Other cars were already there when they finally pulled up. Similar to Christmases of her past, grandparents met them on the front step. The difference was now it was her children’s grandparents instead of her own. Her own grandparents died years earlier. Aunt Celia was gone now too, having died just this October—but she lived a long, fulfilling life.
Renee never fully appreciated how remarkable Celia was until after her death. Celia was a woman before her time. She died in her sleep at ninety-two. Celia took care of many people throughout her lifetime, and no one ever had to take care of her—she stayed strong and independent until the end.
Her aunt’s absence from the front porch was a poignant reminder to Renee to reevaluate her priorities—a reminder of that line in her notebook that said “Relationship Goals.” She needed to spend more time with her aging parents and rebuild relationships with her brother and sisters.
No time like the present, she told herself.
Julie and Robbie bounded out of the vehicle before Renee even parked.
Who says teenagers can’t appreciate family time?
Inside, they were greeted with hugs. Renee’s brother, Ethan, grabbed her into a huge bear hug. He was as tall and handsome as ever. Unfortunately, his soon-to-be ex-wife was no longer enamored with his looks; she thought him a shallow flirt. As his sister, however, Renee knew better and still thought her big brother was the best around.
“Do you have the kids?” Renee asked him. “Julie and Robbie want to see all the cousins.”
“Elizabeth is here and Stacey is supposed to drop the boys off in the morning,” Ethan replied.
Looking closer, Renee frowned; she noticed more lines around Ethan’s eyes and less sparkle than usual.
Next came a squeeze from Val, her loud and sometimes obnoxious baby sister, followed by a quick hug from her other sister, Jess—Jess’s husband wasn’t there; as a doctor, it wasn’t unusual for Will to miss family gatherings. It was a whirlwind of Hello!s, and Renee was ecstatic to realize she would spend Christmas with all her siblings.
“Hey, kiddos, all the other kids are out back playing football. Why don’t you go get dirty with the rest of them before dinner?” Val suggested.
Julie and Robbie didn’t have to be told twice. Both shot out the front door and stampeded around back.
Everyone else headed in the direction of the kitchen. Warm smells of ham and cookies filled the air. Renee’s dad, George, was overseeing a contentious game of Whist on a card table. That same table would become one of the kids’ tables in a few hours, but for now, it was home to lots of ribbing and competition. George, along with Renee’s mom Lavonne, was taking on Ethan and Luke, Val’s husband. Val cooked, slapping at hands trying to sneak a taste. An aunt, uncle, and a couple of neighbors relaxed on the sofas.
Everyone was curious what prompted Renee to take extra time off work to make the trip this year. Her trips home over the holidays had started to dwindle after the problems with Jim years back. Renee didn’t want to get into it with the whole group and kept her replies vague. There would be time later to share her sad tale. A few glasses of wine might help, too, so she took her uncle Gerry up on his offer of some “holiday cheer.”
Conversation flowed easily around the room. George and Lavonne were excited to have all their kids under one roof. Jess was quiet, but that was nothing new. She was always the reserved one in the group. Val was up a few more pounds and becoming a little round. At only 5’1”, extra pounds pushed her curvy figure toward plump faster than on someone taller. She was as loud and bossy as ever.
“So Renee, how have you really been?” Jess asked once the game ended and the two met in a somewhat quieter corner of the room. She was never one to mince words, and was always able to sense something amiss in her sister’s world. “I know you wouldn’t drop everything and come home over the holidays. You can never take that much time at year end. What’s up?”
Taking a deep breath, Renee eyed Jess as she took another sip of wine. She knew better than to try to snow Jess over one to one. Her sister would see right through her.
“Actually, I have plenty of time to come home because I got laid off mid-December. I probably should have expected it was coming, but I can honestly say I didn’t have a clue,” Renee confided as frustration flushed her cheeks and her eyes started to well up. She hadn’t been able to have a heart-to-heart with another adult since she received notice, and now the words threatened to tumble out. Jess recognized the signs of a pending flood and held up a finger to stem the flow.
