Happy Holidays VIII
The Rare Spotted Bob-White
by Karin
Di sat in the windowsill, gazing at the photo in her hand. Had it really only been a year ago that they were all together for Christmas? She looked out the window, hoping to see snow. It was still raining. A slow, drizzle seemingly designed to keep any holiday cheer as far away as possible. She glanced back at the photograph. She could almost hear Trixie’s laugh....
“Jim, stop it!” Trixie squealed for the sixth time. “We’re never going to get a good picture if you keep tickling me!”
Jim’s innocent look was captured on film beautifully. “Trixie, your sleuthing skills are rusting. My hands are way over here. How could I possibly be tickling you?”
“Besides,” Honey added, “He’d never intentionally ruin a Bob-White Christmas picture by causing you to squirm like that. Certainly not six times in one sitting. Would you, Jim?” She frowned gently at her brother. His expression never changed, but the slight red tinge spreading over his ears caused the two men behind him to laugh out loud.
“You poor light-skinned people,” laughed Brian. “You can’t get away with anything!”
Dan joined in the teasing, “Thank God I’m not a fair haired billboard. Imagine announcing your emotions to everyone in sight!”
Mart popped out from behind the camera. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve got better things to do with my evening than hover back here waiting for you all to behave!”
With that statement, the remaining six Bob-Whites began throwing pillows at the curly-haired photographer.
“Waiting for us to behave?!”
“What sort of better things did you have in mind?”
“I think I see a dark-haired beauty blushing.”
“All right, all right! Just don’t hit the camera,” Mart called back from behind the couch behind which he had taken refuge. His muffled voice continued, “Is Di really blushing?” It was at that point he had pushed the shutter release and snapped a picture of his six best friends laughing together.
And now Diana sat alone in the front room of her parent’s house, staring at the same photograph and listening to the rain. The sound of running feet, four pairs of them, upstairs shook her out of her reverie for a moment. At least someone was happy and didn’t mind the rain, she thought. She returned her eyes to the picture.
The eighth time was the charm. The group returned to their posed positions, Mart set the timer on the camera and jumped into place next to Diana, and with the light of camaraderie still shining from their eyes, the Bob-Whites of the Glen got a perfectly perfect Christmas photo for the seventh year in a row. As they all got up from their seats, Jim pulling on Trixie’s hand, Brian reaching for Honey, and Mart offering his arm to Di, Di remarked, “Isn’t this the most perfect way to celebrate the holidays?” No one disagreed.
Following the Bob-White custom, each member of the group had drawn the name of another for the gift exchange. As Jim turned on the music the rest of the group sat around the small tree in the Bob-White clubhouse. Trixie smiled as Jim joined her on the floor next to the tree. Dan, after donning a Santa hat, started to pass around the gifts, joking, “It looks like the rest of you are stuck to each other. If I don’t hand these out, we may never get to open them.” Di blushed again as she realized how true his words were. She was perfectly content to sit snuggled next to Mart, his arm around her shoulders. Honey squeezed Brian’s hand a little more tightly, and Trixie and Jim just smiled at each other. Dan rolled his eyes, “We definitely need another Bob-White here.”
“Preferably a beautiful female,” the others chimed in with his increasingly common mantra.
“Just pass the presents, please,” called Brian amid the ensuing laughter.
Half an hour later, as everyone admired their new gifts, Di thought she heard singing outside. She turned her head to listen and frowned a bit. No one else seemed to notice, so she figured it was an echo from the speakers. She left the comfort of Mart’s arm and headed to the table for more egg nog. The singing was more noticeable from there.
“Oh the weather outside is frightful...”
“Who the...?” Di wondered as she started for the door.
“I hope you’ve got a fire delightful...” The singing, with slightly altered lyrics, continued, “And since I’ve no place to go....LET ME IN, LET ME IN, LET ME IN!”
“Hallie!” Di shrieked as she yanked open the door. “What a surprise!”
“What?” Trixie, Mart, and Brian jumped up to welcome their cousin while Honey quickly poured some hot chocolate into a mug for their snow-covered guest. Jim stood up to give their unexpected visitor a hug. Only Dan remained motionless.
“Y’all didn’t think you could inundate me with stories of these great Bob-White parties and expect me to sit around in Idaho with my two big brothers every year, did you?” Hallie’s lovely black eyes sparkled as she grinned at the shocked faces of her friends and family, “Of course, I didn’t come all this way alone....”
Mart pulled the door open again to see Knut and Cap Belden standing in the swirling snow, too.
