Growing up as an only child who was homeschooled, his mother was his teacher and his friend. Since he was seven years old when his father Phillip died overseas, he had always been close to his mother Fanny who had even started a special tradition - every Christmas they would drink Phillip's favorite peppermint hot chocolate before baking his favorite cookies for the nursing home he had been a doctor at and loved. This tradition of memories lasted every year even when the small family suffered a big change.
Fanny eventually met a businessman named Winston Aves, who had tricked her into marrying him so he could squander her money. When he met ten-year-old Rob for the first time, he had plastered on a fake smile and gave him a new, deluxe train set he always wanted. Later that night, the same evil man, who would later become his stepfather, snatched it back from him behind Fanny's back. Winston's evil schemes continued until the day when he finally got rid of Rob, the very day he became an adult. Robert's eighteenth birthday was supposed to be an exciting day but it turned out to be the worst of his life. There had been only one person who cared about Rob in the world, so losing her was more than he could bear. He had sent many letters to his mother while in prison, but he never received one reply. Rob could only hope that somehow, somewhere, his mother was still out there, still caring about him. Having no other friends or family, he had almost dreaded being released out of jail because he had no one to see when he got out. And now on Christmas Eve, Rob was all alone in the depths of his sadness. He was now free from the pain of the bindings of prison, but still not free from the pain of loneliness. "Rob? Are you still there?" he asked himself just to make sure. Oh good, at least he still had himself, if not anyone else. Robert trudged on through the sidewalks and the crunchy snow. His bare fingers were numb carrots but he stooped down and attempted to form a snowball, as he hadn't made one for years. "Come on Rob stop thinking bout your childhood!" he scolded himself. It was no use. He kept thinking about those good old days with his family, because now in life he had no one. He had no memories to make or parties to look forward to, carols to sing or gifts to buy. He had no money, transportation, friends, or any trickle of hope. If only he had enough money to travel to see his dear mother, then he would finally be broken out of this depression of loneliness, the gaping hole of emptiness he felt. And suddenly an idea broke into his mind, spreading and swirling throughout his brain like an evil scheme of Winston's. All he had to do for money, was to steal it. It was the perfect time to do it too, because of the many homes that were left behind when families go on vacation at Christmastime. Rob pondered the scandalous thought but couldn't fathom why he was considering doing the very thing he was falsely accused of. But he had to see his mother for Christmas, and this was the only way. Robert started scouting out the rich neighborhoods, guiltily trudging through the snow and trying to act innocent. He promised himself he would return the stolen money after he started working, but he still thought of how disappointed his mother would be in him. Robert sadly continued trampling down the streets, scouting out promising houses and hoping his mother would never find out. It was getting late. Robert quickly picked a large house with beautiful stone architecture and no lights in the windows. It looked like no one was home, so he sneaked around the back, heart pounding as he had never done anything like this before. "I'm so sorry Mother," he whispered to himself as he peered through the hazy layers of darkness and spotted a frosty back window that just might fit a person his size. He looked around anxiously, almost hoping someone would catch him so he wouldn't have to commit this terrible deed. He regretted what he was about to do already, but forced himself to open and climb through toward the window, for his mom's sake. Rob looked around in the basement he had just climbed into, trying to decipher what the hazy objects were through the darkness. He didn't have a flashlight of course, so he stumbled around in the dark, trying to find the stairs after tripping over several boxes of storage in the process. After banging his head on the low ceiling and crashing down a box of vases, he finally made it up the steep stairs. Rob just hoped no one had heard him so he could quickly get out of here with any money he would find. Thankfully the house remained dark so he slowly opened the basement door to the first floor. "All right. Now get this job done ok?" he nervously told himself as he softly and shyly padded through the empty, creaking house. He had taken his shoes off as a habit, as his mother never had let him wear shoes in the house. Yes, it was another childhood flashback. It was probably strange for a man just released out of jail to reminisce about his childhood and his mother, but maybe it was because he never had the chance to be a real adult with real freedom. Maybe it was because he never got to have a house of his own. And maybe it was because he had spent the years since leaving home in a dark cell with actual, nasty criminals. Continuing on one wobbly step at a time Robert hoped he could find a purse or wallet so he could get home in time for Christmas and the tradition for which he longed. He quietly opened a closet and was surprised to see a full, sagging purse hanging off the edge of a hook on the wall. Not spotting anyone yet, he quickly grabbed the purse and looked inside at the bulging wallet. There was so much money. There was so much temptation. But he would take only what he needed. He stuffed a few bills in his pocket and left the rest there. But even though he was using the money for what he hoped was a good thing, he still couldn't justify this terrible deed. He decided to leave a note in explanation that he would return the money someday. Humming a carol softly to himself, he rummaged through the leather purse, searching for a scrap of paper to use. That's when he saw it. Under some old receipts and sticky chapstick he spotted a Christmas card, which was a childish bright red with a cutout Christmas tree on top. It looked familiar, like something from his past. Just as Rob was about to open it to investigate, he heard footsteps behind him. Oh no. He froze in shock and