The Thursday Night Club (10 page)

“Ma,” he said, and grinned at her like he’d merely been teasing everyone for all these months.

“Oh, God,” she cried. “You’re talking.” She smothered him in kisses.

He laughed. “Ma…Ma…”

After composing herself, she called Frank and Ross in from the yard. By then, Brian was on a roll. “Ma…Ma…Ma…Ma…”

Frank stepped into the kitchen, heard Brian speak and hurried over to him. He lifted his son out of the high chair and spun him in circles. “Daddy’s so proud of you,” he whimpered. “So proud…”

“Ma…Ma…” Brian answered.

Ross was so excited that he couldn’t speak. He simply nodded, while his eyes filled with tears. Joan kneeled down and hugged him. “Thank you for helping your brother,” she told him. “He could have never done this without you.”

Ross nodded again, proud tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Ma…Ma…” Brian said.

While Frank danced Brian around the kitchen, Joan grabbed the telephone and dialed her mother’s house. “Ma, you need to get over here right away.” She paused. “No, there’s nothing wrong. It’s just that…well…Brian has something he wants to say to you.”

Mama was at the house in record time. She hurried through the door and threw her tattered jacket onto the couch. “Where is he?” she panted.

With a grin, Frank pointed toward Brian’s bedroom.

As she entered the room, she spotted Joan and Ross changing Brian on the bed. Mama bent over and gave Ross a kiss. “What’s the…”

“Ma…Ma…Ma…Ma…” Brian said, answering for his mother.

Instantly, Mama began crying and just stood there—shaking her head for the longest time. She grabbed for the crucifix around her necklace and kissed it. “Stupid doctors,” she finally said, sobbing, “what do they know?” She picked up Brian to give him a squeeze and a nibble. Ross hugged her. Joan hugged her. And then she began crying and laughing—all at the same time. “All that money for a speech therapist and he’s learned the same way as any other kid…just by hearing it over and over again.” She ruffled Ross’ hair. “You did this, you know. You taught your baby brother how to speak.”

Ross nodded, proudly.

“And I need to tell your cousins the same,” she added.

“Ma…Ma…Ma…” Brian agreed.

Frank stepped into the threshold and smiled. Mama handed Brian to Joan, marched over to her son-in-law, stood up on her toes and gave him a long, hard hug. Joan froze, unsure of how her husband would receive the unexpected display of affection. He surprised everyone and hugged her back just as hard. It was a moment that transcended all barriers and hard feelings.

In the background, Brian sang, “Ma…Ma…Ma…”

Mama pulled away and wiped her eyes. “We just need him to string them together a little quicker and he’ll have my name down, too.”

“Then can we work on Dada?” Frank asked, playfully.

She nodded. “I guarantee it.”

“Oh, I believe you,” he said. “And I’ll never doubt you again.”

“And from what I can tell, he’ll be crawling by the first snowfall,” she said with a wink.

In this heartwarming holiday story, Steven Manchester, author of the #1 bestsellers
Twelve Months
and
The Rockin’ Chair
, takes us into the world of three of his characters from his novel
Goodnight, Brian
. Steph is on a search for truth in her heart as she faces the prospect of real love for the first time. Brian is out to enjoy his favorite season in a way that doctors never thought he could. And at the center of it all is their grandmother, affectionately known as Mama, a woman of remarkable commitment and charity who knows something very important about making Christmas wishes come true.

This brief, beautiful tale captures the promise of the holidays and the longing we all have for the magic of the season.

Goodnight Brian
has always been a very special project for me. Although the novel is inspired by a true story, it is fiction. As such, I spent months developing the characters, coaxing them to tell the story for themselves. And in the end, I grew to care deeply for each one of them—even those who were cut down during the editing process (namely, Stephanie).

By the final draft of
Goodnight Brian
, there was some significant material lost to the editing floor. Fortunately, my publisher—Lou Aronica—allowed me to share this once-lost material in an emotional novelette—
A Christmas Wish
—that provided closure for both Stephanie and me.

The brief
Christmas Wish
excerpt I’ve chosen is the opening scene between Steph and her Italian grandmother, Mama. As they prepare for the holiday season, Mama inspires Stephanie to make a wish that she promises will come true.

