Winter Season

Grandma got ran over by a reindeer

‘Ave Maria’ by Placido Domingo and Michael Bolton came on the radio. Esther smiled, “I love this song. And I’m so impressed that Michael Bolton can sing with Placido Domingo.” It was playing low. Oscar walked over to the radio and turned it up drowning out the noise of ringing fire trucks, robots, and a Speak-n-Spell. As the music filled the kitchen, he kissed her.

She whispered in his ear, “your mother will get you over that.”

He kissed her again, “ask me if I care.”

“How’s your stomach?”

“Doing flip flops again.”

When the song stopped, he turned the radio back down. “That has to be the prettiest Christmas song ever.” Esther commented.

“I like Maw run’d over by uh ren-deer.” Larry, the oldest child was standing on the kitchen table.

Esther and Oscar smiled at each other then at him. Pam was standing in the doorway behind him, glaring at them.

“Uncle Oh-scar, you kissed lady. Granny say thad wher babies come frum. You gonna be a paw?”

Oscar raised an eyebrow at Esther, then shot his mother a ‘you really told the child that’ look. He smiled at Larry, “not today.” And returned to the dishes.

“Paw say howse work fur girls.”

He locked eyes with Esther again. “Larry, when a man lives alone he learns to do a lot of things that your paw considers work for girls.”

“You coo…” Larry stopped, thinking about – maybe what to say next. Then he finally blurted out. “k?”

“Again.” Pam encouraged with a smile.

Esther shot Oscar a glance. The look on his face was something she didn’t have a word for.

Larry screamed, “COOK!”

“Yes.” Oscar sighed.

“You ah girl?”

“Do I look like a girl?”

Larry looked at Esther, turned to look at Pam, then looked into the living room. “No.”

“I’m not a girl.”

The Speak-n-Spell started talking. Larry spun around shouting, “MINE!” He lunged off the table and raced from the kitchen.

Oscar said his good byes and they left. Esther thought it was strange that no one was standing on the porch watching him drive out of sight.

At some point along the drive he pulled over.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

“Thank you.”

“You’re most welcome.” She smiled.

“No, honestly.” He took her hand in his.“Thank you. I don’t know if I could have made it without you. Each year this gets harder and harder.” He kissed the top of her hand, then placed her hand over his heart.

“I think your mom had a seizure when you kissed me.”

“You know that Otis has been talking about my feminine ways with the questions Larry asked.”

Winter Season