realized he was about to be caught and arrested again, only this time for something he actually did. Heart beating and hands sweating with nerves and guilt, he decided to bravely face whoever it is. Rob hunched down in depression, bracing himself for the action, when he turned around and his trembling eyes peered up into the face of his mother. "Robby!" Fanny gasped so deep she almost lost her marbles. "My little Robert Philip Fieri? It was you who broke into my basement?" Rob sheepishly nodded with guilt and amazement. "Mom? Why are you here?" he asked dazedly as he clutched the purse which was apparently hers. Fanny grinned and squeezed him just like she used to. "I just moved here. Oh Rob, my little son! I've missed you so! Where did you go sweetie pie? How did ya find me?" she rambled. Filled with embarrassment, Robert suddenly felt like a young boy again getting punished for stealing candy from the store. After a few minutes of explaining the past nine years and the almost committed crime, he finally got the courage to ask her something. Something that had weighed on his mind all those lonely years captured in jail, and that had made him doubt there was still anyone caring about him in this world. "Mom, why didn't you reply to any of my letters I wrote you in jail?" he asked nervously. "What?!" Fanny gasped with sorrow, realizing Winston had tricked her all those years. "Oh, honey pie, you see, Winston didn't tell me you got arrested! He said you moved away because you hated me and never wanted to see me again." Fanny paused because a cry was choking her throat, reminding her of all those lost years. She then continued softly, "He gave me an address for you but I later found out it was fake, after all the letters I sent you were returned." Rob shook his head. "Mother, did you really believe I hated you all those years? Because when I didn't receive any reply to my letters, I almost gave up hope that you cared, or were even still alive," he admitted. Fanny smiled warmly and answered, "Oh, Rob, I did still have hope I would see you again. And that you loved me, deep down inside." A few minutes later they sat down together at the kitchen table and Fanny filled him in on her perspective of the years they had lost. "Winston died, son." she quietly said as she poured him their special peppermint hot chocolate they so loved. Robert stood up in shock. "What? No one told me!" he cried. "Oh, Robby, he died from a gunshot in a robbery attempt," Fanny explained, "That's when I found out about his double life and secret deeds." "He's really gone? I can't believe this. Mom, I'm so sorry for what he did to you. He messed up this whole family," Rob huffed aggressively as he heaped piles of marshmallows and whipped cream on his drink. Thinking of the optimistic side though, at least Winston wouldn't make any more trouble for this already dented and broken family. "He took nine years of your life! And your son!" Fanny shook her dainty head. "He could never take away you, my son. I thought and prayed for you every day," her voice cracked gently. "Oh. Are you going to turn me in for breaking and entering?" Fanny heartily cackled as she cupped her hands around her steaming mug. "Of course not, sonny. You can't be arrested for breaking into your own home! Wherever I am can be your home and you can visit any time," she answered joyfully, rejoicing deep in her old heart that her son was finally home. Rob teared up so he gulped down his drink as a cover, scorching his throat in the process. After he finally recovered, Fanny got up. "Come here, let me show you something." she beckoned, heading to the closet her son had just almost burgled. Rob hurriedly stood up, knocking over his hot chocolate because of his excitement. To him, it was a magical Christmas morning as a boy all over again, and he relished the anticipation he felt. Because he hadn't had Christmas for the longest time, he was caught up in the memories of childhood. Rob wiped his spilled hot chocolate with his ragged sleeve, smearing it all over the antique wood, and followed his mother into the next room where she opened the closet door. Fanny reached for her purse and that's when Robert remembered to give back her money still in his pocket. After he shoved it back in there, she gently pulled out the Christmas card he had seen earlier and remembered from long ago. "You made this for me, little Rob, as a young boy! I saved it and started carrying it around when you left because of the treasure it is and the memories it contains." Fanny opened it slowly to reveal to Robert a short message he now recalled writing in his early childhood scribbles. "Dear Mom, I love you. I will never leave you," the handwritten message read. Rob teared up and wished he still had that hot chocolate to sip. "Yes mom I still do love you...I wrote that so long ago but it's still true. And I wish I didn't have to leave, but I had to. Because Winston framed me I had to go to jail...I'm so sorry." He tried not to complain but all he could think about was the years of his life he had lost in the depths of prison. And he regretfully thought of the crime he had almost committed against his own mother. Fanny shook her head in regret and softly stroked the tattered Christmas card. "Never mind all that. Because now you're back." she whispered gratefully to her firstborn and only son. Rob smiled and was thankful he didn't have to be alone on this special day as he had been for so many years. And that Christmas they continued their tradition to remember their dear Phillip and the memories they had. The nursing home residents greatly enjoyed the packages of cookies, and Rob and his mom greatly enjoyed the packages of memories that laid inside. The tradition continued afterward for many years, and eventually Rob's new wife, Ellie, and their five children enjoyed it too. Fanny was so thrilled to be a grandmother and she would always tell them stories, her favorite this wonderful story of how she was reunited with her dear son. She never forgot a tiny detail, even in her old age. And Rob never forgot that magical Christmas Eve when he was released from the chains of prison and loneliness through an attempted robbery and an unexpected reunion.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
about the authorAs a 21 year old aspiring teacher, Karissa loves to write, travel, play piano, and read. Many creative things have her heart. archives
November 2021
latest video: |