The First Noel

"Daniel! Hurry up, we are going to be late" Anna shouted at the top of the stairs. Anna scanned the living room below in search of her husband. She had been waiting all year to see her family for Christmas and she wasn't going to let whatever he was getting into waste a second of it. "One minute honey" a soft distant reply strayed from their kitchen. With a confused expression, Anna descended the stairs two at a time and followed the voice to its origin. The site waiting for her was the back of her 6'2 husband’s silhouette crouched over the sink washing a mixing bowl. "Sorry mom, me and Daniel are going to be late because he couldn't leave a dish in the sink." Anna teased through a grin as she entered the kitchen to investigate what he was up to. Daniel's signature deep chuckle ricocheted off the kitchen window in front of him as he turned off the water in turn to meet his wife. This was the first time Anna could see that he was wearing a kiss the cook apron seasoned with flour and water droplets stains. "No Dalia, Anna is lying. Don't believe a word she says." He played along. "The truth is that I was baking, I pulled out an ol' Spearman family recipe for the Christmas cookie-off this year. I just didn't want you to see, so there wouldn't be any biases when you're judging. When I rub it in your aunt Lisa's face, I want it to be because I won fair and square" Daniel chuckled again as he slid the apron from his torso and placed it on the counter. Daniel grabbed an opaque ruby red rectangle container before walking over and kissing his wife on the forehead. "Alright, you have waited long enough and endured three Covid tests. Let's go my love" Daniel wrapped his arm around his 5'8 wife and led her to the garage. The white BMW was filled with luggage and presents that Daniel could hardly see when backing it out of the garage. Anna sent her mom a quick on the way text before getting on last glimpse of their victorian home slip away in the distance of the rearview mirror.

…

Anna felt tears well up on her eyes as her childhood home appeared in the distance. 2020 has been a rollercoaster year to say the least and this was the one good thing she needed. The one thing that made all the heartache and grief from having a mischarage in June to losing her full time job as an accountant in August. Daniel could feel Anna's anxiety and excitement from the passenger seat, he reached out and grabbed her hand to give the back of it a kiss. "I still can't believe this is happening. After everything…" Anna trailed off and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I never thought I would be able to have a somewhat normal Christmas''. Daniel gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as he pulled into the light gray driveway of her parents farmhouse. 

  Anna quickly wiped the last of the tears before exiting the car. She adjusted her red buffalo plaid scarf into the zipped up black puffer as her armour  to keep out the bitter cold. She looked up at the house and knew her dad had out done himself this year. All six windows and every corner of the house was lined with white Christmas lights eliminating the snow kissed ground below. He has taken time to fully decorate the huge elm tree in the front yard with lights, plastic icicles, and clear glass circular ornaments. She even noticed the matte red and silver mini ornaments invading the hedges lining the concrete walkway to the wrap around porch. The house looked like a National Lampoon's Christmas threw up on it and the enormous holly wreath perched on the front door was the icing on the cake. 

The large wooden door opened before Anna could even reach the handle. A 5’3 blonde thin framed woman stood in the door frame with tears in her eyes.  “Welcome home Anna, I’m so glad you are finally here.” Dalia rejoiced as she reached out and enthusiastically embraced Anna in a hug around the neck. Her mother’s signature scent of lavender and vanilla filled Anna’s nose as she returned her mother’s embrace. The two released just as Daniel was stumbling around the corner with three wrapped gifts and rolling a large suitcase behind him. “Alright, enough tears. There is no crying at Christmas, now you two come in and out of the cold. You are just in time, the Christmas cookie off is just about to start. Daniel, you can place your things in the room down stairs. It should have all the privacy and amenities you lovebirds need.” Dalia said as she stepped aside to usher them into the warmly lit living room behind her. After a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, Daniel disappeared down the stairs to the in laws suite in the basement. The large living room had two cream colored couches facing one another with a larger circular walnut oak wooden table in between. Anna could see aunt Lisa had already made herself comfortable on one of the couches talking to a young pregnant teenage girl that she has never seen before. Dalia’s eyes followed Anna’s as she examined the girl without a word. “She had nowhere else to go, she was the newest member at Halfway to Home and Happiness. Her name is Elena and is in the process of being adopted by her grandmother in the new year. We always have plenty and I didn't think anyone would mind.” Dalia whispered in Anna’s ear. Halfway to Home and Happiness was an all women’s halfway house that Anna’s mother and father started a year and a half ago. This passion project was a safe haven for domestic violence victims to get out of bad situations and receive a fresh start. “Of course not mom!” Anna replied smiling back before turning to enter the living room. The crimson brick lined fireplace that centered the front wall of the room was in full flame, the warmth kissing the cold from Anna’s cheeks as she walked to greet the rest of the party. 

