Christmas Package

There is nothing better than the smell of freshly baked cookies mixing with the scent of the Christmas tree, so it is no surprise that one could get lost in their world while surrounded by the two smells. It is even easier to get lost in one's world when the house is genuinely peaceful with no loud kids or other halves.

It is the very last day before the children will be home for the holidays, so you take as much time as you can to relax after you have made sure everything is ready for when they get home. There are freshly baked cookies waiting to be decorated and enjoyed. The tree is up and fully decorated. The whole house looks as though Christmas has exploded in it, giving the whole place a glittery and homey look.

What you never expected while relaxing and enjoying the look of the light twinkling away on the tree is a loud electronic buzzing sound. A sound you recognize as coming from a drone, just like the one your other half has gotten into playing with on their days off work.

Thinking your other half may be trying to surprise you after getting off work early, you rush to the nearest window to try and locate the drone. You can tell by the sound that the drone is somewhere over or around your home, so when you do not see it through the window, you rush to get your snow boots on. Then you slide into your coat, quickly wrap your scarf around your neck, slide on your toboggan, and slide on your gloves as you go out your front door.

As you step onto your front porch, you see the drone buzzing above the stairs leading to the porch. It seems to stay in place for a moment before slowly lowering towards the stairs. It is then that you realize the drone has a mechanical arm, which is holding a small, impeccably wrapped package. The drone sets the package down on the top stair before it shoots off into the distance and disappears down the road.

As you look off down the road where the drone disappeared, you cannot help but wonder what that was all about and if it was your other half behind it. You go to take a step towards the gift but think better of it and instead pull out your cell phone, quickly dialing your other half’s number. Thankfully the snow is not deep, and there is none on the porch, so you sit down on your swinging bench while the phone rings.

“Hello, dear. Is something the matter?” your other half says right after picking up the phone.

“Hello, love. I do not think anything is the matter. I do have a question for you though,” you say, smiling at the worry you can hear in their voice.

“Do you need me to pick something up from the store on my way home? I know the kids will be home shortly and for the next week, so we are bound to go through certain things a lot quicker than normal,” they say.

“I was wondering if you knew what time you would be home and if there are any surprises I should be expecting from you,” you say, looking over at the package.

“Well, it is Christmas time, so surprises are a common thing in our household. You know that, dear,” they say, which brings a smile to your face.

“So this beautifully wrapped package that was just drone delivered is your work?” you ask, getting up and walking over to the package. You bend down to get a closer look at the package but do not yet touch it.

“Package? Drone? What are you talking about, dear?” they say, the worry lacing their voice once again.

“The one sitting in front of me on the porch steps. A drone dropped it off before disappearing down the street. Was that not you?” you ask, pulling the hand you were about to use to touch the package back.

“That was not me, honey. I know how much you hate my drone, so I would never use it for something like that,” they say, which makes a small smile come to your face before it is once again replaced by a frown.

“First, I do not hate it. I just do not see the point in it, and it can be rather noisy at times. Second, if it was not you then who left this here? What should I do?” you say, looking up and down the road as the wind begins to pick up. “It looks like it is about to start snowing again.”

“Is there a card or a tag or something on the package?” they ask.

“I have not touched it yet to see. Let me take a look here,” you say, carefully moving aside a large bow on the top of the box and finding a small envelope trapped under it. “There is an envelope here.”

“Does it have a name on it? Or are you going to have to open it to find out?” they say, which makes you worry.

“I do not want to go opening someone else’s package,” you say, picking the package up as the wind gets worse. “I am going to take it inside, and we can look at it together when you get home.”

“Well, I should be off in time to pick up the kids, so I will be home soon. The boss is finishing up some last-minute holiday designs and is talking about letting us have a couple of extra days off,” they say as you walk into the house, holding the phone to your ear using your shoulder.

“That would be nice. I know the kids would love to have you around more for the holidays. I know your job pays well, but I hate how much they make you work,” you say, setting the package down on the kitchen island counter before taking off your snow gear.

