Crash Test Dummy

Chapter 13

When we got into the car, I turned laser eyes on Uncle Clarence. "So spill it," I said. "Momz nixed this Angel Tree party, no?"

"Well, the party is this Saturday, only a week before you leave for Mexico. I think your Momz said Seth is going to take you shopping that day. That way you can buy presents and swim trunks, sandals, jeans, that kind of stuff."

"Of course, how convenient. Like I wouldn't give up some new threads so I could spend a day with Popz."

Uncle Clarence pulled into Sonic. "Aren't you going to open your present?" 

"Maybe I'm gonna wait and open it in front of Momz,. I gave him my best evil grin. "That'll get her."

"Don't let anger spoil your Christmas surprise." Clarence waved his phone. "Your Dad wants me to take pictures and send them to him. Look happy, for him."

I took a deep breath and focused my mind on Popz. I took the wallet he made me out of my back pocket. I had taken his picture to Wally's World and got a wallet photo made. I looked at the picture. I was about to put it back in my pocket when I noticed that where the bills went, the leather was loose. I hadn't put any cash in the wallet yet. I pulled up the leather. A piece of paper was secreted behind it. It said, "I love you. Save up your money. Maybe when I'm out of here we can share a pad for a while. Dad." A tear dropped onto my hand. I reached up and wiped my eyes.

I showed the paper to Uncle Clarence. "I'll be 28 when he gets out."

Uncle Clarence's eye were wide and he was grinning. "Probably not. He earns goodtime. He might be out on probation before you graduate."

"Why didn't I know that?" I shook my head. "Never, mind. I know. Momz." I took a deep breath. "But I'm not going to think about her. I'm going to focus on Popz, like you said."

I took the belt off of the package. The square of wood with my name was at the bottom of a carved loop that fit on the belt. I looked up with a grin. "This is so cool. I can take my initials off and put them on any belt!" I was grinning from ear to ear. Uncle Clarence was snapping pictures like this was a model shoot.

"Cut it out," I said, before ripping the paper off the box like an excited two year old. Inside was a box with more wrapped presents in it. There was a card on top. There was a picture of a boy standing on top of a bunch of stacked boxes taking wrapped presents off of a high closet shelf and shaking them.

I opened the card and read aloud, "Remember when we promised you that if you didn't look for your presents ahead of time, we'd have the six days of Christmas. Each of your relatives got a day. Mawmaw and Pawpaw were day one and two. They never sent just one present. Uncle Clarence was day three, Aunt Glory got day four. Day five was Christmas eve and you got our gifts. Christmas morning, when Santa came, was day six. Since you can't be here, I want to give you six days of Christmas. Open the gifts by number, one for each day of the week. The belt was day one, so no more until tomorrow, when you can start with number two. The people at Angel Tree bought a bunch of gifts. I got to pick out what to send. I made part of day six, though. But don't open it early. In fact, I'd like for you to open it on Christmas Eve, if you can."

I didn't even notice that Uncle Clarence was taking pictures of me while I read and looked at packages. I took every package out and shook it, just like the kid in the picture. The package for day six felt sort of like a book. Finally I turned to Uncle Clarence, "You got pictures of day one," I said. "I guess Dad will just have to imagine the other five days, unless Momz takes endless pictures on Christmas Eve. I'm gonna take 6 to Mexico."

"There are always selfies," he said. "And I think Paul would like it if you opened the last gift with your Momz and grandparents there."

I grinned. "Stick it to 'em, huh."