The Christmas House (37 page)

148 Festive Lane

As Christmas morning
arrived
Michael and Arianna lai
d in bed snuggling each other in silence. Michael looked into her eyes and began to cry.

“Why are you crying Michael?”

“Because in less than 18 hours, I will be without you once again.”

“I know Michael. I don’t look forward to saying good-bye to you either. It will break my heart to leave you for another year. But look at the bright side, it could be good-bye forever, but instead it’s only for another 12 short months.”

“And then I will love you and hold you once again,” said Michael.

Chapter Twenty Three- The Last Christmas

8:00 a.m.

148 Festive Lane

Lake Forest, IL

As the sun peered through the open draperies in the master bedroom, Michael
squinted
his eyes to see the clock on the nightstand.

“Wow, 8:00 already. We have to get up. Only 10 hours left.”

He turned to feel for Arianna but felt nothing except the coolness of satin sheets beneath his hand. He sprung up into a sitting position and frantically looked around the room. The fireplace continued to burn and the music was still playing from the night before. He jumped out of bed and ran over to the bedroom door. As he swung open the door, he ran out of the room and into the hallway. The door to the guestroom that was next to the master bedroom opened as well. Uncle Wally walked out of the guestroom with a cigar hanging out of his mouth. As Wally turned to close the door behind him, he noticed Michael standing but a few feet away.

“Ha! And you talk about me. At least I wear a sheet when I cruise the hallway looking for babes. Really Michael,” he said.

Michael suddenly realized that he is standing in the middle of the hallway stark naked. As he tried to cover himself with his hands, he explained to Wally.

“I was looking for Arianna but she wasn’t there when I woke up and
- ”

“Spare me the gory details Michael. It’s painfully obvious that you are looking for Arianna.
You goofy humans.
Go get some clothes on and come down to breakfast,” he replied.

Michael continued to plead his case when suddenly Arianna’s mother exited from the guest bathroom down the hall.

“Michael! Did you forget something this morning?” she asked.

“Oh my God!” shouted Michael as he ran bare bottomed to the master bedroom and slammed the door behind him.

“I can see why Arianna loves him so. Shyness is a very seductive quality. And so is that cute little butt,” she said.

“Marie! You should be ashamed of yourself!” said Wally.

“I should be ashamed of myself? Oh really? Hmm, so tell me Wally, how is Lucy doing these days?” she asked.

“Oh, for God sake that was 6 years ago!” he replied.

“Not from what I hear,” she said as she walked toward the stairway.

Uncle Wally ran after her quickly.

“What have you heard? Is someone spreading viscous rumors about me again? Where do they come up with this stuff? Hey wait a minute there Marie!”

As she continued down the stairway, Wally continued his barrage of questions and denials. Marie simply smiled to herself as she descended to the first floor.

As Marie and Wally continued to bicker they found themselves entering the kitchen. Arianna and Wanda,
both awake
for several hours, were preparing breakfast for seventy and greeted them.

“Good morning Uncle Wally. Sleep well?” Arianna asked.

“I slept just fine Arianna, but I think Michael is a bit restless. I just saw him roaming the halls in his birthday suit looking for you,” he replied.

“Birthday suit?
And I’m down her making pancakes! Go figure!” she responded.

At that moment, Michael now fully dressed dashed into the kitchen. As he slid across the slippery waxed floor in stocking feet, he yelled.

“Good Morning Everyone!”

There were 12 people sitting in the kitchen area at the time and they all responded, “Merry Christmas Michael!”

Michael slid over to Arianna.

“Why didn’t you wake me up? I don’t want to waste what little time we have
left sleeping.”

“Michael, you were exhausted. You can’t expect to stay awake for 24-hours straight. We have lots of time left. Are you hungry?” she asked.

“I am famished!” he replied.

    “Well, set yourself down and I’ll start serving you some of these flapjacks,” Wanda said.

Michael pulled a chair out from under the kitchen table. Just as he was about to sit down, he asked, “Where is Jack this morning? Still sleeping?”

“Nope.
He’s out on your deck. Seems a few of the guests have discovered your hot tub. Jack is soaking in there now. Why don’t you go tell him that breakfast is
ready.
That should get him out of that thing before he turns into a prune,” Wanda replied.

Michael walked away from the kitchen table and opened the French doors leading out to the deck. He saw Jack sipping on a cup of coffee as he sat in the 6 person Jacuzzi by himself. Steam was rising from the water, which was heated to a comfortable 102 degrees. The windows of the sun porch, that covered the majority of the deck, were opaque from the frosted moisture, which crystallized onto the cold glass.

“Looks like you are pretty relaxed so early on a Christmas morning,” Michael said.

“Mikey!
Merry Christmas buddy.
Hey, I love this thing. We should have had one of these years ago.”

“I know. Isn’t it great? It’s always ready. Just flip back the cover and slide on in,” Michael said.

“I could stay in here all day. It could be a little bigger, but I still like it. Still can’t see how you could fit another person in here though,” Jack said.

“Another person?
Try five more people Jack. That tub is designed to hold six people total.”

“Six people?
I don’t think so Michael. This is just the right size for me alone,” answered Jack.

“Well, I should correct myself and say, “
six
average sized people,” Michael
replied.

“Hey, 6
foot
7 inches, 294 pounds is average in my book!”

