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Jixemitri CWP #9 Andrew Belden carefully removed his work boots as he
entered his home in Iowa. He was careful to make sure that the snow that had
fallen off the soles didn’t create little puddles on the carpet. This may be my house, but Mary Gorman
runs the roost, he thought with a
grin. Mary worked hard to keep everything clean and woe to the person who
made her job more difficult! He’d grown up in Sleepyside with the rest of the Belden
clan. When he was younger, he had never imagined himself living miles away
from the quiet little town he loved. However, things change. Now, he couldn’t
imagine returning to Sleepyside. Too many memories… Andrew loved farming. Though he couldn’t help with the
family farm— as he’d once intended— he couldn’t get the love of animals and
agriculture out of his bones. After he’d graduated from the Ohio State
University, he moved into a farmhouse on the outskirts of Rivervale and began
breeding sheep. This venture proved successful. He’d been successful to
enough to take several trips abroad, and he even had built a vacation cabin
in the Ozarks, where he loved to retreat. Though blessed with the Belden good looks and winning
personality, Andrew had never married. It certainly wasn’t due to a lack of
opportunities. Over the years several young ladies had shown interest in the
handsome farmer, but none could compare to a certain young lady who had won
his heart long ago. Enough with the memories! he scolded himself. “Anybody home?” he called out loud. “Mr. Belden!” Mary Gorman greeted as she hustled out of
the kitchen and into the living room. “My, I’m glad you’re home! It sure is
cold out there, and the weatherman’s calling for a big snowstorm. You men
will catch your death of a cold being out in this horrid weather.” “I’m glad to be home, too, Mary,” Andrew answered with a
tired grin. “I’m not as young as I used to be. If I didn’t have Hank and Ben
to help me, I don’t know how I’d manage.” “Oh, pshaw!” Mary chided. “You can outwork Hank and Ben
any day of the week. And don’t even start with me about getting old! When you’re as old as I am, then maybe I’ll
listen. Of course, I’ll always have several years on you, so you’ll never be
able to out-gripe me.” Andrew chuckled. He made his way into the kitchen where
he washed his hands and poured a hot cup of cocoa. “Mmmm! Something smells
good. How much longer until dinner?” “The roast has to
bake a few more minutes. Maybe you can settle down and read the paper till
supper is ready,” Mary suggested. “I’ll bring you your mail in a minute.” “Sounds good,” Andrew agreed. He sat in his favorite
recliner by the cozy fireplace and opened up the Rivervale Gazette. As he sipped his cocoa and read the news, his
aching muscles finally began to relax. Reaching over to the heavy wooden end
table by his recliner, he retrieved the remote for his sound system. He hit a
button, and the gentle strains of Christmas music filled the air. “I saw mention of a Christmas get-together on page
seven,” Mary called from the kitchen. “I’ll bet there’re a lot of pretty
ladies planning to attend that are in need of an escort.” Andrew sighed. Not
this again! he thought wearily. Out loud, he answered, “Oh, really?
You’ll have to tell Ben when he comes in to eat. He might like to go.” “I wasn’t
referring to Ben, although I’m sure he’ll be going. He and the other young
people enjoy the community building’s colorful decorations.” “Yes, their twenty-year-old fiber optic Christmas tree is
really something,” Andrew replied innocently, the corners of his mouth
twitching. “Although, my personal favorite is the flashing Santa who yells
out: ‘Ho ho ho! Christmas comes but once a year, so have a bit of Christmas
cheer!’ ” Mary snorted. “A crying shame what those teenagers did
last year. Shanking poor Kris Kringle! At least they couldn’t get off his
reindeer boxer shorts. And what they did with that candy cane was just
appalling!” “Gives a whole new meaning to the concept of a ‘flashing’
Santa, though, don’t you think?” Andrew teased. Mary shook her finger at Andrew. “You aren’t making me
forget my suggestion, young man. You need to get out of the house more and
associate with the locals. I thought
you would like to go.” She emphasized “you” with a swat from the mail she
had in her hand. Andrew exhaled noisily as he took the envelopes from
Mary. “You thought wrong,” he muttered as he sorted through the various cards
and bills. “Now, what mail did I get?” “Well, I know you got something from Peter and Helen,”
Mary informed him smugly. “Did you hold it up to the light, or did you give it the
full treatment and hold it over steam?” Andrew questioned with a wry smile. With an indignant sniff, she tossed the small box into
his lap. “For your information, Mr. Smarty-Pants, the letter’s attached to a
parcel they sent you. No amount of holding it up to the light or steaming it
would allow me to open it,” she retorted. Andrew chuckled good-naturedly. “I suppose I’ll have to
see what’s inside to appease your curiosity.”
“It was nice of them to send you a present. Have you sent
out the cards yet for the kids?” “Yep. Picked out the cards myself. I sent them yesterday.
