Three Word Wednesday-The Christmas Card -Part 7

Three Word Wednesday-The Christmas Card -Part 7


If you missed part one http://sheilaghlee.blogspot.ca/2012/12/three-word-wednesday-christmas-card.html

If you missed part two http://sheilaghlee.blogspot.ca/2012/12/three-wednesday-word-christmas-card.html

If you missed part three http://sheilaghlee.blogspot.ca/2013/01/three-word-wednesday-christmas-card.html 
if you missed part four http://sheilaghlee.blogspot.ca/2013/01/three-word-wednesday-christmas-card_9.html 
if you missed part five http://sheilaghlee.blogspot.ca/2013/01/three-word-wednesday-christmas-card_16.html  
if you missed part six http://sheilaghlee.blogspot.ca/2013/01/three-word-wednesday-christmas-card_23.html

Three Word Wednesday- The Christmas Card- Part 7


Prompts: Drab; adjective: Lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull; of a dull light brown color.

Pulsate; verb: Expand and contract with strong regular movements; (often as adjective pulsating) produce a regular throbbing sensation or sound or be very exciting.

Tendril; noun: A slender threadlike appendage of a climbing plant, often growing in a spiral form, that stretches out and twines around any suitable support; something resembling a plant tendril, esp. a slender curl or ringlet of hair.

                                       The Christmas Card- Part 7

    Grace, Mildred, and Maria went up to the door of Maria’s sister Grace’s apartment. Maria knocked repeatedly to no answer.

   “Grace isn’t home,” Maria cried with disappointment.

   “Does she have a cell phone?” Grace asked

  “Yes, I gave her one with big buttons last Christmas. It’s a drab thing, not fancy, but specifically made for older people like us. She keeps turning the thing off.”

  “For Pete’s sake call her Maria,” Mildred insisted.

  “Fine.” Maria replied as she took out her own cell phone to call.

 “Gracie? Yes, it’s Maria listen I’d really like to see you today. Uh huh, uh huh. Okay but I’m bringing company. Tell them dinner for five. ”

   Maria then shut her cell phone and said “We’re meeting my sister for dinner at the Mainstreet Diner.”

  “But you said five people,” Grace noted.

  “Roberto can meet us there,” Maria insisted. “You’ll call him right?”

  “I don’t know if this is a good idea,” commented Mildred.

  “Let her sister Grace decide whether she wants to see Roberto. If she doesn’t then she can chase him away. He’ll go. He loves her but he’d never hurt her,” Grace insisted.

  “Okay, they should have been together years ago let’s make it happen,” Mildred agreed. taking out her cellphone and calling Roberto’s room.

   Sometime later Grace, Mildred, and Maria entered the restaurant. The hostess escorted them towards Grace’s table. Grace looked at the other Grace. Her hair was white and flowed in waves around her face. Her hair just touched the top of her neck. Her eyes were a faded blue but the smile on her face went to her eyes which glowed with goodness. Grace felt like she met this woman before it was odd. It had to be that she identified so much with this story that she felt she knew Grace.

  “Maria? What was so urgent? And who are these people?” Gracie asked before Maria had even sat down.

  “I’ll introduce you in a few minutes,” Maria answered. 
“Millie, please can I speak to my sister alone for a few minutes, before Roberto gets here?”Maria whispered so Gracie couldn't hear.

  “Grace and I will sit in the other booth but you better tell her everything,” Mildred answered.

  “I intend to. This has waited too long.”

Grace and Mildred sat down in the next booth but listened in to the conversation.

  “Tell me everything? This sounds serious,” Gracie answered.

Maria sat down.

  “Gracie I’ve always loved you but I’ve done you a grievous wrong not once but twice.”

  “I don’t understand,” Gracie commented.

  “When you were in the hospital and the forms were signed not by you. It was me,” Maria admitted in an almost inaudible voice.

  “Maria, did you think I didn’t know? I demanded to see that signature. I know Daddy made you sign it. It wasn’t your fault that they took my Robert.”

  “You don’t blame me?”

