The Master of Me

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

                The following Saturday evening on December 15th, Sterling had left after work to go grocery shopping, while Alue opted to stay behind. He had gone out for more than just to purchase food; he also sought out a gift for Alue and brought home on top of the Jeep, a pine Christmas tree. From the living room Alue heard the opening of the garage and headed to welcome him home and carry in the groceries. When she opened the door and the scent of pine filled her nose, a smile peeked out from the edges of her lips. Sterling looked up from his position beside the car, un-strapping the tree from the roof. “It’s probably passed the time we got the decorations out. Best of all, Christmas morning with a Christmas tree.” He told her.

                Alue nodded then walked about to the other side of the car to retrieve the grocery bags from the back seat and carried them into the house. Once they were put away she returned and helped him carry the tree into the living room. He went down to the basement and brought up a box that contained a tree base and tree skirt. “Now it’s time for the real work to begin, stringing up the tree with lights. Do you mind helping me carry up some more decorations?” he asked her kindly. Alue shook her head, “Not at all. Please lead the way.” She replied and the two of them headed back down to the basement. On one of the walls was a colleague of tick marks and child like drawings. She took a moment to pause and observe it. Sterling stopped when he realized she had as well and gazed upon the wall. “Over the years growing up, I got to mark my height growth and age on this wall. My grandpa started the tradition as a boy.” He told her, pointing to far left of the wall at the far left that had actual scratch marks into the surface, instead of colored Sharpie.

                Alue reached out and touched the wall, feeling this emotion of kinship that she had never experienced growing up. She had only few memories of her mother, knew her grandparents names, did not know of her father, and did not recall having a littermate. She was truly alone in this world, in aspect of blood kin.

                Sterling watched as Alue’s features subtly shifted in a form of grief. Her shoulders slouched slightly, tail lowered, ears drooped, but most of all her grin disappeared and was replaced by a melancholy look as she gazed upon the wall. He hurried upstairs and returned with two Sharpie markers in his hand, one red and the other a green.

“Would you like to put your mark upon the wall?” he asked, holding up the two festive colored markers.

Alue turned and couldn’t help but give him a half hearted side grin at his gesture.  “But I am not blood kin, I mean I am not family.” She replied quietly.

“You are to me.” He replied just as quietly, reaching out and grasping her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze of comfort and added, “Family is more than bloodlines. Family is anyone who is cherished in heart, mind, or soul.”

Alue reveled in the warmth and kindness she felt with Sterling’s touch. She felt an acceptance with him unlike anything she had before in her entire life. She nodded and grabbed the green marker from his hand and found an empty place on the wall for her height mark and raised the marker up cautiously placed it on top of her head with the point against wall. She carefully drew a horizontal mark about an inch in length then stepped away. After writing her name above it and the date, she used the red marker to draw a wolf paw print below the line.

                Sterling grinned while he watched Alue add her mark upon the wall. He used the red marker to put a new mark of his own nearby hers, since the last one he had done had been in his late teen years. Alue looked at his puzzled and asked, “Why did you not draw a small doodle of some sort like others upon the wall?” Sterling grinned and replied, “Can’t you tell from my previous marks? I have about the same talent of doodling as I did when I was four years old.” This made Alue giggle ever so quietly and the two of them resumed grabbing decoration boxes and carried them upstairs.

                Awhile later the living room and kitchen was completely decorated. A wreath hung on the door; candles were center pieces with holly around them on the table, mistletoe hung on back door. The Christmas tree was lit up with colored lights and many kinds of ornaments. Sterling even popped a bag of popcorn and showed her how to make a string of popcorn decorations to place on the tree. It was something he had done as a child when his grandparents had still lived in this home, but hadn’t thought about since his grandfather passed.

                “There is still some popcorn left. Would you like to sit down with some cocoa and watch a movie this evening?” he asked her. Alue opened her mouth to agree to such an invitation, and then she remembered she had something she needed to take care of. “I must depart for tonight.” She told him simply. Sterling gave her an understanding smile, “Take care Alue and don’t let the frost bite.”

                Alue nodded and headed out using the back door and shifted by the time she was off the back porch and dashing across the snowy land. Sterling waved her farewell and shut the door and decided he was ready to call it a night and retire to his bed. Alue had wanted to accept his invitation but knew there was only ten days left before Christmas arrived. She would need some time to prepare what she was giving to Sterling for that holiday.