Of course, I’m sure they like the money stuffed in there a lot more than the
card.” “What they’d really
like is a visit from their favorite uncle. You haven’t been to Sleepyside for
a while. Maybe you could have Christmas with your brother and his family.” “I spent Thanksgiving with Hal, Eleanor, and the kids,”
Andrew hedged. “You know that wasn’t what I meant,” Mary chided. “You
ought to take a trip to New York once the holidays are over. You haven’t seen
the children in ages. They’ll be adults before you know it.” “Trying to get of me?” However, the slight sadness in his
voice had nothing to do with his housekeeper apparently attempting to send
him away for the holidays. Although Mary prided herself on knowing
everything, there were wounds from his past that she knew nothing about. “Not at all, Mr. Belden.” Mary patted her boss on the
shoulder in a motherly manner. “I just want to see a genuine smile on your
face.” With that, she turned and went back into the kitchen. Once he was alone with only his gift and his thoughts,
Andrew took a deep breath and pulled the card off the top of the box and
opened it. A cute picture of a baby in
a Santa suit adorned the front. Easy to see why they picked these
cards, Andrew thought. That kid is the spitting image of Mart,
Trixie, and Bobby when they were babies. When he opened the card, he saw that a note from Helen
had been placed inside. He picked it up and read it.
Eager to get his mind off of his sister-in-law, Andrew
placed the note back inside the card, and then set it aside. From his pocket
he pulled out his small Swiss Army knife. He sliced through all the packaging
tape and opened the box. After digging through the Styrofoam™ peanuts, he
pulled out a gingerbread ornament. The little man was made out of paper maché
and had been painted brown. A wobbly grin had been painted on the face, and a
colorful array of buttons and sequins decorated the ornament. With a smile,
Andrew turned the ornament over and saw Bobby’s signature and age. Bobby obviously didn’t get Helen’s
artistic ability, he thought with a
cheeky grin. Next, he pulled out a rectangular object wrapped in
tissue paper. The tag said:
Grinning, Andrew ripped open the paper and found a
cassette tape. He knew he’d like this present. Each year, Brian and Mart sent
their uncle a recording of the silliest Christmas song they could find. Eager
to hear this year’s selection, Andrew got up and placed the tape in the
cassette player of his sound system. He sat back in his chair and crossed his
arms, waiting to be entertained. He wasn’t disappointed. After a surprisingly brief
greeting from the usually verbose Mart, the music began. However, there was a
slight change in tradition. In past years, all four of the kids sang. Brian
attempted bass, even before his voice had changed; the musically-inclined
Mart did a surprisingly good baritone harmony; Trixie sang lead tenor,
getting only slightly off-key on the high notes; Bobby chimed in loudly with
whatever words he could remember. Apparently, this was Bobby’s year to shine, and as soon
as Andrew heard the words, he understood why. “There's something stuck up in the
chimney Andrew chuckled as he heard the older boys whistling some
sort of tune, and he could swear he heard his niece’s unmistakable giggle in
the background. Then Bobby continued singing.
Andrew held his breath and tried to make
out the conversation in the background. He heard Trixie and Mart’s titters,
and finally a stern-sounding Brian prompting Bobby. “There's something stuck up in the
chimney Andrew held his belly, and tried to quit laughing so he
could hear the words to the next verse. This was even better than Bobby’s version
of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” where he sang “He’s makin’ a list and
checkin’ for lice.”
Then, all four of the kids chimed in together, “Merry Christmas, Uncle Andrew! We love you!” After drying several tears from laughter, Andrew took out
the tape from the cassette player and turned the radio back on. He returned
to his recliner, dug deeper in the box and found a pine-scented candle from
Trixie. She had attached a small personal note. Andrew smiled at the thought
of his young niece.
Andrew grinned at the note. He knew about
the longstanding conflict between his nieces.
Trixie had confided in him several times about her feelings regarding
her cousin from Idaho. Andrew listened sympathetically and tried not to take sides,
but secretly, he understood exactly how Trixie felt. Hallie always seemed to
be the perfect one, and Trixie constantly felt like she was in her younger
cousin’s shadow. No matter what Trixie did, in her eyes, she just didn’t
measure up to Hallie. Just
like me and… Andrew shook his head
and discontinued the thought. Nope. Not
going there tonight. The last item was a recent family portrait
of his older brother and his family. Peter
hasn’t changed a bit, Andrew thought as he looked at his brother’s smiling
face. The middle Belden brother was still the best looking with his dark
hair, chocolate-brown eyes, and easy grin. Peter didn’t even have that many
grays. Andrew ruffled a hand through his own dark
hair that was graying at the temples. At
least mine is turning gray, instead of turning loose like Hal’s, he
reminded himself with a grin. Brian stood to his father’s right. Peter’s
firstborn was a Belden through and through, no doubt about it. He looked
exactly like his father had at sixteen. Andrew knew that his nephew was also
just as responsible and hard-working at Peter. And I’m sure he’s just as much a hit with the ladies as his old man
was. On the left side of Peter was Mart. The
blond hair and blue eyes inherited from the Johnsons, but the twinkle in his
eyes was definitely from the Belden side. Although he resembled his mother in
looks, he had Peter’s sense of humor and love of jokes. Reminds me of myself. Trixie was seated in front of Brian.
