealing the table and chairs. My eyes bounced between Floyd and Margret as I searched their face for a response in their body language.
Floyd stepped out and walked up to the table. He walked around the table, looking at all the work that had gone into it. He shook his head as tears began to stream down his face. Then he stopped and looked over at Levi and then over at me.
“Simply amazing,” Floyd said delicately. “This table is so beautifully crafted and even more stunning than the old one we used to have. You did this, Dylan? Without the help of Frank or anyone else?” He asked, stepping closer to me. Seeing a grown man cry wasn’t something I saw very often and it warmed my heart to make such an impact on Floyd.
“Yes,” I said softly, glancing over at Levi. “It was all Levi’s idea, though.”
Floyd stepped over to Levi and hugged him. “Thank you so much, Son!”
Margret joined Floyd’s side. “We love it, and although it doesn’t replace the old one that we lost in the fire, it will serve our family for generations to come. New memories will be made starting with this night. Thank you so much!” Margret said with tears streaming down her face. “Bring it inside, and we’ll have tonight’s meal served on it!”
Levi looked over at me and gave me a nod. Everything went off without a hitch. They loved the table. As Levi, Chris, Craig, Jeremy and I all carried the new chairs and table inside and the old one out to the milk house, Levi kept smiling at me. He seemed thrilled with the result. As the table got set by Molly and Olivia back inside, Levi asked me to come out on the front porch.
“What’s going on?” I asked, closing the door behind me.
“Thank you, Dylan. I can’t believe how perfect the table turned out. It’s better than any of us could have expected.”