Mama’s cottage shimmered in a festive glow, a mix of colored lights and lots of tinsel. The last of the raviolis were long gone and Nat King Cole had just finished singing “O Come All Ye Faithful” when the family grabbed their coats, said their goodbyes and headed out the door.

Mama stopped Joan. “Let Brian stay the night. Your Uncle Sal’s offered to drive us into Little Italy to do some Christmas shopping tomorrow. We’ve been talking about it for weeks and he’s excited.”

Joan smiled. “That sounds great, Ma. At least you won’t have to take the train in this year.”

“True,” the old lady said, grinning, “but knowing your Uncle Sal, it’ll cost me twice as much in gas money.”

Joan laughed.

Mama laughed right along with her, never letting on about the excruciating pain that throbbed in her legs.

“Okay,” Joan said, pulling Brian in for a long hug. “Just call me when you get sick of him and I’ll be by to get him,” she teased.

Brian picked up on the joke and squeezed his mother tight.

“Then you’ll never see him again,” Mama said, stealing him away for herself.

Just then, Mama’s granddaughter Steph stepped into the kitchen; she was holding her jacket, not wearing it. Sensing that something was wrong, Mama quickly bid farewell to Joan and turned to Steph. “How ’bout you stay a while and help me clean up?” She shook her head and lifted her curled, arthritic hands. “These hands aren’t good for anything anymore.”

With a suspicious grin, Steph threw her coat over the kitchen chair and rolled up her sleeves. “What first?” she asked.

“Why don’t you start with the dishes while I put Brian to bed,” Mama said. “We have a big day tomorrow and he needs his beauty sleep.”

Without complaint, Brian hugged his cousin and said, “Nigh nigh.” Mama then escorted him off to the bathroom to make him brush his teeth.

Since the doctors had predicted—sixteen years before—that Brian would never walk or talk or develop normally, the vast majority of Mama’s time and effort, her life’s purpose, was spent in the relentless pursuit of instilling independence in her grandson and ensuring that his doctors were wrong. Yet there were times when one of her other grandchildren needed her undivided attention. This was definitely one of those times.

Steph had no sooner finished washing the first pan when she felt the family matriarch standing beside her at the sink.

“You sure you can’t tag along with me and Brian on our Christmas stroll tomorrow?” Mama asked.

“I wish I could, Mama. I do. But this has been a tough semester and I have a pile of schoolwork that…”

“Say no more,” the old woman interrupted. “School comes first!”

While they talked about college life and grades, Steph watched as her clever grandmother’s hands put out three times the amount of work that she could. After drying the last plate and putting it away in the cupboard, Mama slung the dishcloth over her shoulder, peered into her granddaughter’s eyes and asked, “So what do you want for Christmas this year?”

On appearance, this was a simple enough question—but they both knew that it was so much more. In reality, it was an opportunity for Steph to open up and bare her soul.

Without ever asking them, Steph’s legs carried her to Mama’s kitchen table where she sat down and prepared for her confession. Again, her insightful grandmother was right there beside her. “The courage to be true to myself,” Steph finally answered, “…once and for all.” Months before, she had let her grandmother know that she was gay. And although Mama had never even blinked at the testimony, Steph was still having a difficult time with it.

Mama smiled and placed her hand on Steph’s hands—where it stayed. “Well, that might just be the best Christmas gift you ever receive.”

“If I ever do receive it,” Steph said.

Mama squeezed her granddaughter’s hands with surprising strength. “Sweetheart, that’s a gift that only you can give to yourself. We’ve talked about this. You’re perfect…exactly the way God made you.” She smiled. “Have you been a good girl this year?” she teased.

Steph snickered. “I wish it were that easy, Mama.”

“Being easy or difficult shouldn’t even factor in. Your cousin Brian should have taught you that by now.” Mama searched Steph’s eyes. “And why wouldn’t it be easy?”

Steph shook her head, while her eyes filled. “Because…”

“Because it’s about having faith,” Mama interrupted, “and taking that first step when you can’t see anything in front of you to step on, right?”

Steph nodded, trying desperately to internalize the wise woman’s words.

