“Ain’t you been doin’ this every year without me?”
“Had to, you weren’t here.”
“S’pose you right about that, boy. But you been doin’ fine enough without me. What you need me for now?”
“Always need you, Big Ma, and tell you the truth, I might make some good souse, but somehow it’s never been good as yours.”
Big Ma cocked her head at the flattery and looked up at Stacey. “I done taught you how to make it, oughta be good as mine!”
“Well, it’s not!” Stacey declared.
“I know what you doin’! You just tryin’ to get me to do your work for ya!” she teased, then laughed, and everybody else did too. Big Ma sat down. “All right then, meat get tender and y’all get it off them bones, I sit right here and season it for ya.”
“Ah, man!” Christopher-John exclaimed. “This here’s going to be some kind of good souse this year!” We all watched Big Ma as we gathered round, and she grinned with pleasure at all the praise.
* * *
◆ ◆ ◆
On Christmas Day, it was like being down home again. We woke to Christmas prayers, the singing of hymns, and calls from Christopher-John and Man wishing us all a merry Christmas. Then we gathered around the Christmas tree set in front of the sun parlor windows, its lights burning bright, and began opening our presents. It was a joyful time filled with much surprise and happiness at the gifts given and received. But the greatest gift of all was having Mama, Papa, and Big Ma with us. Later, when all the family gathered with the arrival of Christopher-John and Clayton Chester with their families, we all felt truly blessed.
In addition to Rie and ’lois, there were now ten more children in the Logan family. As soon as the children entered the house they saw the towering Christmas tree and the many presents still unopened. Their eyes grew big. Rie and ’lois, wearing Santa Claus caps and sitting on the floor in front of the tree, gave the children their presents. All the adults gathered around and watched the children’s glee as they unceremoniously ripped away wrapping of red and green and gold paper, of Santa Claus and angels, to reveal bright shiny toys, trucks and trains, dolls and games. The children’s laughter and their joy touched us all. I pictured my child with all the others. It did not sadden me. I was touched by their joy as much as everyone else. We thought the day couldn’t get any better.
We were wrong.
Just as Dee was beginning to set food on the table, the doorbell rang. Stacey answered it. Those of us in the living and dining rooms heard an elated shout from Stacey and a familiar voice responding. Papa, Christopher-John, Clayton, and I all hurried to the sun parlor. Standing at the front door was Uncle Hammer. Aunt Loretta was with him.
“Man, what you doing here?” cried Papa as they stepped inside.
“Heard you was going to be here, brother. You expect me not to come?”
Papa laughed and wrapped Uncle Hammer in a big bear hug before turning to Aunt Loretta and hugging her too. “This sure is a surprise!”
“Surprise to me too,” said Aunt Loretta. “But this brother of yours, you know how he is. When he found out all y’all was going to be here, he said to me, ‘Loretta, I’m going to Toledo for Christmas,’ and I said to him, ‘Not without me you ain’t!’” She laughed her raucous laugh. “So we jumped on a train and come on.”
“Why didn’t you let us know you were coming?” questioned Stacey. “We could have picked you up at the station.”
“Didn’t come here all the way on the train, just far as Chicago,” said Uncle Hammer, taking off his coat. “Got a car from one of Loretta’s boys in Chicago and drove over. It’s sitting out front there. Where’s Mama?”
Papa smiled. “She’s in the kitchen, where else?”
Aunt Loretta took the time to hug each of us, but not Uncle Hammer. We would have to get our hugs later. Right now, he wanted to see Big Ma. Stacey led the way through the living room and dining room to the kitchen. The rest of us followed. We all wanted to see Big Ma’s face when she saw Uncle Hammer. Stacey stopped at the kitchen door. Big Ma and Mama with Dee, Rachel, and Becka were at the counters, transferring food from cooking dishes to dishes to be set on the table. Their backs were to us.
“Mama,” said Papa, “look who’s here.”
Mama turned first. “Oh, dear Lord, I don’t believe it!”
“Better believe it, sister,” said Uncle Hammer. “I’m standing right here.”
At that, Big Ma turned, a ladling spoon in her hand. She just stood there for a moment looking stunned before she said, “Hammer, that you? What you doing here?”
“Come to see about you, Mama. Aren’t you glad to see me?” Uncle Hammer then went to Big Ma as tears streamed down her face, slipped his arms around her, and held her close. All Big Ma could do was cry.
* * *
◆ ◆ ◆
For us, there had never been a Christmas like it. It was the first time all the family was together in Toledo. There were too many of us to sit at the dining room table, which had been expanded to accommodate twelve, so some sat at the table in the breakfast nook and others ate from trays in the living room or just from plates set on laps. It didn’t matter where we ate. The food was just as good. We feasted and laughed and talked and enjoyed the celebration of the day and of our family. After we all had seconds and thirds, we were so full we finally had to turn away from the platters of food to give our bodies a rest until later in the day, when we would all be back to get another taste of this or that.
When all the eating was done, the children hurried down to the rec room with their new toys, and Rie and ’lois went with them to watch over their play. The men folded up the trays and put them away while the women cleared the food from the dining room and breakfast nook tables and stacked the dishes, which would all be washed by hand. One thing Dee did not have in her splendid new kitchen was a dishwasher. She refused to get one. She figured she could do the dishes better herself. I helped with all the clearing, then joined Mama, Papa, Big Ma, Uncle Hammer, and my brothers in the living room. I figured there were enough women taking care of things in the kitchen. I would do my part later, in the next round of dishwashing.
Throughout dinner Mama, Papa, and Big Ma had filled in Uncle Hammer about all the people down home. Now, as we sat with the gas fire burning through artificial logs, Uncle Hammer wanted to know about what else was going on. Papa told him, and he was blunt about it. “Things as bad as they always been.”
“Or worse,” interjected Mama.
“Can’t get no worse,” said Uncle Hammer with a glance her way. He turned his attention back to Papa. “What’s going on down there?”