Story Sunday: The Fireplace, Part I

Sadly, I could not locate the story I wanted to share for today. It's a real oldie but a very sweet story. Perhaps I will find it again one of these days. I even searched for another story that is also an oldie but not quite as ancient. But I was unable to locate that one either. So...I find myself in the unfortunate position of having to come up with a story on the fly.

I think I like it so far, but I'd appreciate input. This shall be installment one. Not sure how long of a tale it will become, but I'm thinking "short story."

The Fireplace


They couldn't wait to get there. It was less than an hour's drive further to Mary's folks' house. The snow was just beginning to fall, speckling the windshield with a wispy enchantment--like music drifting in from a distant room. Temporary but magical.

Parker drove on in silence, enjoying the merriness of his thoughts and the presence of his young wife by his side. This would be the couple's first Christmas with Mary's parents, as their first had been spent with his side of the family. He was excited to get to know them better in the relaxing rhythm of holiday celebrations and leisure.

Mary broke the silence of his thoughts. "Do you think they'll like what we got 'em?"

"Your parents? Of course they will. Who wouldn't like it?"

They laughed at their inside joke. This had been Mary's diplomatic response when her mother had called about the gift she and Mary's father had bestowed upon the couple the previous Christmas. She had very much hoped they'd like it, and Mary was careful to give the impression that it was the greatest gift ever. In truth, the painting of the fireplace did not fit in the least with the decor of their home, but she had been brought up to believe that it was "the thought that counts," so she hung it up in the corner of their little office, above the desk. If her parents ever came to visit, perhaps she would hang it in a more prominent place.

§

When they pulled into the Johnstons' driveway, it was with an audible, shared sigh. Both of them were extremely tired from hours of travel. They had been hungry for a couple of those but hadn't eaten due to the expectation of what promised to be an exceptionally large meal upon their arrival.

Always delightfully impatient, Mary's mother came running out to greet them before they even had a chance to get out of the car. "You're here!" she crooned, rushing down the walkway with such speed Mary cringed, certain she was about to slip and fall. As they embraced, Mary took in the familiar scents of honey ham pot pie, dinner rolls, yams, and bread pudding--all homemade of course--and thought she could spy a hint of flour in her mother's already white hair. Margaret Johnston was an outstanding cook with a reputation for overfeeding people; after all, it was such good food.

Parker said Merry Christmas and smiled at his mother-in-law, who seemed satisfied for now with the initial greeting. "So good to see you. Come inside," she welcomed. Parker gathered gifts and the couple's shared duffel bag as Mary was whisked inside, Margaret chattering all the way about how excited she was to see them and all the fun things she had planned for their visit.

Ted Johnston was wearing a tan-colored sweater and black jeans. He looked rather stylish for a gentleman in his late sixties. The rather disheveled hair on his mostly bald head told the tale that he'd probably just awoke from a nap--no doubt the result of Margaret's ecstatic announcement of 'They're here! They're here!' "Well now," he cheered, rising from his sage green recliner, "look who's here." He greeted the couple with warm hugs, a gentle one for Mary and a back-slapping one for Parker.

Upon hearing all the ruckus, Mary's younger sister, Daisy, appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Her fairer complexion and blonde hair were a stark contrast to Mary's olive skin tone and sable brown hair. Mary took after her father, while Daisy favored Margaret. Still, both girls had blue eyes and a roundish face--a family resemblance could be detected after a little time spent around them both, even if it wasn't readily apparent.

"Sis!" Daisy rushed to embrace her shorter yet older sibling. Looking up from the hug, she caught the smile on her brother-in-law's face. "So glad you guys could come. It just wasn't the same last year." She turned to hug Parker as well.

"Well, we're pretty happy to be here too," he returned. Parker was tall and just lanky enough that he still looked a bit nerdy, but in the most thoughtful way. His green eyes were filled with kindness, and the frames of his hipster-style glasses echoed the sandy color of his thin, unassuming hair.

"Where's Jon?" Mary was quick to ask.

"He and Paula should be here any moment," Margaret assured her.

Jon was the oldest of the three Johnston siblings and had been the first to marry. He and his wife Paula had celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary in October. Paula loved autumn and had insisted on incorporating oranges and browns into their wedding palette. Somehow she'd made it work. She was clever, calculated, and confident, while Jon was given to simplicity and agreement. They were a good match.

They all sipped on cider while Parker filled the Johnstons in on their drive from Ann Arbor, Michigan to their destination in Madison, Wisconsin, a six-hour journey--a little more with incidental stops.

The doorbell rang, and Paula burst through the door with a jolly "Hello, and Merry Christmas."

Mary was delighted to see her big brother, whose looks were much like her own. Only he had brown eyes and was slightly taller. "Hey, Big Jon," she smiled, reaching out to hug him. She and Daisy had nicknamed him that when they were quite young, even though he hadn't turned out to be a particularly "big" guy after all, reaching a mere five-foot-eight in height.

"Hi, sis. Long time, no see." Daisy ran up to get her hugs in as well.

Jon greeted Parker with a firm handshake, while Paula ran around dramatically hugging everyone and ooh-ing and aah-ing over how wonderful they all looked.


Now that the Christmas greetings had been given, there was only one thing left to do. "Come to the table, everyone," Margaret announced with a proud smile. "It's time for dinner."