She only had to drive a few blocks to reach their final destination for the day—a little red brick church on a crowded lot, surrounded by a tall wrought-iron fence. She expected Randy to protest, but when he did not, she opened the door and climbed out. As she had hoped, the big wooden doors were standing open. Slowly, she walked inside, hoping Randy would follow.
An elderly woman who was waxing the pews smiled up at her as she entered. Without a look back to see if Randy was behind her, she moved slowly to the altar and knelt on the worn kneeling pads, folding her hands in prayer.
When she finished praying and looked up, she found Randy kneeling beside her. “This is the exact spot where we gave our hearts to the Lord, Randy. Do you remember?” she whispered.
He nodded.
“Though we used to attend church here occasionally, until that morning, neither of us had much interest in the things of the Lord, but when the pastor brought that message—”
“About engraving us on the palms of his hands and how God has a plan for each of us, a plan to prosper us and not harm us?”
Sylvia turned to him in amazement. “You do remember!”
“Isaiah 49:16 and Jeremiah 29:11. I’ll never forget those verses. They’ve helped me through some hard times.”
Tears pooled in her eyes, making it difficult to see his face. “Hard times, like now?”
Randy stared into her eyes for a moment, and though she could not be sure, she almost thought she saw traces of remorse. But he turned away and walked back up the aisle, leaving her alone at the altar. She quickly bowed her head once more and poured out her heart to God. “Lord Jesus, only You can put this family back together again. Please soften Randy’s heart, and God, make me be the kind of wife You would have me be. I so want to serve You. I want to know that perfect plan You have for me and for Randy. Forgive me for the many times I’ve sinned against You. Only now, since Randy has been back home and I’ve examined my own life, have I seen how I, too, have been responsible for the problems we’re facing. Help me to do Your will. Please, God, please!”
They stopped at Randy’s favorite steak house for dinner and, although steak was not Sylvia’s favorite, she ordered the same thing Randy ordered and willed herself to enjoy it. When Randy excused himself to go to the men’s room, Sylvia held her breath, hoping he was not going to phone Chatalaine. Funny he had not mentioned her name, not once since he had arrived on the nineteenth. But why should he? No doubt he knew even the mention of her name would start an argument. No, Randy was too savvy for that. As long as she did not mention the woman’s name, she was sure he would not, either. However, he was back in no time. No way would he have had time to phone the woman.
When they reached home, Randy plugged in the Christmas lights while Sylvia cued up another Christmas CD. They stayed up long enough to watch the nightly news and one of the late night talk shows before heading upstairs.
“Big day tomorrow,” she told him as she climbed into bed. “The kids will be here for Christmas Eve, and we—you and I—have gobs of food to prepare. DeeDee and Aaron promised to be home by four, and Buck and Shonna are coming as soon as he gets off work.”
Randy set the alarm on his side of the bed and flipped off the light before sliding under the covers. “Syl?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t say I exactly enjoyed today, but I have to admit it was an eye-opener.”
“Oh?”
“I mean—I’d almost forgotten some of the things you and I have gone through together. I guess I—put them out of my mind.”
“That’s understandable. I wanted to forget some of them, too.”
“Syl?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want you to get the idea that I’m hard-hearted, but at the same time, I don’t want you to get your hopes up. I’m still planning on going through with the divorce.”
“Good night, Randy. I love you.”
Silence.
Suddenly, she felt Randy’s weight shift in the bed, then his warm body snuggle up next to hers, his arm draping over her. “Good night, Syl.”
Her heart pounded so furiously, she was sure he could feel the vibration. “Good night, Randy. Sleep tight.”
Sylvia jerked out of Randy’s arms and sat up with a jolt as his alarm sounded at seven. Today is December the twenty-fourth! I have less than forty-eight hours to convince Randy to forget about the divorce and move back home where he belongs! Help, Lord!
“Why don’t I fix breakfast today?” Randy asked as he crawled out from under the covers and stretched his long arms.
