I Love to Write
Capricorn in Aquarius - Part Two
The next day - the eve of the party and Christmas Day - Mari came by to deliver my Christmas present. Had I come to the party, she would have left it under the Christmas tree at her house for me to open in private and I would have slept over that night. But since I had to call her and confess I was being punished and couldn't come to the celebration, Mari decided to deliver it.
With Mari came her four-year-old baby sister, Michaelene, who everyone called "Mickey". All hair and eyes in the innocent round face, she liked to come with Mari when it was to see me. I adored her - I was a surrogate aunt and her godmother besides - and she loved me. Looking at her, I could imagine that was what Mari had looked like at her age - olive coloring, dark brown eyes, dark brown-back hair. It was obvious they were related.
Michaelene insisted on handing me the present, although the box was a little unwieldy for her. It was wrapped in silver foil paper, with a light cream design and scripted French words. It was tied with a type of golden ribbon.
"I TIED it, Annie Meri!" chirped Mickey, and I began to to unwrap it. "Where's Mari's present?"
"MichaeLENE Robyn!" Mari flushed and shook her sister's wrist reprovingly. "You don't ask things like that to people."
"But you said Santa Claus was droppin' your present from Annie Meri over here!" Mickey had tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean to - "
"Oh, Mickey - don't cry. Here," I reached under the bed and handed it to her. "Here it is."
Mickey's interest was centered on the package. She danced with impatience while her sister unwrapped it."Pretty!"
"Oh,Merry - " Mari hugged me. Just what I wanted! How beautiful!"
It was a set of three satin shell blouses, to go under the blazers Mari had in her closet ay home. One was red,one was silver, and one was a bronze gold. Mickey picked up the top one out of the box and held it up to her, looking in my bureau mirror at her reflection. "C'n I wear one sometime, Mari?"
I nearly choked on my laughter. What a little princess.
Mari swallowed her laughter. "We'll see." She waited while I opened my package. It was the same item, only I had a sapphire blue, ivory, and green. I was surprised and pleased.Mari hadn't bought them while I was with her in the store, but she looked back at the display with love in her eyes when we left.
"Well, we have to go,"Mari picked up her little sister's coat.
"Oh, can't we stay?" Mickey begged.
"No. Mama said we were to come right back, Mickey. You know that. She's cooking for today and - " She stopped and blushed, She finisied, " - and she needs our help."
Michaelene sighed. She picked up Mari's gift under her arm, and I saw them out again and watched them walk down the sidewalk to the corner and out of sight.
I returned upstairs again.
(To Be Continued,)
The next day - the eve of the party and Christmas Day - Mari came by to deliver my Christmas present. Had I come to the party, she would have left it under the Christmas tree at her house for me to open in private and I would have slept over that night. But since I had to call her and confess I was being punished and couldn't come to the celebration, Mari decided to deliver it.
With Mari came her four-year-old baby sister, Michaelene, who everyone called "Mickey". All hair and eyes in the innocent round face, she liked to come with Mari when it was to see me. I adored her - I was a surrogate aunt and her godmother besides - and she loved me. Looking at her, I could imagine that was what Mari had looked like at her age - olive coloring, dark brown eyes, dark brown-back hair. It was obvious they were related.
Michaelene insisted on handing me the present, although the box was a little unwieldy for her. It was wrapped in silver foil paper, with a light cream design and scripted French words. It was tied with a type of golden ribbon.
"I TIED it, Annie Meri!" chirped Mickey, and I began to to unwrap it. "Where's Mari's present?"
"MichaeLENE Robyn!" Mari flushed and shook her sister's wrist reprovingly. "You don't ask things like that to people."
"But you said Santa Claus was droppin' your present from Annie Meri over here!" Mickey had tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean to - "
"Oh, Mickey - don't cry. Here," I reached under the bed and handed it to her. "Here it is."
Mickey's interest was centered on the package. She danced with impatience while her sister unwrapped it."Pretty!"
"Oh,Merry - " Mari hugged me. Just what I wanted! How beautiful!"
It was a set of three satin shell blouses, to go under the blazers Mari had in her closet ay home. One was red,one was silver, and one was a bronze gold. Mickey picked up the top one out of the box and held it up to her, looking in my bureau mirror at her reflection. "C'n I wear one sometime, Mari?"
I nearly choked on my laughter. What a little princess.
Mari swallowed her laughter. "We'll see." She waited while I opened my package. It was the same item, only I had a sapphire blue, ivory, and green. I was surprised and pleased.Mari hadn't bought them while I was with her in the store, but she looked back at the display with love in her eyes when we left.
"Well, we have to go,"Mari picked up her little sister's coat.
"Oh, can't we stay?" Mickey begged.
"No. Mama said we were to come right back, Mickey. You know that. She's cooking for today and - " She stopped and blushed, She finisied, " - and she needs our help."
Michaelene sighed. She picked up Mari's gift under her arm, and I saw them out again and watched them walk down the sidewalk to the corner and out of sight.
I returned upstairs again.
(To Be Continued,)
61-69, F