CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

Once again Mario was flat broke. Christmas was round the corner and he had no money. He didn’t even dare ask his mother to help him. She barely had enough to feed him, let alone enough to give him any for Christmas. With the little she earned, she had to pay the bills, buy their food, and pay off the debts his father had left them after his sudden death a few months before.

He’d been looking for a job for weeks now, with no success. He couldn’t go out with his friends without any money.

He’d steal!! He’d been brooding over this idea for days now.  All he wanted was some money. It didn’t have to be much; just enough to get him through till the end of the month. 

He made up his mind to try it out. He took the bus to Zurrieq, a small fishing village where no one knew him. He sought a quiet narrow street, and loitered in the corner, observing the movements of the people who lived there. He noticed an old lady looking out of her window by her door. She seemed alone. He decided to study her routine. At a quarter to six she left the house and went to church, which was further down the road, and as soon as mass had ended, she returned slowly home … alone. Soon after, she was once again at the window with a cup of tea in her hands. She stayed there for about half an hour, just looking out watching the goings on in the street, a neighbor would stop by to talk to her, she’d wave to someone she knew, but otherwise, there didn’t seem to be anyone else living with her. When the street lights came on, and the sun had set, she went inside, and locked the window. Soon after, the lights downstairs were switched off and before long, a light in an upstairs window shone.

Mario made his way back home deep in thought. He had something to eat and then went straight to his room to think things out. He wanted to plan this right. He didn’t want anything to go wrong. It seemed that the old lady lived on her own but he couldn’t be sure, so he had to be extra careful. ‘It shouldn’t be too difficult to steal some money from her’, he thought to himself, ‘but no violence. I don’t want to hurt the little old lady.’

The next evening saw him back at that same street. He had planned to do it that night. He didn’t want to wait any longer. He wanted to get it over with. He noticed another old lady entering the house next door, and heard someone calling her Mary, so he decided to pretend to be Mary when knocking the door of the old lady. He could easily change his voice. He was quite good at that. He remembered how, at school, they used to have quite a laugh when he mimicked the teachers or the headmaster. 

Her routine was the same as the day before. When she locked the window, Mario went into action. He went to her door, and knocked. The old lady was too quick to open her door for her own good. As soon as she opened, Mario put his foot inside the door to stop her closing it again.

“Look,” said Mario, “Be quiet and you won’t get hurt. All I want is some money. I’m coming in whether you like it or not. Now move from near the door!” And with these words, Mario pushed the door further open, entered the house, and closed the door behind him.

“Please… oh God … Please don’t hurt me. Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?” The terrified old lady mumbled. She started walking backwards. She thought of all the people she had heard about, getting hurt or even killed for money. Tears ran down her frail old face.  In a way, Mario felt sorry for her, but he needed money. It was now or never. 

“All I want is some money. I don’t want to hurt you. Where do you keep the money? Tell me. Come on tell me. In the bedroom? Upstairs? Come on, let’s go upstairs.” And he grabbed her arm and steered her towards the stairs. 

The old lady couldn’t speak… she was in such a shock. Mario had to drag her upstairs, because she could hardly walk with fear. Mario found the bedroom easily. The house wasn’t big. He ordered her to sit down on the bed while he searched the room. 

“If you just tell me where the money is, I’ll be out of here sooner,” he said angrily. He opened the first drawer that was nearest to him, and searched inside, throwing out on the floor most of the stuff inside it. There was nothing worth taking there. He found some jewelry in another drawer, although he had no idea if it was worth anything. He couldn’t tell if it was real gold or not. Then he moved towards the bedside table and stopped abruptly. He looked taken aback. At first he froze, just stood there looking at a picture frame.  Then, moving slowly towards it, he grabbed an old photo frame with a photo of a young woman. The old lady panicked. She thought he was going to break it.

“Please, please, not that…I… I don’t have another one like it… that’s my…”

But Mario didn’t give her a chance to finish. “What’s this photo doing here? How come you have my mother’s photo by your bed?”

This time it was the old lady’s turn to look perplexed. “Your… your mother? Oh God… Jesus, My daughter, whom I haven’t seen for more than twenty years. She’s my daughter… please … please don’t take it.” And she tried to take it back from him.

“Your daughter?” Mario sat down. He felt his legs buckling beneath him. “Oh dear God!! What am I doing? If this is your daughter, then... then... You’re my grand mother… oh God? I ought to be ashamed of myself.” But suddenly he stood up again, and shouted, “But ... But my mother always told me that her mother passed away years ago. You must be lying.”