Sylvia glanced at the Bible on her nightstand. “You sure you don’t mind?”
“Not a bit! I’ll come back up and take a shower later. Just don’t expect anything too fancy.”
She waited until she heard him go down the stairs, then picked up her Bible and began to read. I’m sorry, Lord. Although it seems I keep shooting prayers up at You continually, I’ve neglected my Bible reading since Randy has come back home. She turned to one of her favorite chapters, Psalm 139, and began to read. “O, Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.” She read through the few verses silently until she came to the twenty-third verse. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” That’s my prayer, Lord. Please, show me how to make these last few hours count. I can’t lose my husband!
As Sylvia reached for her jeans, she thought she heard the front door close. But deciding the noise must have been Randy working down in the kitchen, she went into the bathroom to put on her makeup and fix her hair. By the time she reached the kitchen twenty minutes later, he was sitting at the table waiting for her, a large white sack resting in the center.
“How does an Egg McMuffin sound?”
“Wonderful,” she responded happily, meaning it, as she sat down beside him and reached for the sack.
❧
The strains of “Silent Night” filled the house as the six members of the Benson family gathered around the dining room table. Randy, Sylvia, Buck, Shonna, DeeDee, and Aaron. Sylvia’s heart was so filled with gratefulness that they were all together like this—this one more time—she thought it would burst. Her wonderful son, knowing the secret their parents were carrying and apparently wanting to take the strain off his father and mother, offered to say the blessing on their food. Sylvia had hoped Randy would insist on doing it. However, when he kept his silence, she gave Buck an appreciative smile and a nod, and they all reached for one another’s hands, forming a circle. Buck’s prayer was brief but sincere, as he asked God to bless the food and the hands that prepared it and to bless each one assembled, especially his mom and dad.
“Your dad has been helping me all day,” Sylvia told her family as she passed the carving knife to her husband.
Aaron gave a teasing snort. “Hey, Dad, why’ve you been hiding your culinary talents all these years? This stuff looks pretty good!”
DeeDee slapped playfully at her twin brother. “Be quiet, Aaron, or he may never do it again.”
“Tell me what you fixed, Dad, so I can avoid it,” Aaron added, backing away from DeeDee as she swung at him again.
“I’m not telling,” Randy said with a chuckle as he began to slice off thick wedges of the roasted turkey. “You’ll either have to take your chances or starve. Your choice.”
Aaron cocked his head as he weighed his options. “You win. I’ll take my chances. Pass the mashed potatoes.”
“I think everything looks wonderful, Father Benson,” Shonna said as she held out her plate. “You and Mother Benson make a great team.”
Sylvia gave her an exaggerated bow. “Thanks, Shonna. It’s nice to be appreciated.”
“We all appreciate you, Mom,” Buck interjected with a quick sideways glance toward his father. “Don’t we, Dad?”
“We sure do. I’m just beginning to r
ealize all your mother does for this family. Giving us great meals like this is just a small part of it.”
Sylvia’s heart pounded erratically. “Thank you, Randy. It was—was sweet of you to say that.” “Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
“Hey, are you going to give me a piece of that turkey, Dad,” Aaron asked with a playful frown, “or am I going to have to arm wrestle you for it?”
The meal continued pleasantly with good-humored bantering going on between Randy and his sons.
After the last bite had been consumed and everyone’s napkin returned to the table, Shonna and DeeDee volunteered to clear the table and help Sylvia clean up the kitchen, suggesting the men go into the family room and relax. Once everything was back in shape and the dishwasher humming away, the women joined them. Buck was already at the piano playing a Christmas carol.
“Hey, all of you,” he told the gang, gesturing for them to join him, “it’s time for the Benson family sing-along.”
The five gathered around him and joined in as he led off with “O Holy Night.” Sylvia’s breath caught in her throat as Randy moved next to her, harmonizing with her as they had done so many times before. They sang three more carols, then Aaron suggested it was time for their annual reading of the Christmas story from the second chapter of Luke before they turned to the opening of the presents.