“Hey Mom, Renee and I are going to run to the store,” Jess called out, quickly improvising. “I forgot to bring whipping cream for the steamed pudding. Be right back!”
“OK, girls, don’t be late for dinner,” Lavonne warned them, sparing them a quick glance over her shoulder as she took on George and the other guys in a Wii bowling match.
“God, you would think we were teenagers,” Jess quipped as she grabbed Renee by the wrist and dragged her out of the kitchen. They climbed into Jess’s Land Rover and just like that, they were away.
Leaning back against the headrest, Renee took a deep breath, thankful for the reprieve. She soon realized Jess wasn’t actually headed for the store. Probably driving out toward the lake, Renee guessed. Growing up, the lake was their place for solitude or talks.
Pulling into an empty lot overlooking the frozen lake, Jess let the car idle so they wouldn’t freeze. She waited patiently—another one of her strong suits. She didn’t have to wait long, though. Renee put up a brave front, not wanting to crumble in front of her kids—but Jess knew how badly Renee always wanted to be strong. She worked hard and provided a nice life for Robbie and Julie all by herself. Both kids were well-adjusted and gave her little trouble. To have her foundation rocked like this would be hard on Renee. Jess knew Renee was only pretending to be fine, and Renee knew Jess knew this.
Jess had read a news blurb earlier about layoffs at Renee’s company, but hadn’t mentioned it to anyone since she wasn’t sure, until today, whether it impacted Renee. She knew her sister would share any news with her when the time was right.
Finally, in one continuous flow, Renee gave vent to her fears and frustrations. While she loved Val dearly, Jess kept a level head and always gave her good advice. But today Renee wasn’t looking for answers. She needed a shoulder to cry on; she needed to be heard. Jess understood, and listened quietly, offering soft words of encouragement as Renee ranted and cried. She let out a deep sigh, allowing her chin to fall to her chest.
“Am I too old to find a new job? What if I want to do something entirely different? Starting over just feels so . . . daunting!”
When Renee had nothing left to spill, Jess gave her hand a squeeze and looked her in the eye.
“Honey, when one door closes, you know another one always opens,” Jess counseled, “and often what is on the other side of the new door can be bright and exciting. I don’t want to hear any more dumb-ass comments about your age. You have lived your life for those kids these last ten years. Maybe now it’s time for you to think about yourself a little. Don’t make any rash changes right now. Give yourself time to figure out what you want to be when you grow up.”
Both chuckled at the reference to a game they played as kids. All four of them would play the guessing game, trying to figure out what their brother and sisters would want to be when they grew up. They didn’t realize it at the time, but they were learning to dream big and encourage each other. Somewhere along the line, though, they stopped playing. Adulthood seemed to have that effect on most people.
As only a sister can, Jess sensed when Renee was ready to face the family again. It was getting dark and Mom would be furious if they were late. Jess drove back, stopping to pick up cream on the way. Turns out she truly had forgotten it.
Chapter 12
Gift of Suspense
Val was still cracking the whip back at the house. Her face was as red as her current hair color, but her eyes twinkled as she or
dered the kids to set platters of ham, fresh rolls, scalloped potatoes, and other dishes on the table. Someone—probably Lavonne—set the tables beautifully while Renee and Jess were gone. The dining room table stretched as far as it would go, ringed tightly by twelve chairs. Two additional card tables stood in the adjoining living room. Gold linen covered all the tables and creamy white china crowded their tops. This would be their first Christmas dinner without Aunt Celia, but they would be eating from her prized dishes.
Every place setting included Lavonne’s silver and a crystal goblet of ice water. Paper napkins festooned with a Christmas tree rested on each plate. Even though the card tables were perfectly set, as soon as the kids were called to dinner, they would scoop up their plates and crowd around the dining table to dish up before the adults sat down.
