The Forgotten Christmas Gift

  By KD Jones

  Copyright 2016 KD Jones

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  Dedication:

  This short little story is for all my readers who have been with me from the beginning. The kind words and the support you have given me over the years have inspired me and gotten me through some really tough times.

  I want to take the time to thank all who serve in our armed forces and law enforcement for putting your lives on the line to keep us safe and protect our country. I send special warm wishes to the family of those who did not make it back to us. Your sacrifice is appreciated and you will not be forgotten.

  Also, thank you Lord for all your blessings. I hope that your light shines through in me.

  Chapter One

  Campbell lifted the lid to the trunk in her grandmother’s attic. Cobwebs and dust flew up in the air making her cough. She was home from College for Spring Break. It was the only time she had to be able to help her mother straight out Grandma Price’s house.

  The funeral had been months ago but her mother had been too sad to come here and box anything up. The downstairs was pretty much cleared out with the exception a living room set. Campbell planned on putting it in storage for when she graduated college and found her own place.

  She coughed again. Why did Grandma keep all this stuff? How did she get stuck helping her mother clean out the attic? It took them two months after Grandma’s funeral before they got the nerve to come up here. They weren’t really prepared for all the clutter. Almost every shelf or box had a memory for her mother Maggie that made it harder to sort the sell or keep pile. If it were up to Campbell, she would sell everything.

  “This place is a mess. What was Grandma thinking?" Campbell asked.

  “Your Grandma never liked to throw anything away. She always said if something goes out of style, hold onto it until it becomes new again," her mother told her with a smile on her face.

  “I’m so glad that you didn’t inherit the pack rat gene," Campbell laughed. She lifted a canister that contained old-fashioned hair curlers. Really? Hair curlers? And they were an ugly salmon color.

  Her mother laughed too. “Oh, I collect stuff but it’s more of the paper variety." She placed items in the sell box next to the attic door. They had set up a system; a box for items they would sell at a yard sale, a box for them to giveaway to goodwill, and a box to keep.

  Now that she was thinking about it, Campbell did remember that in her parent’s house, almost every table had a neat stack of mail, magazines, or random paper. Some were from two years ago.

  Campbell wondered if she would develop a form of this collecting too. She hoped not. She was about to graduate from college and wanted to keep the crazy down to a minimum.

  “So how’s everything going at school?” her mom tried to sound casual about it but Campbell knows it wasn’t casual at all.

  “Fine.”

  There was a small pause. “And Danny? How’s he doing?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I wouldn’t know, we broke up.”

  Her mother stopped stuffing something in the sell box to look at her. “What happened?”

  “We had a fight. We broke up. That’s it.”

  “Campbell Ellen Wright! I want to know what happened.”

  “There’s nothing to tell, sometimes people just...break up.”

  “I know Danny has feelings for you.”

  Campbell sighed, “He never tells me or shows me what he’s feeling. I can’t continue getting close to him only to have him hurt me because he doesn’t feel the same way.” She hadn’t realized just how upset she was inside over the break up. A few tears escaped and mom handed her a tissue. “Thanks.”

  “Honey, there’s no guarantees in life or love. You have to take the chance, put all your energy into doing your part, and trust that the other person will do the same.”

  “But what if they don’t? I’ll look foolish at the least and at the most, I’ll be hurt.”

  “It’s okay to fail at something...even with relationships. Loving someone even if that love is not returned, is never a failure and you are never foolish for putting yourself out there. It just makes you brave. I think I heard someone say once that you know the love is real when you feel the pain. I don’t know if I agree with that completely, but I do know there will be good times and bad times. There will be pain in life that you can’t always hide from. All these things, all the obstacles we face make us stronger and is part of our journey.”

  “You sound like one of those self-help people on television who tell you to face a mirror and tell your reflection that you’re good enough.”

  Her mom laughed. “Maybe I do. Why don’t you take a break and call Danny.”

  “What do I say?”

  “That’s up to you.”

  “What if he won’t talk to me?”

  “Then you’ll have your answer either way.”

  “Right,” Campbell walked to the door of the attic and made her way down the winding staircase. She left her cellphone in her purse on the hallway table.

  Opening her purse she pulled out her phone noticing missed messages from Danny.

  She hit the call back and waited for him to answer.

  “Hey, I’ve been trying to call you all morning.”

  “Sorry, I was in the attic with mom and had left my phone downstairs.”

  “How’s the packing going?”

  “Good, I can tell mom’s getting a little emotional over some stuff. The keep box is fuller than the sell box.”

  “I wish I could be there to help you.”

