Adrian's Christmas Part 2.

Posted by Fred on December 14, 2006, 10:01 pm

This is the conclusion although like any surprise gift it may not be as you
expected.
Fred
http://www.stitchaway.com
If nothing changes, nothing changes.
Don't backstitch to email
just stitchit.

Adrian's Christmas Part 2.

Adrian walked out on to the wooden sidewalk, turned right and proceeded down
the dimly lit street. He had walked for quite a few blocks pondering what
was happening in the many homes as he went by when in the distance he
noticed two figures approaching him. As the distance closed he realized it
was a small young women carrying many packages and a tiny bundled up child
walking at her side. He stopped and although it was quite safe to be outside
at this time of night, he jokingly asked why they were not at home tucked
into their warm beds. The young women replied that the local baker had told
her to come to his shop and that he would give her any pastries or bread
that had not been sold that day.

The little child shrieked, "My name is Jennifer and I'm 5-1/2 years old.
"Adrian replied, "What a beautiful name you have, my name is Adrian, what is
your mommy's name?" "Shelly", the young women replied. One glance at Shelly
and little Jennifer and Adrian could tell that their clothes as neat and
clean as they might be were hand downs and that conditions could be better
for both of them. He asked how much further they had to go and offered to
help carry some of their packages. Shelly welcomed his gesture and said that
they only lived a short distance down the street in an apartment. He tucked
his blanket and house a little further under his arm, took a few of Shelly's
packages in his other hand and the three proceeded to walk to the apartment
that Shelly had mentioned.

Upon entering the apartment Adrian couldn't help but notice that it was
small, clean, sparsely furnished but functional for these two
acquaintances he had just met. He placed Shelly's packages upon the kitchen
table just as Shelly thanked Jennifer for her help and informed her that it
was past her bedtime and that she should now go to bed. Shelly thanked
Adrian for his help as he walked out the door closing it behind him. For
some unexplained reason Shelly knew not to ask what was under his arm just
as he knew not to ask where Jennifer's father or their Christmas tree was.
He had only taken a step or two and he heard Jennifer shout, "Thank you
mister". "Adrian", he muttered under his breath, and proceeded down the hall
and out into the street.

Adrian proceeded down the street for many blocks, the snowflakes swirling at
his feet were similar to the thoughts swirling in his
mind. He paused for a moment, looked up into the night, then turned around
and started retracing his footsteps. In a short time he found himself at
Shelly's apartment and saw that her light was still on. He walked into the
brown stone building and softly knocked on Shelly's door. The door opened a
bit and Shelly recognizing him opened the door further. He walked into her
apartment and with one sweeping motion removed his creation from under his
arm, cast off the blanket and placed the white Victorian dollhouse on the
worn kitchen table. "This is for Jennifer", he said, "Wish her a Merry
Christmas for me." Upon seeing the dollhouse Shelly started to cry. He
didn't know where he found the strength to get the words past the lump in
his throat but he simple said, "Please don't cry just share some tea with me
some day" and he hurriedly left.

There was emptiness in Adrian's mind as he walked down the street. He was
trying to fathom what he had just done but could make no sense out of the
whole situation. He paused, turned around, and then stopped again. Turning
around again he proceeded on his journey, but where was he going? What would
he do when he got there? He didn't
know. He just decided to walk and as he walked he couldn't help but notice
the empty blanket under his arm. This was truly madness, something was
terribly wrong! "What about my little Rachel"? he moaned.

The hours went buy as Adrian walked the deserted streets. Frost from his
breath froze and built heavy upon his beard. Soon he found himself near the
familiar lamppost and old iron gate. He opened the gate and proceeded down
his familiar path through aged elms. The elms seem to cast a gloom around
him that matched the heaviness in his heart. He could traverse this path
blind folded he thought. Once again the lump came to his throat and a gale
screamed through his mind leaving him almost senseless. The tears swelled in
his eyes but he sternly fought them back as he groped his way through the
darkness. A few steps more and there it was. The familiar edifice of pain
covered with snow. He brushed the snow off the tiny grave marker and through
the tears read the single inscription, Our Little Rachel - 5-1/2 Years Old.
His little Rachel was gone, the Victorian dollhouse was gone and the
furniture and piano were gone. The bedrooms were gone. The special sewing
room and the orange cat at the sewing machine were all gone. Clutching the
empty blanket Adrian fell to the ground and burst into uncontrolled torrents
of tears as he sobbed. Only a madman would have given Rachel's present to a
total stranger he wailed.