  “No, I don’t. I blame Daddy. He should have let me keep Robert. I saw him you know.”

  “Saw who?”

  “Robert. I saw his adoptive parents they were really good people. He grew up happy.”

  “You saw him that many times?”

  “Yes, I attended his wedding from the back of the church. He didn’t see me, no one did. I snuck out before they saw me.”

  “You never contacted him?”

  “I talked to him once. He told me he was adopted, but he never wanted to meet his biological mother. That would hurt his real mother, the woman who raised him.”

   “Do you think he knew who you were?”

   “I don’t know.”

   “Do you still know him?”

   “No, he died in January of seventy one. There was a huge storm do you remember?”

   “Yes, near the end of January. It lasted days.”

   “Yes, seven days. They found Robert frozen in his car on the highway between London and Stratford. His wife took their son and moved away. I just wish I knew if my grandchild had any children and if so where they were.”

   “I’m sorry Gracie.”

   “Life is sorrow Maria. How we deal with sorrow determines our life. I know one day I will see my son again in heaven along with my Roberto.”

  “That’s the other thing Gracie. You know when I told you in the fifties that I heard Roberto died in the war?”

 “You didn’t! You couldn’t! You lied about Roberto?”

 “Yes, and he came looking for you and I told him you were married.”

 “Oh, Maria, how could you?”

 “I know you feel that you can never forgive me right now but I’m trying to make this right,” Maria exclaimed.

 “You can never make this right Maria,” Gracie exclaimed quietly.

 “I am so sorry Gracie. You are my sister and I betrayed you.”

 “You did, but my love for you is stronger. You’re my sister, so I’ll try to forgive you after all it’s Christmas.”

 “Gracie, I want my friends to tell you a story. I want Grace to tell you.”

 “Maria this isn’t the time, I'm still trying to forgive you.”

 “Believe me Grace; you want to hear this story.”

 “Fine sit down, and introduce yourselves.”

 “Don’t you recognize me?” Mildred asked.

 “Millie? Is that you?”

 “Yes, it’s been a long time. This is my friend Grace she lives in your old apartment.”

 “Too long. You’ve aged well,” Grace commented. “Hello Grace, love the name. So my apartment still stands?”

 “Yes it stands. It's still a nice apartment,” Grace answered.

 “You’ve come for a reason? Tell me the story Maria spoke of,” demanded Gracie.

 “My name is Alison. The specials tonight are...”began the waitress interrupting.

 “Can we just order drinks right now? Coffee, please all around. We want some more time with the menus,” Grace instructed.

 “Certainly I’ll come back with your coffees.”

    Grace waited for the waitress to leave then she began, “A few days ago I received a card in the mail addressed to Grace. I thought it was for me, so I opened it. I found a Christmas card inside and an engagement ring. It was sent in nineteen forty one to you. It was signed by Roberto.”

    Gracie cried and then starting sobbing. “He loved me. He truly loved me. I always knew it.”

   “Gracie. I didn’t just love you I love you still. Every day of my life I’ve took out your picture and kissed it.”Roberto cried suddenly appearing.

   Gracie’s eyes filled with a wondrous hope and her lip trembled, just a little as her arms unconsciously reached up for Roberto, and her fingers then gently touched his face. Gracie’s voice filled with emotion asked, “Roberto is that really you? I’m not dreaming?”

  “If this is a dream Gracie. I never want to wake-up.”

  Tears of joy streamed down Gracie’s face as Roberto moved into the seat beside her and took her in his arms. He softly kissed away her tears and then kissed her on the lips, a long lasting passionate kiss, that Grace had only seen in movies. This seemed to go on for minutes until the waitress; Alison, came back with their coffee Even then, they still touched, as if afraid to let go, his hand covering hers.

   “Why Roberto, I thought you only had eyes for your Gracie,” Alison kidded.

   “This is my Gracie. I’ve finally found her right where we first met,” Roberto answered.

   “Oh, I’m so happy for you both. Roberto always speaks of you.What a love story. What can I get you to celebrate?”

