by Nikki Lewen
Clara joins them and kisses each of her girls’ cheeks. When Anna picks up the empty basket, Sadie moves to join her, winking at Clara in a quick sideways glance. They head off to the orchard and the old woman finds joy, knowing Sadie plans to stay for a few days.
Talking the entire time, Sadie and Anna fill their basket quickly and return to the cabin, where Clara waits to begin the day’s chores. Besides adding wonderful company, having Sadie around the canyon shortens each job and by lunch, they’ve finished what would have taken Clara two to three days on her own. Finishing for the day, they eat well before joining one another for evening tea as this time of night, gathering around Clara’s giant hearth, has become special. Sadie’s brought an entire tray of dried goodness with her and picks out the fatter rings for an after dinner treat while Clara and Anna share a giggle, breaking Sadie’s attention away from the fruit. Looking at their smiling faces, she gingerly shrugs her shoulders and bites off a chunk from the piece she’s holding.
Clara turns to Anna. “You’re right,” the old woman says. “We’re gonna need more.” They laugh, then turn back to Sadie as she finishes her persimmon. “We’re hopin’ there’s enough for the boys…that’s…if you don’t eat ’em all.”
Sadie finishes her chewy mouthful and takes a sip of tea before responding. “They’d love ’em for Christmas. You know…it’s only a couple weeks away.” She pauses, testing their reaction before continuing. “We should all be together.”
Clara loves the idea, Anna’s excited, and a conversation ignites as they talk logistics and bounce ideas around. Sadie naturally assumed it’d be easier for Clara to host everyone, but the old woman suggests differently. She wants to get out of the canyon, stretch her legs on a long trek, and see Sadie’s place. Thinking she should do it while capable, Clara’s honest with herself enough to consider the fact that soon, she won’t be, as there’s no escaping old age.
Continuing their discussion, Sadie’s place seems a logical choice, since there’s plenty of space, its location is centralized, and it’ll be easier for the boys. It’ll also give Clara an opportunity to learn the route for emergency purposes. Sadie doesn’t disagree, in fact, the more she considers the notion, the more she likes it. She’s got plenty of resources, it’ll save carrying gifts, and it aids in the execution of her timeline.
As the conversation dwindles, the women grow weary and turn in for the night. They’ve put in a good day’s work and tomorrow there’ll be more of the same. Tonight, as their eyes close, Clara and Sadie drift off with thoughts of gifts and holiday cheer. It’s the first time in years, they’ll each spend it with others and not alone. As for Anna, she grows upset as the excitement of gathering at Sadie’s wanes, and is replaced with sadness. The girl misses her parents and isn’t sure the holiday will feel the same without them.
Getting up once again refreshed, Sadie wonders at the effects of being at Clara’s. It’s a warm comfortable feeling that lasts throughout each visit. It’s amazing, the three of them being brought together, and Sadie knows there’s some greater purpose. All day they work side-by-side, tackling jobs with gusto, laughing and joking the entire time. The older women make it a point to keep Anna happy as they take turns sharing funny holiday memories and getting her to laugh. It turns almost game-like, competing for the girl’s giggles and smiles.
Sadie still has an important agenda to discuss with them, but she keeps pushing it aside. Gus’s scheduled return, the possibility of her leaving to visit the colony, and preparations for allowing other survivors to relocate to their island, are all major concerns. It’ll take numerous discussions to resolve everything and at the moment, it doesn’t seem appropriate, so Sadie decides to put it off until after the Christmas celebration. Pushing the thoughts of what still needs to be done out of her mind, Sadie returns her focus to Clara as she describes one of her favorite holiday treats. Anna has no concept of fudge and the women do their best to describe the sweet.
With the day’s chores nearly complete, Clara leaves them, giving Sadie the chance to interact alone with Anna. Wrapping up their task, the two decide there’s just enough light left to climb to the orchard and pick more persimmons. Along the way, Anna shares some of her holiday memories and talks about how her father always went turkey-hunting leading into the holiday. There was only one year when she remembers him not getting a bird, and instead, they dined on stuffed quail. Her family celebrated by adorning the house with fragrant redwood cuttings and hanging the few decorations they have. Each season, Anna and her mother would unpack the Christmas relics, taking care not to damage the irreplaceable family heirlooms.