“Okay, mister average,
get
out of that Jacuzzi and come get some breakfast. And that’s an order from your lovely wife,” Michael said.

“Breakfast?
Sounds good to me.
I’ll be right in,” Jack replied.

Michael walked back into the kitchen and announced that the giant was getting dressed and joining the rest of the guests for breakfast.

Everyone within earshot grabbed a plate and started loading up on pancakes as fast as possible.

Michael watched the mad dash to get some food before Jack came in.

“I see Jack’s reputation of being a big eater still sends shivers down the spines of all men, mortal or not.”

“They used to have pie eating contests at the annual Fourth of July celebration here in Lake Forest, but then we moved here. Jack entered the contest for the first time, and the village was so embarrassed after running out of pies, that they never had it again.” Wanda said.

Jack opened the door from the deck and entered the kitchen.

“Fee Fi Foe Fum, I smell pancakes and want me some!”

They all laughed as Jack and Michael took a seat at the kitchen table. Michael looked like a dwarf sitting next to Jack. Wanda set a large platter of pancakes down on the table. As Michael reached for the platter, Jack turned to him.

“If you value your life, get your hand off that plate. Those are mine!”

Arianna brought a smaller plate of six pancakes over to Michael.

“These are yours Michael. Jack has been known to bite, so I wouldn’t try taking any of his pancakes. If you want more just ask.”

Jack smiled at Michael.

“You have a very intelligent wife. I suggest you listen to her.”

Then he laughed a gruesome hackle and Michael just shook his head.

Nicole came running into the kitchen and jumped into Michael’s lap.

“Daddy, Daddy. I love my room. It’s so beautiful. Thank you so much for building it for me.”

“You are very welcome. Hey, you know who came while you were sleeping, don’t you?” he asked.

“Who
came
Daddy?”

“Santa Claus!
And he brought you presents.”

“But, we aren’t allowed to accept any gifts. Not even from Santa,” she said solemnly.

“Well, I think the rule is that you can’t take the gifts back with you when you leave. But you can play with them here. And when you come back next year, you can play with them again. And every year after that as well!” he replied.

“Oh goodie!
Mommy, is it okay?”

“Yes, Nicole, it’s okay. But like Daddy said, you have to leave all the presents here until next year.”

Jack and Wanda became uncomfortable as they watched and listened to the exchange Nicole was having with her parents. They were tempted to tell Michael and Arianna of the decision that was made the previous night.

“Michael, I don’t know if this is such a good idea. I mean next year
- ”

Martha cut Jack off as she entered the room.

“Next year is a long time to wait to play with presents, is what Jack is trying to say Michael.”

“Good morning Martha. Well, I think it’s no different than kids of divorced parents that have toys at both houses. They may not get to play with them all of the time, but once in a while is better than nothing. I don’t think there is any harm in letting her have a few toys to play with while she is here,” Michael replied.

“I promise she will leave them here and not take them back with her. I don’t
want any problems with this mass and matter business.”

“Okay Michael. I guess if David gets to play his guitar when he is visiting then Nicole should have the same opportunity,” Martha said.

“Goodie! Time to open presents from Santa!” yelled Nicole as she jumped off of Michael’s lap and ran into the family room by the Christmas tree.

“Now you wait Nicole. I have to wake up David. Santa brought him some presents as well,” Michael shouted to her.

“I will go up and wake David. He was up pretty late jamming with his Uncle Billy,” Arianna said.

As Arianna headed upstairs, Michael talked with Martha.

“You know, it’s very strange. I mean of course this whole situation is strange, but buying presents for the kids and Arianna was a very weird experience,” he said.

“How so Michael?” asked Martha.

“I realized that when I was buying Nicole a baby doll, that I would always be buying her a baby doll. I mean, she will always be 5 years old. I will never buy her anything else but toys that are suited for a 5-year-old.
The same with David.
I will never buy him his first car or a shaver or anything else that would not be considered proper for a 16-year-old. It’s just very strange to always be buying the same type of gifts year after year.”

“Yes you are correct in that assumption. But also keep in mind that as much as they stay the same, as much you will change. Physically, you will grow older. Mentally, you will not always be as sharp as you are today. What happens 40 years from now when you are in your seventies and Arianna is still a beautiful thirty years of age?” she asked.

Uncle Wally, who was passing through to go to the family room for the gift opening, said, “You won’t be running around the halls naked then Michael.”

“He’s right Michael. Arianna will still be a vivacious sensual woman and you will be an old man with little if any desire to make love. You should think about that Michael. Sometimes getting on with your life might just be the best solution. You
could still see all of us, but you could grow old with someone else. It really would be the best of both worlds,” she said.

“Whether young or old, my heart will always belong to Arianna. I have no intention of dating or marrying anyone else. And that my friends, is the end of that discussion,” said Michael as he rose from his chair and walked into the family room.

“I guess you were right Martha. He is determined to waste his life away for one day a year,” Jack said.

“Yes, I’m afraid we have no choice but to go along with the decision we have made,” she replied.

Arianna and David came down from the second floor and entered the kitchen.

“Morning everyone,” David said.

“Good morning David. Did you sleep well?” asked Martha.

“I guess I did. It’s weird to sleep again. It’s weird to eat and drink again too. Guess I’ll just have to get used to doing this once a year,” he replied.