Andrew was shocked how grown-up his niece looked. And how beautiful! She’s growing up, and you’re missing it,
all because of something that happened years and years ago, that you can’t
even do anything about now, Andrew scolded himself. Before you know it, I’ll be getting a wedding invitation for Trixie
and that Jim kid she’s always writing about in her letters. In front of Mart, the youngest of his
nephews stood. Bobby looked as if he could barely contain himself as he
grinned impishly at the camera. Andrew had a kinship with his young nephew.
He knew quite well what it was like to be the youngest of three sons. Poor Bobby’s going to have some adjusting
to do. The matriarch of the family stood in the
center of the picture. Helen looked just as radiant as she had eighteen years
ago. Her hair was still the color of spun gold, and her eyes were still the
color of a clear sky. Her dimpled smile—so much like her daughter’s— could
still light up a pitch-black night. She hadn’t changed a bit. Andrew closed
his eyes, but his sister-in-law’s face was permanently seared in his memory. As if right on cue, the DJ came on and
announced the next song. “Thanks for listening here at WMLJ V93, playing all
your favorite holiday hits! We’ve got a request going out to Ella from Rick.
Have mercy on him, Ella! He’ll have a Blue Christmas without you! Here’s the
King with ‘Blue Christmas’.” “I-ll-a-have-a-bluuuue Christmas without
you…” The velvety smooth voice of Elvis filled the room. Andrew set the box aside. He sighed deeply
and settled back into his recliner. If only things could’ve been different
all those years ago… Christmas break, 18 years ago… Andrew Belden stood on the porch of
Crabapple Farm, as his older brother parked his black Chevy Monte Carlo in
the driveway. “The prodigal son returns!” he greeted with a grin. “Better
tell the fatted calf to high-tail it outta here!” Peter smirked at his younger brother
and threw his duffel bag at him. “Nice to see you, too.” Andrew easily caught the bag and clapped
Peter on the back. “Glad you’re home, Pete. We’ve missed you. It’s just not
the same here without you.” “I’ve missed you, too. Particularly
Moms.” “You mean you missed Moms’ cooking,”
Andrew corrected with a smile. Peter grinned at his younger brother.
“You said it, not me.” The brothers made their way into the white
farmhouse their family had owned for years. Peter was welcomed home by his
parents. His father wasted little time with salutations; dinner was ready.
After Peter threw his bag in his old room, the family—minus the oldest son—
sat down at the dining room table for the evening meal. Harold Belden, Sr.
asked the blessing, and then the family began piling food on their plates. “Everything looks great, Moms,” Peter told
his mother, taking more than his fair share of meatloaf. “I’m glad you like it, Petey.” Edith
Belden beamed at her middle son’s praise. “I thought you’d appreciate a good
home-cooked meal after all that dorm food you’ve been eating.” “How’s school going, son?” Harold Sr.
questioned as he passed around the homemade bread. “Still keeping that GPA
high, I assume?” Peter nodded. “I think I’ll be making
the Dean’s list again, Dad.” Harold slapped the table. “That’s my
boy!” “That’s wonderful, dear,” Edith gushed.
She reached over to ladle some peas on Peter’s plate. “I know you have such a
load on you, with your studies and football.” Once again Peter nodded. He took a long
sip of his iced tea. “It’s not so bad now that football season is over. I
still lift weights to keep in shape, but that doesn’t take nearly as much
time as practicing every day did.” He scooped some more mashed potatoes on
his plate. “How’re things going here, Andy? Are you keeping the old
Sleepyside crowd in line?” Andrew nodded. “Yeah, I suppose so.” “How’s basketball practice going?”
Peter asked. “Is Coach Carr wearing you out?” Andrew grinned and poured himself some
more tea. “You know it! Coach thinks we might go all the way to States this
year.” “Of course, you will!” Peter encouraged.
