Hybrids: A Love Story

Hybrids: A Love Story

Dawn was breaking through the front window when the restless critters decided that it was time for their Daddy to get up. He had slept later than intended but no matter. It was Christmas day. He leaned over Wu, still sleeping, and kissed her forehead. “Outside,” he said low. The animals rushed to the door climbing over each other to get out. Jimmy paused with the back door half open, waiting for Tippycat coming down the stairs. “Merry Christmas Spunky. Merry Christmas WuWu.”

           “Merry Christmas Love of My Life,” Debbie returned to his mind from the loft. “I’ll be down shortly.”

           “Merry Christmas Jimsy,” Wu said opening her eyes.

           Jimmy smiled and said, “See you in a few Mrs. Santa’s sisters,” quoting Bad Santa. He heard them both laugh out loud as he closed the door.

           One and a half hours later Jimmy was cooking breakfast. The children, the chickens, and the horses were fed and let out. The eggs were collected. The winter garden, covered with tarps, was watered. The TV was muted on a channel showing Miracle on 34th Street over and over all day. On the stereo, Dean Martin’s Christmas album played. It was time to eat some SOS, biscuits, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon. He went to make sure that everyone was up.

           David E. in his red robe was shaving in the bathroom with the door open. “Merry Christmas Command Sergeant Major. Breakfast is served.” He opened the door to the small bedroom and was surprised to walk in on Shewuma standing nearly naked in front of the door. “Excuse me. I should have knocked.”

           “Don’t be silly,” said Debbie setting on the bed in her bra. She was studying two t-shirts, trying to decide which one to wear. “Shewuma heard you coming and undressed real fast.”

           “Don’t give away all of my secrets,” Wu joked.

           “So which shirt?” Debbie asked both of them. One read Mess With Santa and You Mess With Me. The other read HO!HO!HO!, with a picture of Mae West in a Santa hat. Both pointed to Mae West.

           “Breakfast ladies.” He took one long last look at each of them and closed the door.

           In the back bedroom Dermott was out and snoring rhythmically. With an overly enthusiastic voice Jimmy roared, “Wake up Dermott, it’s Christmas day,” while shaking him by his shoulders. Dermott rolled off the bed in a panic, tangled in the covers, then stood up in his jockey shorts half asleep and seeming confused. “Breakfast,” Jimmy said simply and walked out.

           At Corrine and Daniel’s bedroom door he could hear them up and about inside. “Merry Christmas, dinners in the oven,” his voice creaked out using his favorite line from the movie Fright Night.

           “Is that you Santa?” Corrine answered.

           Walking back to the kitchen, Jimmy started humming, “Hey Santa. Hey Santa.”

           After breakfast, everyone was full and ready for presents. While they took their dishes to the sink, Dermott ran over to the tree and began searching for presents with his name on them. “Don’t mess with that stuff yet Dermott,” Debbie told him. “He’s a child you know,” she said to Corrine.

           “Yes, he is,” Corrine agreed. “I should get my camera for pictures.”

           “Don’t need it,” Debbie told her. “I have every picture right up here.” She pointed to the alien computer imbedded in her brain. “I’ll give you stills and video.”

           “What about pictures with you?” said Corrine, heading for the bedroom. Debbie hadn’t thought of that.

           Shewuma came back carrying two bows and two quivers packed full of arrows. She gave one each to Corrine and Daniel. “You guys are shooting so well, I thought it was time. Plus I’m tired of loosening my bow for you weak little human people.” Everyone laughed.

           Corrine’s eyes went wide as she exclaimed. “Oh my Lord!” Testing the pull. “You made these?”

           “Yep. Same way we’ve been doing it for a thousand years. The bow is red oak. The arrows are oak saplings with deer bone arrowheads. The quivers I made from river cane.”

           “River cane?” Said Daniel.

           “Yes. You know. The bamboo looking poles at the edge of the lake.”