“Oh Anna! It’s been too long” aunt Lisa proclaimed as she stood to wrap her plump arms around her niece. “Hi Lisa, I know and I hope you have been well” Anna released a strangled reply. As soon as the embrace was finished, Anna turned to extend her right hand toward the teenager seated to the left of aunt Lisa. “Hi, I’m Anna and Dalia’s daughter. I’m so glad you are celebrating with us” Anna chirped. Elena looked up at Anna with a shy smile before replying. “Hi, I’m Elena and thank you, I am happy Dalia invited me too.” Elena shook Anna’s hand quickly and released just as quickly as she reached for it. Elena appeared to be no older than 17 years old with dark black hair, hazelnut toned skin, and rich green eyes that danced around her environment, seemingly taking it all in. “Aunt Lisa! I hope you like second place this year because my cookie is top notch” Daniel’s voice boomed as he entered the room from the kitchen. He was grinning from ear to ear as he dodged the furniture to bend down and hug aunt Lisa around her neck. “Wanna bet Danny boy? Do you want to put your cookie where your mouth is?” Aunt Lisa roared into Daniel’s neck, squeezing him tighter as she joked. Daniel released and quickly walked over to join Anna’s side on the opposite couch. “Elena, this is my husband Daniel. Daniel, this is Elena. Mom invited her to celebrate Christmas with us” Anna introduced and used her hands to gesture in Elena’s direction. Daniel and Elena exchanged quick nice to meet yous before Anna’s dad entered the room with a armful of firewood. James was a tall gentleman with salt and pepper hair and a round jolly face. He smiled in Anna’s direction while he added the extra wood to the fire and stoke the fire to bring it back to life. “Sorry I missed your arrival sweetheart, It’s going to be a cold one tonight. Your mother insisted that I make sure we have enough firewood.” James apologized as Anna stood to greet her father. The embrace lasted a few seconds and it was everything Anna needed after the terrible year she has had. 

“Anna! Elena! Can you come to the kitchen please?” Dalia’s voice drifted from the kitchen one room over. The two girls wandered back to the kitchen as they were told. The kitchen was a large room lined with white upper and lower cabinets, all stainless steel appliances, and an enormous island in the middle of the room. Along the island were four silver platters of a variety of cookies with small hand-written description cards placed to the right of each platter to identify the type of cookie. “ Alright ladies! It's cookie-off time. I have randomly selected you two as my special judges. You will not know who baked which cookie until a winner is chosen based on taste and presentation on their cookie. I will be in the next room and you can grab me to tell me which cookie you like the best!” Dalia announced and walked out of the room. Anna shook her head and laughed. “I’m sorry she is a Christmas fanatic and goes all out for these things” Anna explained turning toward Elena. Elena’s smile was bigger now and Anna could notice her perfectly straight teeth peeking from behind her nude colored lips. “No, I love it! I have never had a traditional christmas before. It feels normal.” Elena confessed. Anna could see the hurt in her eyes when she finished her sentence. “Good, well these cookies aren’t going to taste themselves. Show no mercy when judging” Anna giggled as she reached the light brown cookie off the first platter labeled peanut butter macadamia. The girls tasted all the four contestants from peanut butter macadamia, lavender sugar, triple chocolate chip, and lastly white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. They quietly wrote down their scores for each on two separate slips of paper and walked it over to Dalia for the final scoring. “This may take a few minutes to confirm a winner, why don’t you two sit and chat, so they can’t interrogate you for information.” Dalia smiled and walked into a private room down the hall. 