“No, no, it’s the truth…That is my daughter Anne.. my daughter Anne. Please … I have my purse downstairs. I’ll give you some money, just don’t.. don’t take that.. please,” the old lady pleaded. She hadn’t yet believed what he was telling her, that her daughter was his mother, or she just couldn’t take it in.

“No, no, it’s OK. I… I don’t want your money. Oh God,” cried Mario hiding his face in his hands. “What have I done? What have I done?” Then he turned to the old lady and asked her, “Is this really your daughter? Because if so, then… then I’m your grandson…”

“You’re … You’re really Anne’s son? Oh Dear God,” she said looking at the cross she had hanging above her bed. “Dear God, my grandson.” 

“But… but how come my mother never said anything about you, except that you … you died a long time ago?”

“Oh… my dear… for her it was like I was dead. You see, I was dead set against her marrying John, and so she eloped with him. I knew he wasn’t good enough for her. He was always in trouble with the police, squandering all his money on drink and cards. But she wouldn’t listen to me, and I never saw her again.”

“Then… then you really are my grand mother. Oh my, I’m sorry, so sorry.” And Mario felt sick. He sat down on the bed again beside the old lady, sobbing. Never in a million years would he have believed that the one time he had decided to do something so awful, he had to pick his own grand mother, whom he had always thought was dead. “Forgive me… please forgive me.

The old lady embraced him affectionately, saying “My grandson, my grandson.” Then she continued, “Let’s go downstairs and have something warm to drink. And we can talk. We both need to calm down.” And it was true. They were both in shock. This was truly a bolt from the blue.

Once in the kitchen with a cup of tea in their hands, Mario asked her a question which had been going round in his mind. He wanted to know why his mother had kept it from him that her mother was still alive, now that his father was dead. She should have told him the truth.

“Your father used to gamble all his money away, and he loved women too. That’s why I never wanted my daughter to have him. But your mother loved him, and she wouldn’t listen to a word I said. They eloped and got married against my wishes. And I never heard from her again. Someone once told me that they had gone abroad, but she never once wrote to me. And it seems that if they did go abroad, they came back. She told you that I was dead, probably because for her it was as if I am dead. But tell me … tell me about you, and about her. Tell me about your life. Tell me if she’s happy. But, judging by what you were about to do just now, I think you must be struggling to make ends meet.”

“Believe me, this was my first time ever. And it was supposed to be my last too. You’re right about my dad. He was a womanizer, but he died not long ago, and he left us in huge debts. Mum wasn’t happy with him. He used to treat her horribly. But I think, like you said, she loved him. Otherwise, why did she stay with him all those years?

“Gran, please forgive me… I don’t know what came over me. Money is tight, and with Christmas so near, I felt desperate.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. This madness of yours brought us together. But dear me, you are so short of funds that you ended up about to do something so stupid. Is it that bad at home?”

“It is. Mum does all she can. She works hard, and is doing her best to pay off the debts he left behind. I couldn’t ask her for more. I’m not even expecting any presents from her. Because I know that three quarters of what she earns goes to the bank. And the rest is barely enough for food and rent. And jobs are so hard to find.”

And taking his hands in hers, the old lady said, “Well, now your worries are over. I’ll help you. I have some money saved in bonds. I’ll sell them and pay off your mother’s debts. Always hoping that she won’t refuse my help. Now, let’s think of a way to bring your mother here shall we? I want to see her so much. If only she knew how much I miss her. How much I want to see her.”

They decided that they would sleep on it, and Mario was to return to her house the next day, to prepare a meeting for mother and daughter. And he went back home with a tenner in his pocket, because his newly found grand mother wouldn’t let him leave empty handed. 

Back home, Mario found his mother in the kitchen preparing dinner. 

“Where have you been? I thought that at least you might have prepared the stew while I was at work. Now you’ll have to wait before dinner is ready. I’ve just got home from work a few minutes ago. So don’t start on about being hungry,” his mother complained.

“It’s ok mum, I’ll wait. Don’t worry. Sorry I didn’t realize you’d be late home from work. I lost track of time.”

“Ok. Why don’t you go and have a shower while I prepare the stew? Then you can keep an eye on it while I shower myself.”