Each item was accompanied with a story that her mother would tell year after year. Some of the decorations and stories dated back to her grandma’s childhood and even though Anna knows each tale by heart, she always looked forward to hearing them. They’d decorate the house while her dad hunted and he’d bring home clusters of redwood cones and other interesting forest debris, until finally, getting a turkey. His arrival with a bird signaled Christmas Eve and the next day they’d feast and celebrate. They’d exchange homemade gifts and talk about goals and expectations for the upcoming new year.
Sadie mostly listens, but when able, she asks questions, attempting to create a better understanding of the girl’s holiday traditions and beliefs. Anna’s at an age at which she may, or may not, still believe in Santa. The girl hasn’t mentioned anything, making Sadie think there’s a good possibility she’s never been exposed to that particular Christmas folklore. It makes Sadie wonder what else will disappear as the Global Flood generation leaves their mark.
Retiring to the fire’s side after dinner, it’s only for a single cup of tea and limited chatter. Instead of talking much, they simply enjoy one another’s company, silently watching the flickering lights of the flames. Sadie says good night first, packs her things, and slips quickly into slumber. Clara and Anna use the time to plan breakfast and decide what to make for Jose, since Sadie can bring it to him, along with a few other things Anna asks to include. Clara likes hearing the girl’s thinking about how to take care of the boy and offers a couple suggestions of her own. When Sadie makes her way to the kitchen early the next morning, both Clara and Anna are bustling about. Besides breakfast there’s a pile of goods set aside.
Sadie approaches the mound and turns, making a face. “All this, huh?” she asks, even though, she knows it is.
“We’re tryin’ to keep it small.” Clara looks at Sadie, scans the pile, and shrugging her shoulders, adds another item.
The old woman’s casual comment and carefree body language make Sadie giggle and soon, all of them are laughing. When it subsides, Sadie drags her pack over and sits at the table, rearranging things to accommodate all the additions. She knew they’d have a few things, but she didn’t envision carrying another large load. Jokingly, Sadie tells them there’s a little more room.
Anna doesn’t catch the sarcasm and gets excited. “Oh good! Cuz…you don’t have any persimmons…and Jose likes ’em too!”
She brings over an armload and Sadie fills the last remaining spaces in her bag. Now that her pack is stuffed—and extra heavy—they sit to eat as Sadie asks Anna if there’s anything from her home she’d like brought to her. The girl shakes her head no and resumes eating.
“You sure? What about…Christmas…stuff? There’s nothin’ you’d…like…to have…or…need?” Sadie carefully inquires again.
Sadie’s intentions are well meant, but Anna grows quiet and the adults aren’t sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Clara gets up to move closer to the girl and sits back down with an arm around the young child. She pulls Anna in closer, talking in her sweet grandmotherly way.
“When you think about Christmas,” Clara kisses the top of the girl’s head, “what immediately comes to mind? Maybe an item that honors your parents’ memory?” She hugs her tighter. “Their spirit lives with you…and always will, but…it’d be nice to have them represented, too.”
Anna continuously nods her head up and down while tears silently streak down her face. Clara lets her cry and then uses a cloth napkin to dry the girl’s face.
Anna regains control, recovering from her sadness. “Christmas socks…the holiday starts when we hang ’em.” She turns, facing Sadie. “They marked the beginning of turkey season for my dad. That’s when…he’d go hunting…returning with stuff for decorations.” Her head returns to its downcast position, but she manages to hold back the tears that threaten to reappear. “He’d place what he gathered in our socks, or…above, on the mantel for my mother and I. The house would fill with their scent. It made…it…smell…like Christmas. When he left the socks empty, we’d get excited, knowing he caught Christmas dinner.” Growing quiet, Anna lets the tears spill over.
Clara thanks her for sharing such a beautiful and special family tradition and coaxes Anna into talking more about the stockings. The girl finishes their descriptions, explaining where they’re kept boxed up, and becomes silent, signaling Sadie to get up. Wrapping each of them in a giant hug, she says her goodbyes, but with Anna, she takes another moment.
