“All right,” said June. “See you later. Call me if you need any cooking tips.”
“Count on it.” Ellie opened the door just as Jase was walking up on the porch. “Hi, Jase!” she said, tousling his hair.
“Hi, Miss Ellie.”
“You know, you just get cuter every day!”
Jase only stared at her.
June frowned. “Jason, say thank you.”
“It’s no problem, June.” Ellie smiled at Jase. “Some people just have less to say than others, right?” She gave him a wink, then walked breezily down the porch steps, humming a Christmas carol as she went.
June ushered Jase in and closed the door quickly to keep the cat from getting out. Then she turned her attention to her son. She swept a lock of hair out of his big gray eyes and smoothed it across his forehead, where it belonged. “Hello, sweetheart! How was school?”
He stared up at her. “Fine.”
“Well, that’s . . . good. Take off your coat and your shoes and your backpack and put them away.”
“Yes, Mom.”
“Actually, let me have a look at that backpack.” He shrugged it off his shoulders and handed it to her. She examined it carefully. “There’s a little wear at the bottom, but it’s holding up nicely.” She stooped down to look at him in the eye. “I don’t want to see you dragging it on the ground anymore, understood?”
“Yes.”
“All right. Put your things in their place, then come have your snack.”
He nodded, then gave her a sidelong glance. “What’s the snack today?”
June smiled. “Peanut butter cookies!”
His eyes lit up and he smiled back at her. “I like those.”
She squeezed his shoulder. “I know you do.”
He sat down at the kitchen table. June opened a Tupperware container full of cookies and put a few on Jase’s favorite dinosaur plate. She set the plate in front of him, then poured out a glass of milk and set it next to the plate. Then she pulled the November issue of Jase’s Zoobooks magazine from a kitchen drawer and handed it to him.
“The latest issue should come any day now!” she said.
He nodded, smiling, and took a bite of one of his cookies. June smiled back at him, then pulled her Christmas notebook from a buffet drawer. She sat down across from him at the table, then began working on her party menu while he read his magazine for the umpteenth time.
June glanced at the clock, knowing all too soon Cynthia would come through the door, talking nonstop about the latest school drama, and Mitch would follow behind, complaining that he was starving, even though she’d packed him a lunch big enough to feed an army.
Cynthia was very different from June, and Mitch was often guarded and hard to read. But June always felt as though she understood Jase perfectly. Even though he said very little.
It was nice to sit with him in silence.
Three
June
The phone jangled, making June jump in her seat. She went to the kitchen to answer it, hoping it wasn’t Mitch calling to tell her he had to stay late at school and needed a ride home. Unlike the middle school, the high school wasn’t really walking distance from the house.
“Hello?” she said tentatively.
“June, darling!”
June’s shoulders relaxed. Her mother’s steady, but lighthearted demeanor always put her at ease and made her feel hopeful. “Mom! How are you?”
“I’m doing well! How are you? Running yourself ragged as usual, I imagine. How are the kids? Is Mitch adjusting well to his braces?”
“I’m fine. We’re all fine. Mitch pretty well hates the braces. I think they embarrass him. I told him it would be more embarrassing to have crooked teeth at thirty.”
“Teenagers can’t think that far ahead. Thirty is light years away as far as they’re concerned, and the here and now is all that matters. Poor boy. Did you get the jacket thing I sent him for Christmas?”
June twirled the phone cord. “I did”
“You hate it.”
“I don’t . . . hate it. It’s just ugly, and puffy, and orange, and it has no sleeves. What use is a jacket with no sleeves?”
“It’s the one he circled in the catalog. The one the character wore in that movie he liked so much. Back in Time, is it?”
“Back to the Future. Ugh. He saw that movie nine times in the theater when it came out this past summer. When we told him we wouldn’t give him any more movie ticket money, he mowed lawns to earn some.”
Her mother laughed. “Oh, that Mitchell!” she said. There was a pause. “You know, it’s just a jacket, June.” Her voice was soft and low. “Let me spoil him with it.”
“Well, you already bought it for him, so there’s not much I can do.”
“You can realize that some things are not worth fussing over, and make Mitchell and I both happy by letting him have and enjoy something he wants.”
June sighed. “I can do that.”
“Good. So, I’ve come to the real reason for my call. I’m coming to visit you for Christmas!”
“You are?”
“Yes. I know it’s your sister Katherine’s turn, but she has the flu. So I will visit her next year.”
“Oh, that’s great!” said June hesitantly, her mind racing.
“Now, listen. I know this was not in your plans. It’s not my intention to put you out or have you put pressure on yourself. So, I am staying in a hotel. I am helping with Christmas dinner. And I am babysitting for one night so you and Henry can go out.”
“Mom, no.”
“Not negotiable, June.”
“Okay, I’ll agree to most of it. But at least stay here. I can’t let you spend money on a hotel when we have an available room.”
Her mother hesitated. “Well, all right. But do not go to any extra trouble for me. Do you hear?”
“Yes. I hear you.” June smiled. “The kids will be so happy to see you.”
“I’ll be so happy to see them! Also, you’re a much better cook than Katherine.”
