A Carol in Her Heart
The day had been full of delight from the moment the Osborn family had appeared until they left after supper. Yes, she had insisted they stay and eat supper with her. It was the least she could do. They had not only gotten her a tree, but Jack had brought all her boxes of decorations down, and together, with much talking and laughing, and playing with the little ones, the tree had been decorated. Jack and Jennie had wound the garlands on the porch rails, and hung the Moravian stars up from the porch ceiling. Then it was lunch time and the little ones had taken naps in Aunt Molly’s guest room while the adults sat down for a long visit over cups of hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies.
Jack’s history was short, “and boring,” he said. “Well, until I met Jen in college.” And the look that passed between them told Aunt Molly vollumes. He had lived in Chicago, and then New York. He’d gone to fancy schools and gotten good grades. “They kept me out of trouble, Aunt Molly. Them, my Bible, and the memory of you.” He had gone on to college, met Jen, gotten two degrees, gotten married, moved to North Carolina where Molly was born, then to Texas in time for Christina’s birth, and then to Nebraska where Kenny was born.
“But now we’re home.” Jack squeezed his wife’s hand and smiled at Aunt Molly. “Every other place we’ve lived has been a stopping place; we both knew we didn’t want to stay at any of them. Last year I got my master’s in something-or-other and decided to move back here in hopes that it would finally be home.”
“It is,” Jennie agreed. “The house is everything I’ve ever wanted, the town is a perfect size, and most importantly, you are here.”
After the children woke up, they all decorated the gingerbread house together. Well, Aunt Molly spent most of the time playing with little Kenny while the others worked on the house.
By the time the mess had been cleaned up, it was supper time, and Aunt Molly had persuaded them to say for a supper of tomato soup and grilled triple-cheese sandwiches.
After that Miss Kennedy had no time to wait for the mailman, or wonder what to do when her baking was over. Jennie or Jack was always calling or coming over, often with the children, for something, even just to visit. And Miss Kennedy spent time at the Osborn home.
On Sunday they all attended church together.
When Christmas Eve arrived, Miss Kennedy was busy wrapping gifts, for Jack and his family were to come over on Christmas Day since neither of their families were nearby. Christmas music filled the old farm house, and the smell of peanut butter kiss cookies lingered in the air to mingle with the scent of pine.
After placing the last gift under her tree, Miss Kennedy stood and looked out the window. Everything was covered with a dusting of snow, and white powdery flakes drifted lazily down from the overcast sky. A red truck she had come to recognize drove down the road slowing and turned into her driveway. This time Miss Kennedy flipped on the switch, and the lights on the outdoor garlands came on, and the Moravian stars gleamed in the growing dusk. She opened the door and, pulling her sweater closer, waited for Jackie.
He bounded up the steps, then opened the door and stepped inside, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Merry Christmas, Aunt Molly!”
“Merry Christmas, Jackie.” Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him.
“What are you doing tonight?”
“Eating supper, reading the Christmas story, and going to bed.”
“Come do it at our house.”
“Jack, I couldn’t. You have a family and–”
“You are family, too, Aunt Molly,” he insisted. “Please come. Jen wants you, and the kids have been asking for you.” He took one of her hands in his own. “Aunt Molly, I want the kind of Christmas Eve I had with you when I was young. Remember that time Mom was in London and Dad’s flight had been delayed?”
Miss Kennedy nodded. It had been a Christmas she had never forgotten.
“Please, Aunt Molly, spend this evening with us. I’ll bring you home later, and tomorrow we’ll come over here.”
There was something in the pleading look he gave her that made Miss Kennedy give in. “You’ll grow tired of having me around,” she promised as she got her coat.
Jack’s laughter filled the house. “After all those years growing up? I think it’ll take more than a week to make me grow tired of you, Aunt Molly.”
A large fire crackled in the fireplace as the Osborn family, with Aunt Molly, settled down after a delicious supper. The children were in their cozy pajamas and nestled in blankets. The baby sucked his thumb and stared into the flames from the warmth of Aunt Molly’s arms.
Jack, with his wife beside him, opened his Bible and began to read the Christmas story. “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem . . . A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Aunt Molly sat it silence, cuddling the sleeping baby and remembering those years long ago. She had tried to point the little boy in her care to the true Light of Christmas, and now here he was teaching his own children. A tear spilled from her eye and trickled down her cheek. All these years when Jack had been away, she had wondered what God was doing with her life since no husband had come to her. “You let me bring the true joy of Christmas into a family I wasn’t a part of. Thank You!” she prayed silently.
Driving home in the darkness, Jack turned the radio on softly, and Miss Kennedy smiled to herself.
–Soon the bells will start, But the thing that will make them ring, is the carol that you sing, right within your heart.
It was true, her heart was singing carols tonight. Carols of joy, love, peace, and thanksgiving. They sang of the first Christmas long ago and every Christmas since, and the bells in her heart rang with the promise of a wonderful Christmas tomorrow.