           “Oh. Wow. Like weaving a basket?”

           “Exactly.”

           “Wu. These are incredible,” said Corrine.

           Daniel picked her up and hugged her. He groaned, “How much do you weigh?”

            “She will fool you, won’t she?” Jimmy chided.

           Dermott pleaded, “Give me another one.”

           Debbie gave him two. He couldn’t believe it. Two more video games from David E. and Shewuma. Fortnight and Grand Theft Auto. “Let me go Miss Debbie. Please,” he whined.

           “No. You stay here,” Debbie told him. She understood his overexuberance. He had confided to her that his Grandparents were Seventh Day Adventists and was eagerly anticipating his first Christmas celebration.

           “Okay, then… Here.” He went around and gave everyone an envelope. A thirty dollar gift card to Longhorn Steakhouse.

           “This is great Dermott. We can all go have dinner together,” said Jimmy.

           “Thanks Buddy,” said David E., and thanks went around the room. Dermott was very proud of himself. Debbie was proud of him too.

           Corrine jumped up. “Wu. Here. From me.” She handed Wu a red wrapped present with a big, white bow on it.

           Shewuma opened it and smiled. “This is just darling Corrine.” She held up a Mrs. Santa mini dress. It was red, with white fur trim, a Santa hat and matching black patent leather boots, also trimmed in white.

           “Try it on,” said Corrine.

           Debbie was too late to stop her. Shewuma whipped off her battle belt and Manta. Debbie was thankful that she was wearing underwear at least. The group clapped and whistled while she wiggled into the tight Santa dress and laced it up. She put on the hat and boots and she was the hottest Mrs. Santa you would ever want to see.

           “You were right,” Daniel said to his wife, looking Wu up and down. “It was the perfect present for her.” Corrine punched him in the shoulder, playfully. Daniel stood up and became serious. “Shewuma. You have had a big influence on me. You taught me to shoot a bow and throw an axe. You taught me the reverence that goes with hunting. And you introduced me to a Sasquatch.” There was a mishmash of being touched and laughing at the same time. “I wanted to give you something special. So. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, I’ve already named Milly’s Colt Enoch. And it’s yours.” Shewuma started to speak, but he had more. “You can take it or leave it here and come back whenever you want. But it’s your colt.”

           Wu jumped up and down. She said, “Milly thinks it’s a boy.” And then went in for the hugs.

           At Debbie’s mental prompting, Jimmy stood and declared. “And now it’s time for the stockings.”

           Bulging with goodies, Debbie had hung them on the mantle early that morning. There was buzz around the room as she took them down and distributed them. No one but Jim and Wu had even noticed that they were there. Except for .45 caliber ammo for Jimmy’s Glock, an assisted opening Old Timer lock blade for Wu, and some kind of different small pocket knife for everyone else, the rest of the stocking gifts were essentially the same. Compasses, key chains, post-its, pens, sharpies, candy, ChapStick, white out, new flash drives, and of course candy canes. Debbie gave the dogs rawhide bones and rope toys. And Tippy got a new collar with little spikes on it. Daniel watched Wu putting it on and said, “Those look sharp.”

           “They are,” Wu replied.

           “Is Tippy a punk cat now?”

           Wu laughed. “Actually it’s so no one can go for his throat or the nape of his neck. He’ll only wear it when we are hunting or in battle.”

           “Oh. I get it,” said Daniel, while eating a Santa shaped snickers bar from his stocking stash.

           David E. said to Corrine, “You guys really know how to do up Christmas. I haven’t had this much fun since I was a kid.”

           “Yeah?” Said Corrine. “Then you’re going to love your present.” She handed him a gift wrapped in multicolored paper. “From me and Daniel.”

           “Oh, you shouldn’t have,” said David E., as he opened it eagerly.

           “We had to,” said Daniel. “That thing you use is older than dirt.”

           It was an MPS Dell 13 Laptop. “Top of the line,” Corrine told him.