June laughed, her heart swelling with pride. “That’s very true,” she said.
“I’ll call you in a few days to give you my trip details.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
“I love you, darling.”
“You too, Mom.”
June hung up the phone, then looked around, chewing her lip. Jase was staring at her, his eyes questioning.
“Granny Jo is coming for Christmas,” she told him.
His face lit up briefly, then he frowned. “So, code five?”
June nodded. “Whole house cleaning, top to bottom. Best linens and towels washed and ironed.”
She closed her eyes, mentally calculating how to fit the extra work into her already-tight schedule.
The front door opened, then shut.
“Mmmooooommm! You will not believe what happened today!”
Cynthia appeared in the kitchen with round eyes and an eager expression. She dumped her backpack into a dining chair. June glared at her, but she continued, oblivious. “Mom! Mom, are you listening?”
“I will listen as soon as you put your backpack where it belongs.”
Grumbling and sighing, Cynthia picked up the bag and left the room. June took two more plates from the cabinet and filled them with cookies, then took a tuna sandwich from the fridge and added it to one of the plates. She set the plates on the table, where Jase was still studiously reading his magazine.
“Okay, Mom, so can I tell you now? Even though it doesn’t feel as fun anymore.”
“Yes, have a seat and tell me.”
Cynthia sat down and eyed her plate. “Oh, are these peanut butter cookies?” She took a huge bite of one. “Mmmmm.”
June waited for her to swallow. “Well?” she said.
“Oh, sorry!” said Cynthia. “They opened up auditions for the school play. I’m trying out for the lead!”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!”
“Isn’t it cool? Miss Simmons i
s organizing the whole thing. She wrote the play herself. It’s called Welcome Spring. It’s about a ring of fairies, and it’s their job to wake up nature at the end of winter. But the fairy ringleader falls in love with a human. If she wants to be with him, she has to give up her powers. But if she gives up her powers, nature won’t awaken, which means an eternal winter!”
“That actually sounds like a very interesting story!”
“It is! You know, I wasn’t sure about Miss Simmons at first. It was hard to get used to a new English teacher in the middle of the year. But Mom. She is so rad. I mean, she’s pretty, and smart, and so nice. She called me articulate, and said I have excellent writing skills. And we have the same favorite book!” She sighed, her blue eyes shining. “She’s much better than that weird Mr. Crowley.”
“He was a little ghoulish, wasn’t he?”
“Ugh, for sure! He was a member of the Poe Society, and he had those buggy, scary eyes, and he used to tap his cane on the ground and quote from “The Raven” when he couldn’t get the class to settle down. We used to call him Creepy Crowley.”
“I remember that he had limp, clammy hands. I always dreaded meeting with him. He would insist on shaking hands.” June shuddered.
“Ew!” said Cynthia, wrinkling her nose. “Oh, Mom! There’s something else I wanted to tell you. Wait until you hear what I found out. Miss Simmons is Mr. Krantz’s niece!”
June stared at her in surprise. “His niece?”
“Yes! He helped her get the position. He knows Principal Davis personally.”
“Well, that’s—I don’t know what to make of that! How did you find out?”
Cynthia blushed a little. “Oh, I overheard Mrs. Menendez talking about it with Mr. Hoover in the teacher’s lounge. They, um, left the door open, and I was getting water from the water fountain, and . . .”
June leaned forward. “What else did you hear?”
“Well, just that a lot of the teachers were having a cow at first because it seemed totally unfair. They were all hoping someone specific would get the job, and they were mad that Miss Simmons did instead. But then after a while they realized that Miss Simmons was legit. She’s a good teacher, and just a nice person. A few of the teachers are still a little mad about it. But most of them like her, and they’re bummed that they doubted Principal Davis in the first place.”
June stared at her. “You’re paraphrasing, of course.”
Cynthia furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“Can you believe it, though, Mom? How could someone like her be related to someone like him?”
“It is pretty unbelievable,” June admitted. She sat back, lost in thought.
The front door opened and shut again. A few moments later, Mitch walked into the kitchen, his hands in his pockets.
June looked up at him. She had no choice; even when she was standing, he towered over her. He had grown six inches in the past six months. Between that, and the braces, and his perfectly coiffed hair—which he spent more time styling in one morning than Cynthia did all week—she barely recognized him anymore.
“Hey, Mom,” he said.
“Hi, sweetie.”
“Oh, cool, is this plate for me?”
Without waiting for an answer, he sat down at the table and began eating the cookies as if he were a starving child who had suddenly stumbled upon a loaf of bread.
At least she didn’t have to remind him about his backpack, or his coat. He always put them right where they belonged, right when he came home. And she didn’t have to worry about him getting his clothes dirty, either. His soft pale-blue sweater and crisp white shirt collar looked exactly like they did before he left for school—pristine.
“So, how was your day, Mitch?” June asked, when he finally slowed down enough to breathe.
He shrugged. “Fine, I guess.”
“Anything interesting happen?”
Cynthia squirmed in her seat, waiting excitedly to tell Mitch her own news. June put one finger up. Cynthia frowned at her, but sat still.