“Why don’t you read this year, Buck?” Randy said, reaching for the big family Bible on the bookshelf. “My throat is a bit husky.”
As her son gave his father a frown, Sylvia felt her mouth go dry. Don’t say anything you’ll be sorry for, Buck. Please!
Buck reached out and took the Bible from his hands without comment and opened it to Luke 2 and, after allowing everyone time to be seated, began to read.
“I love that chapter,” DeeDee said as her older brother closed the Bible and returned it to its place. “You helped me memorize it when I was a kid, Dad. Remember? The first year I was on the church quiz team.”
All eyes went to Randy. “Yeah, I guess I did. You were a quick learner, as I recall.”
“Just think,” Aaron said, dropping down on the floor near the tree and drawing his knees up to his chest, circling them with his arms, “God sent His only Son to earth as a baby, knowing He would die on the cross to save us from our sins. Isn’t that an awesome thought?”
Sylvia moved to the leather sofa and settled herself beside her daughter-in-law. “It’s hard to fathom He could love us that much, when we’re so unworthy.”
“What do you think of the tree your mother and I picked out and decorated?”
All eyes turned to Randy as he abruptly changed the subject. “Pretty, huh? I put the lights on.”
“It’s beautiful, Daddy,” DeeDee said, leaning over her father to kiss his cheek. “You did a good job.”
“I didn’t know the old man had it in him,” Aaron chimed in with a wink. “How come Mom’s had to decorate the tree by herself all these years?”
“I—I like decorating the tree,” Sylvia inserted quickly, not wanting Randy to have to explain himself. “But it was nice to have your dad do it for a change.”
“Whose turn is it to distribute the presents this year?” Aaron picked up the gift nearest him and gave it a shake. “Looks like the man in the red suit has already been here and gone.”
Sylvia leaned forward and swatted at him. “Don’t talk that way, Aaron. I’ve always thought talking about Santa and pretending he’s the one who brings the presents takes the glory away from Jesus and the real meaning of Christmas.”
Aaron did an exaggerated double take. “You mean there really isn’t a Santa Claus?”
“Just for that remark, young man, you can pass out the gifts,” Sylvia said, hoping this wouldn’t be the last Christmas her family would all be gathered like this. She could not imagine Christmas without Randy sitting in his chair.
“Okay, if you insist.” Aaron began picking up the presents, reading the name on each tag out loudly, shaking the package, and predicting what he thought might be inside before handing it to the person for whom it was intended.
“Here you go, DeeDee. I’m guessing Buck and Shonna are giving you—a Barbie doll!”
He turned to his older brother. “Buck, inside this present DeeDee is giving to you, I predict you have a—a—a teddy bear!”
Randy’s present came next. “Wow, Dad, what do you suppose is in this little box from Mom? Maybe that new set of golf clubs you told me you wanted?”
Sylvia watched with expectation as Randy opened her present.
“Oh, Syl,” he said as he tore the last bit of paper off and opened the box. “You shouldn’t have.”
“What is it, Dad?” DeeDee asked, sliding closer to his chair.
“It’s—it’s the palm-sized video camera I’ve been wanting. How did you know—”
Sylvia grinned. “Buck told me you’d mentioned it to him. I hope I got the right one. You can exchange it if—”
“It’s exactly the one I wanted. Thanks, Syl. Now I can take pictures of this motley crew as they open the rest of their presents.”
Sylvia breathed a contented sigh. He liked her gift.
On and on and on it went, with each of Aaron’s gift predictions sending the group into fits of laughter. Sylvia wanted to remember those sounds forever. As she glanced at the clock, she felt panic set in. Only twenty-eight hours to go, and although she and Randy had experienced some wonderful times since he’d arrived on the nineteenth, he seemed no closer to changing his mind about staying than when he’d arrived.
“And this last one is for Dad,” Aaron said as he stood and hand-delivered it to his father. “Another one from Mom. How many does that make? Looks like you came out better than the rest of us this year.”
