Merry Christmas, my friends!

Mart’s Gift

by

Mary

"Mart has sure been acting mysterious lately," Trixie commented, referring to her "almost twin" brother. She almost fainted in surprise when her husband agreed with her.

"Don’t pass out from shock, but I’m inclined to agree with you. Just last week, I popped into his office at the school, and he almost had a stroke shutting down his computer." Jim grinned, running a hand through his red hair. "If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he downloaded some porn or something!"

Trixie grinned back. "Fat chance—Mart’s good with computers, but I don’t think he’s capable of overriding the blocking software you had installed." Jim realized early on that he needed programs that blocked access to certain objectionable sites. Plus, the software prevented his students from disclosing personal information on the Internet.

Jim pulled into Crabapple Farm’s driveway, shutting off the ignition. Normally, they would have walked the relatively short distance from Ten Acres, but it was a cold and snowy Christmas day, and they didn’t want to take the baby out in that kind of weather.

"There she is!" Helen Belden came hurrying down the drive. Trixie had to smile, knowing that her mother wasn’t referring to her, but rather 2-month old Katy. She was the first grandchild, and in constant danger of being spoiled beyond belief.

"Oh, did you miss me, Moms?" she said sweetly, handing the carrier to her mother with a laugh.

Helen laughed too, kissing her daughter on the cheek. "Of course, sweetie. Merry Christmas!"

Trixie watched, smiling quietly as her mother covered the baby’s face with kisses, cooing to her as she took her into the warm farmhouse that had housed generations of Belden’s. She could hear the sweet sound of singing drifting over the snow as Moms opened the door, and felt her heart swell with the spirit of the season—

"Do you think anybody would miss us if we took off for awhile?" Jim asked with a laugh as he began unloading their gifts to their family and friends, stacking some in Trixie’s now empty arms.

"Gleeps, next year, let’s just do gift certificates!" Trixie puffed as they staggered into the house. All of their friends, as well as family were here, so the pile of gifts was on the excessive side, even though they had adhered to the agreed upon money limit. Trixie was glad everyone decided to do that—it took the focus off of the more commercial aspects of the holiday and put it back on what was really important—being together.

They soon found themselves surrounded by the people who were nearest and dearest to them, amused as Katy was passed from hand to hand like a rare treasure. She seemed to take it in stride, finally falling asleep in her grandfather Belden’s arms.

"I guess I just have that affect on people," Peter Belden said, gently kissing the top of his granddaughter’s downy head as everybody laughed.

"Well that beats the affect I apparently have on people," Matthew Wheeler, Jim’s adoptive father, put in wryly. He never forgot the time Katy unceremoniously spit up all over him. Luckily, he was wearing riding clothes at the time.

"That was classic, Daddy!" Honey giggled like a young girl at the look her father gave her.

"Truly an unforgettable moment of regurgitation," Mart put in, ignoring his fiancée Diana’s groan of pain at his extravagant vocabulary.

"Should we open presents now, or wait until after we’ve eaten?" Helen inquired, playfully covering her ears as the chorus of "presents!" almost deafened her. "I guess some things never change," she said, smiling as she remembered how her children would awaken them at the crack of dawn, breathless with excitement that ‘Santa had come’. And now one of my babies has a baby of her own. The thought filled her with equal parts tenderness and wonder. "Bobby, why don’t you act as Santa," she said to her youngest son, smiling at the eager way he lunged for the Christmas tree.

For the next several minutes, the sounds of ripping paper and exclamations of thanks filled the Belden’s comfortable living room as everybody opened gifts as fast as Bobby could hand them out.

Trixie sighed with contentment, her eyes dazzled by the softly glowing lights of the Christmas tree, the tantalizing smells from the kitchen making her mouth water in anticipation. But most beautiful of all was the expression that filled Jim’s face—a look that spoke volumes about putting old demons to rest. As happy as being adopted by the Wheelers made him, she knew that every Christmas he couldn’t help but long for his biological family. The birth of Katy had given him back part of what he lost, and Trixie knew he would never forget this Christmas—his first Christmas with a family of his own. She glanced over at her good friend Dan, who was deep in conversation with his Uncle, and hoped that the two bachelors would have a first Christmas with their own families someday.

 

But at least they have each other—when Jim came back here he didn’t have anybody…She looped her leg over his, whispering, "I really enjoyed my present this morning!" into his ear.

"I thought that was a present for me," he murmured back, pulling her close.

"Hey, you guys are parents now—start acting with a little maturity and decorum," Mart said, standing in front of them. He spoke with his usual ribbing tone, but there was something about the way he stood there looking at them that put Trixie on the alert.

"How do you think we became parents in the first place?" Jim said happily, laughing at his look of suffering.

