December 2nd

Lights 

For Merewyn Brady 

 

When the power goes out on Christmas Eve, no one can ignore that problem; especially, when it’s in the middle of a snowy winter. It’s hard to hide that you don’t have power when you live in the house that is known at the “Christmas Crowning Jewel of Elkhorn St.”. 

Mom and Dad didn’t want to tell anyone that we got behind in bills. This month, the electric bill got lost in the shuffle of other bills, presents, and sick kids. Mom and Dad had to juggle more this year. Dad’s job wasn’t as prosperous this year with cut backs in the factory. If he wanted to keep his job, he had to take a pay cut. To cover what Dad’s job couldn’t Mom got a job and my siblings and I took turns babysitting our little sister when our Aunt Gretchen couldn’t. 

Our struggle and juggling was kept on the down low. But how could you keep it quiet when the Christmas Lights didn’t come on like every night before? 

There wasn’t anyone in the power company’s office to turn the power back on until after Christmas. 

“Looks like it’s takeout for Christmas dinner,” Jackie, my oldest sister, remarked when Dad gave up contacting the power company. 

“But do we have the money to do that?” I questioned. 

“We aren’t penniless!” Mom snapped. 

She looks like she’s near tears as the sun is going down. All the other houses are turning their Christmas lights on one by one. And here we are dark as night with no more than two flashlights to share among the six of us. 

“Will my nightlight work?” Kylie asked. Her voice had such cute sadness that it was hard to tell her the truth. 

“We’ll figure it out,” Hudson said bluntly. 

It’s hard to tell if Hudson is being comforting, the best a ten-year-old brother can be, or if he is just trying to keep Kylie quiet. Mom left and got Chinese for Christmas Eve Dinner.

When she came back, night had the sky dark.  We had just sat down to eat dinner, with the flashlights set out as if they were center pieces, when there was a knock on the door. 

A panicked expression came over Mom’s and Dad’s faces. They were trying to communicate something, but I’m not sure what it was. They both got up to answer the door. 

“We’ll be right back,” Mom said. “Hang out here.” 

We didn’t listen. 

Kylie, Hudson, Jackie and I followed them quietly. We saw it was Mr. and Mrs. Yeager from across the street. Kylie loves the Yeagers like another set of grandparents. Then before anyone of us can stop her she goes running up them. 

“Hey guess what!” Kylie exclaims. “We don’t have any power! Daddy forgot to pay the bill and we don’t have any money to—”  

Mom covered Kylie’s mouth and finished for her. “We don’t want to take anyone away from family at Christmas.” 

I can see from both Yeagers faces that they didn’t believe Mom, but Mrs. Yeager said, “That’s very considerate of you Dear, making that sacrifice… Do you need anything to hold you over until they can turn on your power? You want to stay with us? You want to come over?” 

“Oh, we’re fine!” Dad insisted. 

It was Mr. Yeager’s turn to give a doubting look. 

“Just give us a call if you need anything,” Mr. Yeager said. 

The Yeagers left and we began dinner. But we didn’t get very far before we got interrupted again. Dad answered the door and came back right after holding an armload of blankets and flashlights. 

“Someone doorbell ditched this at our door,” Dad explained. 

That wasn’t the end of it. All through dinner and getting ready for bed. We were all on high alert, waiting for the next delivery of supplies. 

I think we were all grateful for more flashlights or candles, and blankets. It was only getting colder.  

When we were all tucked into our beds, there was one more Ding from the doorbell. We all rushed from our rooms to the front door. Kylie got there first with Mom and Dad behind us.  

On our doorstep was the largest pile of cut firewood I’ve seen! It took us several trips to get it all to the fireplace and garage. Once it was all inside, Dad built up a roaring fire that drew each of us out of our beds to sleep around the fire like a campout.  

“I’m sorry this Christmas isn’t going well,” Mom apologized when Kylie fell asleep, using Mom’s legs as a pillow, “There aren’t many presents and decorations… and now the power is out. We can’t even help light up the neighborhood.” 

The silence in the room is only filled with soft crackles of the fire. 

Then Jackie spoke, “I didn’t know anyone cared about us, about me, until tonight… I think sometimes it’s okay to let other people do something for us and spread light that way.” 

 

THE END