“When you kids were young, I taught each one of you how to make a Christmas wish come true. Do you remember?”

“I do,” Steph said, smiling at the beloved memory. “You said that all we had to do was close our eyes, picture the wish that we want to come true, and then open our eyes to seal it with a wink.”

“That’s right!” Mama said. “You remember.” She studied her granddaughter’s eyes. “Well then, what are you waiting for?”

Steph began to laugh until she realized that her grandmother was serious. With a nod, she closed her eyes, painted some very vivid pictures in her mind, and then opened her eyes—to seal the wish with a wink.

Mama smiled wide and returned the wink. “It’s sealed then! Now all you have to do is wait for your Christmas wish to come true.”

Steph took a deep breath, surprised that she believed the tiny woman as much today as she did when she was a little girl.

“So could you really picture it?” Mama asked, grinning.

Steph nodded. Her mind immediately returned to that fateful night where the wish had begun, and she shared each glorious detail with her grandmother.

Rick and Abby grew up together, became best friends, and ultimately fell in love. Circumstance tore them apart in their early teens, though, and they went on to lives less idyllic than they dreamed about in those early days. Rick has had a very successful career, but his marriage flat-lined. Abby has a magical daughter, Paige, but Paige’s father nearly destroyed Abby’s spirit.

Now fate has thrown Rick and Abby together again. In their early thirties, they are more world-weary than they were as kids. But their relationship still shimmers, and they’re hungry to make up for lost time. However, Paige, now nine, is not nearly as enthusiastic. She’s very protective of the life she’s made with her mother and not open to the duo becoming a trio. Meanwhile, Rick has very little experience dealing with kids and doesn’t know how to handle Paige. This leaves Abby caught between the two people who matter the most to her. What happens when the life you’ve dreamed of remains just inches from your grasp?

PRESSED PENNIES is a nuanced, intensely romantic, deeply heartfelt story of love it its many incarnations, relationships in their many guises, and family in its many meanings. It is the most accomplished and moving novel yet from a truly great storyteller of the heart.

Pressed Pennies
is one of my favorite works because it’s so personal to me. And if I didn’t admit to that, then I’m fairly certain that my wife, Paula, would have my neck. At its foundation,
Pressed Pennies
is autobiographical. After both suffering failed marriages, Paula and I were blessed with a second chance at love. Just like Rick and Abby, we met at the party of a mutual friend. And from the moment we laid eyes on each other, the adventure had begun. Although Rick and Abby’s details are completely fictional, the feelings are the same. As a writer, my greatest goal is always to make my readers feel. By placing myself within the scene, I have a much better shot at successfully pulling that off.

In
Pressed Pennies
, before Rick and Abby have a shot at “happily ever after,” Abby’s daughter Paige must accept the new man in her mom’s life. And this acceptance does not come easy.

The excerpt I’ve chosen to share depicts Abby and Rick’s first “official” date. While the passionate couple go off and spend a magical night together, Paige is thrown into a negative spiral—offering a glimpse of the rough and challenging road ahead for all three of them.

While Abby straightened out her hair for her first “official date,” she watched as her pouting daughter stepped up behind her in the mirror.

“Just the two of us, huh?” Paige said, angrily. “I should’ve figured it out that day at the Mexican restaurant.” She put her hands on her hips. “So how long have you been seeing him?”

Abby spun around to meet Paige’s glare. “First off, watch your tone with me. You’re my daughter, not my mother. Secondly, I didn’t see him for months. And if you want to know the truth, I made the decision not to see him until things settled down around here.” She nodded. “And they have, Paige. You’re seeing your dad on a regular basis now, the arguments have stopped, and you and I have finally settled into a nice routine.”

Paige continued to shake her head, undeterred by her mother’s logic.

“Oh, I see,” Abby snapped. “It’s okay for your dad…” She stopped, knowing that she’d already said enough, and that travelling another step down that slippery slope was a mistake. She grabbed Paige’s hand. “Paige, listen to me good. Your father and I are not getting back together.” She shook her head. “It’s never going to happen, babe.”

“I know that, Mom. I do. But this isn’t about you and Dad. It’s about me and you.” She started crying, and tried to yank her hand free from her mother’s grip.