“After all, Sleepyside does have
the best point guard around.” Andrew grinned at his older brother’s
praise. “Thanks, Pete.” “I’ve got the finest sons around,” Harold
bragged. “Three letters in three different sports; Hal in baseball, Pete in
football, and Andy in basketball.” “Where is Hal?” Peter inquired. “Isn’t he coming home for Christmas?” Harold shot his middle son a warning look
and hesitantly glanced at Edith, who was already beginning to tear up. “Hal
called us last night. He’s going to meet Eleanor’s family in Idaho during
Christmas break.” “So, it’s that serious between Hal and the
old battle ax, huh?” Peter asked with an ornery grin. From his spot across
the table, Andrew snickered. A slight smile twitched at the corners of his
father’s mouth; however, the statement made his mother’s tears fall freely. “Eleanor is not an ‘old battle ax’,” his father corrected, trying to be
serious. “She comes from a rich family, and can be a bit stuffy…” “And stuck up,” Peter supplied. “And snooty,” Andrew continued. “And hoity-toity,” Peter added. “And bi—” Andrew began, until his father’s
warning look stopped him. He assumed his most angelic expression. “What? I
was going to say ‘bitter’? What did you think I was going to say?” Peter choked on his bite of meatloaf, and
took a big drink of tea to dislodge the offending morsel from his esophagus. “Well, I think it’s nice your brother has
a serious girlfriend,” Edith contributed, with a final dab of the napkin to
her eyes. “I just wish she didn’t live so far away. What if they get married
and move halfway across the United States?” “It’s only approximately 2,519 miles from
here to where Eleanor lives, Moms,” Andrew replied cheekily. “That’s only a
36-hour trip.” “We’ll deal with that when the time
comes,” Harold said, clasping his wife’s hand. He shot his youngest son a
“you aren’t helping” glare. “I hope the rest of my boys find nice
Sleepyside girls,” Edith remarked wistfully. Peter’s lips parted in a devilish grin. “We
could still move to Africa, Moms,” he taunted. “That might be for the best,” Harold
threatened. “Are you still dating that lovely Gail?”
Edith asked hopefully. Gail may not have been from Sleepyside, but she was from White Plains, and that was
close enough in her book. Peter shook his head. “No, I broke up with
Gail a couple of weeks ago. She was getting too serious.” “Don’t you want a serious
relationship, Petey?” his mother questioned. “I’m only nineteen, Moms!” Peter
laughed. “I’m not ready to settle down yet.” Harold chuckled. “Famous last words, son.
Just wait till you meet the right girl. You’ll change your tune quicker than
a banjo.” Peter decided to turn the pressure on
his little brother. “So, are you
dating anyone, Andy?” Andrew glared at Peter, his look
promising revenge. “No, not right now.” “What about that lovely Helen Johnson that
you’ve been spending so much time with?” Edith inquired as she began clearing
the table. Andrew’s face turned a bright shade
of beet red. “We’re just friends,
Moms.” “Helen Johnson?” Peter’s brows knotted in
the center of his forehead. “I’ve never heard of her. Who’s she?” “A new girl,” Andrew mumbled. “She
and her family moved here last year from Philadelphia.” “Helen’s a lovely girl,” Edith commented.
“She has an older brother who still lives in Pennsylvania, as well as an
older sister who’s in college.” “Do you have her whole family history
on file someplace, Moms?” Peter teased. Harold’s chortle was halted by the warning
glance from his wife. “Don’t encourage him, dear,” Edith warned as she picked
up her husband’s plate. “Sorry, hon.” Just as devilish as his
sons, Harold winked at his boys once Edith’s back was turned. “Now what were we talking about?”
Edith mused aloud. “Oh, that’s right. Helen Belden.” “Andy’s future wife,” Peter supplied,
much to his brother’s chagrin. Edith playfully smacked Peter on his
shoulder as she picked up his plate and carried it to the sink. “Quit being
such a tease. Now, as I was saying, Helen’s such a pleasant girl. We had a
nice conversation after one of the basketball games. She twirls baton, you
know, so she’s at all the games.” Peter raised his brows in interest.
“A majorette, huh? Is she cute?” Andrew’s glare didn’t escape Peter’s
notice, but his younger brother didn’t answer. “Oh yes, Helen’s very pretty!” Edith
gushed. “Blonde curls, big blue eyes, and the cutest little figure. And such
a sweet personality to boot! I just don’t see why Andy hasn’t asked her out.” “Me either,” Peter muttered under his
breath. “So, when’re you gonna make your move, little brother?” Andrew angrily slapped the table. “We’re just friends, I told you! Helen
Johnson’s way out of my league.” “She’d be lucky to go on a date with you,”
Edith told her youngest son, lovingly patting his arm. Andrew rolled his eyes. “You’re my
mom. It’s a law that you have to think that.” At that moment, the phone rang. Edith
hurried to answer it. “Good evening. Crabapple Farm… Why, hello, Helen…
How’re you, dear?... Yes, he’s right here.” She handed the phone to her
youngest son and tried to contain her glee. Andrew quickly took the phone from his
mother. “Hey, Helen… Just hanging around… Yeah, that sounds great… Sure, I’ll
meet you then… Bye.” After he hung up the phone, he looked around at all the
expectant glances. It was futile to keep the conversation a secret. “That was Helen,” he explained. “The
gang’s heading to The Cameo to see ‘A Christmas Story.’ She, er, I mean
everyone, wanted to know if I was interested in joining them.” “That sounds nice, dear,” Edith said
sweetly. “You run along to the movies with your friends.” Harold merely grunted his approval. “Got any
dessert, Edith?” Peter
grinned and shook his head in disdain at his father before addressing his
brother. “Yeah, Andy, that movie’s supposed to be really funny.” “Do you want to come?” Peter’s eyes brightened for a moment, but
then he shook his head. “Nah, I don’t wanna be a tagalong. You go and have a
good time.” “You wouldn’t be tagging along,” Andrew
assured him. “Going to the movies with you would be like old times. Besides,
Ed Lynch is in from college, and I know he’ll be there. He and Helen’s best
friend, Carolyn, are pretty serious. Maybe you and Ed could catch up on old
times.” Peter grinned. “Well, it would be great to catch up with the
Sleepyside crew. Maybe I’ll come after all.” The boys stood up and gave their
mother an obligatory kiss goodbye. “Thank for the great dinner, Moms.” “Yeah, it was good, Moms,” Andrew chimed.
