| General Fiction posted December 12, 2024 |
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A Grandmother's love is always there
Nana's Christmas Miracle
by Begin Again
"Matthew! Elizabeth! Wake up!" Mary Beth's cheerful voice echoed through the car, but it was useless. The two children were fast asleep in the back seat, their heads resting against the windows — the soft hum of the engine and the long night ride had lulled them into a peaceful slumber.
Chuck chuckled softly, glancing in the rearview mirror at his kids. "Come on, you two sleepyheads. We're here."
Elizabeth stirred first, her eyelids fluttering open. She yawned, her long hair tangled around her face as she reached over to shake her little brother. "Matthew, wake up! We're here!"
Matthew groggily opened his eyes, his messy hair falling over his forehead as he stretched with a big, dramatic yawn. "Where are we?" he asked, still not quite awake.
Mary Beth's smile softened as she glanced at her son. "Look outside," she said gently, her voice carrying a sense of excitement.
Elizabeth was the first to peer through the foggy window, her breath leaving a small cloud of steam on the glass. Her eyes widened, and she gasped, "Nana's house?"
Chuck nodded, a mischievous grin on his face. "Surprise! Your mom wanted to celebrate the holidays at your grandma's house. She thought it would make us feel closer since she's not with us this year."
Matthew slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes and blinking into the cold morning light. A tightness formed in his chest as he stared at the familiar yet empty house in front of them. His lips parted, but no words came.
Mary Beth caught his look, and her smile faded. She turned her gaze to him, her heart aching for her son. "Aren't you glad to be at Nana's house?" she asked softly, though she already knew the answer.
Matthew shook his head, his voice barely a whisper. "Nana's not here."
Chuck put the car in park and turned off the engine. "She's always here, son — in our hearts." He opened the car door. "Come on. Let's go inside."
"I don't want to!" Matthew muttered as he pulled his blanket over his head.
Chuck pressed his lips together and sighed, "Suit yourself, but it's going to get mighty cold."
Mary Beth climbed out of the car, staring at the house. She understood how Matthew felt but knew that being here would make them feel closer to their Nana if they only gave it a chance. The house in front of them, once a place of warmth and laughter, was now quiet. The front porch was just as they remembered it — decorated with twinkling lights and a wreath on the door — but something was missing — that feeling of home that had always been so alive.
Chuck opened the car trunk and yelled, "I could use some help with these suitcases."
Mary Beth leaned into the car. "Your dad needs your help. Let's go!"
Elizabeth was the first to unbuckle her seatbelt, her eyes scanning the house as she stepped out of the car. "It doesn't feel the same without Nana," she murmured, crossing her arms as if to hold herself together. She was trying hard to hide the sadness creeping in, trying to appear strong, but it was clear she was struggling, too.
Mary Beth and Chuck exchanged a look. It wasn't lost on them how much this Christmas would be different.
Matthew, however, didn't move. He stared at the front door as if waiting for Nana to appear, for her to open it wide with her arms outstretched, ready to greet him with that familiar smile. But the door stayed shut. He felt his stomach twist. "Nana's not here," he whispered again, the words feeling heavier with each repetition. He was struggling to accept that this Christmas would be different, that Nana wouldn't be here to make it special.
"Hey, buddy," Chuck said softly, stepping around the car and kneeling in front of him. "We're going to make some new memories, okay? Your grandma's love is still here. We'll carry it with us, always." He gently nudged Matthew, urging him to get out of the car. He and Mary Beth were doing their best to comfort the children and make them feel loved despite their grief.
Elizabeth watched — her gaze fixed on the house. She could still see the place as it had been — full of life, laughter, and Nana's endless stories. But now, there was just an emptiness that she couldn't quite fill.
Mary Beth stood next to her, her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I know it's hard, sweetie. But your Nana would want us to be happy and make the best of this Christmas. We can still remember all the good times."
Matthew finally climbed out of the car, but instead of running toward the front door like he would have done a year ago, he lagged behind, dragging his feet. His eyes scanned the yard — Nana's garden, the flowerbeds she used to tend to so carefully, the birdhouse she always joked about needing to paint — everything felt too still, too quiet.
Mary Beth took his hand, squeezing it gently. "Come on, Matthew. Let's go inside. Nana would want you to be excited."
The front door creaked as Chuck pushed it open, and the scent of cinnamon and pine filled the air. The house was as they remembered — cozy, with the familiar scent of old wood and the faint smell of Nana's famous sugar cookies lingering in the kitchen. But without her, it felt more like a museum, a place frozen in time.
Elizabeth stepped inside first, her boots clicking against the hardwood floors, echoing through the otherwise silent house. She sauntered toward the living room, her hand trailing along the tops of the furniture as though reaching out for something that wasn't there.
Chuck came in behind her, and Matthew lingered at the doorway, unsure if he even wanted to step into this space that once held so many happy memories. It wasn't that he didn't want to be here — it was that he couldn't imagine this house without his Nana's warmth filling every room.
