“Coming!” Andrew stuffed his things into his dresser and hurried into his clothes, before heading downstairs.
“What possessed you two to stay in bed so late today? You know we have things to do!” Amelia stood with her big hands on her hips. “I don't have time to sit around keeping your food warm until you feel like coming down to eat.” she waved a plate in May's face, then set it on the table in front of her.
Andrew gave her a “truly-repentant” look and smiled. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be late.”
“Well,” Amelia's face softened a little. “Just make sure it doesn't happen again.” and with that she left them to eat their breakfast.
May let out a sigh of relief. “Man you're smooth.”
“What?” Andrew looked confused as he filled his mouth with scrambled eggs.
“I could never talk my way out of gettin' in trouble like you just did.”
“Oh. It's not hard.” he grabbed the bowl of biscuits on the table in front if him. “You just have to make them feel sorry for you.” he winked at May.
May laughed. “I'm glad you were here to do it!”
That night in his room, Andrew checked up on his list:
Barn-INVESTIGATION COMPLETE
Mysterious Room-INVESTIGATION COMPLETE
Boy-INVESTIGATE MORE-Find out more details about how he died, and what caused it.
Well, I guess I've learned my lesson on caves. He smiled to himself, and lay back on his pillow.
Christmas came up fast.
Andrew was wrapping a gift for May, in his room, when a sudden gust of wind rattled his windowpanes. He could hear the wind outside blowing fiercely and snow was blowing across the darkening sky.
A few seconds later May eagerly knocked on his door.
“Wait! Don't come in yet!” he scurried around trying to quickly find a place to hide the gift. “Okay, now you can.”
May burst through the doorway in excitement and exclaimed, “Grampa says there's a blizzard comin'!” she grabbed his arm and pulled him downstairs to the living room.
Everyone was gathered around the old 1930s radio listening intently.
The radio's fuzzy sound came in between sentences of the announcer's news. “The White Cloud, Michigan weather forecast tonight is a grave one, folks. For your own safety do not, I repeat, do NOT leave the safety of your homes until further notice is given.
“The blizzard may stay through Christmas, were not completely sure, but more information will be given tomorrow. So for now, stay warm, stay safe, and have a Merry Christmas!” the radio fuzzed out and 'Silent Night' began to play through the speakers.
George leaned forward and clicked the radio off.
“Well, it looks like we'll be having a white Christmas this year.” he scratched his chin in thought.
Amelia stood up, “Well that will certainly give me more time to decorate.” she headed for the stairs. “Andrew I don't believe you've seen the attic yet. How would you like to come help me get the decorations down?”
“Sure!” Andrew jumped up and followed her up the stairs.
She stopped in the upstairs hall and reach up to untuck a short rope from the ceiling. Then Andrew watched as she pulled down a folded staircase, which unfolded slowly as it was taken down.
“You can go up first if you want to.” Amelia stepped back and made a motion toward the stairs.
Andrew cautiously climbed the wobbly staircase and came out in a large dark room .
“Flip the switch on the wall in front of you.” Amelia said as she came up behind him.
Andrew moved forward blindly in the darkness, putting his hands in front of him. Only a few steps away his fingers touched the switch and he flipped it on.
The slanted roof made the room look smaller, but it was basically the length of the whole house, only it had a lower ceiling than the rest of the rooms.
A long stretch of boxes were stacked across one side.
“Here it is.” Amelia pointed at a medium sized box marked, Decorations.
Together they pushed it to the opening in the attic floor where they let it drop to the second floor hallway. It made a loud bang when it hit the floor and Andrew looked through the hole to see if someone was coming to see what was going on.
Soon they had the box downstairs and were getting out the lights, tinsel and ribbons.
May scooted across the floor to catch a runaway ornament. Mrs. Stevens leaned down to pick it up and was giving it to May, but stopped when she saw the painting on it.
“Is this a painting of Oscar?” she held it out to Amelia.
Amelia's eyes glazed over with tears. She smiled, “Yes. Dear Oscar. We had that made for him when he was nine.” taking the ornament, she carefully placed it back in it's place in the box.
Andrew watched their expressions as the room fell silent. He took the opportunity then, to ask Amelia about Oscar.
She looked at him with pain in her eyes. “Why do you want to know so much about him?”
Mrs. Stevens leaned over and patted Andrew's shoulder. “The boy just wants to find out about his family. Don't you Andrew?”
Glad that someone understood, he nodded.
Amelia looked back and forth between the two and then George. He nodded, “Go ahead.”
Amelia sighed and sat down in an armchair. “May, bring me the picture off the wall by the stairs.”
May jumped up and was soon back with the picture clutched between her hands. “Here it is.”
“Thank you,” her mother smiled at her and then began. “As you know, Andrew, Oscar died when he was twelve. It was after we had gone on a cruise to help him regain his strength, as the doctor had ordered. We returned safely, he was fine and everything went well.” Amelia forced back a sob. She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and continued. “One morning, I went to his room and...”
Andrew stared at the floor, a little embarrassed, as Amelia began to sob. Mrs. Stevens put her arms around her daughter and shushed her, saying calmly, “There, there. It's alright.”
When the flowing tears had subsided, Amelia took a deep breath and began again. Andrew had guessed what she had found when she went to Oscar's room that morning; and he was right, she had found her son, lying lifelessly under his blankets. “It took him so suddenly, so unexpectedly. The doctors couldn't find out what had caused his death. He had been so full of life the day before. They had said there was a possibility he would gradually get stronger.” here she stopped and leaning forward, she took George's hand and squeezed it.
George smiled at her over his half-glasses.
“I was expecting a baby at that time, but Oscar's death and everything else was too much of a blow. Well, we lost the baby...it was stillborn. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to have another child and so I prayed. I prayed a lot during that time and it helped me to get over the pain of Oscar's death.” smiling down at May, she added, “That’s when May came into our lives and we've been blessed even more with you coming to live here, Andrew.”
May jumped up and hugged her mother. “Yes.” she looked happily around the room at her Grandparents, her father...and Andrew.
Andrew was satisfied, now knowing how Oscar had died. He felt so close to his new family and knowing they loved him made it easier to love them back.
Looking around at all the happy faces and hearing the wind blowing outside, Andrew lay back in the soft armchair and closed his eyes.
Merry Christmas Mom and Dad.
THE END
