Anastasia's Grail

by Mary Pearson

decided to go anyway. Vaguely she wondered how many laws she had broken. At least she had the cap and it was still intact. By the time they got home the incident seemed more funny than dangerous, but Emily finked on her just the same.

  After supper Stacy selected different clothes to wear on her date with Darius. He would be at her house within an hour. Stacy hadn’t thought about how she looked since morning. Her hair, which fell in soft natural curls was loose around her shoulders. She pinned it up expertly and with little effort, leaving it just a bit messy. Then she put on the jeans that showed her figure most to advantage and refreshed her make-up. She never wore much, just a hint of shadow around the eyes and a dab of soft color on her lips. She brushed her teeth again and put on a soft green pullover sweater that was just the right shade to flatter her hair and skin. Surveying herself in the mirror, she knew she was pretty. But there were a lot of pretty girls available to Darius. She hoped she had what it took to keep his interest.

  When Darius arrived he was dangling ice skates from his left hand. He lifted them in a questioning gesture. “I was wondering if you might like to walk to the outside rink and skate for a bit. It looks really beautiful lit up and with the snow falling.”

  ““I like to skate.” Stacy had even played hockey for a couple of years. She ran to get her skates and bundled up with a furry parka and feathery white scarf. They walked with their inside arms linked. It was a warm night for December, snowy but without any wind. It was so warm that you could barely see your breath when you exhaled.

  There was piped in music of the schmaltzy Christmas type, and a fair amount of people were skating. Darius grabbed her arm and spun Stacy almost immediately when they hit the ice. It brought her right back to how she had felt when they danced at the winter formal. After they had skated for a few songs they drank some cocoa in the little shed where they had put on skates. Stacy asked how it had gone with the rock band’s audition.

  “These guys are pretty good. They don’t have as much problem with stage fright as some bands do. I think the manager liked them.” Say Stace’,” Darius seemed a bit fidgety. “Would you mind taking a walk so that I can smoke?”

  “Of course not.” Occasionally Stacy would forget that he smoked. He normally hid it quite well. As they walked, he lit up and took a long drag. When he exhaled, his relief was almost visible.

  “Let’s make a snow man,” Stacy impulsively grabbed his arm. They were in a park-like area that was open to the public.

  Darius took another puff. “We don’t have anything for his eyes and nose.”

  Stacy dug in her pockets. “We’ve got mints!” She triumphantly produced two starlight mints. “They’ll make good eyes.” She cast about, looking for a suitable nose. After turning full circle, not spying any obvious nose offerings, she considered her companion at length. “Got another cigarette?” she ultimately asked him.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” he fumbled in his pocket. “I didn’t know you wanted one.”

  “It’s not for me.” Stacy rolled the thing between her fingers, considering it. “Pity you don’t smoke cigars,” she said, sighing. “Oh well, this’ll have to do.”

  “For a nose?”

  “Sure, why not?”

  “It won’t show up.”

  “We can put it in backwards,” Stacy suggested.

  “Or I can smoke it a bit,” Darius said, snatching it back. “Wouldn’t want to waste the whole thing.”

  They got to work. When the snowman was complete he was bigger than either of them.

  “Very imposing,” Stacy said with satisfaction. “I think the cigarette makes him look distinguished.”

  “But the starlight mints make him look crazed.” Darius snuffed his third cigarette, the one he lit after they finished the snowman. “Pity he has no mouth,” he said. “He won’t be able to tell anyone what I’m gonna do to you now!” He playfully tackled her, trying to shove snowballs up her sweater, and the two of them wrestled in the soft snow until they were exhausted. Then they lay on their backs, looking at the sky full of stars that seemed like they’d appeared from nowhere. Wasn’t it snowing a few minutes ago?

  “Make a snow angel,” Stacy ordered him, as she flailed her arms and legs. Darius carefully extricated himself from the snow so as not to spoil it. Then, just as carefully, he traced horns and a tail on his. “Mine would be a fallen angel,” he said, by way of explanation.

  Stacy’s eyes met his. “Only if you want it to be.”

  Darius didn’t say anything in reply.

