AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Fifteen
––––––––
Once we clean up thetable, we all move into the living room.Of course, we let DJ go first since it’s almost his bedtime.He has the biggest smile as he unwraps his gifts, jumps up, gives a hug, and moves on to the next.
“You should have seen the mess he made this morning.We’ve been up since the ass crack of dawn,” Dani says with a yawn.She gets up from the couch and cleans up all the wrapping paper.
DJ yells, “Thank you, everyone!Merry Christmas!”and climbs up on Jacob’s lap, cuddling the stuffed dog with the long ears I gave him last year.
“DJ, who should go next,” Mom asks since it’s a tradition we started years ago, and it continues.One person opens at a time, so we can all appreciate the moment, and then they choose who opens next.
“You, Grandma!”he says, as he blows a kiss in her direction.She pretends to catch it and places it on her lips.I reached under the tree from the kitchen chair we brought in and dragged out all of Mom’s presents.
Mom picks up and shakes each one by her ear and then opens it.When she gets to mine, I blush, feeling anxious.I hope she likes it.I found it at an antique shop.The owner said she has had the piece for many years but couldn't get rid of it because there are initials engraved on it.
It just so happens to be a D and J.I took it as a sign.This was meant for my mom.
D for David and J for Julie, my parents’ names.The woman was thrilled and grateful for it to find a new home.
Once the box is open, she gasps, “Kendra, how did you...?”
Confused, I looked from her to the necklace and back again.What the fuck did I do?
“Mom?”I ask, getting up from my chair, walking around the couch, and putting my hand out.Taking the necklace, I place it around her neck.Once the clasp is locked in place, she lets her hair down and leans over to show my father.
“Kendra, I gave your mother a necklace just like this before we married.”Mom walks to the mirror, “My god, it...it’s exactly the same.”She turns and hugs me with all her might.
“What happened to the necklace?”I wonder, is it possible this is her necklace?
“It was the winter before we got married.We were all up at TJ, the middle school.The one over on Fyke Lane.”She reaches down and gets her drink.
After taking a sip, she continues, “Anyway, we were half crocked, and it was the middle of the night, and here we were sleigh riding on lunch trays and on garbage bags.When I got home and was getting ready for bed, I went to remove my necklace, but it was gone.I called your father frantically.We searched all my clothes and went back with flashlights to check the sleigh-riding hill.But we never found it.”
My father reaches up and turns the necklace.“Pookie, it may have taken years, but we found it.”His smile grows so big, “our initials are on the back.”
Mom gasps takes my dad’s cheeks in her hands, and kisses him.
