December 2008
My mother stood on a dining room chair, dressing garland on our tree while I sat on the ground below her. Her cashmere sweater gapped away from her thin frame, and I could see the bruises my father left on her stomach the night before.
It was exactly a week before Christmas and snow fell in sheets outside the window of our small, cottage-like, Maine home. At a quarter-past nine in the morning, my father was already at work, and me and my mother were able to decorate for the holiday in peace.
She hummed Christmas carols and I sat unwrapping boxes full of individual ornaments, eager to hang them from the tree once the garland was finished.
Our quiet day was interrupted, though, by the arrival of a car in the drive, and a knock at the door. My mother flinched and then descended from the chair to get the door.
"Beffany," a male voice said at a low volume. My head perked up, and my mother looked toward me nervously, before welcoming him into the house.
My eyes lit up. "Uncle Eddie!" I cried, running into his arms. He picked me up and swung me around as my mother smiled hesitantly before placing me back down on the ground.
"How are you, my little deer?" Eddie said sweetly.
I stuck my nose up at him, smiling with my eyes closed and rocking my head back and forth.
"Mommy and me are decorating the most best, coolest Christmas tree in the history of ever," I said confidently. My mom shook her head.
"No, most, just best," She said, correcting me.
Eddie and I both laughed heartily, and she smiled warmly in return.
"Well, Emily, I brought you an early Christmas gift," Eddie said, crouching down so we were at eye level. He handed me a small box wrapped in paper printed with Mickey and Minnie Mouse in Santa hats.
"Thank you, Uncle Eddie!" My smile dissipated when I saw my mother's concerned look. "Do I have to wait until Christmas to open it?" I asked, pouting.
He and my mother exchanged looks before both looking back to me.
"It's up to you, Ed," my mother said, shrugging.
"I don't see why not," Eddie said before tickling my arm and making me giggle.
I tore open the paper to expose a pink velvet box. Inside the box lay a white gold locket with the engraved word "deer", my uncle's nickname for me.
I looked up from the necklace in my tiny hands to meet his gaze with my wide eyes.
"Open it," he said quietly. I did and it was empty but for another engraved word.
"Safety"
I didn't understand the implications of this word, or why it would be engraved in my locket until many years later, but the simplistic beauty of it enthralled me.
"I love it, Uncle Eddie, I love it so much!" I squealed before wrapping myself in his warm hug.
"You didn't have to, Eddie," my mother said but he just shook his head. I motioned for her to fasten the locket around my neck, and she did, before saying, "Emily, why don't you watch your Grinch?" The Grinch was one of my absolute favorite Christmas movies, and I must have watched it at least 20 times every year.
I ran over to the DVD player and put in the disk before excitedly plopping down on the couch to watch.
"Uncle Eddie and I are going to talk in private," she hesitated. "We have to talk about your list to Santa, just watch your movie," she said.
YOU ARE READING
Not Like The Others
Romance"You're sweet," Sylass says, gazing at me from his seat on the grass beside me. I turn to look at him, a peculiar type of confusion clouding my face. "Sugar is sweet. Cake is sweet. Elderberry jam is sweet. I am not sweet. You need to realize that n...