           “This is wonderful,” he said. And gave her and Daniel a hug. “When do you people find time to do all of this stuff?”

           Corrine and Daniel crossed over to Dermott and gave him two more presents. “These are from us.”

           He squealed with delight as he opened two more video games. The Witcher and World of Warcraft. “This is awesome. Thank you guys. Miss Debbie…?”

           Debbie laughed and before he even finished the question, said. “No. Sit down.”

           Shewuma handed David E. a gift and gave him a peck on the lips. “This is from me, Debbie and Jimmy. We have been working on it for quite a while.”

           Debbie added, “We wanted to give you something special. Something meaningful.”

           David E. pulled off the paper and opened the box. Inside was a large 13x15 photo album. Embossed on the front it said, “The Life of Command Sergeant Major, David E. Major.” He silently and slowly began turning the pages. Jimmy, Debbie and Wu, and the rest for that matter, waited apprehensively. Page after page he would study and then move on. There were pictures of him as a child. His Military and Ufologist careers, including his Military records, commendations, and newspaper clippings of many of his UFO cases. But mostly there were photos of his family and friends. His wife, his son, and UFO partner, all murdered by the Men-In-Black. His Army buddies, his house, his old car. He sat there like a lump, staring. Dermott became restless and it snapped him back. He looked up at them. “How is this possible? I lost everything.”

           “Enoch gave me all of his memories. That includes being in your memories. Also Jimmy and Wu did a ton of research on archives, public records, Army records, Freedom of Information requests.”

           “We got that idea from you,” said Wu smiling.

           “Anything we could get.” Continued Deb. “Then we printed it off and set them up in the book. We tried to keep it chronological.”

           Debbie was describing the process when David E. stood up and still holding the album, went in for a bearhug on Jimmy. The girls came in around him and it was one big hug fest. David E. was choked up but managed to say, “I love you guys. I had resigned myself to the fact that my life was over. I never thought anything like having a family would have been possible again.” He sat back down and started back at the beginning, looking at the life he once had.

           “Okay, you two.” Corrine said to Jimmy and Debbie. “Here.” She and Daniel gave them each a case with a handle on top.

           “This looks like a pistol case,” said Debbie. “But it’s so big.”

           “Jesus Christ, is that what I think it is?” Said Jimmy, setting it down and opening it excitedly.

           “Holy shit!” Said Debbie pulling out a huge gun.

           “It’s a 50 caliber pistol,” said Jimmy.

           Corrine and Daniel were beaming, as Daniel explained, “Well from what we’ve seen since you guys arrived, you’re going to need some significant fire power. So viola.”

           “Oh guys, we can’t take these. You’ve done so much already.” Debbie said.

           Jimmy interrupted her, “Oh yes we can take them.”

           Debbie hugged Corrine for a long time and said, “I don’t know what we would have done without you guys helping us.”

           “We’re always here for you Girl,” said Corrine.

           “Miss Debbie…?”Dermott questioned.

           “Yes, yes. Go. Go play,” she dismissed Dermott. He ran up the stairs carrying his cache of Christmas booty.

           “Now for you young lady,” Jimmy said to Debbie. He handed Debbie a rolled up piece of paper tied with ribbon. Debbie opened it, read it and then put her arms around his neck and her head on his chest.

           Without any other movement, Debbie handed the scroll to Shewuma. Shewuma read it, a Christmas poem for Debbie. The room went silent as Shewuma put her head on Debbie’s back and put the scroll back in her hand.

The top read Merry Christmas Debbie, with holly and berries drawn on each side. The poem read:

                       It’s that time of year when Santa will fly.

                       We all are in need of presents to buy.

                       It’s Christmas again, so it comes every year.

                       What do you give to that person so dear?

                       Presents expected and presents deserved.

                       Maybe some gold or some Woodford Reserve.

                       What do you give to the girl who needs naught?

