Micah's Gift: A Christmas Countdown Story

Micah's Gift

by Lady Li Andre

Published by Lady Li Andre at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition Copyright 2016 Lady Li Andre

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Smashwords Edition License Notes:

Thank you for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to your favorite ebook retailer to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The characters and events portrayed here are fictitious or used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Brookfield Zoo is a real place in Chicago with an amazing collection of animals who are ambassadors for their species. You can learn more about this amazing place at https://www.czs.org/Brookfield-ZOO/Home.

To my grandson, Brandon, and his little sister, Lydia. And to Santa Mike, wherever you may be. You are missed and will always be remembered for the joy you brought to others.

Table of Contents

December 1

December 2

December 3

December 4

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 9

December 10

December 11

December 12

December 13

December 14

December 15

December 16

December 17

December 18

December 19

December 20

December 21

December 22

December 23

December 24

December 25

December 1

My eyes were burning but I had decided not to cry. There was no way I was going to let my eyes win. Everyone around me was sniffing and wiping their faces. My mom and sisters anyway. My little brother wasn't old enough to really understand what was going on. The only thing he got was that dad wasn't coming home anymore.

Sam had been asking me every day for a week where dad had gone. But what do you tell your three year old brother? Dad is dead. He can't come home. But Sam doesn't understand death. We could never have any pets and we never had any grandparents. They were all dead before even I was born. Nobody Sam knew had ever died before.

He bugged everyone. It just made mom cry harder. Even Amy couldn't seem to get him to understand. She tried to explain it using her dolls. That didn't help because the dolls never went away. They were just in the toy box and Sam found them. Six-year-olds never think about that, especially girls.

Rachel was no help. She was hiding in the closet most of the week. Sam figured dad was in there, too, but nine-year-olds don't like little brothers invading their space. Even Debra, as smart as she is supposed to be, couldn't give him an answer. So much for being a gifted twelve year old.

Now I was stuck here at a funeral my Aunt Sarah had arranged. It wasn't my mom's idea. I don't think she wanted to be here either. Aunt Sarah came over to my mom and hugged her. Don't worry, Jennifer. You'll get through this. I know it was hard for John and me when our parents died but having a service helped bring some closure.

Mom wasn't looking at her. You really didn't have to go through all this trouble, Sarah.

Nonsense. I took care of John after our parents were gone. It's only fitting that I see to his eternal needs now. When mom didn't say anything, she looked over at us. The children look so nice today.

I looked down at the suit I was wearing. I've never worn one before that I can remember. I hated it. It felt like the tie was going to strangle me. The man at the store Aunt Sarah had taken us to tied a funny knot that I knew I was never going to remember how to do. Good thing he showed me the trick of how to loosen it enough to slip it over my head.

Rachel was even more miserable. She hates dresses. Period. She had spent most of the past couple of hours on a folding chair by the wall with her arms crossed. Amy didn't mind hers. She just pretended she was a princess. I don't think she really understood why we there.

I looked toward the front of the room where the long, shiny wooden box sat on a table. It was closed. Mom had said that was a good thing. She hadn't really told us what had happened but I got the feeling it was bad. All she had said was that dad had an accident at work.

Aunt Sarah moved on to other people in the room. Mr. Davis, one of my dad's best friends, walked over. I'm so sorry Jen. I wish there was something I could have done.

Mom took his hand. Oh, Jim. I just don't understand. He was only working the holiday to get a little extra money for Christmas.

He looked like he was fighting not to cry as hard as I was. Everything happened too fast. By the time I got there, it was too late. He was already gone.

I moved a littler closer, hoping to find out what had actually happened. Mom pulled out another tissue. This is like some unreal nightmare. I keep waiting to wake up but I never do.

Mr. Davis covered his face with his other hand. I'd never understood why grownups did that before. Now it made perfect sense. That way they could cry and no one would see it. He sniffed and let his fingers rub away any sign of tears as he pulled his hand away. He looked over at me and cleared his throat. Well, Micah. I guess that makes you the man of the house now.

I fell like I'd been tagged in a game of Freeze. Mom put her free arm around my shoulder and hugged me. That's hardly fair, Jim. He's only fifteen. She managed a thin smile. But he has helped out so much this week. I'm not sure what I would have done without him there to keep an eye on the other kids. Between all the paperwork and Sarah dragging me all over the place to make arrangements, it would have been impossible if I had to take all the kids with me.

