Nadine and Adele

The Gifts

Over the following few months, both the cancer and treatments had started taking their toll upon Nadine's appearance. She's slightly thinner...demonstratively apparent in her face; which has also lost its former robust, healthy look and natural glow...and has also lost all of her hair; so she tends to wear kerchiefs on her head most of the time now.

It's Christmas Day, and the Martin home is festively decorated to the hilt; this year exhibiting Nadine's new found appreciation for nature, which has been embedded into her thanks to Adele. A handcrafted wreath woven together by Estelle hangs on their front door; while in theliving...in place of the usual artificial, bottlebrush-branch, plastic-needled 'tree'...a real, towering Blue Spruce magnificently stands. And instead of loading the branches with a plethora of the typical store bought ornaments, they opted to make their own; keeping in theme with a more naturalistic décor. Strings of alternately strung food-coloring dyed popcorn and dried cranberries wrap around the holiday conifer. Pine combs...some left plain; others dipped in glue and sprinkled with various colors of sparkling glitter...hang on the branches; along with other handmade decorations crafted from construction and tissue paper, popsicle sticks, yarn and other simple household items. There's even the empty robin's nest that Adele and Nadine came across lying on the ground during one of their excursions through the woods during the fall; strategically placed on one of the branches near the top of the tree. Also, the standard metallic-looking garland that always hung from the fireplace mantle and wrapped around the staircase banister year after year has been replaced with boughs of real holly this season.

But the best new addition to the Martin household this Christmas, in Nadine's opinion, is Adele and her grandmother; who are over for the holiday.

After having allowed some time to digest the bountiful holiday meal...chiefly prepared by Adele's grandmother...they're now all sitting in the living room, getting ready to indulge in some hot chocolate and Estelle's home baked cookies. Adele anxiously looks to her grandmother; who responds with a quick eye roll, then smiles.

"What is it, Suga'bear? Not that I don't already have a feeling I know what it is you want."

"Grandma; can I please give Nadine her present now?"

Nadine looks to her. "Adele; you don't have to give me a present."

Estelle humorously interjects, "Oh yes she do...if she doesn't, I swear that child's gonna explode."

Everyone laughs. Nadine goes over to the tree and retrieves a beautifully wrapped present under it; then walks back to Adele.

"Okay...since you want to give presents now..." she hands her the package, "Here; this is for you."

This is the first gift Adele had ever received from anyone outside of her family. She receives it exuding childlike enthusiasm; happily trembling with a gigantic smile stretching across her entire face. She excitedly blurts out...

"Thank you, Nadine! Look, Grandma..." proudly displaying the package, "Nadine gave me a present. Can I please open it? Please."

Estelle laughs while shaking her head. "Go on."

Adele presses her fingers along one of the seams, preparing to rip the paper; but then suddenly stops. "Oh; but it's wrapped so pretty...it'd be a shame to tear it open."

Estelle teases, "Well; then don't open it. We'll just put it up on the mantle when we get home so you can look at the pretty wrapping."

Adele giggles, "Grandma."

"What...you said it's too pretty to open."

Adele admires the wrapping one last time. "It's pretty...but I'm gonna open it anyway."