Christmas Cole by B.G. Thomas

Author:B.G. Thomas [Thomas, B.G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Chapter Three

The house looked the same. White paint turned gray, the porch railing missing a baluster, the steps sagging. It looked sad. Certainly nothing like where Javier had lived for the past decade. Mark’s pool house looked like a virtual mansion compared to the Torres homestead. How many houses like his mother’s could he get for the price of his car alone? Five? Six? Seven? More? Javier sat in his BMW Z4 for half an hour, building up the courage to go to the door and knock.

When he finally did, he heard the voice he knew so well. “Come in, Lupe! You’re late.”

Javier gulped. Knocked again.

“Come in!” his mother shouted again. “Door’s open.”

God. Did he dare?

Javier took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and opened the door into a living room that looked almost the same as the house did. The same couch and recliners. There was the spiral rag rug his grandmother made. On the end tables were the lamps and shades he’d known his whole childhood. The house even smelled the same.

A flood of memories hit him. Growing up, watching TV, pulling his sisters’ pigtails, playing with G.I. Joes… and of course the Christmas tree. It stood in the window as it had for decades, the same lights, the same ornaments, the same angel on top—her dress faded with age. And maybe it had even been faded back then? A far cry from the gigantic aluminum tree covered in gold balls in the foyer of his—Mark’s—home.

“Lupe! These pies aren’t going to make themselves!”

Javier went to the kitchen and just stood there. He wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. He leaned against the doorframe and watched his mother. She was rolling out pie dough on the kitchen table, her sleeves pushed up, hair pulled back, and of course, flour everywhere.

When she didn’t look up, he finally whispered, “Hi, Mama.”

She jerked and looked up. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. For what seemed forever, she only stared, not moving.

She’s going gray, thought Javier. There are lines around her eyes. Otherwise she’s just the same too.

Then the corner of her mouth twitched.

“Javier?” she asked.

“Yes, Mama,” he answered, voice catching.

“Javier!” she screamed, and she was in his arms. She was crying and covering his face with kisses and saying his name over and over and over, and soon he was crying too. “I thought you were dead. Oh, Javier. Javier, Javier, Javier….”

“Yes, Mama, yes… it’s me, Mama. It’s me.”

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