Forever Country (10 page)

I help where I can, but I mostly stay out of
the way and play with Sawyer Jackson. A few people arrive early and
come in to get warm. Mia and Momma have the coffee pot ready for
them. Mia also places some decorated Christmas cookies beside the
large coffee carafe.

“
Savannah Mae had to leave,
so would you mind keepin’ an eye on Sawyer Jackson?” Momma
asks.

“
No
problem.”
 

“
Just make sure he doesn’t
eat too many cookies.” She smiles and I follow her eyes to the
cookie platter where Sawyer Jackson is standing.

“
This will be a job, won’t
it?”
 

“
Why do you think I
asked
you
to watch
him?” She looks over her shoulder and laughs. I get Sawyer Jackson
away from the cookie tray and work on keeping him occupied with
games and puzzles. A girl walks in and for a minute I think it’s
Savannah Mae. It’s not. I’m introduced to her and learn it’s
Savannah’s younger sister, Samantha Marie.

“
Aunt Sammie,” Sawyer
Jackson yells, running up to her.

People start coming in and I soon start
recognizing they are from the local church. The preacher and his
wife, Savannah’s parents, and even the staff from Peaches Place
show up. I fold Sawyer’s blanket and pick up his toys so people
won’t have to walk around them. The rest of the Wednesday night
regulars start coming in closer to suppertime.

I see Savannah when she comes in, and I nod
at her. It looks like she’s looking for someone. She comes over and
hands me some money.

“
What’s
this?”
 

“
Money for the layaway you
paid for at Wal-Mart. I told you, I don’t need your handout.” She
says sternly and she looks very upset.
 

“
I didn’t pay for your
layaway at Wal-Mart.” I carefully take her hand, with the money in
it, and push it away from me.

“
Don’t lie to
me.”
 

“
Savannah Mae, when I tell
you I didn’t pay for your layaway at Wal-Mart, I would hope that
you would believe me.”

“
If you didn’t, then who
did?”
 

“
That would remain a
mystery. I paid for the layaways at K-Mart the day we were in
there. I have no idea who they were for. I was just trying to make
sure that every child has a blessed Christmas. I didn’t pay for the
Wal-Mart layaways.
Someone else did that.
Every Christmas, we read about anonymous Layaway Angels. Lots of
Good Samaritans are named Anonymous.”
 

She watches me and her eyes become shiny;
they glisten with unshed tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come
off like that. I just don’t want anyone feelin’ sorry for us.”

“
No apology needed and I
don’t feel sorry for you.”

She leans into me. “I
already overlooked one good deed.”
 

She must be talking about
me paying her debt at the grocery store. “What good deed is
that?”
 

“
Abel Lee, don’t be actin’
like you didn’t pay for my groceries awhile back.” I just look at
her without saying anything. “Thank you. That was mighty nice of
you.”
 

“
You’re welcome, Savannah
Mae.”
 

“
Doesn’t answer the
question of who paid for my layaway? The woman working at Wal-Mart
said all of the Christmas layaways that included toys have been
paid for.”
 

I look down at her and
smile. “Maybe it’s time to start believing in
miracles.”
 

“
Maybe you’re
right.”
 

The preacher stands up and gives a small
sermon before we eat Christmas Eve dinner. I sit with Savannah Mae
and Sawyer Jackson. The preacher also reads the Christmas Story out
of the Bible during dinner. It’s the real meaning of Christmas.

We eat a hearty meal of ham, sweet potatoes,
deviled eggs, green bean casserole, and homemade bread. This year,
no one brought potato salad. Last year, Pops tells me, way too many
families did. There is plenty of food and enough for seconds, and
even thirds. After we eat, and after everything is cleaned up, Pops
and the preacher stand up to get everyone’s attention.

“
We have a special treat
for everyone this year,” Pops says humbly. “Santa came early and
brought everyone blankets, socks, long johns, hats, mittens,
scarves, coats, and a backpack full of personal items and
food.”
 

