Christmas at the Simmons’s house was usually a very happy and slightly loud series of days that led up to The Big Day. Then the four girls, Jean, Barbara, Janet, and Beth would wake giggling at a very early hour and rush to open their stockings before the fireplace. Mother and Father would sit in their big chairs and sleepily watch while sipping their cups of coffee.
Father always had the girls quieted down for breakfast. Then Mother made sure they all were dressed in their best for church. After the brisk walk home, through snow if they were lucky, the girls were all exited once again. It was a race to the door and then to the tree. It was time for presents! One by one the girls would open presents from all their relatives and each other. It was an unspoken rule that Mother’s present was always opened last. The girls could barely contain themselves to keep from opening Mother’s present as they opened scarves from Aunt Merle and pens from Cousin Joyce. There was a slip from Grandmother Braughton and a sweater from Grandmother Simmons. Finally it would be time to open the presents from Mother. Jean, Barbara, Janet, and Beth each thought Mother always picked out the best and most perfect gift for her.
This year, things were different. Mother had been not feeling well since around Thanksgiving. The girls came to her room after school each day for a visit. Then they were gently pushed out by Aunt Merle who was staying with them. All the sisters sat in Jean’s room and quietly did their homework and talked about Mother. As Christmas approached, Aunt Merle decorated the house, but it didn’t look right to the girls. They didn’t say anything to the grownups, but fussed among themselves. The younger three would ask Jean everyday what was going to happen at Christmas with Mother being ill. Jean tried to say it would be all right, but she didn’t feel that way inside.
Christmas day arrived and Jean, Barbara, Janet, and Beth tumbled down the stairs heading for the overflowing stockings. They were still laughing and exclaiming over each other’s little goodies when Aunt Merle came down the stairs. At that point, the sisters realized with some grief and confusion that their parents had not been in their usual places and the girls had been a bit indifferent to it in light of the stocking situation.
The three younger sisters turned to Jean and Jean then turned to Aunt Merle. What could be keeping Mother and Father from this very important occasion? Aunt Merle informed them that their parents were away at the hospital. Before she could get out another word, the younger girls started to cry. Aunt Merle and Jean calmed them down. Aunt Merle was told by Mother that the sisters would have the best present ever if they just waited patiently. And that’s what she told Jean, Barbara, Janet, and Beth.
So the waiting started. Each morning the sisters would stand down by the bottom of the staircase by the front door so they couldn’t possibly miss Mother coming home with the best present ever. Finally, four days after Christmas, while they waited once again at the foot of the staircase, Beth heard the keys in the front door. Father came in with Mother who was carrying a bundle in her arms. She sat down in a chair in the parlor next to the tree. Jean, Barbara, Janet, and Beth gathered around her. Mother, they noticed, looked pale but very happy. But they wanted to see this best ever present. Mother unwrapped the present. Mother said this is Jack. The girls were amazed. They looked at one another. Then all at once, Jean, Barbara, Janet, and Beth started laughing and talking and trying to hug their Mother, Father and Jack at the same time. It was decided that this was the best present ever and well worth waiting for. It was time for the Simmons’s Christmas to begin again.
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