  “Me too.” There was a little pause as she listened to his breathing. “Listen, about the fight…”

  “I’m not going to give up on us that easily Campbell. I know I’ve been so focused on my classes and work, I haven’t given you the time you need and deserve.”

  “It wasn’t about the time Danny. I just don’t know if we are feeling the same things.”

  “I love you Campbell.”

  “You do?” Her heart raced.

  “Yes. I don’t say it or show it like I should. That’s my fault. I come from a broken home and my parents have never been very affectionate. I knew the first moment that I saw you my heart would never be the same.”

  “Oh Danny. I love you too. I worried that I feel more for you than you do for me and I was scared.”

  “Is that why you started the fight?”

  “Yeah, I think it was.”

  “What do you want Campbell?”

  “You...I want you Danny.”

  “I’m driving to come and see you.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Honey, I was already in the car on my way to see you when I called you last. I’ll be there in another hour.”

  She half laughed and half cried. “God I love you.”

  “Love you babe. See ya soon.”

  Campbell hung up feeling better than she had in days. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She couldn’t wait to see him.

  Chapter Two

  “Well?” her mom asked as soon as she came back up to the attic. “Never mind, that smile says it all.”

  Campbell laughed. “He was on his way here to see me. He told me he loved me.”

  “See. It all worked out in the end.”

  “You were right.”

  Campbell walked over to a corner and moved an old blanket off the top of a dark wooden trunk. She liked the trunk but the lock was broken. She lifted the lid up reaching in and moving things around. Lots of knick-knacks, picture frames, quilts. She lifted one of the quilts and paused as she spotted something silver and shiny.

  “Mom, what’s this?" Campbell pulled out a box wrapped in silver Christmas paper with a red ribbon. It was unopened.

  Her mom walked over and looked at the box Campbell held. It took her a moment before she finally recognized it. She put her hand over her lips. “I don’t believe it. I totally forgot about this.”

  “What is it?" Campbell handed the wrapped box to her mother.

  Mom took the box and sat down on the dusty hardwood floor. There was a card on the top to the side of the red worn ribbon. She read the card out loud.

  “To Daddy, we miss you. Come home soon. Love Maggie and Mom.”

  “Daddy?" Campbell asked looking at the almost faded handwriting.

  “It was a gift for my father. I was eight years old when I wrapped this present, forty-two years ago. Your grandfather Price, my father, was called away to fight overseas that year. We were told he wouldn’t be home for Christmas. So, Momma and I made a care package for him that we were going to send to him.”

  “It’s not opened.”

  Mom shook her head as a tear trailed down her cheek. “We never got a chance to send it.”

  “What happened?”

  “Three weeks before Christmas Momma was called and informed that Daddy was missing. His squad was ambushed and some of them had been taken prisoner. He managed to escape but got injured when he went to help the others escape. They managed to get help and wer

e sent to a hospital for injured soldiers. We prayed every day that Daddy would get better and come home to us.”

  Campbell walked over and gave her mother a supportive hug.

  “Daddy’s conditioned worsened. The military offered to fly Momma out to see him. I had to go stay with my grandparents. Momma got there Christmas Eve night just before he passed away. Momma had them send his body back home for burial. We didn’t open any of our presents that Christmas. Momma put our presents under the tree the next year. This one was for Daddy. Momma must have stuck it up here in the attic and forgot about it.”

  “What’s in it?" Campbell asked reaching over to feel the soft ribbon.

  “I can’t remember. It’s been a long time ago and those memories were painful for me. It stayed with me my whole life, it shaped me. It made me realize how important family is and how precious every moment we have is.”

  “Part of our journey right?”

  Mom smiled, “Yes.”

  “Should we open it now?”

  “I guess we can. But it doesn’t feel right not opening it on Christmas Day,” her mother stared down at the present.

  Campbell saw how sad her mother was. She wanted to do something to make things easier. She looked around the attic and an idea hit her. She smiled. “I know what we can do. Leave that here for now and help me with those boxes in the corner. Let’s take them down to Grandma Price’s living room.”

  Maggie stood up and followed her daughter out carrying boxes marked ornaments. “What are we doing with these?”

  “We are going to make it Christmas," Campbell told her. “But first, we’re going to need a little help.”

  Campbell took out her phone and called her father. “Hey Dad, I need your help.”

  Chapter Three

  Campbell opened the box labeled ‘tree’. She smiled. Every year Grandma Price put up the same artificial Christmas tree. No matter how many times someone offered to get her a real one or even a newer model artificial tree, she would refuse. She would say, “They don’t make these like they used to.”