“I got asked to join the chess team,” said Mitch. “I think I’m going to do it.”
“Chess?” said Cynthia, laughing. “Lame.”
Mitch looked at her, his blue-gray eyes wide with astonishment. ““How is chess lame?” he asked. “It’s a game of strategy, intelligence, and prestige. People have played it since the Middle Ages. It’s, like, the coolest game there is!”
“Not even!”
“Even. You should come to one of the matches and see for yourself.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll come to one of your chess matches if you come to my performance.”
“What performance?”
“I’m trying out for the lead in the school play!” She grinned at Mitch.
Mitch laughed. “As dramatic as you are, you'll get it, for sure.”
“Ha! Well, as nerdy as you are, you’ll win every chess match.”
Mitch smiled, clearly choosing to focus on the latter part of her statement. He was never one to look for a fight or take things too personally.
“So, Mom, will you come watch the audition?” Cynthia asked. “It’s next Wednesday. And, if I get the part, I’ll need a fairy costume. That’s all right, right?”
“Sure. Of course.”
“Awesome! I’m so psyched.”
“The chess club meets on Tuesdays,” said Mitch. “I’ll need you to pick me up late from school, starting next week.”
June smiled tersely. “That’s fine. I’ll add it to my calendar. Oh, by the way, I got a call from Granny Jo today. She’s coming for Christmas this year!”
Cynthia squealed loudly then said something high-pitched and inaudible.
“Chill, Cyn!” said Mitch. “I think you just broke my eardrums.” He turned to June. “So, let me guess. Code five?”
“Code five. Be ready to start tomorrow after school.”
“But Dad needs our help tomorrow. Some company is hosting a Christmas banquet at Shady Oaks Inn, and they hired him for a deep cleaning. It’s a big job.”
June narrowed her eyes. “Saturday, then.”
“Hey, Mom, can I have another sandwich?” asked Mitch.
“Well, I don’t have any more tuna, but I can make you a peanut butter sandwich.”
“Oh, cool, thanks.”
June got up from the table and pulled out the bread, the peanut butter, and a knife. As she spread the peanut butter onto the bread, she glanced at the clock, and then at the refrigerator. She had to get the chicken in the oven within the next ten minutes if she wanted to be sure it would be ready for dinner, and she hadn’t even taken it out, let alone dressed it.
Pinky jumped up on the counter, no doubt to investigate the sound of a jar opening. June tossed her back down onto the floor. The cat wandered over to Cynthia and climbed up into her lap. Cynthia picked her up and rubbed her cheek across her fur. Pinky meowed faintly in protest, but didn’t squirm away.
“Oh, Cynthia, before I forget, make sure you keep Pinky in the house from now on.” June said, as she handed Mitch his sandwich.
“What? Why?” She stared at June, and June did her best to avoid her gaze.
“Mr. Krantz is pretty annoyed with her. He threatened to take her to the pound if she came into his yard again.”
The color drained from Cynthia’s face, and she clutched the cat to her. “No! Pinky loves being outside! This is the worst thing ever!”
“He can’t really do that, can he?” asked Mitch.
Cynthia took in a sharp breath. “What if she gets out by accident?”
“We’ll just have to make sure she doesn’t,” said June. “It’s just for a while. Until we can figure out a solution. Cynthia, I’ll need you to set up the emergency litter box while I start dinner. You can tear up last Sunday’s newspaper for litter. Just make sure to leave the comics for your father! I’ll have to stop at the store after the PTA meeting and get some real litter.”
Cynthia nodded, her eyes filling with tears.
“Why can’t people just be nice?”
They all turned to look at Jase. His brow was furrowed, and his gray eyes were sad.
June chewed her lip. “I don’t know,” she told him. “But I wish I did.”
June crept under the covers cautiously, trying hard not to wake Henry, who had been up since four am, and went to bed soon after dinner. But the moment she got under the covers he opened his eyes and looked at her.
She settled in, facing him. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
“I’m not,” he said. He smiled, his thick, dark mustache twitching. “How was the rest of your evening?”
“Busy.”
“As usual. You look upset. Are you okay?”
June shrugged. “I’m all right. Do you think Cynthia is too young to go to a dance?”
“A dance sounds like fun.” His mustache twitched again. “We used to like dances, if I remember correctly.”
“True. There’s a boy, though.”
“A boy! Well, now. She is a pretty girl!”
“A boy, Henry! Do you not hear what I’m saying?”
“Bee, don’t worry so much! At her age it’s all just innocent fun.”
“But what if . . .”
“What if what? Neither of them has money or transportation, and she doesn’t have permission to date until she’s sixteen. I’m dead certain that if he comes over to visit, you’ll watch them like a hawk, or at the very least, send Jase to spy on them. So, what’s the worst they could do? Hold hands in the school cafeteria?”
“I guess you’re right.”
“A dance will be good for her. It will give her a chance to have some fun with her new middle school friends.”
“That’s what Ellie said.” She sighed. “Fine, I’ll tell her she can go.”
Merrily Yours : An 80s Christmas Novella Page 2