  By Sunday the snow drifts were so enormous, Stacy wondered if they would have school the next day. They made it to Mass with no problem, though. Later her mother said she was intending to put an ad in the paper’s lost and found. She posted a reward for its safe return, or for any information concerning the necklace. St. Anthony probably wouldn’t mind if they helped him out a bit.

  Monday morning Stacy found Libby and asked her if she could get tickets.

  “Oh, that concert is sold out,” she told Stacy, but at her look of consternation, she promised to try. “Ryan owes me a favor for cleaning up his mess, anyway.”

  Stacy hoped Libby would be successful. If she couldn’t get tickets to Downhill Nikki she wasn’t sure what she could get for Darius.

  That night was Confirmation class and this week father Joseph was teaching about Holy Orders. He said a person does not decide to become a priest as he might decide to become a doctor or electrician. It is a calling, and it is up to each individual to discern whether he is, in fact, called to the religious life. In the meanwhile it is important to know what life as a priest or religious might entail. Of course a person could either be a contemplative religious, such as a cloistered nun, or an active religious, such as a parish priest.

  As priest, a man would lend his body to Christ—in effect, act as stand-in—while the original sacrifice which Jesus had made once, but for everyone in every age, was re-presented daily. This is what Jesus had asked of us at the Last Supper, when He said, “Do this in memory of Me.” Although the most important work of a priest was to be celebrant in the Eucharistic sacrifice, or mass, there were many other duties involved with the running of a parish, which was in essence, a business. So the man who became a parish priest would need many facets to his personality and many different skills, but most of all he needed to desire the priesthood. He needed a voracious longing to know Jesus better, and an inherent sense that nothing in this world could compare with Him.

  The same was true of the woman who was called to be a nun. And since both vocations entailed making a vow of chastity, that the person was in effect to be bonded to Christ, and only to Christ for all eternity, it was a particularly challenging commitment, taking years of training and discernment. Stacy highly doubted that she was a candidate for the nunnery. Not only was chastity a daily challenge to her, but her dream had always been to bear and raise children, possibly even many children. She loved Jesus, and was growing in her desire to know him daily, but she suspected her call was to be married and a mother.

  Tuesday, at lunch, Stacy got the good news that Libby had, in fact been successful in obtaining the tickets. Not only did she get tickets, they were front row seats which included a back-stage pass. Darius was sure to be happy with this gift!

  “Thank you, Libby,” she said as she hugged her friend. “I owe you one.”

  With only Emily left to buy for—although now, she really felt the need to get Libby something—it was clear sailing to Christmas. Next weekend was hospitality Sunday again—had a month gone by already…? After that was the final week of advent and all four candles on the wreath would be lit in anticipation of the Incarnation: God Himself taking the form of a human being. She had never before realized how amazing this was.

  Christmas Eve morning. Darius had arranged to take her out that night for dinner at an elegant restaurant. They would exchange gifts at that time. After dinner she and Darius would join her family for Midnight Mass at Holy Apostles. The family would open
gifts in the morning, as always. Afterwards there would be the traditional brunch: usually a sausage, egg, and cheese bake, fruit and muffins. There were always stocking treats. As kids they had never bothered with real food, preferring the candy, chips and pop with which their mother would fill their stockings. Although Arthur needed to be with his own family, many of whom were in town for the holiday, he had agreed to join Stacy’s family for their Christmas morning festivities, at least for a bit.

  Stacy had been so busy worrying about what she would get for Darius, she never paused to think about what he might get for her. With a jolt, she realized it was entirely possible she would receive an engagement ring tonight. After all, hadn’t he already proposed? She shivered at the thought. Part of her longed to be married, but part of her felt she wasn’t ready yet. She didn’t know whether to hope for a ring or not.

  One thing was certain—tonight would be a special night. She needed to come up with a special dress for the occasion. Stacy hastily threw on clothes and headed downstairs. She found her mom in the kitchen, having just finished brewing coffee.

  “Hi.” Stacy grabbed a cup and filled it with the fairly weak columbian her mother favored. She started to cut a couple of slices of protein bread for her morning toast. “What are these boogers?” she asked, sweeping a pile of