Dropped

A buzzing sound in Mabel’s ear woke her out of a sound slumber. She opened her eyes and reacquainted herself with her living room. "Jingle Bells" played from the holiday music station on T.V. Her new dog, Frankie stared straight at her ready to lick her face any moment. He was an old Jack Russell she adopted from the shelter last week. Her daughter, Sharon insisted she get a pet to keep her company since her husband Bart passed last year. It was a comprise that Mabel agreed to since she was not going to move in with Sharon and her family which is what her daughter really wanted. She saw Frankie and from the first moment she knew he was the one. He was older, but according to the staff at the shelter he still loved to play. They also insisted he could open any door even if it was locked once he heard the squeak of a new toy. She had not tested this theory yet, but bought several toys that were wrapped up under the tree

Then she heard it again zzzzzzz like old car that was dying. The sound was definitely coming from outside. She pulled her white Queen Anne lace curtain back and immediately squinted from a bright glow that cascaded down through the window. “What in the world?” Her eyes still struggling to see, but best she could make it out it was one of those tiny mini planes like her grandson had played with when Sharon and the kids came up last summer. “I know they don’t call them mini planes.” She mumbled to herself. How did Tyler tell her how to remember, she could hear his voice

“Nana, it rhymes with groan!” Mabel smiled as she remembered him making the face a ten-year-old would make to describe a groan.

She looked back out the window to this drone carrying still circling around and it had something in its metal arms. “Is that a package?” she spoke into the air. “Ah it is probably for the Spencers!” She turned again to look at Frankie who was whimpering as he wanted to go out and do his duty.

“Frankie those Spencer’s must get a package every day. Honestly, I have never seen anything like it. Now there they have this drone thing delivering things my word!” She paused as Frankie placed his paw on her thigh. “Okay pup, let me get my boots on. We are supposed to get some snow tonight and I don’t want to slip.”

Mabel pulled herself out of her favorite green armchair and walked to hallway to get her boots. She was already in her pajamas and bathrobe which she decided to keep on and not bother with the coat and gloves for now. She was only taking Frankie out back to do his thing and would come right back into the warm house. No one would see her anyways, the Spencers, the only neighbors on her street in this Vermont town were away for the holiday. It was Christmas Eve after all and the world would not care if she was out in her bedclothes just after sundown.

Mabel slipped her feet in her boots and grabbed a flashlight along with Frankie’s leash. It was just her and Frankie for the holiday. Her daughter, Sharon was hosting her in-laws and asked her to come down to her house in Massachusetts. Mabel shrugged off the invite as she really didn’t care for the Murphys and just wanted to stay home. She was also concerned Sharon would continue the conversation about Mabel moving in with her. Mabel could still hear her determination,

“Ma, I have an in-law apt with the new house. Just come and stay with us for the winter. “

Mabel had retorted so cleverly, “Well why don’t you have your in-laws stay at the in-law apartment. I am your mother, and I am not moving from my home!”

Frankie started wagging his tail as Mabel rose to her feet. “Okay boy let’s get out there before the snow starts to fall. “She put his collar and new harness on as she attached the leash.

He happily trotted to the door as Mabel positioned the flashlight. She carefully moved the lock so that it would stay open. It had become loose over the years and would sometimes slip. It was something on her late husband Bart’s list to fix but it never got done before he passed. Now it stayed on Mabel’s list to hire someone to fix, but she had not gotten around to it.

Mabel decided to leave her keys inside as she would keep the door open and just be outside for a minute. She was worried that she may drop them in the darkness. Frankie trotted excitedly down the steps as Mabel held on and left the side door just slightly ajar. The snow had started to fall lightly as she walked Frankie over to the yard. She laughed as he tried to catch snowflakes in his mouth. The wind was picking up a bit so she reminded him to do his business so he could get a treat when they got back inside. Frankie obliged and Mabel brought him back into the house where she honored her promise and pulled out a dog biscuit from a jar on the counter. Once she got him back in and took off his collar and harness, she handed him his treat that he gleefully took from her hand and trotted to his bed by her green chair.

She then decided that she should really take out the trash just down to the barrel outside the shed in case the snow amounted to some inches and she could not get it out tomorrow. She positioned the door so it would stay open. She grabbed the white plastic bag from her small container and went back outside. The wind was becoming stronger, and she held on tight to the rails going down the steps maneuvering to see with her flashlight so that she did not fall. After lifting the bag into the barrel, she looked up to the night sky, more flurries were streaming down and the air although cold was crisp. She turned and started back up the stairs and in a flash a gust of wind came through. Mabel watched as the side door slammed shut and she heard a click. She stood parallelized not wanting to believe what had just happened.

“No! No! No!” She turned the handle, and it would not budge. She pounded on the window for someone to help her, but Frankie was the only one who came looking at her from the other side of the window. She could hear the music still playing on the T.V. John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas” was now streaming. She could see the part of her living where she was sitting just a few minutes ago. The tea cup with her Peppermint specialty bag hanging from the side was placed next her chair where she had just been taking a nap. She was seeing her life in a moment. She was alone. There was no one here to help her. She felt the tears stream down her face. She was going to freeze and probably die out here. She turned and sat down on the stairs.

She was shivering so angry at herself for not wearing a coat, for not taking her keys. for not going to Sharon’s, for not moving in with Sharon. “So this is Christmas,” she sang through tears. She turned and watched the snow pile up to her front porch. Her front porch which she and Bart had not used in years. Sometimes delivery people dropped things there and she would find them days later. She looked over at the walkway leading to the porch and something caught her eye, a brown cardboard. She looked again and realized it was the package she saw in the arms of the drone earlier. She lifted herself up and carefully walked over to the package which lay covered in snow. When she reached the box, she pulled the flashlight she was holding to read the label. It wasn’t for the Spencers after all. Ship to Mabel Jaques.

“Who would be sending me anything?” She tore open the large box using the side of her flashlight to break the tape. A beautiful card from with a glitter snow scene lay on top. She opened to read the words of her daughter.

Mom, we had a change in plans, we are coming tomorrow. I wanted you and Frankie to have some gifts to open in the morning and Tyler figured out how to use this drone to deliver the package. We love you and Merry Christmas!

Mabel brushed the tears back as she placed the card neatly back in the box and touched the wrapped silver and gold box with red bells. She ripped the wrapping open to white box. She removed the top half to reveal a blue down filled coat, a woolen hat with a big faux fur ball at the top and blue gloves that faux fur lining. She yelled out a thank you to her daughter as she put her gifts on. Then at the bottom of the package she saw an unwrapped squeaky fox toy with a gift tag for Frankie. Mabel grabbed the toy and held it close. She took the card from the box with her flashlight as she strode over to her side door.

She got up the front stoop and looked through the window at the big eyes of Frankie. She prayed this theory would work. She knocked on the door and held the fox up. She pressed on the squeak label Frankie looked up in surprise and ran to the door. He jumped up and down. She pressed again, Frankie nudged his head on the handle, still locked. She pressed a third time, he hit the lock with his paw as he jumped again, she heard the click release and she pushed the door open as Frankie licked her face, while she held him. He grabbed his new toy and ran off to play. Mabel smiled as she shut the door.

She sang along again with John Lennon, “Have A Merry, Merry Christmas, and A Happy New Year! Let’s Hope It’s A Good One Without Any Fear!”