Courtesy of Alethia Young.
The Pile
Christmas Eve.
Mouths opened. Lungs expanded. Eyes gleamed.
“Not a word.” Dad leaned in over the table, finger extended, a twinkle in his eye. “Not a word.”
Five mouths clamped shut.
23 sleeps ago.
The Five, armed with saw and wagon, hurried out into Grandma’s fields, hunting just the right tree. In the back pasture they examined tall trees and short, round and skinny. Each child voted yes or no. The tree had to be perfect. It would take the center, Norman Rockwell stage for the whole month. Victorious, they return home over the small hills and dells, scratched but happy. Decorating and off-key singing ensued.
“The holly green, the ivy green, the prettiest picture you’ve ever seen…”
14 sleeps ago.
Boxes arrived. Big boxes. The Five immediately helped unpack.
“The tree doesn’t look lonely anymore,” the youngest said.
“Everyone keep your fingers to yourselves,” Mom said. “Don’t touch the pile.”
8 Sleeps ago.
From under the prickly cedar tree, trussed up with lights and handmade decorations, spilled the pile. It spread into the narrow living room, cutting off the path from the kitchen to the bathroom. The Five huddle around it in the dark morning, dreaming of toys and more toys. Waiting. Waiting. The countdown dragged. The older ones swore the pile extended further into the room than any piles had before. Each present had been examined. Each of The Five knew which present was theirs, and the noise it made when shook. The Five had the entire pile mapped out.
1 sleep to go.
Christmas Eve sauntered in. Anticipation reached a breaking point. Tomorrow the paper would be ripped off and the toys would be theirs. Just a few more hours. One more sleep.
“Not a word.” Dad leaned in over the table, finger extended, a twinkle in his eye. “Not a word.”
Five mouths clamped shut.
Dad held out his hand to Mom and the two of them retired from the kitchen table for what The Five prayed would be a short winter’s nap.
Their parents’ bedroom door shut.
Screams of joy erupted.
In a moment of real Christmas magic, The Five gathered the dishes, ran hot soapy water in the sink, wash, dried, cleared, and cleaned the kitchen without a word of disagreement. Not one single squabble arose. No one pushed, pulled, glared, or even joked. Instead, carols erupted from them, swirling about the room on winds of excitement.
“…it’s the most wonderful time of the year…”
Sunlight streamed into the tiny mobile home as The Five went about their work. It splashed across the pile, the wonderful, huge pile.
Dad, king of his castle, lord of his family, general over the ranks of the Five, had superseded the holiday.
“I have an announcement, but I don’t want to hear a word. Not a single sound,” Dad had declared, as they sat around the table on that now famous Christmas Eve, eating tomato soup and grilled cheese. “Are we agreed?”
The Five shared a glance, then nodded in unison.
“Good.” Dad smiled. “Mom and I are going to take a nap. During the nap I want the table cleared and the dishes done.”
The Five waited. That was normal. Nothing about that part of the announcement would induce anything but sighs.
“After we get up,” Dad took a deep breath, “we’ll open presents.”
Five mouths opened. Lungs expanded. Eyes gleamed.
“Not a word.” Dad leaned in over the table, finger extended, a twinkle in his eye. “Not a word.”
Five mouths clamped shut.
The End
On January 1st, I’ll be posting on a new blog and other social media sites. If you follow me here, please hope over to the new blog and follow me there. That way you won’t miss any new articles or updates.
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