Winter Surprise

“A Winter Surprise”

By Carol Ann Keefer

             Newscast echoes from the radio in the dimly lit living room as the children gather to sit on the thin carpet with anticipation of building a snowman— while Ms. Freeman is busy making a list.   With the daunting task of overseeing the Orphanage for thirty years now, she is diligently working on keeping a neat and tidy ship, never once, has one child gone hungry, and she is not about to let any snowstorm deter her from having food for them to eat.

             Though now, with the funds running low, she may face the one thing that she never thought would happen, running out of food.  With her eyeglasses gingerly resting on the tip of her nose, Freeman’s hazel eyes with a narrow gaze study the ledger again one more time to see if she made a mistake with the calculations.

             Freeman’s pencil keeps a steady beat as she quietly hummed a tune, the chair joined in as she shifted her weight that illuminated a squeaking noise.  The gentle warmth of what sunshine there was, cascaded across the den a small reminder of hope.

             “Yes,” Ms. Freeman said, “What is it, my dear child?” -glancing up from her desk as Lilly stood motionless just a few feet from her. Lilly, a dainty child, almost six years old; sadly, she has been there at the Orphanage since childbirth.

             “Ma’ can I have a snack?” Lilly softly said, her blue eyes darting across the room.

                          “What would you like?” Ms. Freeman said, hoping that the rest of the children will find their way here all wanting a snack.

             “Toast, please.”

                            “Okay, let's go into the kitchen.” – hand in hand, they headed toward the kitchen through the side door of the den, not to draw any attention to what could be a disaster. There may not be enough bread to go around, Ms. Freeman muttered to herself.  Lilly helps in getting the food, as Ms. Freeman popped two pieces of bread in the toaster.  In a matter of minutes, out popped two lightly toast pieces of bread, butter spread, Lilly sat at the table and enjoyed her small feast.  Silence is disturbed by the whistle of the kettle boiling on the stove, as Ms. Freeman pours a spot of tea, a little lemon with a teaspoon of sugar. Her mind drifts off into another time, back when she was bout a child of ten years old. And her first memory of walking by this very Orphanage, seeing the sad looks on the children's faces, it was then, she supposed when the dream of taking care of children had first materialized.

             “Ma, I’m hungry.” Jeff’s squeaky voice resounded, pulling back Ms. Freeman from the place that her mind had gone.

                          “Yes, how about some toast?” Ms. Freeman hopefully said, knowing that is the one thing she can spare at this time

             “No, I want cake.” Jeff snorted- hands on his hips- “I want no nasty toast!

                            “I’m sorry, but we don’t have any cake.”

             “Okay, ’s toast.” -before long one by one, the children came, and soon to become a assemble line, until only two little pieces of bread were left. Freeman looked at what was left, she disappeared back into her den, once more calculating the funds available to feed her children. Jenny and Red are the two oldest ones who took it upon themselves to help Ms. Freeman whenever they could. Red has lived since he was only two years old, along with Jenny, who except for a few years, both of whom have seen both good and bad times.

             “I don’t know about you, Red, but I think that there is something wrong with Ma.”

                            “Yeah, I know.”, Red continued, “What can we do?”

             “Hmm, I don’t know,” Jenny added, “Yet.”- as she started to straighten up the kitchen, as Red swept the tile floor. Nothing more than a joint effort, helping keep things neat and tidy, it’s not to say that the two of them always got along; however, the older they become, the less they disagree.

             Ms. Freeman pushed the door open a board smile emerged as she quietly watched the two of them, pride-filled her heart, the satisfaction that somehow, she made a difference in their lives.  That’s what this is all about, she whispered before going back to the office.

             Tick, tick, the clock on the wall announcing time was slipping away, and soon the food will run out- the buzzing of her phone caught her off guard, laying down her pencil once more.

             “Yes?” Ms. Freeman answered- distracted by the clock- “What?”

                            “Ms. Freeman, this is Rev. Matthews speaking.”

             “What can I do for you, Rev. Matthews?” – Red walks in- “Red, I’m busy right now.”

                            “What was that, Ms. Freeman?’

             “Oh, I’m sorry, sir, but one of my children just walked in,” Ms. Freeman continued, “What were you saying?”

                            “I was about to tell you, Ms. Freeman, that my congregation would like to denote to your Orphanage.”

             “Uh, that will be great!” Ms. Freeman added, “Especially now, our funds seem to be disappearing and that well, I.”- “What do you mean, disappearing?’ Rev. Matthews replied

             “Well, it looks like with all of our past denotations have, um. depleted.”

                            “Aren’t you in charge?

             “Yes, sir, I just, well,”- “Well, what? Ms. Freeman?”

                            “I do my best with what I have, and frankly, sir, we have gotten more children and I, um”- “Can’t you just say ‘no’?”

