“We brought you kissmas pictures!” Henz states on a joyful bounce in place.
“Christmas,” Rainne sweetly scolds prior to offering hers. “And I used glitter crayons this time.”
“Oh yeah?” Jedd gently places his guitar down in his lap and scrubs his hands clean the best he can on his tattered green long sleeve shirt. “How come?”
“So,” pride promptly pierces her expression, “that you could have something that lights up your home like Christmas lights!”
It’s impossible to stop my gaze from cutting down the alley way towards the dumpster I know he sleeps behind.
Look, I’ve tried my best to explain that his home…isn’t the same as ours with walls and couches and a Christmas tree but clearly, I failed. Come on. You mean to tell me you’ve never missed the page?!
“Thank you, Big Green Eyes,” he sweetly states on a soft grin. “I’m sure it’ll…really light the place up.”
Rainne blushes, beams even prouder, and retreats my direction.
“I just used glitter.” Henz casually shrugs. “I wanted you to have twinkly lights, too.”
He accepts her gift with the same friendly smile. “Thank you, Little Green Eyes. I do like them twinkly lights.”
She giggles and wiggles and slinks her candy cane tights bearing frame back over to me. “Open them! Open them!”
My under the breath reprimanding is instant. “Henz.”
“Pleaseeeeee,” she adorably begs indicating she heard it.
Jedd nods and opens hers first, slyly sliding the money I tucked inside into the palm of his hand. “Wow. This…this is some Santa picture.”
Yes. Every time they bring him a picture, I slip a little cash or a gift card inside. Always different amounts. I used to toss them in his guitar case in the beginning but then that led to them throwing money at random people they liked – including their teachers. Presley Collins – my boss who I’ve become best friends with over the years – thought it was hilarious but totally understood the girls’ misinterpretation of the action and acknowledged my parental concern about not wanting them to think the whole world was a giant strip club. It was an awkward conversation. For all of the adults. Oh yeah. I made Archer’s ass participate in it, too. He was mortified about having to be in basically the principal’s office and having to listen to Presley gingerly explain why we can’t throw cash around like drug dealers on payday. And you know what? No one warns you before you have children just how many of those, weird, off the wall, how do I explain this slightly inappropriate thing to your young, still developing mind conversations you’re gonna have! There are so many!
I press my lips together to stop from commenting how impressive it is that he knows that’s what’s underneath considering the fact you can’t even see Santa due to all the fucking glitter.
“My turn,” Rainne hums and nervously tugs down her purple beanie that matches mine. “I hope you like it.”
“Coming from you?” Jedd carefully puts the picture down inside his case where I see several of the others lining it. “I have no doubt that I will.”
He’s really a nice guy. You can probably guess by now who he reminds me of.
He begins to unfold the creation just as a woman gags at him as she passes by.
And you can probably guess who people like that remind me of. Hm? No. She moved away years ago. Around the time their divorce was finalized according to the realtor. An older woman – early sixties – moved in and has been there ever since. She has a few grandkids who love to play with our girls whenever they come to visit. Usually boys. And although Rainne bears an innocent name, she has no problem flexing a more aggressive side. Trust me. When she gets together with the McCoys, it’s almost a Beauty & The Beast self-duet. Yeah, McCoy has kids of his own, too. Girls. Triplets. They’re just like him. Trouble with an irresistible smile. His wife deserves a medal for putting up with all their antics on a daily basis.
“Bless you!” Henz innocently calls after her, unaware of the female’s true crude behavior.
Jedd cockily smirks to himself, slides the cash out of sight once more, and unveils Rainne’s work of art. “This is a beautiful Christmas tree, Big Green Eyes.”
“I don’t know if you have one,” she nonchalantly begins, “but in case you don’t, now you do!”
“Now, I do,” he slowly repeats to himself, sadness struggling not to settle in it. He sniffles away whatever emotion he refuses to show them and states to both kids, “Thank you for the pictures.” They giddily nod at the same time he shifts his gratitude to me. “And thank you for the visit.”
He doesn’t want the girls to think their offerings are of less value. I think it’s sweet. That he’s sweet. I just…I wish we could do more for him. I once mentioned the idea of shelters – closer to when summer was approaching – and I got a familiar earful. He expressed their lack of space and having his shit taken, which also contributes to not having a desire to go back. I know I can’t move him into my garage, but I do wish I could do more. I really do. I try not to let it keep me up at night. Sometimes it does. Especially when Archer’s working late and I have nothing else to distract me from reflecting on the day’s activities.
Shooting Jedd a wink is followed by gently placing my arms around my girls. “Come on you two, we have some more Christmas shopping to get through.”
They nod and wave goodbye in tandem, conversation picking up right where it left off with Rainne announcing even more people to buy books for on our list.
Once upon a time, I’m pretty sure we bought people other types of gifts, but when you have kiddos that love to read as much as you do, it’s hard to convince them to buy other things to give. Honestly? I don’t mind it. I think people should read more. And should have more books about things that they actually like versus coffee table reads to collect dust. Hunting down particular subjects or first editions for adults is actually kind of fun for all of us. You know…I’m glad they inherited that from me. Just like I’m glad they got my big, compassionate heart as well. It changed my entire life in a way that they wouldn’t be here without. Who knows what difference their choices to be kind will make. Maybe…just maybe…someday they might help save someone when they least expect it too.
Chapter 2
Archer
My teeth happily sink into another bite of the Deck the Halls cookies I was supposed to take to work but didn’t.
Is it my fucking fault my wife makes cookies that could make Martha Stewart cry? Exactly. We should all really just be thankful that over the past ten years I haven’t turned into a beached fucking beluga from the amount I’ve consumed. Particularly while she was pregnant. Normal Jaye bakes two times a week, three if she’s stressed. Pregnant Jaye baked every day of the week for three months straight. It was like living inside a goddamn Easy Bake Oven…twice. She couldn’t always control her hormones, so she substituted that with controlling her baking. I absolutely put on a bit of “baby weight” during those days despite the very physical job I had at the time of Rainne and hitting the gym with Dane to prove I could still keep up during Henz’s baking – pun intended. And now that I have a very cushy office position as a higher up for Harry’s Hardware, it makes eating these things at the holidays way more dangerous. But they’re just so fucking good. I mean red and green peanut butter m&ms, peanut butter chips, red and green regular m&ms, chocolate chips, and a bit of glittery sprinkles to be festive is just too much to resist. I’m only fucking human. There’s only so much you can ask of me.