| Jack held out a hand, his fingers glowing against the luminous backdrop, his face basking in the lustrous light. Only a few more steps and the star would be within reach. Only a few more steps… Jack lifted his boot just as he heard the voices. A side door to the nearby house had suddenly opened. Several people spoke at once, apparently preparing to step outdoors. Somebody laughed. Another voice responded. Hurry and put your coat on! Jack craned his neck, scanning the terrain in every direction. He had to get out of here. Got that camera? Jack glanced over his shoulder, observing the trail of footprints leading back up the slope into the birch and sugar maples. He would never make it that way without being spotted. It’s quite a sight! Jack’s heart pounded. He’d have to circle around the block and up the hill to get back home. Wait’ll you see this! It should only take five minutes. But there was no more time to think. He had to run. Now! © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik Jack spun to his left, crunching through the few remaining yards of snow until his feet hit the narrow stony road in front of the house. He dashed down the street, his eye catching a blur of Christmas tree lights shining through the front picture window. There were the voices again, and more laughter. Jack’s lungs burned with the cold. He felt as if he were in trouble. He couldn’t let them see him. Then a door slammed. They were outside. Voices and footfalls through the snow grew louder in the chilled night air. Jack didn’t bother to look over his shoulder as he ran, fearing he’d be spotted in the next instant. Ahead of him was a refuge of pine shrubs draped with Christmas lights in front of the only other residence on the street–a beige aluminum sided house with olive-green shutters. Jack veered to his right and leaped into the shrubs, wrapping himself into a ball as he leaned against the frozen wood latticework beneath the front porch. Jack breathed heavily, his heart pounding. The sweet scent of pine invaded his nostrils and helped to calm him down. He gazed through the snow-dusted branches ablaze with colorful lights, the soft pine needles brushing against his cheeks. The voices and laughter in the distance echoed under the evening moonlight but grew no closer. No one had spotted him. Jack smiled, proud that he had eluded the strangers. Now it was merely a waiting game. © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik And then ten minutes later, they were gone. The laughter drifted off and a door slammed shut. Once again Jack’s world was filled with the silence of the night, brutishly cold and splashed with lunar light. He waited another minute before moving to make sure he was alone. Then slowly, Jack turned and peeked through the frozen branches at the other house. He could see his star in the distance, still glowing in the snow bank, alone in the night. All clear. Jack stood up, the stiffness quickly draining from his aching knees. Then another door suddenly opened. Jack dropped to the ground again, realizing that the noise was directly above him on the front porch. Somebody had opened the inside door to the house. A moment later, a wooden storm door swung outward and two people stepped onto the porch. Bits of laughter and conversation drifted outdoors as the lilting notes of Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride played in the background. Both doors quickly closed and a momentary silence followed. Jack craned his head back and looked up through the pine shrubs, unable to see anyone near the porch railing. He wondered if someone had spotted him through a window and wished he were invisible. But when no one peered over the railing or called out to him, Jack felt a little better. He hoped whoever was on the porch would hurry back inside so that he could escape. Then he heard two voices. “It’s cold out here, Charlie. Why can’t you tell me inside?” “Because I don’t want anyone else to hear us. Here, button your coat.” “All right.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik Jack heard playful laughter and a dull stomping of shoes on the floorboards as if someone were trying to keep warm. “Well, Charlie, what did you want to say? Or are you just trying to sneak another Christmas kiss?” “I have a present for you, Alice.” “You already gave me gifts, Charlie–the Beach Boys album and the hairbrush set. And that was very sweet.” Jack could hear Alice give Charlie a brief kiss and rolled his eyes. “But I have one more present I don’t want anyone else to see. It has to be secret.” “Now I’m intrigued. What is it, Charlie?” “First you have to close your eyes and hold out your hand.” “Oooh, you’re teasing! But all right.” Jack strained his ears to hear every detail, trying to imagine what gift Charlie had bought. A snow brick maker? What could be better than that? “Okay. You can open now.” “Oh my gosh, Charlie, it’s beautiful! Is this…?” Alice nearly sobbed. “Is this really…?” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “It is. I want you to marry me, Alice.” “Oh, I love it. I really do!” “I’m glad.” “I know we had talked about it…” Jack heard a quiver in Alice’s voice and thought he could hear her sniffle once or twice, as if she were on the verge of tears. “You are happy, right?” Charlie asked. “Of course I am, but right now I’m just…” Alice took a deep breath and finally laughed with giddy delight. “Thank you, Charlie! This moment is perfect.” “You’re welcome, but…” “But what, Charlie?” “But–do you want to marry me?” “Of course I do, Charlie! I love you. So that’s a yes.” Charlie laughed. “Just making sure. And I love you too.” A brief silence followed. Jack imagined that Alice and Charlie were kissing again. Jack ran a finger through the pine needles out of boredom, wondering how long he would be stuck here. He could almost smell the tomato soup and saltine crackers waiting for him at home, cooling down with each passing moment. © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “Oh, Charlie, but how could you afford this?” “Well, I…” “Did you spend your savings?” “It’s not what you think, Alice, but I suppose I should tell you the truth.” “What do you mean?” “Well, that isn’t–a diamond. But it is a real gemstone. White topaz.” “Looks just like a diamond to me, Charlie. And I do adore it.” “Maybe when I make some money in a few years, I can buy you the real thing.