Jack’s history was short, “and boring,” he said. “Well, until I met Jen in college.” And the look that passed between them told Aunt Molly vollumes. He had lived in Chicago, and then New York. He’d gone to fancy schools and gotten good grades. “They kept me out of trouble, Aunt Molly. Them, my Bible, and the memory of you.” He had gone on to college, met Jen, gotten two degrees, gotten married, moved to North Carolina where Molly was born, then to Texas in time for Christina’s birth, and then to Nebraska where Kenny was born.
“But now we’re home.” Jack squeezed his wife’s hand and smiled at Aunt Molly. “Every other place we’ve lived has been a stopping place; we both knew we didn’t want to stay at any of them. Last year I got my master’s in something-or-other and decided to move back here in hopes that it would finally be home.”
“It is,” Jennie agreed. “The house is everything I’ve ever wanted, the town is a perfect size, and most importantly, you are here.”
After the children woke up, they all decorated the gingerbread house together. Well, Aunt Molly spent most of the time playing with little Kenny while the others worked on the house.
By the time the mess had been cleaned up, it was supper time, and Aunt Molly had persuaded them to say for a supper of tomato soup and grilled triple-cheese sandwiches.
*
After that Miss Kennedy had no time to wait for the mailman, or wonder what to do when her baking was over. Jennie or Jack was always calling or coming over, often with the children, for something, even just to visit. And Miss Kennedy spent time at the Osborn home.
On Sunday they all attended church together.
*
When Christmas Eve arrived, Miss Kennedy was busy wrapping gifts, for Jack and his family were to come over on Christmas Day since neither of their families were nearby. Christmas music filled the old farm house, and the smell of peanut butter kiss cookies lingered in the air to mingle with the scent of pine.
After placing the last gift under her tree, Miss Kennedy stood and looked out the window. Everything was covered with a dusting of snow, and white powdery flakes drifted lazily down from the overcast sky. A red truck she had come to recognize drove down the road slowing and turned into her driveway. This time Miss Kennedy flipped on the switch, and the lights on the outdoor garlands came on, and the Moravian stars gleamed in the growing dusk. She opened the door and, pulling her sweater closer, waited for Jackie.
He bounded up the steps, then opened the door and stepped inside, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Merry Christmas, Aunt Molly!”
“Merry Christmas, Jackie.” Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him.
“What are you doing tonight?”
“Eating supper, reading the Christmas story, and going to bed.”
“Come do it at our house.”
“Jack, I couldn’t. You have a family and–”
“You are family, too, Aunt Molly,” he insisted. “Please come. Jen wants you, and the kids have been asking for you.” He took one of her hands in his own. “Aunt Molly, I want the kind of Christmas Eve I had with you when I was young. Remember that time Mom was in London and Dad’s flight had been delayed?”
Miss Kennedy nodded. It had been a Christmas she had never forgotten.
“Please, Aunt Molly, spend this evening with us. I’ll bring you home later, and tomorrow we’ll come over here.”
There was something in the pleading look he gave her that made Miss Kennedy give in. “You’ll grow tired of having me around,” she promised as she got her coat.
Jack’s laughter filled the house. “After all those years growing up? I think it’ll take more than a week to make me grow tired of you, Aunt Molly.”
*
A large fire crackled in the fireplace as the Osborn family, with Aunt Molly, settled down after a delicious supper. The children were in their cozy pajamas and nestled in blankets. The baby sucked his thumb and stared into the flames from the warmth of Aunt Molly’s arms.
Jack, with his wife beside him, opened his Bible and began to read the Christmas story. “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem . . . A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Aunt Molly sat it silence, cuddling the sleeping baby and remembering those years long ago. She had tried to point the little boy in her care to the true Light of Christmas, and now here he was teaching his own children. A tear spilled from her eye and trickled down her cheek. All these years when Jack had been away, she had wondered what God was doing with her life since no husband had come to her. “You let me bring the true joy of Christmas into a family I wasn’t a part of. Thank You!” she prayed silently.
Driving home in the darkness, Jack turned the radio on softly, and Miss Kennedy smiled to herself.
–Soon the bells will start, But the thing that will make them ring, is the carol that you sing, right within your heart.
It was true, her heart was singing carols tonight. Carols of joy, love, peace, and thanksgiving. They sang of the first Christmas long ago and every Christmas since, and the bells in her heart rang with the promise of a wonderful Christmas tomorrow.
I hope you enjoyed this story!
Have a blessed and wonderful Christmas tomorrow.
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Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! I love this story! Beautiful ending!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ryana Lynn! Merry Christmas to you!
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet, heartwarming story! A favorite, for sure. :) Thanks for sharing and participating in the party!
ReplyDeleteAw, glad you enjoyed it, Faith!
ReplyDelete