Abby held on tight. “Oh, Paige, nothing or no one could ever come between me and you. Don’t you know that?”

“Yeah right.”

“That is right! And you need to believe that as much as you’ve ever believed anything I’ve ever told you.” She pulled her daughter into a hug. “Okay?”

For a while, Paige said nothing.

“Okay?” Abby repeated, hugging her daughter even tighter.

“Okay,” Paige relented.

A half hour later, Kelsie, the babysitter arrived. Ten minutes after that, the doorbell rang again.
That must be Richard
, Abby thought, and headed for the front door. Paige made a beeline for her bedroom, where the door slammed behind her. Abby shook her head and waited a few moments to collect herself. As she answered the front door, she found Rick standing there, holding two bouquets of flowers. “Hi,” she said, and gestured that he come in.

“Hi,” he said. “You look beautiful, as usual.”

She nodded her appreciation.

He handed her the first bouquet. “For you,” he said. “And this one’s for Paige,” he added, handing her the second bouquet.

Abby sighed at the sweet gesture. “Thank you,” she said. “Have a seat while I put them in water and grab my purse.”

“Is Paige home?” he asked, stepping into the living room.

“She’s in her room,” Abby said, without further explanation.

Abby hurried into the kitchen and grabbed two vases from the cupboard beneath the sink. After filling them with water, she placed both arrangements on the kitchen table and then headed off to Paige’s room.

Paige was lying on her bed, wearing head phones.

“I’m leaving, babe,” Abby announced.

Paige continued to mouth the words from a song.

Abby bent over and pulled the headphones off Paige’s ears. “I said I’m leaving,”

“I heard you,” Paige said, avoiding any eye contact.

“I have my cell phone with me, so if you need me for anything make sure you call, okay?”

Paige nodded and started to place the headphones back onto her head.

“There are two bouquets of flowers on the kitchen table, and one of them is for you,” Abby told her.

Paige said nothing, and continued to stare off into space.

“I don’t get a kiss?” Abby asked.

After an awkward moment, Paige got to her knees and kissed her mother’s cheek.

“I love you very much,” Abby said.

“I know,” Paige muttered.

“You’d better,” Abby said, and planted a big wet one on Paige’s forehead.

Without another word—or any eye contact—Paige placed the headphones back onto her head and began mouthing song lyrics again.

Abby walked out of the room and met Kelsie in the hallway. “Call me if she doesn’t break out of her funk,” Abby whispered.

The girl nodded. “She’ll be fine, Mrs. Soares.”

Abby nodded her appreciation before stepping into the living room. “You ready to go?” she asked Rick.

He placed a framed photo of Paige back onto the end table and smiled. “I am,” he said, and stood up from the couch.

Rick had already learned from Abby that a great date didn’t have to be an event; it was all about the company and the conversation. He dismissed the notion of fine dining at a five star restaurant and, instead, booked a reservation at a small neighborhood eatery on the east side.
She’s right,
he thought.
It doesn’t matter where we go; it’s about sharing the moment.

He was pleasantly surprised that the grilled swordfish—surrounded by a sweet perimeter of glazed vegetables—melted like ice cream in August. And as he spent time swimming in Abby’s eyes, he said, “You’re quiet tonight.”

She shrugged. “This dating thing is tough on Paige, that’s all.”

He nodded, unsure of what to say.

“It’ll be fine,” she added.

He nodded again. After a few awkward moments, he changed the subject, asking, “So what’s new with that case you’re working on?”

“It’s been a tough one,” she admitted. “The court date’s already been continued, so I think it’s going to be a grind right to the end.”

“Sounds like you’ve taken on a cause instead of a job?”

“I’d say that’s pretty accurate.” She nodded. “I’ve always believed that each of us should be involved in one cause or another. I’m fascinated with the criminal justice system and would have loved to work for the courts if I’d had the political connections.”

He nodded. “A battle right to the end on this one, huh?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Sorry to hear that,” he said, continuing to stare at her.

She smiled and reached for his hand. “What is it?” she asked.

“Not to change the subject, but…I’ve missed everything about you since the last time we were together.”

Her eyes instantly changed; they softened, betraying that she’d just entered into the moment. “Me, too,” she said.