  Her mother was busy trying to untangle the lights. It was a lot of work but once they strung the lights around the tree and turned them on, they could almost see Christmas. Next they opened box after box of ornaments. Grandma’s collection always had a story. There were some from when Grandma was a little girl. Handmade ornaments that Campbell’s mother had made when she was just a little girl.

  Her Mom would tell the story of each ornament as they hung them up. It took a couple of hours but by the end, the whole living room was decorated.

  Campbell left her mother while she ran back upstairs. She came back down carrying the wrapped present in her hands. She placed it under the tree and stood back up. “What do you think?”

  “I think it’s Christmas," her Mom said choked up with so many emotions.

  Campbell had to wipe her own tears. “Ready to open it?”

  Her mom reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “We’ll open it together."

  “Okay, together." They both knelt down on their knees in front of the beautiful old-fashioned tree. Campbell couldn’t help but feel that childlike excitement of opening her first present. She had no idea what could be inside.

  Her mom touched the card lightly. She took one end of the ribbon while Campbell took the other. They both pulled their ends until the bow unraveled. Next they carefully opened the wrapping paper trying not to tear it. It was well made paper, good quality and antique itself. Once the paper was off they pulled open the box lid and leaned to look inside.

  Campbell watched as her mom’s face lit up with a smile as she pulled out the first item, a jar with a bluish-gray substance.

  “What is it?”

  “Your grandma made her famous blueberry jam knowing that Daddy loved it.”

  “Uh, that’s probably not edible anymore." Campbell laughed.

  “No, but I can empty the contents and keep the jar. Might be able to turn it into a candle.”

  Campbell reached in the box and pulled out a photo album, one she had never seen before. “What’s this?”

  “It’s a special photo album that me and Momma put together." She opened it up and saw a picture inside of Grandpa and Grandma Price’s wedding day. “They were so young when they got married.”

  She pointed to the picture of her mother as a little girl, holding grandfather’s hand. He wore his military uniform and her mother looked up at him with such love on her face.

  “I wish I could have gotten to know him.”

  “He was a good man, one of the best. He would have loved you Campbell.”

  Next to be pulled out of the box was a pipe and tobacco set. “Daddy always did love his pipes. I’ll give this to your father.”

  The last thing removed from the box was a letter. Her mother unfolded it and read it out loud.

  “Dear Daddy, I can’t wait till you get home. Momma says we will celebrate Christmas all over again. We are so proud of you for being a good soldier. We miss you terribly. Love, Maggie.”

  Tears streaked down her mom’s cheeks. Campbell patted her mom on the back. “Maybe this was a bad idea. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You didn’t honey. I feel so much joy, like for the first time in 42 years, that my father has finally come home for Christmas. That is a precious gift. Thank you. The only thing that would make any of this better would be if your father was here.”

  “Actually, he is.”

  “What? Where is he?”

  “Outside putting up the outside lights. He said if we were going to have Christmas, we should really have it.”

  They both laughed as they stood up and went to the front door. It was already getting dark and they had to squint to see her father standing on a ladder.

  “Hey you two, I’m about done,” her Dad called out.

  He climbed down the ladder and motioned for them to follow him to the middle of the yard.

  Mom shook her head. “Where did you find outside lights?”

  Her dad shrugged. “I had an old box in the garage I hadn’t used in a while.”

  Ever since she left home for college, the Christmas decorating at home kind of went away. Her dad used to love doing outside lighting competing against the neighbors every year.

  “Ready?” her dad asked.

  “Yes,” she and her mom said together.

  “Three...two...one…” he connected the plugs and the lights lit up the top edge of the room and trailed down the porch posts.

  “It’s gorgeous Dad.”

  “You did great Carl. I love it,” her mom leaned over and kissed her dad on the lips.

  A car pulling into the driveway caught her attention. Danny got out and strode over to them looking at the lights. “Christmas in March...I like it.”

  Campbell rushed over to him and threw her arms around his neck kissing him. “I can’t believe you came.”

  “I’m sorry I don’t have a gift for you.”

  She glanced back at her parents who were watching them with a knowing look. “You are my gift. Your love is the only gift I will ever need.”

  Danny hugged her close. “That will save me from the gruesome job of shopping every year.”

  She hit his shoulder lightly while laughing. “Silly.” The lights flickered and went out. “Oh no.”

  Her Dad held up his hand. “I’m on it. Come on Danny, could use some help.”

  Danny kissed her cheek before following her father around the side of the house. Campbell went over to stand next to her mom and they hugged each other. A few minutes later, the lights came back on. Christmas was back on.

  “Merry Christmas Momma.”

  “Merry Christmas baby.”

 

 

  Kd Jones, The Forgotten Christmas Present

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