“I know you do. I am hoping to get that promotion soon, and then I will be home more,” they say, making you smile slightly.

“I better let you go then so you do not get in trouble and can get that promotion you deserve,” you say, smiling as you put your snow gear up and head back to where you placed the package. “I will see you when you get home.”

After you both said goodbye to each other, you took a closer look at the package before leaving it on the counter and wandering into the living room area. You straighten up some things before making yourself comfortable on the couch. You find a nice Christmas movie on TV and watch it while waiting for your other half and children to get home, occasionally looking over to where the package is sitting.

The movie is just ending when you hear a car pulling up outside, so you turn off the TV and move to the front door to greet your children. You always try to greet your children when they get home from school. Not only do you want to show your love for them, but you also want to make sure their coats and things are put away and not just left piled on the floor. You are greeted with smiles when the door opens as well as a lot of snow. You glance out the door behind your other half and notice it is snowing pretty hard.

“Was it hard driving home?” you ask, hugging your other half before helping your children hang up their things. As your kids begin to walk away from the front entry, you quickly turn towards them. “Leave that package on the counter alone. There are cookies on the table, and no soda until after supper.”

“What is with the package?” your youngest child asks while your oldest grabs a couple of bottles of water out of the fridge.

“You did not tell them?” you ask your other half as you both walk into the kitchen and stand by the package.

“No, I did not tell them. I was going to, but they both were too busy talking about the parties their classes had today,” your other half says, looking over the package before carefully removing the envelope tucked under the bow.

“That sounds about right. You will have to tell me later about your parties. For now, why do we not figure out the mystery of this package,” you say, smiling as your kids sit down at the kitchen island.

“Since you were the one who was here when it was dropped off, would you like to be the one to open this?” your other half says, sliding the envelope over to me.

“I can do that. I hope it gives us an idea of who this belongs to. I do not want to open someone else’s package,” you say, turning the envelope over to check for any writing but finding nothing. I slowly open the envelope and pull out a simple and traditional Christmas card. After showing everyone the outside of the card, I open it and scan over the card’s generic writing. Right below the generic writing is some handwritten writing.

“Is there a name?” your other half asks, leaning into your side to peer over your shoulder at the card.

“Yeah. There is quite a bit of writing here, so let’s focus on the name. The writing is a little hard to read though,” you say, turning the card slightly so your other half can read it better.

“I think that says Gladys. Do we know a Gladys?” they say, moving back and to the side to look at you better. You lock eyes with them and mull the name over in your mind but keep drawing blanks.

“I cannot think of anyone we know who is named that,” you say, looking back down at the card but stopping yourself from reading information that is not meant for you.

“Isn’t that the name of the old lady who sold us the house?” your youngest child asks as you put the card back into its envelope. You then tuck the envelope back under the bow.

“Yeah. She told us she wanted this house to be filled with the laughter of children, which is why she picked our offer though she had higher offers,” your oldest child says, which surprised you.

“Did she tell you that?” you ask, looking between your children before looking at your other half.

“I never knew that,” your other half says, looking at you before focusing on your children.

“It was while you two were signing the contract and she was showing us the backyard,” your oldest child says as you hand them both a cookie off the tray sitting by the package.

“She got really sad when talking about how she bought this house because of the large backyard for all her kids to run around in while they were growing up,” your youngest says, taking a bite of her cookie.

“She said she missed the sounds of kids in the house, so she wanted to sell to you because you had kids,” your oldest says, eating the cookie you gave them.

“We should get her gift to her,” your youngest says, making you smile. You look over at your other half and notice a similar smile on their face.

“We know the retirement home she moved to. Why don’t we finish delivering this?” your other half says, locking eyes with you.

“Should we do it now? It looks like the snow has slowed down, and it is supposed to get bad starting tomorrow,” you say, looking out the back patio doors to see it has just about stopped snowing altogether.

“As soon as these two go change out of their school uniforms,” your other half says as your children finish their cookies.

“Make sure it is something nice. We do not want to look like slobs when we visit Gladys,” you say as they head off up the stairs to change.