“That’s not true. Each of you—”
Aaron held up a finger and waggled it at his mother. “Just kidding, Mom. Don’t get bent out of shape. After all, that old man is your husband. He’ll be around long after us kids move out for good.”
Randy sent her a quick glance that chilled her bones.
“Well, that’s it!” Aaron reached for the big trash bag Sylvia had brought in to hold all the torn wrapping paper and ribbons.
She looked down at the presents piled on the coffee table in front of her. Each of the children had given her wonderful gifts, and she was grateful for each one of them, but none of the gifts had been from Randy, and she wanted to break down in tears.
“Actually,” Buck said, rising and taking Shonna’s hand in his, “there’s another present coming, but it won’t be delivered for some time. Shonna and I are going to have a baby! In July!”
Sylvia’s heart leaped for joy. How she had longed to have a grandchild to cuddle and care for. She was going to be a grandmother! Her gaze went to Randy, who was just sitting there, as if in a stupor.
“Hey, old man!” Aaron said, punching his father in the arm. “You’re gonna be a grandpa!”
Randy donned a quick grin and stood as both Buck and Shonna hurried to his side. “Congratulations, son. You, too, Shonna. That’s gonna be one lucky baby. You two will make great parents.”
“Aw, they won’t be half as good as you and Mom,” Aaron said, hugging his mother’s neck.
“Who wants dessert?” Randy asked as he surveyed the group. “Your mom and I made her famous Millionaire Pie.”
Buck raised his hand. “I’ll take a very small piece. I’m stuffed with those fabulous Christmas cookies you and Mom baked. Those things are good!”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Randy bowed low, then asked, “Small pieces of pie for everyone?”
The entire group shouted yes in unison.
“I’ll help Dad,” Buck said, motioning Sylvia to remain seated.
A cry choked in her throat. Buck, no! Please don’t say anything to your dad about Chatalaine or the divorce. Or about him not giving me a gift. Please! She watched in fear as the two men headed for the
kitchen.
Seeming to sense her fear, Shonna slid over on the sofa and wrapped her arm about Sylvia’s shoulder. “It’ll be okay. Buck won’t say anything,” she whispered so only her mother-in-law could hear.
A few minutes later, Buck and Randy came back into the room carrying six plates with small wedges of pie on them. Buck passed out the plates while Randy handed each person a fork and napkin.
As Sylvia started to rise again, Buck shook his head. “I’ll get the coffee and cups, Mom. You eat your pie.”
She gave him a slight grin, thankful for his thoughtfulness.
“Buck and I had quite a talk in the kitchen,” Randy told everyone as he forked up his first bite of pie.
Sylvia nearly choked.
“He tells me he’s thinking about going back to college for his master’s.”
“I think he should,” Aaron said, nodding. “He’s a smart guy.”
They continued with good conversation until, eventually, the pie was gone. “I have to get up early, Mother Benson, so we’d better be going. We’re due at my parents’ house at ten, and I still have to make two pies tonight.”
“You are going to be here for breakfast, aren’t you?” Sylvia asked quickly.
Buck bent and kissed his mother’s cheek. “Sure, Mom. We’ll be here by eight. We wouldn’t miss your famous cinnamon rolls.”
Aaron rose and tugged his sister to her feet. “We’d better get to work, too, little sister.”
“Work? You two?” Buck asked with a teasing smile.
Aaron nodded. “Yep. Our friends are picking me and DeeDee up at ten for our ten-day skiing trip to Colorado, and we haven’t even started packing our gear.”
DeeDee took her mother’s hand and patted it with concern. “You and Dad going to be okay? Being here by yourselves on Christmas Day?”
Sylvia nodded. “We’ll be fine, honey. Just enjoy yourselves. I know you two have been looking forward to this ski trip since last year. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
Everyone walked Buck and Shonna to the door. After hugs all around and more congratulations to the expectant parents, the couple left, and Randy closed the door.
Truly Yours Contemporary Collection December 2014 Page 44