“So…you’re okay with me gettin’ out your Christmas stuff...and findin’ the socks?” Anna nods in agreement, and reassured, Sadie feels better about it. “Oh good. It’ll be so nice to see ’em hanging. It’ll make it feel…Christmassy.”
Anna, unable to talk, is touched by Sadie’s words and all she can manage is one last hug.
THIRTY-EIGHT
Exhausted, Jose carefully removes his oversized pack and sits to rest. His shoulders, back, and legs ache, and even though it’s difficult, the boy gets back up and resumes hiking. He’s on a mission, finding ways to carry larger and heavier loads, attempting to reduce the number of trips needed to move all the supplies. Each time, it’s more strenuous and on this particular journey, he’s found the maximum he’ll ever carry. The load challenges his balance and forces Jose to focus, especially along the steeper slopes.
Moving slowly, he creeps toward the homestead and heads straight into Anna’s house. He unpacks the items that stay in the home and carries what remains to the boat. Once onboard, Jose makes himself a hot meal and fights the urge to lie down and rest. Instead, he grabs his rifle and patrols the area. Climbing the trail to Anna’s family’s campsite, Jose’s grateful to be without the heavy pack as he ponders how many more trips are still needed. It’s tough, but he doesn’t think of it as work. Instead, he’s appreciative, realizing how fortunate they are to have food, water, and safe places to live.
Reaching the campsite, Jose walks to the cliff’s edge to peer out on the ocean. The overcast, grey weather doesn’t offer much of a view, but he scans what’s visible and wonders about the crews of Splitters heading south. He’s grateful to be out of their company and in control of his own life. His thoughts shift to the trail of devastation the renegade fleet will leave in their wake, and fighting to block out a painful memory, Jose prays for any survivors they come across.
Before leaving, Jose decides to start the four-wheeler and do a quick maintenance inspection. It takes a little coaxing to start, but he promised Anna things would be taken care and wants to keep his word. As he backs the ATV out of the shed, Sadie surprises him. It catches the boy off guard, and he nearly jumps off the seat with a skyrocketing heart rate. Regaining composure and resettling his nerves, he’s both excited and embarrassed. She’s caught him off guard, again, and he’s disappointed. He was so focused on his task that he failed to notice Sadie. Seeing the boy’s reaction, Sadie feels a little guilty. She waited for the wheeler to start before approaching, knowing it’d be easy to sneak up on. It’s still an important lesson, but she doesn’t want him to feel too bad. Surprising him yet again, she hops onto the seat behind Jose.
“Come on. Let’s go for a drive,” she says.
Sadie directs him to the access road and they travel as far as they’re able. When what remains of the road becomes impassable, Jose parks the quad, and they head out on foot. He carries his rifle and Sadie, as always, has both her bow and slingshot. Quietly hunting together, Sadie hopes to find evidence of turkeys. She preps Jose on hunting them for Christmas and they scout possible regions.
It’s too late in the day to stay long and without any luck, they return to the quad and then back to camp. Along the way, she fills him in on the rest of the holiday plans and Jose looks forward to the celebration. It’s been a long time since he’s been with loved ones on Christmas, and it makes him think of his mother. Even though they had very little, his mom always found a way to make the holiday special. Thinking back to those days, Jose wishes he could share this place with her. She’d love the island, the safety it offers, and most of all, his new friends. Memories of his mother’s homemade holiday magic linger as he contemplates how to create it for the people who now are an integral part of his life.
With the quad parked, the two silently make their way back to the homestead. It’s been a long day for both, and Sadie’s looking forward to unloading her pack, eating a hot meal, and curling up to sleep. They stop at the boat first and decide it’d be simpler to just eat there. As Sadie unpacks what Clara and Anna sent, they each snack on a persimmon while deciding on an easy dinner of leftovers she also brought along. Once heated, the stew is hearty, and the nearly fresh loaf accompanying it goes quickly. Using the last of the bread, they clean their bowls and then the pot, until only traces of breadcrumbs remain.