The final bowl was nestled into the last open spot. The eight youngest cousins headed to the card tables—no exceptions or the arguments would start. Everyone else settled at the big table. (Julie and her older cousin Nathan couldn’t believe they still hadn’t graduated to the big table even though they were in college.) Grandpa George sat at one end with Grandma Lavonne across from him. Renee and her three siblings took their usual spots with Luke sitting next to Val. Uncle Gerry and his wife Letty, along with the two neighbors, filled in the remaining open chairs. New to the adult table was Ethan’s daughter, Elizabeth, at Lavonne’s right, sitting in Aunt Celia’s usual spot. It was one of those sad years when a grandchild moved up because a family member died.
Renee felt sad for Jess. No spot was saved for her husband. He wouldn’t be joining them.
As tradition dictated, Lavonne dimmed the lights. The room filled with the soft glow of candle light. Everyone bowed their heads for Grandpa’s prayer.
“Lord, thank you for bringing all of us together to celebrate Your birth. This past year has brought many changes to our family. Gone from the circle around our table tonight are loved ones, some to serve Your will by helping others, some who have passed through our lives but are choosing to move away from our circle, and some who have been called to rest by Your side. While they no longer sit among us, they will always be a part of us. We thank You for bringing all of us safely together. Thank You for helping us appreciate the importance of family and for our commitment to each other. May You help all of us be strong to face the trials yet to come and help us find ways to make this world a better place. Amen.”
Renee caught her dad’s eye as he uttered that final phrase of his blessing, and he gave her a quick wink. So much for him buying her story that nothing was wrong. Mom was probably watching her out of the corner of her eye, too. But when she glanced in her mother’s direction, Lavonne was watching Jess. As if sensing their eyes, Jess gave a tiny shake of her head, looked up, and smiled to no one in particular.
The noise level ramped back up in the room and dishes were passed.
“I can’t see the damn food on my plate,” Gerry grumbled, so Lavonne turned the lights up.
“God, it is so good to be home,” Renee whispered as she sat back and scanned the room. The most important people in her life were all in these two adjoining rooms right now. Why in the world had she waited for something like this to happen before she took the time to come home for the holidays? She vowed she would not miss this again. Even if her new job—whatever that might be—required her to work over the holidays, she would figure it out. Her niece sitting in Aunt Celia’s chair served as an important reminder to get her priorities in order.
George tapped his fork against his water goblet. The vibrating crystal sent out a clear ringing sound, catching everyone’s attention.
“Hey, you be careful there, mister—don’t you break that crystal,” Lavonne piped from the other end of the table. “This isn’t a wedding reception. You don’t expect me to come all the way down there and give you a big smacker, do you?”
That statement was met by groans coming from the next room.
“Oh, gross, Grandma, old people don’t kiss!” Val’s four-year-old yelled.
Laughter rang out again, and George raised his hands in an attempt to silence the ruckus.
“Hey there, little Jakester, I will have you know your Grandma is a great kisser, and if you don’t believe me, I am going to send her in there to give you a big smooch on the lips!”
Grandpa’s warning was met with more hoots, none of which came from “Jakester.”
“All right, seriously now, I want to make a couple of toasts. First of all, thank you to Renee, Julie, and Robbie for coming to Christmas this year. Your presence makes this holiday extra special.”
Cheers and glasses rose around the room.
“Second, I want to take a minute to say a few words about my dear sister Celia. For many, many years, she was gracious enough to have all of us in her home for our Christmas celebration. She always went out of her way to make us feel welcome.
“I am sure you will agree, Celia was a remarkable woman. She worked in what was considered a man’s world back then. Few women worked in construction offices. She started out as an office clerk, but worked her way up the ranks by being twice as smart and working three times harder than the men. Celia was one of those women that helped change the working world. It isn’t uncommon for women to do what she did now, but back then it was almost unheard of. Blasphemous, even. She was tough and demanding, but she was also respected. She truly cared about the people she worked with, and they knew it. She was held in the highest regard.”