Mary Beth caught up to him and knelt beside him. "Your grandmother's love is in every corner of this house," she whispered. "It's in the walls, the things she made with her hands, and the decorations she carefully hung every year. That love is still with us."
Matthew looked up at her, his small face scrunched with confusion. "But it's not the same, Mom. I want her back."
Mary Beth's heart broke as she pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "I know, sweetheart. But maybe Nana will find a way to show us that her love will never leave us. We just have to be open to it."
Elizabeth, meanwhile, had wandered over to the fireplace, running her fingers over the mantle, where Nana's favorite ornaments hung. One in particular caught her eye — the tiny, delicate glass angel Nana had always placed front and center each year. She picked it up carefully, holding it in her hands as if it might shatter. "I miss her," she whispered to no one in particular, her voice cracking slightly.
Matthew, still holding his mom's hand, glanced at Elizabeth. "You're not sad!" he said, his voice small and uncertain.
Elizabeth met his gaze, determined not to cry. "I am!" she said. "I'm just not a crybaby like you."
Elizabeth's remark brought the rough-and-tumble boy raging back through Matthew. "Take that back!"
Elizabeth replaced the angel and then snipped, "I won't! And you can't make me."
The next few minutes were spent chasing around the house and up the stairs, sister and brother tossing taunts at each other. Finally, they collapsed on one of the beds in a fit full of laughter, their grief forgotten momentarily.
Later, after everyone had brought the suitcases inside and unpacked, the family gathered in the living room for the first Christmas without their Nana. It was her house — every corner still carried her touch, but without her warm laughter or the smell of her cinnamon rolls, it felt like something vital was missing.
Eight-year-old Matthew sat curled in an armchair, wrapped in an Afghan Nana had knitted last Christmas. He held the blanket tightly as if letting go would make her absence more real.
Leaning against the doorway, Elizabeth was the first to break the silence. "We'll be fine without Nana," she said, her voice casual but her eyes betraying her true feelings. She was trying to be strong, to show that life could go on without their beloved Nana, but deep down, she knew it wouldn't be the same.
Their parents were trying their best to keep the holiday alive, but it was clear this Christmas wasn't the same. The tree was up, and the lights twinkled as they always had, but everything felt a little off without Nana's guiding presence.
"I'm glad Mom's women's group came by and decorated for us when they heard we were coming to Nana's," Mary Beth said, trying to break the silence as she smiled at the kids. "They wanted to help. They wanted it to be festive just like Nana would have made it."
Matthew stared at the tree. "It's nice, but they forgot Nana's favorite box of ornaments — the tiny tin soldiers that Papa brought back when he was in the war."
Elizabeth stopped scrolling through her phone and looked at the tree. "Yeah, and she always had an angel on top, not that funny-looking elf."
Chuck smiled. "Okay, who's game to go into the attic and find those ornaments? Matthew?"
Matthew smiled at his dad for the first time since their arrival as he jumped off the chair. "Let's go! I bet I beat you up the stairs." With that, he scrambled up the staircase, leaving his father in his dust.
*****
The following morning, Matthew wandered into the kitchen. As he rummaged through the cupboard, something caught his eye — a familiar recipe book on the counter. He picked it up, his fingers brushing the cover, and opened it to find Nana's handwritten notes on every page. The sight of her familiar handwriting brought a rush of memories, and for a moment, it felt like Nana was right there in the kitchen with them.
The following morning, Matthew wandered into the kitchen. As he rummaged through the cupboard, something caught his eye — a familiar recipe book on the counter. He picked it up, his fingers brushing the cover, and opened it to find Nana's handwritten notes on every page. The sight of her familiar handwriting brought a rush of memories, and for a moment, it felt like Nana was right there in the kitchen with them.
Inside, tucked neatly between the pages, was a small, yellowed recipe card for her famous cinnamon rolls. His heart skipped. He knew that the handwriting was as familiar as the sound of her voice. He held the card to his nose and inhaled. "Ahh — Nana's cinnamon rolls."
"Mom!" he called, running through the house with the card in his hand. He found Mary Beth in the living room. "Look! It's her recipe!"
His mother looked up, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She took the card from him, her eyes scanning it with a faraway look. "She made these every Christmas morning."
Matthew could feel his mother's sadness, but something in the card seemed to breathe new life into her. For a moment, the house didn't feel so empty. There was still a piece of Grandma here, after all.
Sitting on the sofa, Elizabeth watched silently as Matthew and their mom talked. She rolled her eyes. "It's just a recipe. Don't make it weird," she said, trying to brush it off, but she couldn't suppress the flicker of something in her eyes.
"Shall we try to make them? I think I watched Nana enough times to try."
"I can almost taste them," Matthew squealed. "Do you think we can do it?"
Elizabeth nodded, adding, "I can hear Nana now, saying you don't know until you try."
Elizabeth's walls began to crack as the cinnamon rolls baked, filling the house with their sweet, comforting aroma. She couldn't ignore the memories flooding back — the way Nana used to hum while she worked in the kitchen, and her laugh filled every corner of the house.