   “Roberto and I will have a roast beef sandwich with fires on the side.”

   “You remembered?” Roberto asked.

  “I haven’t eaten a roast beef sandwich since then. I’d like to enjoy one again.” Gracie answered.

  “Gracie, every day spent without you has been an eternity. I’d like to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes. A thousand times, yes. ” Gracie answered. “But do you know about our son?”

  “I understand you were forced to give him up, maybe we can find him now,” Roberto offered.

  “I’m sorry Roberto, we lost him. He died back in nineteen seventy one and I have no idea where his wife moved to,”

  “We’ll search for them. I’ll hire a private detective,” Roberto offered.

  “You need the ring to do this right. Let me get the card and ring, so you can give it to her Roberto,” Grace commented trying to ease their sorrow.

   Grace fumbled in her purse searching for the card and took out an envelope. Pictures fell out of the envelope.

  “Where did you get this?” Gracie asked.

  “Oh, sorry, that’s the wrong envelope. That’s a picture of my dad and grandfather. It’s when he was a baby, just before he died. I sent the duplicate to my Dad for his Christmas present, in a lovely silver frame.”

 “This is a picture of your dad and grandfather?” Gracie asked again looking ashen.

 “Yes, sorry. I’ll get out the ring and card.”

 “Your name is Grace? Who named you?” Gracie asked.

 “My dad, James Philips, he said it was a family name.”

 “What was your grandfather’s name?”

 “He was named after his dad Henry. Why?” Grace answered.

 “The picture you have is my Roberto. Henry was the name my son Robert’s adoptive parents gave him. He must have known I was his mother, you're named after me.You’re my great granddaughter Grace.”Gracie replied in wonder.

 “You’re saying that you to are my grandparents?” Grace asked shocked.

 “It certainly explains why you look so much like my Gracie. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. Thank you lord, for all my blessings today. You gave me back my Gracie and my great- granddaughter.” Roberto exclaimed. “What a wonderful Christmas present.”

 What a weird coincidence that they had all found one another. And yet hadn’t she wished not to be lonely at Christmas? Her guardian angel must have been working overtime on this one. 

 Grace smiled at her great -grandparents still arm and arm. The love for each other showed in every movement. She only hoped someday she could find the same great love they had with someone.

 “Come give us a hug great-granddaughter,” Roberto begged.

 “I have my family back. Do you think your father would meet with us?” Gracie inquired.

 “I’d have to ask him but I don’t see why he wouldn’t.” Grace answered.

Mildred smiled at them then, as the newly found family, all hugged. Suddenly Grace knew.

 “You knew! You knew I was their great granddaughter?”

 “No, I didn’t know, but I wondered after I saw you with those pictures at the mailbox the one day,” Mildred explained.

 “Thank you Mildred and Maria. Thank you for bringing my Roberto back to me and my granddaughter.”

 “When will the wedding take place?” asked Alison

 “I want to get married as soon as possible,” Roberto and Grace said at the same time then laughed.

 “My brother is a minister. He just graduated to his own church. Let me call him, maybe he can help you,” Alison the waitress said interrupting.

 “David you remember me tell you about Roberto? He’s found his Gracie alive after seventy years and they want to get married. You will? Thanks David.”

 Alison then turned to Roberto and Gracie and said, “David will marry you today. He’ll be here in a half- an- hour.”

   A half an hour later a tall skinny man came into the diner. His hair black as night and his eyes a piercing blue as he searched the restaurant. Something sparked and pulsated from him, it was like a tendril pulled her to him. When he saw her, he smiled widely at her. Grace thought it was odd how everyone disappeared in the room when she looked at him. Was this how her great grandmother had felt when she met Roberto?

   Was this the one? No she was just needy, she hadn’t even spoken to the man. Obviously she got caught up in the moment, but he was handsome. Should she speak with him? He seemed to be heading her way. Grace thought.

  “Alison?” he asked seeing the waitress.

Grace realized who he was. He was Alison’s brother David the cleric.

© Sheilagh Lee January 30, 2013

To be concluded next week