Group Writing Project #5
Author’s note: For this story I went back to the original timeline. Oh, and I took a few liberties with what happened in Arizona. (Now, the title and my notes don’t count in the word count, right? =D) Some of the working titles were One Word to Spare, The Gift of the Magpie, and Be Careful What You Wish For, but I decided to call this -
ONCE UPON A NEW YEAR’S CHRISTMAS
by April
Finally, the house was quiet. Now rather reluctant to leave the warmth of her cozy, quilt-covered bed, Trixie resolutely threw back the covers and swung her feet to the floor. Quietly, she slid her feet into her slippers, grabbed the small gift from her nightstand and tiptoed to her bedroom door. Cautiously, she opened the door and slipped silently into the hall. She was getting good at this.
Creak! It wasn’t loud, but Trixie froze. Listening intently for what seemed like half of forever, she let out a small sigh. Must have been the house settling, she thought and tiptoed quietly downstairs, carefully avoiding the squeaky spot on the bottom tread. She paused at the foot of the stairs and fingered the small, tightly rolled note tied to the ribbon atop the little package. Do I really want to do this? What if he thinks I’m a sap? Trixie chewed her bottom lip and frowned, her previous determination decidedly wavering. Doubt filled her mind. We all bought our gifts before we left for Arizona so this is just extra, anyway. He’s going to like this present, but the note’s probably a dumb idea. I could just pull it out and…
…And the chance would be gone, finished her heart. With another sigh, Trixie crept into the living room toward the stockings that hung from the mantle. Lightly running a hand along the smooth wood, she located the third stocking from the left. Trixie grinned as she felt its well-stuffed bulk. Moms and Dad are swell to have Christmas on New Year’s Day this year! With Santa returning to bring the presents the elves forgot to pack, Bobby’s excited and so much fun! I loved our trip to Arizona, but Christmas just didn’t really feel like Christmas.
The grin abruptly disappeared as Trixie remembered the thoughts that had hit her Christmas night in Arizona. Although it had been a wonderful day, that night while lying awake in her bunk, the homesickness Trixie had felt before she left welled up again and squeezed tight. Everything was changing. They were growing up. If everything went according to plan, Brian would be leaving home for college in nine months. And life at Crabapple Farm would never be the same again.
Clink! With a gasp, Trixie whirled toward the Christmas tree. "Who’s there?" she hissed.
"Shhhh…" came a muffled voice from behind the tree, "it’s only me."
"What are you doing hiding behind the Christmas tree?" whispered Trixie. "Besides knocking into the ornaments and giving me a heart attack, that is."
"Hiding from you, obviously." Brian stepped out from behind the tree, clinking ornaments again. He flicked on a penlight and navigated around the mound of presents beneath the tree, then directed the narrow beam at his sister. "And speaking of heart attacks, you gave me a pretty good one yourself. What’s up, Trix," he teased softly, "can’t wait till morning?"
Quickly, she thrust the present behind her back, but Brian caught the movement with his light. "Sorry, Sis," he whispered wryly and nodded toward the stockings. "Looks like we both had the same idea. Now, that’s a scary thought," he added with a quiet chuckle.
Trixie just stood there, gaping at her brother. Does he know it’s for him?
"Hey, squaw, you’re shivering! Don’t you have enough sense to wear a bathrobe in the middle of the night?" Brian rolled his eyes, grabbed a quilted throw from the chair by the fireplace and wrapped it around her. "What are you going to do when I’m gone? Even a whole tribe of big brothers would have their hands full looking after you!" He shook his head then grinned. "C’mon, Pocahontas, I’ll make us some hot cocoa."
Since her teeth were chattering too much to stick out her tongue, Trixie just tossed her tangled curls and followed Brian out to the kitchen. She filled a plate with Moms’ homemade Christmas cookies while Brian made the cocoa. Sitting down at the maple table, she pulled the quilt closer and watched Brian pour the steaming cocoa into two mugs.