It's okay, mom. I'd missed almost a week of school. This was day four. But I'm not sure I could have handled it anyway. It was easier to hang out with my brother and sisters.

My mom looked around. She got that look, the one that made the top of her face wrinkle up. Where's your brother?

I was used to this by now. It seemed that when I had to start sharing a bedroom with him, I had to know where he was every moment. I'll find him.

I started moving through the crowd. I didn't even know who most of these people were. Some were people my dad worked with and others were old friends of my mom who she hadn't seen in forever. At least that's what she said. The rest of the people were there because of my Aunt Sarah and Uncle Ben. This was their church.

I finally found Sam looking at the lit-up plastic people in the front hallway. They were almost as tall as he was. They were standing inside a painted cardboard shack looking down at a box of dried grass. Aunt Sarah came through a different doorway and got to him before I did. Oh, look what you found, Sammy. Do you know what that is?

Sam was shifting back and forth from one foot to the other. Are they nightlights?

Aunt Sarah looked shocked. Sammy! That's Mary and Joseph. Don't you know what Christmas is about?

Sam stopped rocking and turned to her. Oh! I know Christmas. That's when Santa comes from the North Pole with his reindeer and brings us presents.

Aunt Sarah sighed, not just a little one, but the really big kind. Sammy, Christmas is the day Jesus was born.

Who is he?

Aunt Sarah's face started to turn colors. I'd seen that happen before so I knew it meant she was really upset. She knelt down, trying to get to his level. Jesus is God's son. He was born on Christmas. He was the first Christmas present.

Sam shuffled his feet on the carpet. He looked back at the light-up people. So they are waiting for their Christmas present?

Yes! That's right, Sammy. They are waiting for God to bring them Jesus.

Uncle Ben came out into the hall. Oh, there you are. Pastor Hansen is looking for you.

My Aunt and Uncle hurried away but Sam just stood there staring at the plastic glowing people. I figured I'd better get him back before Mom totally fell apart. I walked up to him and sat down on the floor. Hey, Sam. What's up?

Sam was still staring at the display. Why is there a bunch of weeds in that box?

Uh, maybe the lady is expecting to get a chicken.

Sam giggled. No, that's not right. They are waiting for Santa to bring them a present. He's gonna leave them his son.

What?

Sam turned to me and put his hands on his hips. It was something Debra always did when she was being too smart. Sam had picked that up. Don't you know what Christmas is? It's a birthday party for Jesus but we get the gifts. Santa is so cool.

Music began to play in the other part of the church. I wasn't sure what to tell Sam so I got up and held out my hand. Okay, if you say so. Anyway, we have to go back in now. Mom needs us.

Sam took my hand. Can we go home soon?

I hope so. I didn't say it too loud but I felt the same way.

I turned to lead Sam back into the room where we had spent the last couple hours but people started pouring out of it and going into a different room. Mom and our sisters came out and Mom motioned for us to join them. We went through some fancy doors into a room filled with long wooden seats. Uncle Ben came up to Mom. We reserved a pew for you and kids up front.

When we sat down on the hard wood bench, mom looked over at me. I could tell she had been worried. Where was he?

Looking at the plastic people in the hallway.

Debra closed her eyes. That's called a nativity.

Whatever. I hated that. She is such a show-off.

We had to sit and listen to some guy wearing a black dress and a long scarf talk about God and how great he was. How could he say that? If God was so great he would have kept my dad from dying. I thought it was stupid. So did mom. I'd asked her about God before when Charlie's Grandma took me to church when I stayed over at his house for a weekend. Charlie hated having his grandma there because she always dragged him to church. That weekend he felt better not having to go alone. And I understood how he felt.

But the stuff they said at that church didn't make any sense to me. When I told my mom about it she said I didn't have to go there if I didn't want to. But here we were, sitting in a church listening to some guy who had never even known my dad go on and on about how great God was.

I was really relieved when he was finished. Sam was, too. He was off that bench before I could grab him. The guy was now standing in front of the casket, talking to Aunt Sarah. Sam went up and patted him on the leg. He looked down. Well, hello there. What can I do for you?

Do you know where my dad is?

I was ready to cover my face with my hands now. I moved forward to grab him. The man smiled at Sam. Of course I do. He's with God.

Sam smiled. Oh, thanks! He turned and ran right into me. He looked up. We can go home now. I found out where dad is. He's at the North Pole!