During the meal, Rick told her, “I saw Grant the other night and he told me to send you his love.”

“I bet he did,” she said.

Rick chuckled. “I know. It’s amazing how little he’s changed since we were kids.”

“The three of us will have to get together some time. It would be nice to see him after all these years.”

“Probably not as nice as you think,” Rick joked.

“He can’t be that bad,” she said.

Rick took a sip of beer, leaned back in his seat and recounted his latest encounter with their childhood pal, Grant Wright. “Last Tuesday night, I was already at the pool hall when Grant walked in. He apologized for being late, saying that the strangest thing happened to him in the men’s room.”

“Oh, boy,” Abby said, sliding to the edge of her seat to hear more.

Rick chuckled. “He said he’d found a wallet on the floor. There was no one else in the bathroom, so he picked it up and rifled through it. He said it was like hitting the lottery. The damn thing was stuffed with twenty-dollar bills. So he checked the license and found out that he actually knew the guy who’d lost it. Talk about a dilemma.” Rick paused for effect.

Abby was already grinning at the possibilities.

“So Grant asked himself: If I was the one who’d lost the wallet, what would I want the person who found it to do?” Rick took another sip of beer.

“And?” Abby asked.

“After some careful consideration, Grant finally decided that he’d want himself to learn a lesson, so he kept the cash.” Rick stopped and smiled.

Abby burst into laughter. “He’s so full of it,” she said.

“And that’s exactly what I told him.” Rick said, with a shrug. “But Grant grabbed a pool stick, rolled it on the table to check whether it was warped and told me to believe whatever I wanted.” Rick took a longer sip of beer, allowing Abby the time she needed to get all the laughter out.

“Do you think it’s true?” she asked.

Rick shrugged. “With Grant, who knows?”

After an amazing meal and even more conversation, Rick excused himself to use the bathroom. Abby took the opportunity to call home.

“Hello?” Kelsie answered.

“How’s Paige?” Abby asked.

“She’s fine, Mrs. Soares, honestly. We just finished our first movie and now we’re trying to agree on the second one.”

Abby smiled, relieved. “No horror movies, right? Paige will tell you they don’t bother her, but she won’t be able to sleep for a week.”

Kelsie laughed. “Got it,” she said. “Have a good time.”

Rick escorted Abby out of the restaurant before he revealed two orchestra seat tickets for
Mama Mia
. “I wanted to surprise you,” he said, excitedly. “Do you like…”

Abby jumped into his arms. “I’ve always wanted to see it!”

The show was incredible. Rick and Abby were on their feet, dancing the entire time. As they exited the lavish theatre, Abby called home one last time.

“She just went in her room,” Kelsie reported.

“Everything okay?” Abby asked, intentionally vague with Rick standing beside her.

“She laughed through the entire second movie,” Kelsie reported.

“Great. Thanks.” She looked at Rick and grinned. “I’ll be home in about an hour, Kelsie, okay?”

“Take your time, Mrs. Soares.”

As Rick and Abby walked back to the car, Abby asked, “Do you think we’re enough alike?”

He chuckled. “As much as humanly possible, I suppose. It’s clear that the Lord put the eyes of a man in his head, while a woman sees more from her heart. I’m just glad He was kind enough to give me the eyesight to understand this, so I could try to see things from your perspective.”

She kissed him. “You’re learning,” she teased, “but you mean
She
was kind enough to give you the eyesight to understand.”

He laughed hard and kissed her back.

As if they were making up for some high school prom they had missed, they hurried back to the car to make out.

As they prepared to drive home, Abby wiped the fog from her window and laughed. “The parking lot’s empty,” she announced.

On the ride home, Rick asked, “I think finding that new job is wonderful, Abby, but what is it you want from life? I mean, really want?”

“The stars,” she whispered. “I want to walk among the stars.” It was the exact same answer she gave as a kid.

Rick stared at her.
None of the important things have changed
, he realized. He wanted nothing more than to give her the stars; to watch her dance in stardust.
It’s unbelievable. I’ve spent my whole life in search of true love and I knew where it was all along—on Wilbur Ave where Abby and I rode our bikes
. He grabbed her hand and kissed it.