Feeling full and comfortable, Sadie decides to spend the night aboard the Intrepid II and makes sure Jose’s okay with it. He swells with pride at being asked and makes every effort at being a gracious host. He boils water for tea and rearranges a sleeping bunk. It’s cold and as Sadie curls up in her sleeping bag, she’s glad to have brought its thicker liner. It keeps her plenty warm, but she wonders about the boys sleeping gear.
During breakfast, Jose gives a complete status report on the boat while taking Sadie on a quick tour. Even though he’s been busy moving supplies and unable to spend much time aboard, Jose’s managed a couple small improvements. Before heading out to patrol and hunt, they make a pit stop at Anna’s house to drop off Sadie’s pack and check the property. Once inside, she’s tempted to retrieve the family’s Christmas decorations, but knows it’ll have to wait until later. There’s lots of ground to cover if they hope to discover where the turkeys are roosting and Sadie has only one day before she’ll need to return to Clara’s.
All day, they look for turkey sign, but fail to find any. As time passes, they travel further, covering more area and narrowing their search. On the way back and nearing a small clearing, Sadie slows to a stop, signals to Jose, and they raise their slingshots. Her shot kills her target and his wings another. It’s his first ever success with the sling and he feels a rush of adrenaline. The quail crashes to the ground and struggles trying to escape, but Jose quickly captures the injured bird and snaps its neck.
Back on the homestead, they cook their catch outside at the fire pit and talk more about the upcoming Christmas celebration. Sadie hopes to learn more about Jose’s experiences and tries getting him talking, which is difficult because the young man doesn’t like sharing much about his past, since it’s too painful, but battling his anxiety, Jose shares some memories.
“Christmas was my favorite,” he begins. “Mom would sing carols…she knew so many songs.”
He closes his eyes, trying hard to hear her voice, but it’s been too long. Staying quiet, Sadie encourages him to take his time. When he speaks again it’s to tell Sadie about the last Christmas he spent with his mother.
“We were living in a shack…with nothing…along the shores of Lake Shasta. Our place was only one of the many. It was Christmas Eve…I woke up…and saw mom puttin’ a gift under our tree.” He pauses, remembering hiking in the woods with her and finding a small tree they took turns cutting down. As the image fades, the boy continues. “We made all the ornaments and…when she accidentally knocked one off, I pretended I was still sleeping…in the morni
ng, I learned…Mom was Santa.”
He grows quiet again fighting the terrible feeling growing in his stomach. It was only a few months later when the Splitter Nation arrived at the refugee camp and took over. After that, life was nothing but heartbreak, abuse and neglect, at least until now. Sadie, touched by the boy’s openness, is genuinely appreciative of what he’s shared, sees his struggle, and reinforces talking about it.
They hang‐out a little longer, but both have work to do and as it grows dark, Sadie heads into the house. They’ll meet again for breakfast to review the timeline and plan, before Sadie leaves for Clara’s. In the meantime, she’s focused on finding the box of decorations and searching by candlelight, Sadie realizes it would have been a lot easier to do this during daylight. The closet is packed full, and she carefully removes items, making sure not to disturb things too much.
With the closet nearly empty and still no luck, Sadie looks to the top shelf. She grabs a kitchen chair, returns to the bedroom, and takes down the few boxes and packages that rest there, finally finding success. Removing items from a large box, she carefully examines them. Many things are wrapped in old newspaper and deflated bubble wrap and she’s curious to discover what’s hidden inside. Each decoration has been carefully tended to and Sadie hopes to one day hear the stories that accompany them. The stockings are all rolled together and separating them, Sadie smiles.
As she places each item back on the shelf, the lid of a small box falls off—and before placing it back on—she peers into the container. Inside, there’s a wrapped gift complete with red ribbon. The wrapping paper is old and worn and looks to have been reused several times. A homemade nametag, shaped like a Christmas tree, is attached and when Sadie checks, it has Anna’s name on it. Utterly surprised, Sadie holds the gift, realizing it’s the last present Anna will ever get from her parents and the thought brings tears. She sets it aside with the socks and puts everything back.