The Piggy Bank (AIO Christmas Fic)

Several Christmases Ago...

  Light, delicate flakes of snow fell from the sky on that winter's evening, the sun having long since set over the horizon. The young, ever curious toddler had lost interest in watching the snowflakes falling from the frosty living room window now that they were hardly visible in the dark. He had now set his sights on the brightly colored, and beautifully decorated Christmas tree.    

Sitting on his knees, Eugene gently reached out towards one of the more low-hanging ornaments. The ruby red, diamond shaped ornament slowly swayed the moment his small hand touched it. Remaining surprisingly gentle, the toddler retracted his hand briefly, before gently reaching out to touch it again. He slowly turned it over, watching the white lights on the tree reflect off the silver colored, glittery stripe that wrapped around the middle of the ornament.

"It's pretty, isn't it, Eugene?" Looking up over his shoulder, Eugene saw his grandfather crouched down beside him, smiling. He looked back at the ornament, and answered, "Yes!" Hiram smiled in amusement, ruffling his grandson's hair a bit. "You know, I think this would be much prettier if it were higher up on the tree. What do you think?" Eugene hummed.

He looked at the ornament as it hung currently, not really surrounded by many other ornaments or much tinsel. He then looked upwards to the rest of the tree which seemed to tower over him. Gold and silver tinsel decorated the many branches, with a variety of different ornaments having been placed on even more branches—some complimenting others. Though, there was one spot that looked to be missing something. Taking the red ornament off its branch, Eugene then tried reaching upwards to put it in the spot he had his eye on. His grandfather seemed to notice it, too. "Here, I'll help you up."

Hiram picked his grandson up, then standing up from the ground, held him closer to where he was trying to put the ornament. Even though Eugene was quite bright for a child his age, the toddler was still a bit uncoordinated. To make sure the ornament didn't fall from the boy's small hand and shatter, Hiram held onto his grandson's hand to help him hang the decoration on the empty branch. He took a step back. "There. How's that?" Eugene smiled. "Good!" His grandfather nodded in agreement.

Hiram stepped away from the tree, and went over to the fireplace. Behind a decorative metal screen, a warm, lively fire crackled, keeping the living room nice and toasty. The mantle shelf above had a handful of small Christmas decorations among two picture frames. A ceramic reindeer and a branch of holly were set next to a frame of an aged photo taken on the day Hiram and his wife had been wed. A small, silver Christmas bell was sitting next to a second photo of the couple with their son, Leonard, who had been around Eugene's age in the photo. But what Hiram was looking at, was the item in the middle of the mantle—between the frames.

"Do you see that little piggy, Eugene?" Hiram asked, gesturing to the object in question. Eugene nodded. "That's called a piggy bank." His grandfather told him. The toddler looked to be quite interested in the piggy bank. "How about we take a closer look at it, hm?" Seeing his grandson nod enthusiastically, Hiram reached for the piggy bank and took it off the mantle. Holding onto both it, and Eugene, he went to sit on the couch.

Once at the couch, Eugene excitedly scrambled to sit on the spot next to his grandfather. Remaining still, he waited to be handed the piggy bank. For a moment, Hiram simply held it for his grandson to see. "This is a very special piggy bank," He began. Pointing out the unique design of purposefully painted green swirls, and tiny, rose colored flowers on the piggy, he said, "Your grandma painted it all nice herself." The toddler's eyes were wide, looking closely at the hand-painted pattern. "Wow!"

"And look here," Tilting his head curiously, Eugene watched his grandfather turn the bank over. In the bottom of it, was a cork plug. "What tha'?" He asked, taping a little finger on the cork. "That is a cork. It makes sure nothing falls out of the piggy bank." With Eugene still sporting a curious expression, Hiram flipped the bank upright again. "Here, think you can hold it?" Nodding, Eugene held his hands out for his grandfather to give him the piggy bank.

Sitting very still on the couch, Eugene held the piggy bank in his lap. Hiram then reached a hand into his pocket, and took out a silver dollar. He held it up for his grandson to see. Intrigued, the toddler's eyes followed the coin as his grandfather brought it to the slot in the top of the piggy bank. He put the coin in, letting it fall inside with a clink. Eugene blinked.

He looked at the piggy bank for a moment, carefully turning it over. The movement caused the coin to slide around inside against the ceramic. Puzzled, Eugene looked up at his grandfather. "Where go?" Hiram chuckled. "The dollar is inside the piggy." The toddler looked back at the piggy bank again, this time shaking it a little. Curious to see what his grandson would now do, Hiram watched him for a moment. Eugene eventually turned it upside down, shaking it more. Likely trying to shake the dollar out the way it got in.

"Here," Hiram said, taking the piggy bank back. His grandson watched him expectantly. Hiram took the cork out from the bottom, and with another shake of the piggy bank, the coin fell out into his palm. Eugene gasped. "See, there it is." Hiram said, showing off the dollar again. His grandson now had an expression of amazement on his face. He smiled. "Again!"

"Alright, I'll show you again." Hiram put the cork back, and flipped the bank upright. Instead of putting the dollar in again himself, Hiram instead held the coin for his grandson to take. "How about I hold it, and you put the coin in?" Taking the dollar, Eugene nodded with enthusiasm. "Okay!" His grandfather held the bank steady, as he slid the coin into the slot—to which the silver coin fell, making the same clink it had before.

Not a second after, Eugene was already trying to flip the bank over. His grandfather did so for him. He then tried pulling the cork out on his own. Seeing as Hiram hadn't stuck the cork back in too tightly, Eugene was able to take it out. "Hold out your hands, I'll shake the dollar out for you." Nodding, the toddler held his palms out. His grandfather turned the bank upright, and shook the coin out into the boy's hands. His grandson giggled, as he clasped onto the dollar.

"Say, I have an idea." Eugene looked back up at his grandfather again. "You leave this piggy bank at my house tonight.When you come visit next Christmas, there'll be another dollar for you to take out." Hiram told him. "And for every Christmas after. How does that sound, Eugene?" Still smiling, his grandson nodded. "Okay!" Sporting a fond smile of his own, Hiram ruffled his grandson's hair again. "Alrighty. I'll do that for you." Picking Eugene up, he set him in his lap and gave him a warm hug. "Mm... I love you, Eugene."

"Love you!" Eugene repeated, wrapping his arms around the piggy bank.

Over at the threshold of the dining room, Ralph, a friend of Hiram's, watched the tail end of the touching scene with Hiram, and his little grandson. As their brief conversation with Ralph had died down, Leonard and Thelma—Eugene's parents—also came up to watch grandfather and grandson sitting on the couch together. Thelma smiled, while Leonard quietly sighed tiredly. Hiram noticed the three, shook his head a little, and waved them in. "Come, there's no sense standing around like that."

"We just didn't want to interrupt." Ralph said, as he walked up to the two. Eugene looked up at him, as the man crouched a little to be at eye level. "Whatcha got there, Eugene?" Holding the piggy bank up excitedly, the boy answered, "A piggy!" His mother giggled a little, while reaching over to pick her son up. "Did grandpa give it to you?"

"Yes!"

"What do we say?" Thelma reminded him. Eugene looked down at his grandfather. "Thanks!" Hiram chuckled. "You're welcome. Grandpa'll keep it safe here for you. For next Christmas." Having said that, Hiram didn't miss the dubious look on his son's face. Standing up, he looked at Leonard. "Son, listen-" Leonard, arms still crossed, look down. "I don't want to discuss it anymore." Saying nothing more, Hiram sighed, before returning his attention to his more bright-tempered grandson—who was happily shaking the piggy bank, making the dollar clatter about inside.