George paused for a drink of water, wiping at his eyes before he continued.
“Celia was successful. She was also smart with her money and, as all of us know, she was extremely generous. She was a major donor to the women’s shelter and taught classes there to help battered women become self-sufficient. She paid to fix the stained glass windows in the church. She even helped pay for college for all four of you,” George said, motioning to his adult children.
Renee, Ethan, Jess, and Val all glanced at each other and grinned, proud to know they each worked hard and earned degrees with Celia’s help.
“Celia lived a long and happy life. She was able to stay in her home until the end. I hate the thought she died alone, but I suspect that is what she wanted. Celia never wanted to show weakness of any kind. She helped so many people throughout her life. Celia always kept her financial affairs private. She had a trusted lawyer who handled her affairs for her as she aged, and he did right by her. You hear so many stories of crooked lawyers. We tend to think all people end up victims of those characters as they age. Not true. Have faith—good people still exist. No better a person existed as Celia, though. During her life, Celia took great joy in helping people. In death, she has found a way to continue with this mission.
“I admire all of you for never once asking about Celia’s will. All of you came to her funeral, showed your respect, and laughed and cried with us as we reminisced about her life. But no one had a hand held out, wanting anything material from your precious aunt. Not many families can say that, and I want you to know how much Gerry and I appreciate it. But we thought tonight would be an appropriate time to share news of Celia’s continued generosity with all of you. Mom, do you have the envelopes?” he asked Lavonne.
“I do.” Lavonne stepped over to the sideboard. Tucked behind a silver bowl piled high with holiday cards was a stack of cream-colored envelopes. She was all grins as she handed the envelopes out. Each adult and older child received one; envelopes for the younger kids went to their parents. Ethan received three envelopes: one for him and one for each of his two sons, set to arrive in the morning.
Clearing his throat to gain their attention again, George made one request. “Please don’t open your envelopes right now. Celia’s wish was for each of you to read her message in private. She put much thought and prayer into the bequests, personalizing each one. Now let us respect her wishes. Let’s have dessert, clean up the kitchen, and get ready for Mass.”
“But Grandpa, what about the presents?
” a young voice quipped.
“Be quick and we will do that too, little one,” Grandpa George teased.
Tucking their envelopes into safe places, everyone obeyed Grandpa George. Waiting heightened the air of mystery and excitement. Blessed Aunt Celia was still running the show, it seemed.
The rest of Christmas Eve passed quickly. Everyone enjoyed a slice of warm, chocolate-steamed pudding. Following their familiar routine brought comfort. Little had changed during Renee’s recent absence, she was happy to find.
Gift exchange was next. Everyone gathered in the living room, crowding around the tree. Robbie and a younger cousin were assigned “elf duty” and handed out gifts. One change to the tradition was the exchanging of names. They no longer attempted to buy for everyone. This made for less chaos and more appreciation for the time spent selecting fewer but more meaningful gifts.
Renee loved to see the kids getting more excited about the gifts they were giving than the ones they were receiving. She, Robbie, and Julie had agreed earlier to exchange gifts with each other on Christmas morning, when they hoped to find a little private time, so they could enjoy giving the rest of the family gifts tonight.
As soon as they finished opening gifts, little ones put on their pajamas, and Uncle Ethan volunteered to stay home with them. Everyone else headed to Midnight Mass. Aunt Celia’s presence was even felt at church. Moonbeams streamed through the stained glass windows she once helped refurbish. The church wasn’t as crowded as Renee remembered from years ago. Back then, the pews were packed. This year, no one had to stand in the back. The church itself felt smaller, too, but the music, white lights, and candles made the experience feel magical.
Merry Christmas, Aunt Celia, Renee thought, and she smiled.
Chapter 13
Gift of Traditions
Whispering Pines (Celia's Gifts Book 1) Page 6