Open Features: Marshmallow Fluff
Mary Clemons tells a timely tale of a military wife whose husband is overseas at Christmas.
Karen leaned over and kissed her daughter, Jenny’s, forehead.
“Mommy, do you think it will snow tomorrow?”
Jenny’s older cousin answered before she could. “The weatherman said it wouldn’t snow for a couple of days. No white Christmas this year. Aunt Karen, will Santa visit Uncle Robert?”
“Oh course he will, silly,” Jenny told her cousin. “Santa goes everywhere, even to the desert.”
“Good-night, dear ones, sweet dreams.” she said after she had stepped outside into the hall. At the top of the stairs, she paused, listening to the whispers and giggles as her children snuggled in with their cousins.
She called out to them, “Santa won’t come until you’re asleep.” Silence followed but soon the whispering started again. Karen headed down the stairs.
Reaching the bottom, she glanced at the tree, shimmering and twinkling beside the fireplace. On the hearth was a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. Beside them there was a carrot for some lucky reindeer.
Karen took her coat from the peg and stepped out onto the front porch. Her breath clouded and floated away as the moon’s light filtered from above. Taking a deep breath of mountain air, she smiled. It was clean and crisp, with a tingle. No weatherman needed to tell her - it was going to snow.
“I can’t change how different this Christmas is going to be, but maybe it will still be special,” she whispered.
Stepping back into the warmth of the house, she removed her coat and headed for the kitchen.
Her sister, Lyn, and her brother-in-law, Joe were sipping hot cocoa. As she entered, Lyn handed her a warm cup.
“So, tell me, why did you decide to come up this year? I’m going to miss basking on the beach in the warm Florida sun.”
Joe teased, “How am I supposed to get my mid-winter tan?”
Karen took a sip. “Billy and Jenny have never seen snow.”
“How can that be?” Joe asked unbelieving. Then before anyone could answer, he added, “That’s right, you and Robert only come up in the summer.”
Stepping over to stand beside her, her sister said, “We had thought it might be because this is the first time Robert has been stationed overseas during Christmas. It’s not easy being a military wife.”
Looking up into her sister’s face, Karen nodded. How had Lyn always understood those feelings she couldn’t put into words?
“Oh, look!” Lyn pointed to the window. A few snowflakes flittered past, then more fluttered by until it was a snow flurry.
They watched as the familiar landscape softened into marshmallow fluff.
Karen smiled, “This Christmas will be special after all.”