An eternity passed and Adrian arose from the ground; the rivers of tears had
long since frozen to his cheeks, beard and old leather
jacket. He reached down and under the snow found a small stone. He gently
brushed the snow from the stone, kissed it and as was his usual custom
placed the stone on top of the grave marker. With the empty blanket slung
over his shoulder he proceeded down the path, through the old iron gate and
out into the street. Dawn was approaching with its usual burst of cold but
for some reason he didn't feel the added chill. He walked towards his home
and shop wondering what the rest of the day would bring. Soon he found
himself near Shelly's apartment and could see that the lights were on. Early
risers he mused as he walked on.

He continued for a moment and then for some unknown reason turned around and
went back to the apartment. As Adrian approached Shelly's door he could hear
the pandemonium coming from within. There was no doubt that Jennifer had
awakened early and discovered the dollhouse. He softly knocked on Shelly's
door. Once again the door opened a bit and Shelly recognizing that it was
Adrian frosted beard and all, she let him in. "Did you come for morning
tea?" she asked with a glowing
face. "No", replied Adrian, "I thought I had better come and show Jennifer
where the secret latch was." It was a lie of course because he didn't know
what had drawn him back to Shelly's apartment. As Jennifer danced around the
table thanking him repeatedly Shelly gave him a warm embrace and they
laughed as she brushed his now melting frost and tears from her morning
hair.

They all gathered in front of the dollhouse and Adrian proceeded to show
Jennifer where the secret latch was. She undid the latch and as expected the
whole front wall opened up. Everything seemed in its place just as he had
placed it the night before. Shelly and Jennifer marveled at all the rooms,
the tiny pieces of furniture, the shining floors and tiny rugs. Adrian
nodded his head, smiled and with a slight hesitation to his voice said, "It's
nothing, I enjoyed making it and it gave me something to do." He closed his
jacket and was heading for the door when Jennifer cried out; "Look Mommy
there is a sewing room upstairs with a little sewing machine by the wall and
everything." "There is even a kitty cat on a stool looking out the window."
Shelly knelt down, placed her arm around Jennifer and peered into the little
room to see the setting.

Adrian started to go out the door when Jennifer jumped up, ran over and gave
his leg a big hug. "Come and see the kitty looking out the window", she
exclaimed! He had always been prone to give a little tease now and again so
he growled, "You must be looking at another dollhouse." The kitty is sitting
by the sewing machine where it should be." "No, no, come and see", she
screeched! "It shouldn't be", replied Adrian. He walked back towards the
table and peered into the tiny room. "Interesting, they were all together by
the sewing machine last night," then he remembered Rachel's words from years
ago, the cat wants to look out the window and that is where it should be."
Suddenly a gentle warmth entered his body and a calmness flooded his mind
like he had never experienced for years. He smiled his teeth flashing
through his tangled beard.

Up from the depths of his chest Adrian shouted, "I must be going home and to
my shop, I have work to do today." "You are going to work today," Shelly
remarked, "but it's Christmas!" "Well it is obvious if the cat must sit on
the stool by the window then Jennifer needs another stool for the sewing
machine." "Maybe even a nice Victorian style chair just in case a make
believe girl friend comes for a visit!" "I want to start today."

Adrian nodded goodbye, rushed through the door and out into the street. The
sun had just appeared above the horizon and the air was filled with the
sparkling diamonds that only a winter's morning can bring. Today was going
to be a very good day and he knew exactly who was responsible for it.
Playfully kicking a lump of snow with his boot Adrian looked up into the
morning sky and ever so softy greeted the new day, "Shalom My Little
Rachel".

Copyright @ 2002 Frederick A. Kuhn

Posted by Joan E. on December 15, 2006, 12:56 am

Fred wrote:
show/hide quoted text

Thanks for posting this again, Fred! I never get tired of reading (or
re-reading!) your lovely story.

Happy holidays to you!

Joan

Posted by Fred on December 15, 2006, 2:23 am

Hi Joan,
Thank you n Merry Christmas!
You think we are going to get enough snow to cover up all this dust and
grime??
I'm hoping for about a foot before the new year. Kind of brighten things up
a bit. All this grey stuff is depressing.
A mini blizzard would be nice as long as it didn't get too cold.

Fred
http://www.stitchaway.com
If nothing changes, nothing changes.
Don't backstitch to email just stitchit

show/hide quoted text

Posted by Joan E. on December 15, 2006, 12:36 pm

Fred wrote:

show/hide quoted text

I agree with all of the above! And it should occur early next week to
get us in the mood and pretty things up and before everyone starts
travelling! :)

One of the worst Christmases I've had is the 2nd year we were married
and went to DH's parents' for Christmas. There was not a *fleck* of
snow anywhere to be seen and it was 40. It finally started very gently
snowing, barely, when we were at church on Christmas Eve. It was bad
for other reasons, too, but I won't get into them here! LOL

Happy Hanukkah!

Joan

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