                       You give her your love, that’s the best that you’ve got.

                       I’ve loved you so much and I’ve loved you so long,

                       I’ve written you poems and I’ve sung to you songs.

                       But the thing that stays constant and solid and true,

                       Is the Love of My Life will always be you.

  Yours forever,

      Jimmy

           Debbie picked up her eggnog wiping away tears and offered a Christmas toast. “Here’s to those who love us well. And those who don’t, can go to hell.” The eggnog went up. Here-here and touché was heard above the clinks of glasses. Then everyone drank.

           Jimmy said to Debbie, “Let’s do Wu now.”

           “Out here?”

           Jimmy was serious. “Why not. We’re all family.”

           “You’re right Jims.” Debbie got Shewuma’s attention by taking her hands. “It’s time for your Christmas presents. There are two of them. Each is from both of us.”

           “Let me go first,” said Wu.

           “No,” Debbie insisted. She handed Wu a square flat box, not wrapped but with a bow on top.

           Shewuma opened it and inside were two sets of car keys and a piece of brown paper. As Wu read it, she realized that it was the title to the Muscle, signed over to her by Jimmy and Debbie and witnessed by David E. She looked at them puzzled and said, “But the Trans Am is yours.”

           “Not anymore,” said Jimmy. “Shewuma means White Bird in English, so we painted the hood Phoenix white and made you a fake registration. You also have a couple of the fake license plates. But you can make it all legal later if we ever get out of this mess.”

           “This is your Baby. I can’t take it, Jimmy.”

           “No,” answered Jimmy. “You’re our Baby and the Muscle is now your Baby.”

           She looked at Debbie. “Is this a hint,” she joked in her disbelief?

           Debbie took her hands again. “Listen WuWu. Because we are serious about this. We want you to always have a way to escape a bad situation. We want you to always have a way to find safety. And we want you to always have a way to come back to us if need be.”

           Shewuma took the keys and kissed Jimmy and Debbie. Then Debbie handed Shewuma a small white box and said, “This is also from me and Jimmy.”

           “That’s Jimmy and I,” Dermott said from the loft. He was watching.

           “No. It’s Jimmy and me,” corrected Corrine.

           David E. nodded his agreement and said, “Be quiet Dermott.”

           Wu smiled and opened the little box. It was sterling silver with the image of the Hopi spirit, Kotopelli, long haired and playing the flute, etched into the side. Debbie took it and held it up while Jimmy spoke the words. “We offer you this ring of Kotopelli. Protector of the Kachinas and Keeper of the Wedding Ritual.” Wu slipped her wedding finger into the ring, sat down and began to cry softly.

        “What happened?” Corrine asked Jimmy, surprised at Wu’s reaction.

           “It’s kind of a wedding vow thing,” he said to her, wondering if they had messed up.

           Debbie sat down and put her arm around Wu. “I’m sorry Honey. We didn’t mean to upset you.”

           “No.” Wu stood and composed herself. “You misunderstand.” She picked up two small boxes from under the tree and handed one each to Debbie and Jimmy. They opened them and compared the contents. Identical rings. Traditional sterling silver Claddagh rings. With hands holding a heart and a crown on top. Except Wu had inserted turquoise stones in the center of the hearts and hand etched their initials into the back. No way this was coincidence thought David E. as Shewuma explained the folklore. “Irish rings that promise the hands of friendship, the crown of loyalty, and a heart of love. We are lovers, so you could wear it on the wedding finger with the heart pointing in. But since you two are already married, you should probably wear them on the right hand.”

   Debbie and Jimmy looked at each other. “What do you say?” She asked him telepathically. He nodded and she took off her engagement ring. They put the Claddagh rings on their wedding fingers next to their own wedding bands, pointing in.

           David E. murmured to Corrine and Daniel, “I think we are watching these three get married.”

“I do.” Whispered Wu, as a single tear rolled down her cheek.