The boys grabbed their coats and headed outside to Peter’s car. Meanwhile, at Wimpy’s… Helen Johnson hung the payphone at
Wimpy’s Diner and sat back down in the booth with her best friend, Carolyn
Wilson Hoffman. She silently stirred her strawberry shake, intently watching
as pink ice cream gathered on the straw. “Did you talk to him?” Carolyn urged. Helen nodded. “He’s on his way.” “Do you think he’ll ask you to the
Christmas dance?” Carolyn asked, her bright blue eyes shining. Helen shrugged. “I don’t think Andy likes
me, Carolyn. He’s never so much as hinted that he wants to be more than
friends.” “Are you blind?” Carolyn threw up her hands
in disbelief. “Andy’s crazy about you. I’m sure he’ll ask you.” Helen took a long sip of her shake. “I
don’t know if I even want him to
ask me. I mean, we’re such close friends, and I’d hate to ruin that.” Carolyn sighed and flipped back her coal-black
hair off her shoulder. “I thought you liked Andy?” “I do, but I’m not sure if I like him
enough to risk our friendship. I mean, what if it doesn’t work out?” Helen
crumpled up her straw paper and sighed unhappily. “Is Ed coming?” Carolyn nodded, her happiness apparent by
the wide smile on her pretty face. “We’re meeting at The Cameo. He just got
home an hour ago.” She leaned over the booth to whisper to her friend. “I
think I’m getting a promise ring for Christmas.” “Really? That’s great!” “I’m sure I’d be getting an engagement ring
instead, but I still have another year of high school left. Unlike some lucky people I know.” Helen’s
birthday was in August, so she would only be seventeen when she graduated.
Carolyn had a fall birthday, so although the girls were the same age, Helen
was a year ahead of her friend in school. “Did Andy mention if any of his brothers
were coming?” Carolyn asked. “No. He has two of them, doesn’t he?” Carolyn nodded. “Yeah. Ed was pretty good
friends with Peter in school. They were on the football team together. Eddie
was a linebacker, and Peter was the quarterback.” “Peter’s the one in the middle, right?”
Helen asked, not really caring. “Uh-huh,” Carolyn murmured as she sucked
the last of her chocolate shake through the straw. “Isn’t he in college?” “He’s a sophomore at Syracuse,” Carolyn
answered. She lowered her voice and then continued. “If you think Andy’s
cute, just wait till you see Peter.” “Carolyn!” Helen scolded teasingly. “Hey,
just wait and see!” Carolyn protested with a grin. “Peter’s a regular
dreamboat! If I were single…” Helen giggled at her friend’s lecherous
smile. “I’m telling Ed, I’m telling Ed!” she chanted in a sing-song voice. “You’d better not!” Carolyn threatened,
teasingly holding up a butter knife in her most threatening manner. Of
course, she couldn’t continue her serious act for very long because of the
giggles that erupted. “Oh, well. Maybe someday I’ll have a daughter, and
she’ll get to go out with one of those hunky Belden men.” Helen’s blue eyes grew thoughtful.
“They’re that sought-after, huh?” “Oh, yes. Hal and Peter always dated the
prettiest girls in the school. Andy’s a lot shyer, but he dates a lot, as you
know. Of course, I think he has his eye on one girl in particular…” Helen flushed bright red. She always had
trouble accepting compliments. “So, what’re Pete and Hal like?” “Pete was the most popular guy in school.
Besides being drop-dead gorgeous, he’s got a great sense of humor. He kept
everyone in stitches with his joking around. He and Andy are especially
close. Their oldest brother, Harold Jr., goes to college out-of-state. He’s
not as friendly as Andy and Pete, but he’s still nice. He’s more of a free
spirit. But he’s a lot older than us, so I don’t know him very well.” Helen looked at her watch. “Jeepers, Car!