* - * - *

December 2

Mom had spent most of the morning writing out thank you notes to the people who had given us things at the funeral. There had been a lot of flowers. Mom had only brought one of them home. It sat next to her at the kitchen table. I sat down in a chair and glanced at the list she was working from. A few people had given her money. I got the feeling that was more important right now.

She tucked the card she'd been working on into an envelope and sat back. That's the last of them.

I poked at the flowers. Why did you only bring this bunch home? Are they from someone special?

Mom picked up the pot and pulled the flowers and leaves aside. This one is real.

Were the other ones fake?

She stuck her fingers into the dirt inside the pot. No, they were dead. I hate dead flowers. It's depressing.

Oh. So what's going to happen to the rest of them?

Mom put the plant down and leaned back in the chair. Some of them will go to the cemetery. I talked Sarah into giving the festive arrangements to the church and I asked Maggie to take the smaller ones over to the hospital. The ward she works in has patients that are stuck there for awhile.

Maggie was Mom's best friend. She'd been over everyday since my dad had died. She had been making most of the meals for us. It was a nice change from the regular stuff Mom always made. Maggie was from somewhere in Louisiana. She had a funny accent and used words I'd never heard of before. Is she coming over again tonight?

Mom was sticking stamps on a stack of the envelopes. I don't think so. She told me yesterday that she had to work an extra shift today.

Rachel stalked into the kitchen. She stopped next to me and folded her arms. Will you come and get Sam out of our room?

Her tone was tight. What did he do?

She started tapping her foot. I am trying to draw up some new plans for my tree house and he keeps stealing my crayons. He has his own.

Mom put the stamped envelopes in a bag. Sam can have his crayons if you watch him. Just make sure he keeps them on the paper this time. She grabbed her coat. I'm going to drop these in the mailbox. I'll be right back.

I went into the girls' room and found Sam perched on the top bunk, swinging his legs. Sam, you know you're not supposed to be up there.

He looked ready to cry. Ray won't let me use her colors.

I held out my arms and he launched off the edge. I caught him and brought him down to the floor. Mom said you can have your crayons as long as you promise not to draw on anything except the paper.

Debra looked up from the book she was reading. I told him to go ask but he wouldn't listen.

I looked around the room. Where's Amy?

Debra pointed toward the bottom of the bunk bed. I heard the muffled scraping and lifted up the blanket. What are you doing under there?

She looked back up at me from the floor. Are they really going to bury him in the ground? I was just trying to figure out what that would be like.

Sam tugged at my hand. I want my colors.

I had no idea what to say to Amy. I looked at Debra. This one is yours. I've got the crayon fiend.

Debra rolled her eyes and put down her book. Fine. Just make sure he doesn't eat any this time.

I let Sam pull me out of the room. I helped him into the plastic riser at the table and moved the remaining envelopes well out of it his reach. I found the box of broken crayons Mom had stashed in a drawer and pulled some scratch paper from a box. Remember, keep the color on the paper or Mom is going to take them away again.

Sam scrunched up his face. I try to, honest.

I put the paper down and gave him the crayons. He opened the box and started sorting the colors. There was a knock on the door. Oops. I bet Mom forgot her key. I ran to the door and opened it.

A man in a suit was standing there. He was carrying a briefcase and had a long coat draped over his arm. I'm looking for Jennifer Starling.

That's my mom. She just went down to the mailbox. She should be back in a minute.

He stood there staring at me. I wasn't sure what to do. Mom didn't like strangers in the apartment when she wasn't there. He cleared his throat. May I come in and wait for her?

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I was relieve to see Mom. There she is.

He turned to her and extended his empty hand. Mrs. Starling, may I offer my condolences.

She looked confused but shook his hand. Thank you. And you are?

Oh, forgive me. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a card. I'm Harry Trulin, the local manager for Gordon Shipping.

She glanced at the card. Well, come in.

I backed away. Sam is coloring at the kitchen table. Do you want me to take him to our room?

She took off her coat and hung it on the peg. No, we'll use the living room. Thanks, Micah.

She and Mr. Trulin moved toward the chairs and sofa and I went back to the table. Sam had been scribbling with red and green. At least he'd kept it on the paper. I leaned over his shoulder. Looks interesting. So, tell me about your picture. I had learned the hard way not to just ask what things were.

Sam pointed to the red scribble. That's Santa. The green one was a tree. Then Sam picked up a brown crayon. And this is dad.

I sunk into the chair next to him. "Sam, you know dad isn't going to be here for