There are smiles and
excited chatter from everyone. Mia, Mom, Levi, Savannah Mae; her
sister, Samantha Marie; and even Sawyer Jackson scatter the items
that were in bags under the tree, around the tables, in front of
everyone. They watch, but no one touches
anything.
 

“
Go ahead, these are for
you,” Pops says. “Don’t be shy. There’s enough for
everyone.”
 

I watch as Pearl cries into
Larry’s shirt. “Are you sure?” Mark asks.
 

Momma walks over and says, “Yes, Santa wanted
to make sure everyone was warm and well fed this winter. He also
stocked the church with food.”

“
Oh, Nelly,” Pearl cries.
She is unable to say anything else. I look away. I can’t watch. It
pulls at my heartstrings to see so many people so appreciative of
so little.
 

Savannah Mae comes over and
leans into me. “You did this,” she whispers. “You made this happen.
It’s almost magical to witness this.”
 

I watch as people start to gather their items
and put them on. “I don’t think I have ever seen something so
touching in my whole life. People are so humble and grateful to
receive so little. No one should have to want to be warm, or to
have food in their bellies. No one should have to want a bed to
sleep in, or a roof over their head.”

“
People in these parts are
very grateful and thankful. Sure would be nice if they all could
find work.” Savannah Mae’s eyes are misty and she sniffles. “The
secret to happiness for a lot of people is a steady
paycheck.”

I remember the old Rose Farm School sitting
empty and I get an idea.

I look around the room at the fifteen people
who gathered into the kitchen of the church on Christmas Eve for a
hot meal.

“
Abel Lee, we want to thank
you for everything,” Pearl, the oldest woman present, says as she
leans in to hug me.

I return her hug. “You’re welcome, but how
did you know it was me?”

“
I asked your Momma. I had
to thank you personally.”

I only nod. I wish Momma hadn’t said
anything. Not much of a secret if everyone knows. “You’re very
welcome, Miss Pearl. Did you get some things that you can use?”

“
Oh, Lord, did we!
Everything we got, we can use.” I watch as she wipes her tears
away. “Thank you. That was mighty kind of you to go out and do all
this for us.”

“
Miss Pearl, it was my
pleasure.” I smile and pat her on her hands. “We’ll help everyone
get home tonight since you have a few extra items to
carry.”

She searches my eyes with a sad smile, before
patting my cheeks with both of her hands. “Your Momma and Daddy
sure did raise a nice boy. You and Levi both are mighty fine
boys.”

“
Thank you, Miss Pearl.
Pops and Momma wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“
Don’t worry, I won’t tell
anyone your secret,” she says and walks away slowly.

Savannah Mae smiles and leans into me. “You
know, what she said is right.”

I laugh. “So, you think I’m a nice boy,
too?”

“
I think you’re nice, and I
think your Momma and Daddy raised both their sons to be good
people.”

I’m so happy she didn’t
call me a boy.
“Thank you.”

“
Just statin’ the facts.”
She looks up at me and says, “I was meanin’ to ask ya, whatcha
doin’ tomorrow night?”

I look down at her. “It’s
Christmas. I don’t guess I’ll be doing much of anything. Farm work
and dinner with the family.”
Should I
invite her to dinner?

She looks around the room. “Would you like to
come over tomorrow night? Sawyer Jackson will be at his daddy’s,
and I was thinkin’ maybe we can watch a movie, or something.” She
looks away. “I mean, if you…”

“
I would love to,” I
quickly say, before she changes her mind.

She looks up and smiles. “Really?”

“
Yes, really.”

“
Good. I won’t be home from
dinner from my folks until after 6:00 p.m. But anytime after that
is good.”

I quickly remember my manners. “I would bring
pizza, but I don’t think anyplace will be open on Christmas
day.”

She looks up at me and I notice her beautiful
blue eyes. “We can have leftovers if you get hungry. I need to get
my boy home. I still have gifts to wrap before Santa comes.”