                            “With all due respect, being a man of the cloth, you would say such a thing?”

             “Ms. Freeman, do you or do you not want our help?”

                            “Yes, sir, we do.”

             “Then, it’s easy, all that  you need to is  to stop taking in more children than you can handle.”

             “But, sir,” Ms. Freeman quietly said, “That will be impossible, there are so many children without homes, and I believe that the “Good Lord’ would not want me to turn any of His little ones away.”

                            “Very well, we can only help with a small amount then, since you don’t accept my suggestion.”, Rev Matthews continued, “Soon as the storm passes, I’ll bring you the funds.”

             “What about now?” Ms. Freeman begged, “I need the funds now, and it can’t wait.”

                             “As I have said, it will have to wait until the storm is over,” Rev Matthews added, “Good day to you, Ms. Freeman.”

             “Good day to you, sir” -Ms. Freeman hung up the phone, whispering a prayer, returning to the books, looking for anything that can give some light to the whole situation. What if? She said, going to her handbag, what if? -rummaging through her purse, Ms. Freeman found two crumble ten-dollar bills, maybe? She ponders, it may just be enough to get some things, bread, milk, and some eggs. Quickly jots down a list of food they need, to get them through this snowstorm.

             “Ma, can we help?” Jenny and Red said in unison peering into the room; Freeman looked up from her chair and softly said, “Thank you, my dears, I’ll, um., we’ll be fine.” Ms. Freeman added, “Now if you two please and look after the children for me.”

             “Ma, are you going somewhere?” Jenny curiosity said

                            “Yes, I need to run down to the store.”

                                          “Ma, the store, now?” Red said-with a long look across his face- “Ma’ it’s cold out there, and you, uh, can freeze to death.”

                            “I promise you both that I won’t get lost and freeze to death.” Ms. Freeman said-ushering them out the door, “Now both of you do as I’ve said, please, and thank you.”

With them out of the room Freeman with her handbag in tow, grabs her old worn-out coat, with any extra money is spent on her children. Every child she raised as if they are her own. And partially, that is why Freeman finds it hard to give any child up for adoption, though that should be her only goal.  There have been a few children in her many years adopted, with one or two ending back here where they have started, Jenny for one returned. She was four years old when adopted, and fifteen years old when her family brought her back.

             “We can’t handle her anymore.” Was what her parents said right in front of Jenny, a careless act, one that has taken two years for Freeman to let the love she feels for Jenny to seep into her heart.  Is that why Freeman wonders make finding a home for her children too tricky, taking a deep breath, readying herself to face the bitter cold world waiting for her, taunting Freeman to escape the warmth and safety of the house.

             Just around the block as Freeman gives herself a pep talk- with each trace is slowly being swept away with the drifting snow across the pavement.  Stuffing her bare hands more profound into the coat pockets, trying to stay warm against such odds as this cold air.

Head down shoulders square Freeman pushes further in the wind as it howls all around her, a determination is a driving force behind her, making her go beyond what is humanly impossible.  Blinded by the swirling snowfall, she continues, with the thought of her children starving is more then she can bear.

             “I must keep on going” Freeman hopelessly yell at the top of her lungs, even the sound of her voice is silent in the wind.  In the distance, a light glimmer, a lone street light glowing illuminating through the storm as a beacon begging her to follow.  Keep on going, Freeman said, as she started to hum a little tune, to keep her mind off the cold and the snow that is beginning to get knee-deep, keep going, is what she said one last time.

             Right then, she found herself standing beneath the Neon Sign “Ma and Pa’s Food Mart.” With an “OPEN” sign flashing on and off, hope at last Freeman sigh, the doors swished open as the heat escapes into the chilly air. She takes a few steps inside, looking around for any sign of someone around, greeted by only an eeriness silence. Hush music is playing in the background; someone must be here, her voice echoes within these hollow walls.  

             With a narrow gaze, she cautiously takes a grocery cart and goes down each aisle, putting the items in the basket, bread, milk, eggs, and some cheese. Meat, Freeman sigh, looking at the counter, hmm, hamburger, can she, dare she, No one’s here, Freeman, looks around one more time, shaking her head no, she moves on to the checkout. 

             “Is anyone here?” Ms. Freeman cautiously said, glancing around at the front of the store waiting for someone, anyone to come to the checkout.  Hanging directly above her is a clock that, for whatever reason, stop at two o’clock, and it is way past that by now, pulling out an old pocket watch, the one given to her by her grandfather, said the time to be five o’clock. 

             “Hello, is anybody here?” Freeman’s voice bounces off the walls, creating an echo, shifting her feet one to another, she waits, with a deep sigh, figuring out what to do. Should she simply leave the money, or take what she has and leave a note of what she had bought with a promise of returning to pay. Clearing her throat, Freeman said, “Is anyone here?” in a loud-sounding voice, just in case somebody is in the back of the store.