It’s almost time for the movie to start. We’d better head to the theater.” The girls quickly paid their bill and
walked to The Cameo. Ed Lynch, tall, stout, and darkly handsome, was standing
outside waiting for them. “Hey, Carolyn!” He hugged his girlfriend
tight and kissed her cheek before addressing her friend. “Hi, Helen.” “I’m so glad to see you, Eddie!” Carolyn
gushed, clasping her boyfriend’s hand. Ed, unable to keep his hands off her,
hugged her again and nuzzled her neck. Helen looked away, allowing the couple
some privacy. The look of pure joy on her best friend’s face was obvious.
Helen couldn’t help but be a bit envious. If Andy doesn’t ask me to the dance,
maybe I’ll ask him, she thought. “I already paid for your tickets, girls,
so we can go inside and get out of the cold,” Ed told them after he and
Carolyn finally separated. Helen opened her purse. “How much do I owe
you, Ed?” She knew that Ed Lynch had a very generous heart, but a limited
budget. He’d often cheerfully given away his last dollar. “Not a cent!” Ed replied with a chuckle.
“Now let’s get inside! The guys are standing in line for the food, and if we
don’t hurry, Pete’ll eat all the popcorn!” Ed held open the door for the girls. Helen
stepped in the warm theater and shook the snow from her sandy curls.
Concerned only about the moisture in her hair, Helen raised her hand to
smooth her unruly waves. Suddenly, her elbow made contact with flesh. Muscled flesh. Helen looked up to the warmest, brownest
eyes she’d ever seen. She gasped at the handsome sight before her. “I’m
sorry,” she whispered breathlessly. Apparently, the person she’d bumped into
was just as enchanted with her as she was with him. “No problem,” the
stranger replied, his voice warm and deep. Shivers went up and down Helen’s spine at
the sound of his voice. The stranger nervously ran a hand through his thick,
dark hair, and grinned impishly. Helen’s heart fluttered at his smile.
Who is this girl? Peter Belden thought to
himself, captivated by his assailant. He looked down into the biggest, bluest
eyes he had ever seen. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, and her lips
were pink and full. He’d never been a big believer in love at first sight,
but this girl was making him rethink his position on it. “You’ve still got some snow in your hair,”
he murmured huskily. Without even thinking, he reached out and tenderly
stroked her sandy tresses. His hand trembled at the softness of her curls. “Thanks,” Helen replied. She discreetly
studied the figure before her and tried to not “ooh and ahh” out loud. The
boy was, no, that wasn’t right. The
man before her was tall, at least a
couple of inches over six foot. His shoulders were broad, and his arms were
strong. His eyes were the deepest brown Helen had ever seen, and his hair was
even darker. Helen longed to run her fingers through its thickness. “Peter Belden,” the man said,
sticking out his right hand for her to shake. She firmly grasped Peter’s large hand
with her smaller one. “Helen Johnson,” she replied. The moment their hands met, Helen was sure
she had been jolted by an electric current. Her heart pounded, and she
desperately hoped Peter couldn’t hear the loud thumps coming from her chest. Slightly dazed, Peter smiled and prayed
his hand wasn’t sweaty. Never before had he been nervous around a girl. But
somehow, he knew this girl was
special. “A pleasure to meet you, Helen.” Suddenly, a warning light flashed in his
brain, and a siren sounded. Helen
Johnson! The girl Andy supposedly
liked! Crap! “I see you two have met,” Andy told them.
His arms were laden with bags of popcorn and a drink holder containing sodas.
Peter nervously licked his lips. “Yeah, uh…
I didn’t realize this was Helen. We just kind of bumped into one another.” “Hey, Andy,” Helen nervously greeted, a
slight smile parting her lips. “I wasn’t paying attention, as usual, and
whacked your brother with my elbow.” Andy studied his brother and his friend.
It was obvious something had happened between the two of them. He could
virtually hear the electricity crackling between them. “Are you ready to go
in, Helen?” “Umm… I-I need to go to the restroom
first. I’ll just be a minute,” she stammered. Peter and Andy followed the
rest of the group into the darkened theater while Helen rushed into the small
bathroom. Once alone in the restroom, Helen splashed
water on her face to try and calm her nerves. After drying her cheeks with a
paper towel, she dug in her handbag for her seldom-used makeup bag.
What’s wrong with you? she wondered, practically smacking herself in the face
with her powder poof. I’ve met the man of my dreams! Romantic Helen thought. No, you’ve met your almost-boyfriend’s
brother, Sensible Helen
chided.
Andy hasn’t asked me out, Romantic Helen corrected. I don’t even know for sure that he likes me. I thought you liked Andy, Sensible Helen reminded.