“I’m going to change into something more comfortable as well,” your other half says, giving you a quick kiss before heading off upstairs as well. As everyone is changing their clothes, you grab a reusable grocery bag and carefully place the package down inside it. You then grab one of the small lunchboxes and fill it with some bottles of water and an ice pack. You then pack up some of the cookies into a small Tupperware container.

“Did you make sure to pack enough cookies for the kids to share with Gladys?” your other half asks, surprising you by appearing behind you suddenly.

“I made sure to pack enough that they can share with everyone in her building. I know how our kids are,” you say, placing the bag of goodies next to the bag with the package inside it.

“Very smart of you. We raised our kids right,” your other half says as you hear the sound of the kids running down the stairs.

“How many times do I need to tell you two to not run down those stairs? You could get hurt,” you say, turning to the kids as they come to a stop in front of you and your other half.

“Sorry,” both say at the same time, making you smile and shake your head. You give them both a gentle shove toward the front door.

“Go get yourselves ready,” you say, grabbing the two bags and heading towards the front door as well with your other half right behind you. After everyone is bundled up and ready, you pile into the car and head out.

It does not take you long to arrive at the retirement home, and you make sure to remind your children to behave before you all head in and to the front desk. The lady at the desk is happy to help you figure out the room number, and you quickly head to find the room. Once there, you lightly knock on the door and wait for an answer before opening the door. You open it to see the same woman who had sold you your home sitting in a chair in a small sitting area with the TV playing Christmas movies.

“Hello, ma’am,” you say, opening the door and walking in with your children and your other half following right behind you. “I am not sure you remember me, well us, or not.”

“Of course, I do, dear. You are that lovely family that bought my home,” Gladys says, turning the volume down on her TV and motioning for us all to come in. “Come in and make yourselves comfortable. If I had known I was going to have company, I would have made sure to make some cookies.”

“Well, funny you said that,” you say, handing the bag with the cookies to your oldest child, who proceeds to pull out one of the containers of cookies from within it.

“You brought cookies? You did not have to do that,” Gladys says, smiling as your oldest child hands her a cookie.

“I figured these two would get hungry during our visit, and I thought you might like some homemade cookies,” you say, shaking your head when your children offer you one. Your other half gladly accepts one though.

“I will never turn down one of your cookies,” your other half says, getting comfortable on the small couch next to you while the two girls sit down on the floor in front of the couch.

“These are very good,” Gladys says, smiling at you, which you return.

“I am glad you like it,” you say, handing your other half the bag with the package in it since they are closest to Gladys.

“Do not tell me that is more cookies. I am not sure I could eat that many,” Gladys says, laughing and shuffling in her seat.

“No. This is the thing that brought us here today,” your other half says, carefully pulling the package out of the bag and handing it to Gladys.

“You did not have to get me a gift,” Gladys says, looking over the package before pulling the envelope off.

“Actually, we didn’t. This package was delivered to the house today. At first, we were not sure who it belonged to, but then we looked at the card and saw your name on it,” you say, laying your hand on your other half's arm.

“Oh, I wonder who sent it. I do not know of anyone who would have left me a gift there. They all know I live here now,” Gladys says, opening the envelope and reading through what is written on it. I frown when I see tears forming in her eyes.

“Are you alright, Gladys?” you ask, getting up and moving to kneel next to the chair Gladys is sitting in.

“Oh, yes. Sorry, dear. I did not mean to worry you. I just never expected to hear from him again,” Gladys says, giving a small smile. “It just surprised me and to find out that he passed away suprised me even more.”

“I am so sorry,” you say, laying your hand on her knee next to the package. “I am glad we were able to get this to you then.”

“Who was he?” your youngest child blurts out, which makes you frown at her. “Sorry.”

“It is alright little one. The man who sent this is the grandson of a man I knew a long time ago, my first true love,” Gladys says, opening the package slowly and carefully. “Why don’t you girls come to look with me since you went through the trouble of bringing it to me.”

“You do not have to do that, Gladys,” you say, frowning.

“I want to,” Gladys says, smiling at me.