             Biting her lower lip, Freeman hastily jots down a note which reads; Dear Sir or Madam, my name is Janneke Freeman; I am a care-giver at the town's Orphanage. I have taken with me, three loaves of bread, two dozen eggs, one gallon of milk, and a block of cheese. I will return to pay for what I had just purchased

             Thank you, Ms. Freeman

              Janneke, bags the food, just as she was about to leave the store, a tiny buddle, was lying on the cold tile floor, on the other side of the checkout. Cautiously Janneke sits down the bags and approaches the buddle. Leaning over, she unwraps the covers and discovers a baby fast asleep, with a note attached: “Please take care of my little girl.” Hopelessly her eyes dart around the store, searching for the person who left this helpless child here.

             “Hello, please, anyone,” Janneke yells at the top of her lungs. With a narrow gaze, she seeks for any sign of someone who was just here, unfortunately, as the minutes tick away, time is the inwardness of this small miss. Promptly, she leaves the child and runs where the bottles, milk, and baby food just enough to get by until the tempest passes, and she can contact the local offices.

              Janneke picks up the child and places her inside the coat, securing the strap around the waistline, and added protection from the cold, stepping out into the nighttime breeze, one hand holding the bag of groceries, while the other supporting the weight of the small child.  Ms. Freeman hits the long trek back to the Orphanage. With each step came an uneasiness, not just for this small baby, more significantly, for all of the children waiting for her to go back home. What about them, she marvels, particularly since her telephone conversation with the Rev. Matthews, and his demeaning advice about taking any more children. 

             What did she say? , oh yes, she can't turn away one of the Lord's little ones,’ and she isn’t about to start now, Saying a prayer, asking the Lord for guidance, Ms. Freeman arrives back home to the waiting eyes of her children, excited and overjoyed, looking out the frosty windows, just as Red opens up the door. 

             “Welcome home, ma,” Red said- taking the bag of food off her hands- “I’m, uh, we are glad to see that you didn’t freeze to death” Giving a side look at Jenny, who just smiled. 

             “It's good to be home.” Ms. Freeman manages to say- removing the buddle from underneath her coat as the children watch in amazement- “Children, this is little Grace-unwrapping the blanket.

             “It’s a baby!” Jenny astonished announces- leaning over for a better view- “Where?”

                            ‘Inside the store”, Ms. Freeman continues, “lying on the floor near the checkout, and no one was around.”

             “No one?” Red curiosity said- joining Jenny standing looking at the baby- “Who left it there?

                            “I don’t know, all I knew was to bring this poor child home to be with us,” Ms. Freeman said, “Tomorrow I’ll make a few phone calls to the authorities to see what the next course of action will be”

             “Ma, she can sleep with me.” Little Lilly quietly said

                            “Thank you, Lilly, but I think that I have your old crib upstairs in the attic.”

             Red and Jenny said that they’d go upstairs to the attic and bring down the crib. Ms. Freeman protested; however, she relented and left them to help. All the other children went back upstairs to bed, leaving Ms. Freeman sitting down on the couch, cuddling Grace.  

             “It’s been a long time since I have taken care of a baby,” Ms. Freeman whispers-making sure that her breathing is regular since Grace hasn’t woke up yet. A light kiss on Grace's forehead, just a way to check her temperature. Holding her, Grace’s eyes open as she lets out a small cry.

             “Hush, hush little one, you're okay, I have you”-soothing words of assurance, as Ms. Freeman, summons Kattie, “Kattie dear, can you please take one of the bottles and pour some milk into it, for me.?’

                            “I, uh, don’t know how,” Kattie explained- backing away until she was almost out of the living room

             “Kattie, please, I need your help,” Ms. Freeman sternly said.             

                            “I’ll do it, ma,” Jeff proudly announces,” I have done it for my younger brother for my mom.”

                                          “Your younger bro., um, thank you, Jeff.”

                            “Your welcome” Jeff said, as he did everything that Ms. Freeman had instructed Kattie to do earlier, within a few minutes, he came back with the bottle, “Here you go, ma.”

The stairs creak under the heavy footsteps of Red and Jenny as they managed to carry down Lilly’s old crib. As Jenneke fed little Grace, Jeff, Red, and Jenny got the crib cleaned up and ready for little Grace. 

             Ushering her helpers upstairs for a good night's rest, Jenneke tenderly lays Grace down in her crib- singing a little tune, keeping out a close eye on her as she falls asleep.  Curling up with a throw blanket, Janneke lightly shuts her eyes, attentive to every sound that the baby makes, believing in her heart that she did the right thing despite what other people may think.

The End.