I do like Andy, Romantic Helen agreed. But I don’t know if I like Andy only as
a friend, or if I like him as more than that. You
can’t like both of them in that way, Sensible Helen pointed out. I
know, Romantic Helen
conceded. Of course, I’ve never felt
this discombobulated by Andy. Just thinking of Peter makes my lips
quiver, my heart pound, and my knees knock. A rap on the bathroom door brought Helen
back to reality. “You okay in there, Helen?” Carolyn asked. “I’m fine,” Helen squeaked nervously.
“Just touching up my makeup.” “The movie’s getting ready to start.” “I’ll be there in a minute,” Helen
promised. Putting the compact back in her purse, she pulled out some
lip-gloss. After applying some subtle color to her lips, she zipped up her
purse, and exited the bathroom. Helen entered the dark theater and found
her friends. She squeezed her way to the seat that Andy had saved for her.
“Thanks,” she whispered, settling in just as the movie began. “Wanna hold the popcorn?” he inquired
quietly as to not disturb anyone else. Helen shrugged. “Sure.” “Mind if I share?” Helen looked over at the
person seated to her right and saw Peter’s grin. She smiled and moved the
popcorn closer to him. From his spot to the left of Helen, Andrew
sighed. A blind man could see the
fumes from the pheromones between Peter and Helen. Next time Peter can bring his own popcorn, he thought miserably. I don’t like to share. Later that night, at Crabapple Farm… Andrew tossed and turned in his
bed. Unfortunately, when his body found a comfortable spot, his mind kept him
awake. “You awake, Andy?” Peter questioned softly
from his bed across the room. “Yeah.” “I had fun tonight.” “Me too,” Andrew lied. “Helen sure is nice,” Peter remarked.
“Pretty, too.” “I guess so.” “You gonna ask her to the Christmas dance?”
Peter asked, holding his breath. “Why?” Though it was dark, and his brother
couldn’t see, Peter shrugged. “Just curious. I think you should ask her.” Andrew furrowed his brow. “Why do you
care?” “Well, Moms said you liked her, and I want
you to be happy.” “I already told you that I don’t like her,
except as a friend,” Andrew hissed. “I’m gonna ask Sarah Clark to the dance.” “Oh.” Peter lay silently for a minute.
“Does Helen already have a date?” “I don’t think so.” Fear gripped Andrew’s
heart. “Would you mind if… I mean, would it bother
you if… do you think it would be okay if I
asked her to go to the Christmas dance… with me?” Peter stuttered. Andrew closed his eyes and tried to ignore
his brother. Maybe if I don’t say
anything, he’ll think I fell asleep… “Andy, are you asleep?” Unable to lie, Andrew muttered, “No, I’m
awake.” “Did you hear me, Andy? Would it bother you
if I asked Helen to the dance? ‘Cause if it would make you mad, I won’t do
it.” Andrew swallowed the lump in his throat.
“Nah, I don’t care.” “Are you sure? ‘Cause I don’t wanna make
you mad. If you like Helen, I won’t ask her.” “Go for it, Pete,” Andrew said, trying to
keep his voice cheerful. “Helen’s a sweet girl. She deserves a nice guy like
you.” “If you’re sure…” “I’m sure,” Andrew replied. “She might not even say yes,” Peter
murmured. “She probably wouldn’t want to go with me.” In spite of the situation, Andrew smiled.
Was Peter Belden actually
intimidated by a girl? If it had
been anyone other than Helen, Andrew would have found this situation highly
amusing. Unfortunately, it was
Helen, so it wasn’t very funny. “She’ll say yes,” Andrew announced, more to
himself really, than to Peter. “Do you think?” Peter’s voice held a
vulnerable quality that it usually lacked. “No, I know. Call her up tomorrow, Pete. She’ll
be thrilled you asked her to the dance.” “All right! You talked me into it,” Peter
joked. “Thanks, Andy.” “No problem, Pete.” Within minutes, Andrew
heard the steady breathing that told him his brother was asleep. For hours,
he lay there listening to his heart breaking in synch with the gentle tick of
the alarm clock. Helen would say
yes, no doubt about it… Back to the future… Why did I say I didn’t mind? Andrew asked himself for the millionth time. Why didn’t I tell him to stay away from my
girl? Because
she wasn’t your girl, a tiny voice in the back of his mind said. You had countless opportunities to ask her
out, but you never did. You blew it! As annoying as that little voice was,
Andrew knew it was right. Something inside him always held him back from
asking Helen out, all those years ago. Andrew held the picture of his brother and
his family. Could she have become my
wife? he wondered. Could those have
been my children? His gaze focused on Helen. Her
smile was genuine, no doubt about that. Peter’s right hand rested on her
shoulder, gently gripping his treasure securely. Helen held his right hand
with her left one. Crossed her heart… Her expression was serene, contented, gratified.
And suddenly it all became painfully clear.
