Page 24 of Even More Christmas Magic and Romance
As I attempted to get out of bed and found I was slower than normal, I was reminded of our baby. The holiday season was a time to dream about our child and what it would be like to be a family of three. I had a smile on my face when I went downstairs. I was definitely letting a festive vibe take over my feelings.
I found Stanley in the kitchen, sitting at the table, sipping coffee. He looked up as soon as I came into the room.
“I thought I heard the stair squeak,” he said as he got up and kissed me.
I laughed. “That darn squeak! I wanted to surprise you.”
“Surprise? Really?”
“Well, maybe it’s not a surprise, just an idea I had. I thought we could go browsing in those quaint shops in the older part of town. I want to find little gifts for everyone.” I put my arms around Stanley and pulled him as close as possible. “Afterwards, we could lunch at that little French café. Doesn’t that sound romantic?”
Stanley hesitated. “It sounds great, but maybe we could do it another time. My mom called early this morning and asked if I could meet with her and my dad. I think she wants me to be there when she has another talk with him.”
I blinked back. The Bickerman situation had raised its unhappy head once again. I scrambled to hide my disappointment. I had to say something to Stanley and fast. “Of course, I understand,” I said. When I heard myself, I knew my voice was completely lacking in sincerity.
“Glory, I can tell how much you were counting on this outing. So I could call my mom back and—”
My hand shot up in protest, and I pulled away. I had to dig deep and act like an adult. I was going to have a baby depending on me soon. I had to support that baby’s father. “No, your mom needs you. Besides, I just had another idea. I’ll call my dad and invite him to go shopping.”
“Are you sure? You’re okay with switching plans?”
I threw my shoulders back, getting into my mature role. “One hundred percent sure,” I insisted. As soon as the words were spoken, I felt a little kick from the baby. It made me wonder. Did my unborn child know when I was making things up? Of course not. Baby is simply reminding me to stay relaxed no matter what. I reached up and gave Stanley’s cheek a kiss. “Let’s both have a wonderful day.”
While Stanley started breakfast, I called my dad. He said he’d be happy to go shopping with me. He still had a number of presents to buy. However, later that afternoon, he’d promised to go to Mitzi and Jack’s house. He was going to babysit little Jackie.
By ten-o-clock, I was showered, dressed and sitting in Dad’s car. I inhaled deeply, enjoying his cologne. Its woody, spicy fragrance helped me get back into a holiday, shopping mode.
As we got on our way, Dad glanced over at me. “How’s Stanley?”
“He’s fine. He’s meeting with his parents.” Even as I said it, I couldn’t help but feel the holiday season could be spoiled. The Bickermans and their unhappiness could ripple through our family and wreck the festive season I loved.
Dad glanced over at me again. “Glory, you have a very expressive face,” he said.
“I do?” I flipped the visor down and looked at myself in the mirror. “Oh great, I look almost as unhappy as I feel.”
“It’s alright,” Dad said in a firm, assertive tone. “It’s better if your feelings are expressed than hidden away.”
“But I don’t want to feel this way,” I argued back. “You and I are going Christmas shopping. I want to be excited about our time together.”
We were still in my neighborhood, and Dad pulled the car over to the curb and parked. I didn’t comment. I stared down at my big belly and avoided Dad’s eyes.
“I think you’re upset about Stanley’s parents,” he said.
I looked up and glared back. “If I am, is it wrong to want them to be happy? Is it too much to ask that they put aside their problems and enjoy the holidays?”
“Maybe the holidays are a time when people want exactly what you want, but it’s also a time when problems come up to be explored,” Dad said. “For many folks, it’s the time of the year when the problems finally get so painful, we can’t just stuff them away. But maybe that’s the part of the holiday season we ignore.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Gloria, what is it that you love about the holiday season?”
I knew the answer in an instant. “What I love most of all is getting together with family. Summer barbecues are great, but there’s a coziness about the holidays, a feeling of celebration. What about you, Dad? What do you like about this time of year?”
“I agree with your idea of family togetherness. It might also be the reason the Bickermans are having their difficulties right now. They have family around them. Last night both Stan and Barbara were in a place where they could safely express their feelings.”
I knew Dad was right as soon as I had a flashback of my past behavior. “When I’ve had meltdowns during the past two holiday seasons, I wasn’t alone with my feelings. You and Mom and Stanley were all there for me.”
“Yes, and family doesn’t just mean people who are related. Family can include people you feel comfortable with whether they’re related or not.”
