This is the conclusion although like any surprise gift it may not be as you expected. Fred
Adrian's Christmas Part 2.
Adrian walked out on to the wooden sidewalk, turned right and proceeded down the dimly lit street. He had walked for quite a few blocks pondering what was happening in the many homes as he went by when in the distance he noticed two figures approaching him. As the distance closed he realized it was a small young women carrying many packages and a tiny bundled up child walking at her side. He stopped and although it was quite safe to be outside at this time of night, he jokingly asked why they were not at home tucked into their warm beds. The young women replied that the local baker had told her to come to his shop and that he would give her any pastries or bread that had not been sold that day.
The little child shrieked, "My name is Jennifer and I'm 5-1/2 years old. "Adrian replied, "What a beautiful name you have, my name is Adrian, what is your mommy's name?" "Shelly", the young women replied. One glance at Shelly and little Jennifer and Adrian could tell that their clothes as neat and clean as they might be were hand downs and that conditions could be better for both of them. He asked how much further they had to go and offered to help carry some of their packages. Shelly welcomed his gesture and said that they only lived a short distance down the street in an apartment. He tucked his blanket and house a little further under his arm, took a few of Shelly's packages in his other hand and the three proceeded to walk to the apartment that Shelly had mentioned.
Upon entering the apartment Adrian couldn't help but notice that it was small, clean, sparsely furnished but functional for these two acquaintances he had just met. He placed Shelly's packages upon the kitchen table just as Shelly thanked Jennifer for her help and informed her that it was past her bedtime and that she should now go to bed. Shelly thanked Adrian for his help as he walked out the door closing it behind him. For some unexplained reason Shelly knew not to ask what was under his arm just as he knew not to ask where Jennifer's father or their Christmas tree was. He had only taken a step or two and he heard Jennifer shout, "Thank you mister". "Adrian", he muttered under his breath, and proceeded down the hall and out into the street.
Adrian proceeded down the street for many blocks, the snowflakes swirling at his feet were similar to the thoughts swirling in his mind. He paused for a moment, looked up into the night, then turned around and started retracing his footsteps. In a short time he found himself at Shelly's apartment and saw that her light was still on. He walked into the brown stone building and softly knocked on Shelly's door. The door opened a bit and Shelly recognizing him opened the door further. He walked into her apartment and with one sweeping motion removed his creation from under his arm, cast off the blanket and placed the white Victorian dollhouse on the worn kitchen table. "This is for Jennifer", he said, "Wish her a Merry Christmas for me." Upon seeing the dollhouse Shelly started to cry. He didn't know where he found the strength to get the words past the lump in his throat but he simple said, "Please don't cry just share some tea with me some day" and he hurriedly left.
There was emptiness in Adrian's mind as he walked down the street. He was trying to fathom what he had just done but could make no sense out of the whole situation. He paused, turned around, and then stopped again. Turning around again he proceeded on his journey, but where was he going? What would he do when he got there? He didn't know. He just decided to walk and as he walked he couldn't help but notice the empty blanket under his arm. This was truly madness, something was terribly wrong! "What about my little Rachel"? he moaned.
The hours went buy as Adrian walked the deserted streets. Frost from his breath froze and built heavy upon his beard. Soon he found himself near the familiar lamppost and old iron gate. He opened the gate and proceeded down his familiar path through aged elms. The elms seem to cast a gloom around him that matched the heaviness in his heart. He could traverse this path blind folded he thought. Once again the lump came to his throat and a gale screamed through his mind leaving him almost senseless. The tears swelled in his eyes but he sternly fought them back as he groped his way through the darkness. A few steps more and there it was. The familiar edifice of pain covered with snow. He brushed the snow off the tiny grave marker and through the tears read the single inscription, Our Little Rachel - 5-1/2 Years Old. His little Rachel was gone, the Victorian dollhouse was gone and the furniture and piano were gone. The bedrooms were gone. The special sewing room and the orange cat at the sewing machine were all gone. Clutching the empty blanket Adrian fell to the ground and burst into uncontrolled torrents of tears as he sobbed. Only a madman would have given Rachel's present to a total stranger he wailed.
An eternity passed and Adrian arose from the ground; the rivers of tears had long since frozen to his cheeks, beard and old leather jacket. He reached down and under the snow found a small stone. He gently brushed the snow from the stone, kissed it and as was his usual custom placed the stone on top of the grave marker. With the empty blanket slung over his shoulder he proceeded down the path, through the old iron gate and out into the street. Dawn was approaching with its usual burst of cold but for some reason he didn't feel the added chill. He walked towards his home and shop wondering what the rest of the day would bring. Soon he found himself near Shelly's apartment and could see that the lights were on. Early risers he mused as he walked on.
He continued for a moment and then for some unknown reason turned around and went back to the apartment. As Adrian approached Shelly's door he could hear the pandemonium coming from within. There was no doubt that Jennifer had awakened early and discovered the dollhouse. He softly knocked on Shelly's door. Once again the door opened a bit and Shelly recognizing that it was Adrian frosted beard and all, she let him in. "Did you come for morning tea?" she asked with a glowing face. "No", replied Adrian, "I thought I had better come and show Jennifer where the secret latch was." It was a lie of course because he didn't know what had drawn him back to Shelly's apartment. As Jennifer danced around the table thanking him repeatedly Shelly gave him a warm embrace and they laughed as she brushed his now melting frost and tears from her morning hair.
They all gathered in front of the dollhouse and Adrian proceeded to show Jennifer where the secret latch was. She undid the latch and as expected the whole front wall opened up. Everything seemed in its place just as he had placed it the night before. Shelly and Jennifer marveled at all the rooms, the tiny pieces of furniture, the shining floors and tiny rugs. Adrian nodded his head, smiled and with a slight hesitation to his voice said, "It's nothing, I enjoyed making it and it gave me something to do." He closed his jacket and was heading for the door when Jennifer cried out; "Look Mommy there is a sewing room upstairs with a little sewing machine by the wall and everything." "There is even a kitty cat on a stool looking out the window." Shelly knelt down, placed her arm around Jennifer and peered into the little room to see the setting.
Adrian started to go out the door when Jennifer jumped up, ran over and gave his leg a big hug. "Come and see the kitty looking out the window", she exclaimed! He had always been prone to give a little tease now and again so he growled, "You must be looking at another dollhouse." The kitty is sitting by the sewing machine where it should be." "No, no, come and see", she screeched! "It shouldn't be", replied Adrian. He walked back towards the table and peered into the tiny room. "Interesting, they were all together by the sewing machine last night," then he remembered Rachel's words from years ago, the cat wants to look out the window and that is where it should be." Suddenly a gentle warmth entered his body and a calmness flooded his mind like he had never experienced for years. He smiled his teeth flashing through his tangled beard.
Up from the depths of his chest Adrian shouted, "I must be going home and to my shop, I have work to do today." "You are going to work today," Shelly remarked, "but it's Christmas!" "Well it is obvious if the cat must sit on the stool by the window then Jennifer needs another stool for the sewing machine." "Maybe even a nice Victorian style chair just in case a make believe girl friend comes for a visit!" "I want to start today."
Adrian nodded goodbye, rushed through the door and out into the street. The sun had just appeared above the horizon and the air was filled with the sparkling diamonds that only a winter's morning can bring. Today was going to be a very good day and he knew exactly who was responsible for it. Playfully kicking a lump of snow with his boot Adrian looked up into the morning sky and ever so softy greeted the new day, "Shalom My Little Rachel".
Copyright @ 2002 Frederick A. Kuhn