The 13th Day of Christmas by Jason F. Wright

The 13th Day of Christmas by Jason F. Wright

Author:Jason F. Wright [Wright, Jason F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2012-09-04T04:00:00+00:00


A project foreman met Thomas in the parking lot of the new sixteen-unit apartment building they’d been working on for two weeks. “No work today, sorry, Thomas.”

“What do you mean no work?”

“I mean we don’t need you on this job anymore. You’re done. We’re ahead of schedule.”

“What about paint?”

“It’s covered. Same crew from the motel remodel.”

“Flooring?”

“Guys are coming for that next week, if we’re ready.”

“Come on, man, I need this. There must be something.”

“Sorry, Thomas. Call the office in a few days, see if something else pops on another job.” The foreman nodded another apology and turned his back.

Thomas dropped his head onto the window of his truck. The sky had begun to stroke from black to blue and the light mixed with the yellow from the parking lot lamp overhead. Thomas pulled his head back and examined his unshaven reflection. But it wasn’t his face he saw; it was Charlee’s.

Inside the truck but still sitting in the unfinished, unpaved parking lot, he let his temperature rise to a boil, and he banged both fists against the steering wheel until the faux leather cover came loose and hung half off. He ripped it off with a single, violent yank and slapped it against the dash until the radio turned on and the knob popped off.

He punched the radio once with the bottom of his clenched right fist, and the static disappeared as quickly as it arrived.

“My God.”

Thomas gripped the cold wheel and rocked his head back against the headrest.

“My God. Is this real, God?”

He breathed out, loosened his tight grip, and began to knead the curve of the wheel.

“Is this really my life now, God? Is it?”

For the first time all morning, and despite having the heater running in the clunker since he’d left for work, Thomas noticed he could see his breath against the December morning. “Are you paying attention? At all? Where are you?” He inhaled and said the words much louder a second time. “Where are you?”

Thomas closed his eyes. “God, Heavenly Father, Lord, whatever. I’m trying here. I’m doing my best. Do you not see that? Am I not trying?” He paused, as if expecting an answer from a debate partner. “Listen. We need you. Mostly Charlee needs you. But probably Zach, too. The whole family needs you to notice us and pitch in. Could you please pitch in, God? Please?”

Thomas started the truck and re-gripped the wheel. “How about a sign? Huh? Something that says we’re not completely forgotten down here in this hole of a life. Something that says loud and clear you know what we’re going through, that we’re trying to make it here.”

Thomas didn’t know how much time had passed while he waited. He only knew the sun was up, and he’d stopped praying.



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