"It’s funny you should ask that," he began, hesitating for a moment, then laying a brightly wrapped gift in Trixie’s lap. He looked uncertain and edgy, which was uncharacteristic enough for Trixie to give her brother a questioning look. She glanced quickly at Jim, see I told you he’s acting mysterious! written all over her face.

"I wanted to do something special for Katy’s first Christmas—I hope you like it," Mart continued nervously.

"Mart! I’m sure it will be great," Trixie exclaimed, quickly opening it. She stared at the home-bound volume, her eyes widening at the gold lettering of the title. "Is this what I think it is?" A smile was slowly building on her face as the realization dawned on her. She opened it and immediately starting laughing as she read the first sentence. "It is! Oh my god, you…you wrote this?" She closed the book and held it up so that everybody in the room could read the title ‘The Secret of the Mansion’.

"Well, I just thought she’d like to hear how her mommy and daddy really met; the whole story, you know?" A pleased blush made its way over his countenance as it became obvious that they were delighted with his gift.

"I can’t believe you did this," Jim said slowly as he took the book and started flipping through the pages. A passage caught his eye, and he read quickly, a startled laugh breaking from him. "Boy, you weren’t kidding about the whole story, were you? What’s she going to think when she finds out her own father pulled a gun on her mother and aunt?!"

Honey began to laugh, taking the book from him. "I was scared to death, but Trixie just really let you have it, as I recall." She grinned, reading aloud dramatically, "This place belongs to Mr. James Winthrop Frayne, our neighbor!" She leafed back towards the beginning. "You thought I was a sissy?" she said to Trixie in a hurt tone.

"Maaaaaaart!" Trixie groaned, then smiled when she noticed that Honey’s eyes were twinkling at her.

"I was an awful sissy when I first moved here," she admitted. And sickly and scared of my own shadow and horribly lonely…She hugged her best friend. "I told Mart to put that in; it’s okay." She had thought she would burst with the secret, and was glad this day had finally arrived.

"Let me see that," her husband Brian burst out, and Mart flushed with success as the book made its way around the room, everybody exclaiming over the labor of love that had taken him several months to complete.

"Yeah, I was one cool guy," Bill Regan grinned, handing the book to Mrs. Belden.

"Oh Mart, you write so well—what an awful, awful time that was!" she exclaimed, as she relived the time her youngest son was bitten by a copperhead snake.

"Let me see that," Bobby exclaimed, looking over his mother’s shoulder as he read. "Hey! I didn’t talk like that!"

"Yes you did," Mart and Trixie said in the same breath.

Trixie retrieved the book, hugging it to her chest. "Mart, this is the most amazing present anybody has ever given me. I can’t wait to read it cover to cover, even though," she smiled at her brother, "I already know what’s going to happen." She leaned back against her husband as she read again the letter he had left for her so long ago. "Please, don’t you and Honey forget me. I’ll see you sometime," she read aloud. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "As if," she said softly. Then she smiled. "And of course, we didn’t bother waiting for ‘sometime’, did we, Honey?" She turned to the last page. "Hey, you can’t leave a cliffhanger like this!" she said teasingly to Mart.

Mart smiled at his sister. "Although it is tempting to torture you, this book is for my favorite niece, and I would never willingly let her suffer. A sequel is in the works, and should hopefully be completed by her first birthday." He gave his sister a devilish look. "Can’t have Katy reading Lucy Radcliffe, can I?!"

Trixie stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes. "I’ll have you know I’m keeping the whole set of Lucy Radcliffe’s safe and sound for the day when she’s old enough to read them." Then she grinned, admitting, "I still like to read those books every now and again, anyway."

"You know, you should look into having this published," Mr. Belden said, looking at his middle son with pride.

Mart laughed gaily. "Thanks Dad, but come on. This stuff is interesting to us because we know the people involved, but really, who else would want to read it?"

"I suppose," was all he said, but he looked thoughtful.

"What are you going to name the next one?" Jim asked his brother-in-law. "Wait, I know—how about ‘The Return of the Runaway Idiot’?" He grinned ruefully as he remembered all the trouble he caused.

"How about ‘How Two Girls Decided to Become Detectives’?" Honey suggested, grinning as her brother covered his eyes and moaned in pain.

"Good suggestions all, but I’ve already decided my next masterpiece shall be entitled "The Red Trailer Mystery’," Mart said grandly.

"Perfectly perfect!" Honey and Trixie said together in delight.

"Can you make me taller?" Trixie wheedled.

Mart grinned, giving his only sister a squeeze. "Not a chance, my dear sibling!"

Everybody laughed as they made their way into the dining room to feast on the amazing Christmas dinner that was waiting for them, secure in the knowledge that they each played an important role in each other’s life stories. And with family and friends like this, how can any of my stories be anything but wonderful? Trixie thought to herself as she found her place at the overflowing table.

The End

Text: Christina Rossetti; Music: John Sebastian Matthew

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