Family is Forever

Chapter 62-meal

Translations
Pięnky-Beautiful
Cześć-hello
Wesołych świat-Merry Christmas
Córka-daughter
Kotek-kitten
Gwiazda-star
Babcia-gran
Opłatek-a wafer made of flour and water
Wszystkiego najlepszego- all the best
Błogosławieństwa Bożego-Gods blessing

"Piękny" Ali said as she fixed a bobby pin into Zosia's hair. She had done a fishtail plait that curved over her shoulder. Ali was really good at doing hair, she enjoyed it too. Zosia turned round and hugged her. "thanks, and you look beautiful too." Just then the doorbell rang, "I've got it!" Ollie yelled.
"Cześć Ollie" Klaudia's heavily accented voice said. He went out to the taxi she came in and grabbed some of the food. Klaudia was out of the wheelchair, she'd made brilliant progress in her physio but was still walking with a stick. She'd decorated it with tinsel though. "Mama." Ali came hurtling down the stairs. "Wesołych świąt" Ali hugged her mum "Wesołych Świat Córka" Klaudia hugged her daughter. "Thank you Ollie," she smiled at him as he brought a bag of presents from the taxi.
Just as Zosia we about to close the for her father arrived. "Hi Dad," Zosia hugged her father and hoped he could be civil to everyone who was coming. He had a large IKEA bag with presents in. "Where shall I put these?" He asked "hi uncle guy. Under the tree of course!" Ali smiled. She was wearing Zosia's prom dress with a black cardi and glittery tights. "Mr Self." Ollie acknowledged Zosia's father. "Oliver I've told you, please call me Guy."
"Guy, please call me Ollie."
Soon after the doorbell went and a tiny whirlwind blew in "Natala" it said as it jumped into Ali's arms. "Hi Ela, Kotek," Ali smiled and kissed Ela's cheek "wesołych świat Kotek."
"Hi everyone," Colette came in with a selection of desserts and presents. She kissed Zosia's cheek before depositing the food in the kitchen and coming back in to the living room where Ollie had put the kitchen table and an old camp table in. Ali had helped him put some hay under the table cloth and set the table. Ollie loved listening to Ali's tales of Polish traditions, the hay under the table to signify that Jesus was born in a stable. Collette kissed Ali's and Guy's cheeks too then introduced herself to Kaludia "you must be Klaudia, Natalia's Mother right? Your daughter is a wonderful person, a credit to you." She smiled at Klaudia. "Col, your making me blush." Ali laughed. She turned to Ela. "Ela, you have the most important job, come and sit by the window with me, as the youngest you have to spot gwiazda, the Christmas star! Then we can Have dinner." As Ali and Ela sat by the window staring at the darkening sky, the adults sat at the table. "She's so good with Ela." Colette told Klaudia, they watched as Ali and Ela chatted in a mixture of English and Polish. "Is your daughter Polish?" Klaudia asked "are you polish?"
"I'm not my daughter is, she was adopted." As Klaudia, Guy and Col talked Zosia walked into the kitchen Ollie followed her, "you ok Zosh?" he asked. "I feel a bit anxious, I don't know why. We always had Christmas Eve meals with mama then she died then Arthur tried to give me a Polish Wigilia  then he died too. It just feels weird, all the people who love me die."
"Come on Zosh. It's not a sign or anything like that. I know you have depression, so it's hard but, we can never be sure about the future so let's just try our best to enjoy tonight and tomorrow. Even just for Natalia's sake." He kissed the top of her head she turned round and gently brushed his lips with hers.
Meanwhile in the living room Ali and Ela were looking up at the sky. "Ela, see there gwiazda." Ali pointed at the star that had just appeared in the sky. "Gwiazda, gwiazda!" Ela smiled up at Ali excitedly. Zosia had come back in the room and gave Ela the beautiful star ornament that goes on the top of the tree that Used to belong to Zosia's mother. Ali lifted Ela to allow her to place the star on the tree. "That star was Ania's wasn't it?" Klaudia asked.
"Yes, and Babcia's before that." Zosia answered. Colette, Zosia, Ollie and Ali went and got all the food from the kitchen and placed it on the table. They all sat down. Zosia picked up the opłatek, a wafer traditionally shared before Wigilia dinner while blessings are said. "Dad, you're the oldest so you start." Zosia smiled giving him the wafer. He smiled at his daughter and said "wesyłoch świat, Wszystkiego najlepszego" merry Christmas, all the best, although only Zosia, Klaudia, Ali and possibly Ela could understand. He broke off a small bit of the wafer. He passed the wafer to Klaudia who he was sat by. "Błogosławieństwa bożego" God's Blessing Klaudia smiled and passed it to Zosia. Zosia wished everyone happiness as she broke of her part and Ollie just said "wesyłoch świat"
"How did you know that?" Zosia asked. "Natalia taught me," Ollie smiled as he put his hand on Ali's shoulder. The wafer was passed to Ali who wished everyone good health and Ela broke a part of and said jingle bells- in English which made everyone laugh. She broke off a tiny piece which she gave to Colette keeping most of it for herself "I'm afraid my Polish leaves a lot to be desired so lots of love to you all." She looked at Guy who nodded and they all ate their little bit of wafer. There were 12 dishes on the table. To signify the 12 apostles, or the 12 months of the year, Ali and Zosh weren't entirely sure. They all filled their plates up, other than Ali who was feeling pretty anxious so added only a few pierogi. They were all chatting and laughing like any other family. Even Ali was joining in despite her anxiety around all the food. Zosia wasn't though, she was eating silently. No one noticed though. Soon dinner is over, although there's still a huge amount of food left. "This will keep us going for a little while." Ollie smiled. "Can we give presents now?" Ela asked and they all laughed again. "I'll go first." Ali smiled and handed out her presents. The soap bags for Guy and Ollie, perfume for her mother, star bracelet for Zosia, doll for Ela and notebook and pens for Colette. Ela rips the paper off hers. "Baby..I call it Natalia like you." She smiled and hugged Ali. Guy and Ollie liked their practical presents  and Col liked her notebook and multicoloured pens. Klaudia sniffed her perfume and smiled. Zosia was emotionless as she opened her present. Ollie thought she might be upset as last time she had received a present from Ali it had made her manic. Ali received her present from Zosia and Ollie, he handed her a little box. In it was a charm bracelet. She received charms from the others her face lit up. Best Wigilia ever. "Thanks Zosia. This was perfect." Ali kissed Zosia's cheek.