“So congratulations on the little one on the way, how far along are you?” Anna questioned while focusing her gaze on Elena’s protruded abdomen. “8 months actually. She will be here before I know it. I have so much to do still.” Elena replied looking down and rubbing her stomach. “ Yeah, I can’t even imagine what you are going through. I was pregnant earlier this year but ….” Anna trailed off trying to keep her emotions at bay. “It’s okay, Dalia told me. I am so sorry about your loss.” Elena whispered reaching to give Anna’s hand a small squeeze. “Thank you. It has been a hard year but at least you are getting a happy ending.” Anna answered while wiping her flowing tears with her free hand. “It’s been so far from being happy. This baby is a product of sadly some of the worst times of my life. My step dad raped me one night after coming home drunk from a bar. My mother couldn’t help or hear my screams because she was overdosing on the heroin in the bathroom in the next room. I begged and pleaded for him to stop until my voice went hoarse. I never felt so helpless and small in my life. I used all of my might to reach an alarm clock on my nightstand to knock him out and I made it to a nearby neighbors house to safety. She helped me call the police and I never saw him or my mother again. It wasn’t until I was sent to the hospital to be examined that I found out he had even finished in me” Tears overflowed from Elena's eyes as she continued her story. “The authorities sent me to Halfway to Home and Happiness instead of foster care, until they could find a reliable family member to take me in. However with the pandemic, other matters have delayed this tremendously. I found out I was pregnant the first month I was at the house and Dalia has been my guardian angel. She has taken me to every doctor's appointment, researched the highest quality prenatal vitamins, and purchased me all new maternity clothes when my own didn’t fit me anymore. She has even helped me investigate all my options for this child to have the best future.” Elena cried. 

An almost silent sob from the corner of the room caused both girls to turn toward the direction of the hallway. Dalia was wiping away constant tears from her own rosy cheeks. “I would do it all again too. I didn’t know we would be getting into this discussion so soon but I am glad it was brought up organically” Dalia said as she walked to close the distance between her and the girls. “Elena, are you ready to share with Anna what you shared with me?” Dalia said, still wiping the ever flowing tears. Anna’s expression turned from empathy to confusion as she turned her head toward Elena, waiting for her to explain. “Your mother has told me so much about you Anna. I know that you have always wanted to be a mother and have been trying for a few years. I wanted to meet you so badly after seeing your wedding picture in Dalia’s office that I begged to be invited to your Christmas celebration. Something told me that we were meant to cross paths and I now know why. I am not ready to take care of some else because I can barely take care of myself. I want Noel to be raised in a loving home with Christmas traditions and without the fear of a handsy step father or not knowing if she will find her mother dead that day. I want her to be raised in this family. If you are willing, I want you to adopt my daughter.” Elena spoke between sobs. The room fell silent except for the subtle sobs of all three women. Anna was numb and went through every emotion she knew how to feel. “Yes..” Anna whispered before she knew what she was doing. “Yes I will adopt your daughter.” Anna and Elena embraced in a full body celebratory hug.

“We will hash out all the details with the lawyers after the holidays but right now I have to go announce the cookie-off winner before there is a blood-bath in the next room.” Dalia said, straightening her blouse to compose herself for a moment. Anna and Elena followed suit as they followed Dalia back into the living room with the rest of the family. “Finally! What you all have been waiting for! The winner of the 2020 Christmas cookie-off is…” Dalia paused for dramatic effect. “Aunt Lisa for the third year in a row with her raspberry white chocolate cheesecake cookies!” Simultaneous cheers and boos erupted from Lisa and Daniel as soon as the words left Dalia’s lips. “I’ll get you next year Lisa” Daniel taunted as he stood to approach his wife. It took Daniel’s emotion two seconds to change from playful to worried when he saw Anna’s red puffy eyes. “Baby? Baby, what’s wrong?” Daniel whispered, pulling her to the side. Anna leaned in close and whispered the news in his ear. “WE'RE GOING TO BE PARENTS!” Daniel shouted trying to process the news. The loud shouting alerted everyone in the room to turn towards the couple in curiosity. Anna turned her head and smiled. “Elena asked us to adopt her daughter and I graciously accepted. In a month or so, we are going to be parents!” Anna's voice broke on the last words. Immediately Anna’s dad and aunt Lisa raised from their seats and took turns hugging each other to celebrate. Everyone’s voice overlapped with praises and congratulations to celebrate the good news. The adoption was the topic of discussion for the next few hours until one by one, each member excused themselves for the night leaving only Anna and Elena left chatting in the living room.

It was one in the morning before Anna stood from the couch, she stretched her arms up and yawned to signal that she was ready to wind down for the night. “ I think it’s time that i got some sleep before all the Christmas festivities tomorrow morning. You honestly do not understand how much your decision means to me.”Anna said, leaning down to wrap her arms around Elena one last time for the evening before walking towards the basement door. “Merry Christmas Anna,” Elena said through a smile. “Merry Christmas Elena” Anna smiled back as she descended the basement stairs.