Before we all leave, we
make sure everyone has a ride home with all of their things. It
makes me happy and sad to see some people are wearing their hats,
coats, and mittens. I’m deeply happy they can use them, but it
saddens me that they need to wear them now. As the
Farmer’s Almanac
had
predicted, it is a mighty cold winter.

Momma sent the leftover food home with
whoever wanted it. Thankfully there was plenty for everyone to have
something. Pops locks up and we head home. Mia and Levi will be
over tomorrow for dinner and the family gift exchange. I know
they’ll be there early to help with the preparation of the
food.

Before bed, Pops puts a few logs in the
fireplace. “You’re not tired, Abel?” Pops asks as he takes a seat
across from me in his recliner.

I lean up from the couch and interlock my
fingers. “I thought I would stay up a bit longer. I’m not far from
bed myself.”

“
Got something on your
mind, Son?”

I nod, “I always have something on my
mind.”

“
Well, spill
it.”

Taking a deep breath I say, “Savannah Mae
asked me to come over tomorrow night.”

“
She’s a mighty fine girl.
What’s the problem?”

“
It’s
Christmas…”

Pops interrupts. “And you don’t know if you
should take her something for Christmas or not?”

“
Yeah, that’s
right.”

“
Unless you have her
something already bought, it’s too late to get her something now.
Unless you go to a gas station and buy her beer nuts.”

“
I don’t think it’s right
to just show up empty handed
,
or with beer nuts.” I crack my knuckles and
suddenly feel strange talking to my Pops about this.

“
Is it a date?”

“
I don’t know.”
I hope so
.
If it is, I hope to get more than one date with
her. I don’t think beer nuts will do it.

“
Well, I guess if you’re
lookin’ to impress her, you need to get to makin’ her somethin’.”
He looks in the direction of his bedroom. “Your Momma might be the
one you need to be talkin’ too. She’s mighty good when it comes to
courtin’ a woman.” He chuckles. “She taught me everything I needed
to know.”

Momma comes out of the bedroom wearing a
flannel robe and fuzzy slippers, carrying Christmas gifts. “Looks
like you fellows are in deep conversation.” I watch as she makes
her way to the tree.

“
Abel has a question for
ya, Belle.”

I look at Pops, and I’m suddenly embarrassed.
He smiles and I want to rescind my question. Momma places the gifts
under the tree. It’s Christmas and she is just now putting the
gifts out like Santa brought them. Momma sits down and tells Pops
to get the rest of the gifts. As soon as he disappears into the
bedroom, she says, “What’s on your mind?”

She is sitting beside me on the couch and is
staring me in the eyes. I blink and look away. There’s something
about the way she was looking at me, almost like she can read my
thoughts. “Savannah Mae invited me over tomorrow night to watch a
movie. I’m not sure if I should…”

“
Of course you should. You
better not show up there empty handed. And if Sawyer Jackson’s
gonna to be there, you’ll need to take him something,
too.”

“
He’ll be at his daddy’s.”
I look at her. “I have no idea what to bring her. It’s Christmas
Eve.”

Pops places the gifts under the tree, sits
down, and watches the fire.

“
Well, you have until
tomorrow to figure something out. You still play that guitar,
serenade her.” She leans in and kisses me. “Good night,
Abel.”

“
Good night, Momma.” I kiss
her back and watch as she and Pops stand to go to bed. “Good night,
Pops.”

“
Good night,
Son.”

I continue to sit by the
fire and watch the blue flames dance around the wood. It sizzles,
cracks, and pops.
Serenade Savannah Mae?
There must be something else I can do
. When
the fire dies down, I place another log in the fireplace. I look at
the gifts under the tree and shake my head. My parents still play
Santa Claus. Walking quietly into my bedroom, I get the envelopes I
have for everyone and tie them to the tree. They won’t be happy
with my gifts to them.