Helen ended up with Peter because that’s how it was supposed to be. Love at first sight, destinies colliding, as fate
would have it… All that lyrical crap. Helen and Peter were meant to fall in love and marry. And
no matter how painful that thought still was to Andrew, he had to face it. It wasn’t Peter’s fault that he didn’t end
up with Helen. Neither was it Helen’s fault. And, after much soul-searching,
he could finally say with assurance that it wasn’t his fault either. Simply put, Peter and Helen were meant to
be together. Once again, Andrew looked at the picture,
but this time he focused on his nephews and his niece. They were certainly
growing up. Time flew. He’d already lost one person he loved by sitting
around and doing nothing, and he didn’t want to lose four more. Hesitantly, he snapped off the radio and
grabbed the phone. He dialed the familiar number and took a deep breath. He
almost lost his nerve as Helen’s sweet voice greeted him on the other line. “Helen? This is Andy… Yeah, it’s good to
talk to you, too… I got the package today… I loved it… Those are some great
kids you and Pete have… Actually, that’s why I called… I have a conference in
Glasgow next spring, and I thought I’d stop by Crabapple Farm for a visit
while I’m out jet setting… I’d like to see the kids’ clubhouse they’ve been
talking about, and catch up with everyone… Yeah, it should be sometime before
the kids’ spring break begins… All right, then… I’ll see you then… Love you,
too, Helen…,” he said with a catch in his throat. “Good-bye…” With a sigh of relief, he hung up the
receiver. Talking to Helen stung a little, but it wasn’t as bad as he had
feared it would be. The old saying was correct: Time really did have a way of
healing all wounds. Maybe now he could finally be free to find the person
meant for him. It certainly wasn’t Helen. But who could it be? Well,
I know one thing, Andrew thought with a grin. It’s going to be fun trying to find her.
With renewed hope
for the future, suddenly Andrew’s Christmas wasn’t nearly so blue.
Thank you to my lovely editors, Kaye and Kathy!
The holidays are such a busy time, and I so appreciate you all editing all my
holiday stories! I didn’t give you much time, and you really worked hard!
Thank you both so much! I always wondered why Uncle Andrew never came to
visit often. It was said that he was the Belden children’s favorite uncle,
but we don’t know why he moved so far away. So you know me. If something bugs
me, I have to write a solution. And this is what my warped little mind came
up with… unrequited love. I don’t know if Harold’s wife was actually named
‘Eleanor’, or if I am mixing fanfic with reality again. But that name really
stuck with me. That also goes for Carolyn Lynch. I don’t know who first came
up with those names, but they really made an impact on me. The Chimney Song is one of our favorites. My dh
plays it for the kids, and they giggle and giggle. I thought I would include
it. And just so you know, my 5 year old actually sang that “He’s makin’ a
list and checkin’ for lice.” I busted a gut when I heard him sing it. He had
just learned about the plagues of Egypt in Bible class at school, so I guess
that was in his head. Thank you to Kaye for figuring up that mileage
for me. I’m sure she was wondering why I asked, especially since I just added
this during the final edits. I had to make Helen a majorette. I was one, so I
thought I’d have Helen be one, too! J Carolyn Lynch’s legal last name was Wilson, but
the books said she used her foster family’s name, which I’ve made Hoffman.
Ergo, I’ve referred to her as Carolyn Wilson Hoffman. For more background on
the Lynches, be sure to read the story, “The Secret of Ed’s Success”. I didn’t mean to make Peter out to be a bad guy
in this story. I kind of based it on real life. I was actually being pursued
by my dh’s best friend before I met my dh. If his friend had asked me out, I
would’ve said yes, but he kept dragging his feet. (Thank God I didn’t get the
chance!). Then, he introduced me to Damon, and BOOM! Love at first sight. He
asked me out, and the rest is history. I know I made the right decision, and
I know Helen did, too. Sometimes fate just steps in and intervenes. This was a Jixemitri Circle Writing Project #9.
The required elements were: A non-traditional holiday song (Examples) –The Chimney Song on a tape sent to Andrew An ornament or decoration made by a character in elementary school –Bobby’s gift to Andrew A cold – Mary’s threat
that Andrew, Hank, and Ben will catch “their death of one” A holiday drink –hot cocoa that
Andrew drinks A baby in a Santa Suit – one on the card
from the Beldens A holiday TV show or movie (This can be a quote, a title or a mention of
the program) – “A Christmas Story”
the movie that they see at The Cameo A reindeer, plastic or real –on Santa’s boxer
shorts Creative use of a candy cane – what the
teenagers did. I don’t know what it was, but according to Mary Gorman, it was
REALLY bad! J A holiday scented candle –pine-scented one
from Trixie A flashing Santa saying "Santa comes but once a year." (This
does NOT have to be sexual and you CAN be creative. *g*) – Rivervale community building decoration A carryover item from a previous CWP or a
carryover item from EACH of the previous CWPs. –a storm from #5 (the approaching snowstorm)
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