"They taste like hers," Elizabeth muttered under her breath, almost begrudgingly, as she took a bite of the warm roll. The house didn't feel so empty for the first time in what felt like forever. She looked over at Matthew, who was grinning, a crumb from his roll stuck to his cheek.
"She's always with us," "Matthew said softly.
Mary Beth nodded, holding back tears. "She is, sweetie. She will always be with us."
That evening, as they added a few more ornaments they'd found in the attic, Elizabeth complained again. "Nana's decorations are so old-fashioned." She stormed off, leaving Matthew to hang ornaments by himself.
Inside the dusty box, Matthew found something hidden underneath an unused tree skirt — an old music box. It was one of Nana's favorites, a cherished possession she always brought out during Christmas, but no one had heard it play in years.
He opened it carefully, and to his surprise, it began to play. The gentle notes of "Silent Night" filled the room, as soft and clear as if Nana were playing it herself.
Matthew's mom gasped, and his dad shook his head, smiling. But it was Elizabeth, peeking back into the room, who hesitated. She said nothing but picked up an ornament and quietly started helping Matthew finish the tree.
*****
The delicious scent of roasting turkey filled the house as Mary Beth moved around the kitchen, carefully basting the bird. She glanced up as Matthew and Elizabeth entered the dining room.
The delicious scent of roasting turkey filled the house as Mary Beth moved around the kitchen, carefully basting the bird. She glanced up as Matthew and Elizabeth entered the dining room.
"Matthew, Elizabeth, could you two set the table for me?" she called.
Matthew nodded and approached Nana's china cabinet, his hands trembling as he reached for the delicate pieces. The memories of Nana's hands carefully placing each plate and glass flooded his mind. His fingers brushed the smooth china, and he saw something behind the plates, tucked between two of Nana's favorite bowls. It was a small, sealed envelope.
"Mom! Elizabeth! Look!" Matthew's voice cracked as he pulled the envelope from its hiding place. The handwriting on the front was unmistakable — Nana's neat, graceful script.
"For My Family," the envelope read.
Elizabeth, who had been scrolling on her phone, glanced up as Matthew waved the letter in front of her. "What's that?" she asked, her curiosity piqued despite her usual indifference.
Mary Beth entered the room just in time to see Matthew carefully tearing open the envelope. "What is it, honey?" she asked, standing beside her son.
"It's a letter from Nana."
Inside the envelope, Matthew found a beautiful Christmas card. When he opened it, a note fell out. He held it to his nose, sniffing the faint smell of vanilla musk, Nana's favorite cologne. He unfolded the paper slowly, afraid it might crumble in his hands. He cleared his throat before reading aloud —
If you are reading this, I know you feel a little lost and wonder how Christmas will be the same. Sadly, it won't be, but if you believe our love will never leave us, then we will be together.
Keep our traditions alive. Celebrate and be joyous, sharing the season with others and our family. Don't worry about the presents under the tree; the best gift you can give or receive is love and time with each other. I'll always be with you in your hearts.
Merry Christmas with all my love, Nana
The room fell silent. The only sound was the crackle of the fire in the living room.
Tears filled Matthew's eyes as he hugged the letter to his chest. "I just want her to come back," he whispered, his voice breaking.
To everyone's surprise, Elizabeth stepped forward. She pulled Matthew into a gentle hug, her arms warm around him. "Me too," she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "I miss her too, Matthew."
The family stood there for a moment, wrapped in the quiet realization of their loss and the love they still held for the woman who had made this house a home. Though the grief of losing her was there, the note served as a reminder that Nana would never be truly gone. Her love, traditions, and spirit would live on in them.
*****
After dinner, the family stepped outside to light candles in Nana's memory. Matthew suddenly pointed up as they stood under the stars."Look! A shooting star!" he exclaimed. "It's Nana saying she's okay!"
After dinner, the family stepped outside to light candles in Nana's memory. Matthew suddenly pointed up as they stood under the stars."Look! A shooting star!" he exclaimed. "It's Nana saying she's okay!"
Elizabeth looked up, too, her expression softening. "Maybe it is," she said quietly, reaching for Matthew's hand. She always was a bit of a showoff." Everyone laughed and watched the sky for a little while longer.
*****
Just before bedtime, Matthew asked Elizabeth to take a photo of him by the tree. "Just for me," he said shyly. Elizabeth obliged, snapping a picture of him holding Nana's music box. "I'll send it to your phone."
As Matthew crawled into bed, he opened the photo on his phone to look at it one last time. His heart skipped when he saw her — Nana, faintly glowing, standing behind him in the picture. Her eyes sparkled, and she pursed her lips as if blowing him a kiss.
Matthew smiled, hugging the phone close to his chest. "Merry Christmas, Nana," he whispered.
The room felt warmer as he drifted to sleep, the phone's glow casting a gentle light — a final miracle from Nana, reminding him that her love would never fade.
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