"Wait a couple of minutes," he warned as he set them down on the table. "They’re really hot." Brian stood for a moment, thoughtfully regarding his sister huddled in the quilt, her cold hands wrapped around the hot mug. "I’ll be right back," he told her as he pulled the penlight from his bathrobe pocket. Quietly, he pushed though the swinging kitchen door.
Trixie hesitated, then quickly grabbed the hidden present off her lap, lunged across the table and slapped it down next to Brian’s mug of cocoa. She sat back down with a hard plop. There! she thought firmly. Now I don’t have to think about it anymore.
The kitchen door swung open again and Trixie’s heart jumped up her throat. Yikes! Quick - take it back! Her hand shot out from under the quilt, but Brian had already seen the gift. As he sat down, she quickly pulled her hand back and drew the quilt up around her ears, covering half her face.
"Is this for me?" he asked and smiled at her.
Trixie felt her cheeks start to burn. She opened her mouth to say something funny and turn it into a joke, but nothing came. So she just closed her mouth, blinked, and miserably nodded her head. I AM a sap! She mentally kicked herself. He’ll think it’s mushy! I’ll just die!
"Um…do you want me to open it now?"
Panicked, she shook her head. But when she saw the bewildered look on Brian’s face, her eyes clouded over and she bit her bottom lip. She paused, then slowly nodded. He’s looking at me like I’m going to take off flying around the kitchen any moment now, she thought dejectedly.
"So that’s a ‘yes, Brian, open it now, I hope you like it’?" he asked, watching her closely.
Trixie swallowed and nodded again. She held her breath as Brian unrolled the note and smoothed it out on the table. As he read, Trixie silently recited what she’d carefully written.
Dear Brian,
Sorry I was such a big brat in Arizona. If it hadn’t been for you, I couldn’t have even gone in the first place. Thanks for helping me with my math. I realized this week how much you do for me – you’re always willing to help me out. And it hit me that this next year you’ll be leaving home. I hope this year will be fun and last forever because I’m going to miss you a lot when you’re gone. You’re a wonderful big brother. Thank you for everything you do for me.
Love you,
Trixie
Brian looked up. Trixie had pulled the quilt up so far all that was visible was a mop of tousled curls and two anxious blue eyes. A gentle smile started in his dark eyes and spread across his face. "Aw, you weren’t that big of a brat," he said softly. "Thanks, Trix, you’re pretty wonderful yourself."
Trixie blushed, but pulled the quilt down off her face and smiled back happily. Her eyes sparkling, she leaned forward. "Open it!"
He did, then looked at her, amazed. "How did you know?" Brian asked in wonder as he held up the same silver key ring he’d admired in an Indian gift shop in Tucson. The ring held a handcrafted bear fetish. .
"I saw you, Brian!" Trixie laughed delightedly. Excited, she explained, "Uncle Monty was sly, pulling our own trick on us and giving us each a bonus as a Christmas present. When I was picking out the bracelet for Moms, I saw you looking at the key ring. I also saw your face as you checked the price tag and put it back! I knew you picked the Navajo sand painting for Dad and the Indian drum for Bobby, so while you were buying them, I went to the back register and got this for you!"
As Trixie’s words tumbled out, Brian started to grin. When she finished, he jumped up, hugged her, then reached into his bathrobe pocket and lightly tossed a small, taped-up, brown paper bag with a taped-on tag down in front of her. The tag read, "For Trixie. Love, Brian."
"Open it!" He laughed at the look on her face and sat down.
Trixie tore open the bag then stared, wide-eyed, at the little kachina doll she’d admired at that same shop in Arizona. Her jaw dropped in surprise as she looked up at her grinning brother.
"And I heard you tell Honey how darling this ugly little thing is," he explained. "So when you weren’t looking, I grabbed it."
"Gosh, Brian, thanks! I love it!" Trixie’s eyes danced and her smile lit up the room.
Brian returned her smile then lifted his mug of cocoa in a toast. "Merry Christmas, Trixie, and Happy New Year!"
His little sister raised her mug in reply. "Merry Christmas, Brian! Here’s to the best new year ever!"
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas
and the best new year ever!