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “No, Charlie. Never. I love this ring just the way it is. I don’t ever want to part with it.” “Thanks for saying that, Alice. I’m glad you like it.” “You gave it to me with your heart. It’s more than I ever hoped for.” Then there was another silent pause, testing Jack’s patience. He bent his head, gazing listlessly at his boots. His toes were growing as numb as his mind by the second. And it wasn’t even a real diamond, Jack irritably mused, wondering how long that girl could stand in the freezing cold and just stare at it. This was pure, unadulterated tedium that he had to endure–even worse than being dragged along clothes shopping with his sisters. Why was it happening to him? And when would it ever end? © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “But, Charlie, my parents will never let–” “I know, Alice. That’s why I don’t want anyone else to hear about this yet, at least for a couple years. When we’re almost done with college we can tell people.” “Yes, we can do that. We’ll be older and they won’t be able to object too much.” “So in the meantime, Alice…” “…this will be our secret engagement!” “That’s just what I was thinking–a secret. A gargantuan secret.” Alice giggled. “It is rather romantic, Charlie. In this whole wide world, only the two of us will know. What a great secret to share as a couple.” Jack tightened his arms around his coat, shifting his eyes suspiciously, imagining that someone was watching him as he reluctantly played the role of an inadvertent spy. He felt guilty for having overheard Charlie and Alice’s conversation, wondering if he should block his ears from this moment forward. But it was too late now. Their secret had been spilled. He felt miserably cold and just wanted to go home. © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “But there’s one other problem.” “What, Alice?” “I won’t be able to wear your beautiful ring!” Charlie laughed. “I didn’t want you to be able not to, so I solved that problem too. Here.” “A silver chain!” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “You can slip it around your neck and hide the ring under your sweater. No one will know.” “Except us! Here, let me put it on now.” Jack yawned as another moment passed. The fragrant pine was making him sleepy. If Charlie and Alice didn’t hurry up, Jack pictured his frozen body being discovered here by a gardener some time next spring. He quickly rubbed a few snowflakes on his face to revive himself. “There, Alice. No one will be the wiser.” “Won’t it be wonderful to walk through the high school corridors together, Charlie, knowing what we know?” “Just don’t let any of your girlfriends see it. Or your kid sister.” “Trust me, I won’t. I’ll only wear the ring when I’m sure it’ll be safe. Otherwise I’ll hide it in my jewelry box. It has a lock and key.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “Good idea. Hey, your cheeks are turning red. We better go inside before everyone misses us.” “I hope I can stop smiling, Charlie, or I might give our secret away.” “Oh, you better not do that!” Jack heard the front door reopen. The sounds of conversation and Christmas carols again drifted outside, then a door slammed shut and all was silent. Jack exhaled deeply, remaining still for a few tedious seconds as he listened for any more hint of talking, laughter or footsteps. There was nothing but cold quiet. Jack stood up, popping his head out of the shrubbery and surveying the surroundings. Not a soul was in sight. © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik He bounded out of the pine like a startled deer and ran to the end of Spruce Lane, taking a sharp right onto the next street. Jack took another right at the end of that block and trudged up a steep hill until he reached his own. He held his gloved hands to his face to keep warm as white wisps of breath escaped into the air like pallid ghosts. Jack made one more right turn, marching eagerly toward the fourth house down the street, its windows ablaze with light, thinking only of hot soup. Then the front door swung open. Jack looked up as his sister Loretta stepped outside like a school principal. “Where have you been, Jack?” she said, folding her arms. “I was about to go looking for you. Mom called out the door three times.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “I had to–look for something.” “Well, get inside. Aunt Marge and Uncle Dave have a present for you.” “Great. Probably another itchy sweater,” he muttered. Jack glumly recalled the red checkered sweater he received from his aunt and uncle last year, as well as the clip-on tie and shirt set for his eighth birthday. Could a boy’s life be any crueler? “Merry Christmas!” he said sarcastically, shaking his head while stepping into the warm house. Jack quickly shed his hat and scarf, dropping them on the floor. The voices of his parents and relatives sitting around the kitchen table drifted into the front hallway wildly decorated with strands of silver garland. “You look sunburned.” Loretta smirked, noticing Jack’s ruby cheeks. She hung up her coat on a wall peg. “Maybe Mom won’t scold you.” “I just want hot soup.” Loretta nodded as she started to leave. “All right. I’ll reheat it.” “Thanks.” Jack sat on the floor and untied his snow boots. “Hey, Loretta. Can I ask you something?” His sister turned around. “Sure, Jack. What?” “Promise not to tell anyone?” he whispered, removing one boot. © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “I promise,” she said. “What do you want to know?” “Do you really promise? I don’t want to get in trouble.” “I really promise.” Loretta sighed impatiently as Jack removed his other boot. “What is it?” “Just, umm…” He rubbed his nose. “I need to know what a…” Jack’s heart pounded. He suddenly wondered if he should tell his sister about Charlie and Alice, terrified he might get into trouble. It was a secret after all, a gargantuan secret, and Jack felt guilty for even having heard it. But keeping such information to himself was about as easy as falling asleep on Christmas Eve night. So Jack decided to take the risk. He signaled for Loretta to step closer and stood on his tiptoes, whispering into her ear. Loretta stepped back, puzzled. “A secret what?” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik Jack indicated for Loretta to lean down as he again whispered into her ear. His sister’s eyes opened wide. “A secret engagement? Now where did you ever hear about something like that?” “Well, I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but…” Jack rubbed his chin as a debate briefly raged in his mind. “I really don’t want to get into trouble, Loretta, so you have to promise me one thing. Okay?” “Okay. What am I promising?” “That you’ll never repeat what I’m about to tell you to anybody–ever.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik |
| ~ CHAPTER 13 ~ |
| A CHRISTMAS CASTLE |
| by Thomas J. Prestopnik © Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved. |
