It was nearly eleven at night. The house was dark, quiet except for the
glow of Christmas tree lights and the sounds from the television. Lee was
on the couch watching a tape of Alistair Sim in the movie “A Christmas
Carol” with Amanda. They shared a hand-crocheted afghan that was a gift
from Dotty.
Lee’s memory flashed back to ten that morning. Amanda had some holiday
errands to run, and he was in charge of their toddler, Michael Lee.
Handing over the youngster, she was out the door. Lee had some gifts to
wrap for her, anyway.
Jamie and Phillip weren’t home. Joe had picked them up the afternoon
before for a weekend visit and to help them do some Christmas shopping.
They weren’t due back till dinner on Sunday.
Lee pulled a brown paper shopping bag out of the hall closet. “All right,
Michael, let’s get to work.”
Putting the child down to roam the main floor, Lee dumped out the gift
wrap, ribbons, bows, scotch tape and scissors. Then he remembered what
he’d forgotten.
Carrying Michael upstairs, Lee pulled a cardboard moving box out from
“his” side of their bedroom closet. They had moved to this house shortly
after marrying and this box held some belts, old ties and shoes that Lee
kept as a back up if he was in a hurry to be somewhere, but didn’t to
appear one hundred percent pressed…or if he needed a spare pair of
wingtips, he had them.
What Amanda didn’t know was that for the last six weeks, he’d hidden a
couple of her gifts in there. Lee pulled out a rectangular velvet box and
a plastic bag that held a new address book (her old one was tattered to
bits) and a brand new copy of Quicken for their home computer so she could
update the old one and keep up on the household finances. He owed her a
big kiss and a whole lot more for taking care of the money management end
of the household.
Placing the velvet box in the plastic bag, he scooped up Michael, who had
been dancing around his father’s shirts as they hung from the rail in the
closet. Back down the stairs they went to the gift wrap supply pile.
Lee’s first step was to sit on the scissors to make sure Michael wouldn’t
get at them. No need to worry there, the baby was busy picking through
rolls of green, red and white ribbon. Lee peaked his gifts, ensuring that
Amanda really hadn’t disturbed them.
In no time at all, he had wrapped the triple diamond solitaire necklace
and other items to his satisfaction. He smiled as he put the finishing
touches on…the To/From gift tags, a bow for each and some ribbon.
He made himself a cup of coffee and fed the baby, who had been good as
gold the whole time, a snack.
Lee flashed out of his remembrance when Amanda snuggled deeper into his
shoulder, then stretched and yawned.
“Hey, bedtime?” he asked.
“Mmmm, yeah.”
Lee hit the remote, turning off the television. “Okay, mama, let’s go.”
He kissed her forehead and helped her up the stairs to their room.
Story Notes:
Time Frame: Post series. Christmastime 1989.
Michael has just turned 1 on Dec 3.
Michael has just turned 1 on Dec 3.