Forsaken and Betaken

Christmas Day – the Christ Child's birth, let us all rejoice.
— Old saying

Christmas Day came in with freezing temperatures and high winds blowing from the Great Lakes. Flo gazed at the Star of Bethlehem glowing on top of the Blue Spruce tree for the Christ child born this day.

Donations and more Christmas gifts, Emmy mused, given to the household. Flo gave her a lovely robe, and slippers. Chad and Flo had opened each other's privately. Months ago, Emmy and Joyce began knitting. Emmy wove a hat, gloves, and vest for Percy. Flo and Percy chipped on new maternity clothes; two hats, gloves and boots. He'd not let her walk to school anymore. Emmy made a long multi colored vest for Flo, and Joyce knit a plain red one. They had even thought of gloves for Kieran very serious over Trudy intending to marry her. Flo had asked, what he planned do to support a wife and family. That statement had made him think if two year course would work well with jobs with full scale accountants. He debated, heck; he should have four years of accounting school and a master degree. He could go in business as a CPA.

Flo had the large dining table set for the group; soon everyone was gathered around the table. The elected Percy folded his hands: He gave thanks to the Lord 'for this bounty, Amen!" They stood and took their food from the side bar. Before they sat down to dine, Gilda and Mitchell arrived followed by their daughters and husbands.

"Merry Christmas," "To All and To All a Good night!"

Emmy stood to embrace Gilda, and lead her to a seat? "Have you eaten, 'we are' just starting?" Olive and the other two women laid gifts under the tree for Flo and Emmy with a large smile for the two?

"You 'must dine' with us Flo exclaimed," Emmy took their coats to hang in the front room closet. She noticed the husbands stared at her pregnant stomach that was prominent for a young girl. Their wives wanted to wait – for what – they began to think, so they had no family. What a thing to happen to a young girl, his death, pregnant with his child and completing school?

Flo lined the family up; sure they had plates. This event was the culmination of the year and in another week a new year would be here. She was happy to have her family with her at this time.

*****

Earlier, Kieran relaxed over at Trudy's family and with his mother and the others later in the day, when Flo liked to dine. He found Trudy a good companion and she was all he wanted? It surprised him, she never kissed him, or showed any romantic feelings, but he did not mind. His family was curious about Percy why he never brought Flo to the house or even showed up for Christmas prior to that day. They had not seen him since he married?

Kieran no sooner come in the door than her irate father went into a tirade. "Where is 'that son of ours' not up to visiting us on Christmas Eve or Christmas?" His father with the stout prominent stomach sopped up the beer every chance he got, and had imbibed a few. "He never brings her here, we will be darned if we to go there, what is his stupid game?" Trudy and Kieran had turned to the other their minds spinning with what could be the problem. They had no answer to give him, but a bear hug from Trudy, the true daughter, never to desert the family.

Marcy decided to bring a guest. She'd latched on to the single English teacher, Peter Bath that she met at a PTA meeting in the last month. He seemed compatible for this feast – his family residing in another state.

*****

The New Year passed with little events – and February approached.

Landry brought Emmy a box of chocolates preempts to Valentine's Day. He gave them to her after class commenced. She'd her normal homework sojourn, before class again. She escaped seeing him lately, but gave him a fast grin, returning to her homework. He left with fondest wishes....

Flo, Marcy, and Gilda planned the baby shower for the beginning of March since Emmy was due early April. She intended going to school until she gave birth? "Flo, we missed our normal walk at night... prior to the bad weather."

The phone blasted! "Gilda good day to you! We were just talking over the menu? The finger food is a good idea. We can plan the dessert. Each of us fixes four Horsd'oeuvres? So we don't bring the same item let's name them? Tell Marcy to write four down. I will too?" They got busy taking a stab at a variety. The invites go out next week?"

"Yes. That is fine; I will call you in a few days." "My past husband, a judge, would be proud of my dead son."

*****

Kieran was horrified at Percy carrying on an affair in his office with this secretary Libby, a reminder of his first wife that marriage never consummated. He heard his mother told him to leave, or straighten out whom he loved. Trudy gave him a drink, while they conversed, shocked. His mother looked well with Percy's leave.

"I'd offer they did have another love in their life – but you could never tell by me, as ecstatic as he was?

"Job influenced us kids against Emmy in the house."

"You must 'try to forget it' Kieran. Do you think I'm 'the same' as him?"

"I asked for that dig?" He'd told her.

Now, he halted a few steps from the kitchen at home when he heard the conversation, the two talking over gun protection. Marcy and Flo stared at him...

"Kieran, did you see Carl's 'astonished appearance' found guilty of murder. He's sentenced to life in prison with the chance of parole. His sentence is worse than Eugene's, incarcerated in the city?"

"He's 'a dangerous' man?" He decided he 'had better things to do' than listen to the Wild West Annie Oakley talk, so took his coffee to his room.