“That’s what ya get from following a girl around. Doors slammed in your face and frozen fingers and noses,” grumbled Cap good-naturedly. More hot chocolate, hugs, and handshakes were shared - but Dan remained motionless.
Honey was the first to notice (except maybe Hallie) and quietly went to his side. “Aren’t you going to say 'hi'?” she asked.
Dan shook his head slightly, as if just waking up. “Oh, well, yeah, of course.”
Honey smiled, “Good thing you dark-haired guys don’t show your emotions, huh?” Her smile grew wider as Dan’s cheeks began to turn pink. “We won’t point out the mistletoe while her brothers are here. Unless you want us to?” She slipped away before he could glare at her.
“Um, hi, Hallie,” Dan mumbled from behind the couch.
Hallie turned and grinned at him. “Oh, so you do still talk! Glad to hear it!” Her tone was teasing, but her eyes looked at him so fondly that his shyness melted.
“You look wonderful,” he said, “I’m really glad you came.”
“Thanks, I am too,” she replied. “I don’t think you’ve had the dubious pleasure of meeting my brothers,” she continued. “OK, Knut’s not so dubious, but Cap could use some work.”
Knut shook his hand and calmly said, “Pleasure to meet you,” while Cap raised one eye brow and stared at Dan. After what seemed like forever, he also stuck out his hand.
“It’s about time. I was starting to think you were a figment of my sister’s imagination.”
Now it was Hallie’s turn to blush.
“Interesting,” thought Dan, “Well, at least I know she thinks about me sometimes. Talks, too, from the looks of it!”
Before Hallie could become too uncomfortable, Knut jumped in, “We didn’t come empty handed, either.” He opened the clubhouse door and pulled in a sack full of gifts and more food.
“Yum!” cried Trixie and Mart together. “Is that Auntie’s famous home made bouche de Noel?”
“Sure is,” answered Hallie. “The rest of you are in for a real treat.”
Di smiled to herself. The cake had been very tasty, but she and Jim and Honey and Dan had all been allergic to something in that treat. Twenty-four hours later the four unrelated Bob-Whites had all broken out in spots! Hallie and her brothers had been horrified! Since no one had become truly ill, the four had found it a bit funny and started calling themselves “the rare Spotted Bob-Whites”.
Di managed another smile, this one a bit rueful. At least that had been funny. Sitting here by herself was not. Of all the ridiculous things to catch, why chicken pox? How could she have chicken pox at her age and at Christmas time? It was so embarrassing! Alone, itching, and watching the awful drizzle outside was too much on the day after Christmas.
But, wait. What is that sound? Once again, Di was hearing singing, and this time there was no stereo.
“Oh the weather outside is frightful,
and Diana’s so delightful,
but since she’s all covered with dots
We’ll bring her Christmas cheer in a box!”Di looked up from the photograph and peered out of the window. Not only were the other six Bob-Whites standing outside singing (and Brian holding a huge present) but the rain had changed to big, fluffy snowflakes! Diana’s face broke into a real smile for the first time in days as she waved excitedly to her friends. She opened the window a crack.
Mart was the first to speak.
“You must have liked the spotted Bob-White look an awful lot to be repeating it for a second year.”
Honey responded for Di by pushing Mart into a bush which was now covered with snow. “We missed you so much at the clubhouse that we decided to finish the Bob-White party up here.”
It was then Di noticed that Jim was carrying a thermos of something, Trixie had a plate of cookies, and Dan held a portable CD player and some garland. He draped the glittery swag over Mart’s bush, pushed the “play” button, and Diana’s favorite song began. Trixie and Jim passed around the cookies and hot chocolate then rang Diana’s doorbell. Harrison answered and delivered the offered treats and large gift to Diana in the living room.
“Go on,” called Trixie, “open the present!”
Di pulled off the paper, removed the box lid, and found a basket full of “Things to do while you recover”. There were movies, books, a box of stationery, chocolates, popcorn, and photographs of each of the Bob-Whites holding a signs that said, “We miss you” and “Get well soon”. Only Mart’s picture was different. He was pouting, holding mistletoe in one hand and a sign in the other that said, “We’re waiting for you to get better.”
One more blush for the dark-haired beauty, then she beamed and called out, “Thank you so much! You’ve made my day.”
She turned her face toward Mart and mouthed, “Me, too.”
He grinned. Then all seven Bob-Whites toasted each other with their styrofoam cups and called out,
“MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
The End