“Ok,” replied Mario. And off he went to take a shower. It didn’t take him long to be back in the kitchen to see to the food while his mother went upstairs to the bathroom. But his mind wasn’t on the food, it was elsewhere. He was trying to think up a plan to reunite his mother with her own mother. 

*******

Early the next day Mario made his way back to his grand mother’s house, and he told her about his plan. They were to prepare everything for Christmas Eve at her house. They would decorate the house, prepare something to eat, some wine, and maybe a cake, then he would bring his mother over, pretending he was going to take her out somewhere for Christmas. He could say that he had been saving for this night. 

“What a surprise she’ll have when she sees you Gran,” smiled Mario. 

“I hope it will be a pleasant surprise for her. I don’t want her to leave again. I think my heart would break if I were to watch her leave once more.” She went pale, and her hand went to her chest. Mario was scared when he saw her like that.

“Gran… Gran... What’s wrong? Are you OK?” She was having trouble breathing, and she quickly told him to bring her one of the pills which were in her purse. Mario hurriedly gave her one and she put it under her tongue. Soon after she was feeling a bit better.  “This is nothing, my son. Don’t worry. My heart has been playing up for years. I’m not going to let it win now. Not when I am about to have my prayers answered. Nothing’s going to stop me from being reunited with my daughter again, after all these years.” And with these words, she walked over to him, cupped his face in her hands and said, “You’re a Godsend.” And she kissed his cheeks. Mario hugged his grandma, and kissed her back.

In those few remaining days before Christmas Eve, Mario was at his Grandmother’s house every day. Her face was alight with contentment.

*******

At last Christmas Eve arrived. The little old lady’s heart was beating nineteen to the dozen. It had been destiny that had guided him to that house. It must have been God’s will, a Christmas miracle. 

At four that afternoon, he went up to his mother, who had been reading in bed, and told her, “Mum, I have a surprise for you. Put on something nice. We’re going to a friend of mine to celebrate Christmas together. She’s very eager to meet you.”

“Not today Mario, thanks. Some other time maybe.”

“Some other time won’t be Christmas Eve. If I go on my own she’ll be very upset. Come on, don’t break her heart.”

“I don’t even know who she is. Is she your girlfriend?” she asked.

“No, she’s a dear old friend of mine. But… No more questions. All you have to do is come with me. You won’t regret it, you’ll see.”

“Where did you meet her? She lives so far away from us!” his mother remarked.

“Patience mum, patience. You’ll soon know,” replied Mario, looking at her with a smile on his face. 

“Well, you look happy enough.” And with this last comment, she turned to look out of the window at the passing traffic, and at the shops they were passing. There were so many things on display with it being Christmas. How she wished she could have bought something new. 

His grand mother had moved house since his mother had left home, so she couldn’t recognize the place they were going to. 

Mario had told the old lady to wait inside, but she was so anxious to see her daughter, that she was at the door waiting for them. And as soon as she saw her daughter with Mario, she couldn’t hold back her tears. She was crying even before they came face to face. And Mario noticed that she was about to faint, and he ran to her. He put his arms around her and led her inside where she could sit down. His mother stopped outside the door. 

“Mum!! Mum!! Quick, come inside and fetch the purse from the kitchen. It’s in there.” And he pointed to the room inside. “She has her pills in it. Bring one, quick.”

His mother didn’t need to be told twice. She could tell that the old lady had a heart problem. She ran inside and brought her the pill. But how did Mario know about all this?

But as she was handing the old lady her pills, she felt like there was something familiar about her.

“Mum?”

Her mother took her hand and kissed it. 

She knelt down beside her, holding her hand, patting it slowly, and with a broken voice, she called out to her, “Mum, mum …!” Tears streamed down her face. Then she looked up at her son, “But how? When?”

“Later mum.”

“Anne… Anne.. You came. You’re here. Don’t leave me again.”

“Mum, mum, I’m here now, and you won’t lose me again. Please forgive me mum,” cried Anne.

“Shall I get the doctor Gran?” asked Mario, who looked very concerned about his grandmother. She looked so pale. 

Anne was puzzled when she heard Mario saying ‘Gran’. How had he known she was his grandmother? She had never told him that she was still alive. So how had he found her? Mario hugged them both to him. 

“Don’t ever leave me again,” wept his grand mother. 

“No mother, I won’t leave you ever again.”

And while some choir singers stopped in front of the door, singing ‘Joy to the World’, inside that very door, three hearts were singing with joy. 

THE END