A Gift
With Yuletide coming fast, Jacob's parish was a mad house. The congregation was filled with good people who cared for those around them which meant charity drives and bake sales and parties for children. Jacob, of course, had to be present at all of them. When he sat down with Neela to show her the schedule, she almost cried. There was no rational way he could come home most nights. With all the Masses at the end, she wasn't likely to see him at all over Christmas Eve and Day. She ran a finger over the schedule, desperate to find just one hour she could have.
He pulled her into his lap and held her tightly, whispering into her hair. He knew how hard it was, having lived through it as a child, but there wasn't much he could do. When he felt she was calmer, he pulled the list over and pointed out a couple of events he thought she might be interested in. Two were for the local homeless, one was for kids, another for new members. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes.
Jacob's calm certainty that she could find a place made her even more anxious. Everything he suggested they had discussed before. She even knew some of the people on the homeless committee from helping out before. When she volunteered she kept her head down and did only what was needed. She was much happier helping at the compound even though she knew there was more need for her at the parish. Being so close to the church made her jumpy.
He never pressed her about Mass, even the few times she was at the church when he was leading one. He hadn't asked her once since they'd moved. She'd prayed a time or two, just her, when he was away, but she felt almost more comfortable with the heathen ghosts. Opening her eyes, she looked down at the list and pointed out another event she might help at. He hugged her tightly and thanked her.
That night, when she'd exhausted him and tucked him into bed, she went back out to the living room and picked up the list again. She touched the things they'd chosen over and over, ticking them off in her mind and trying to draw out the schedule so it was a part of her. When she thought she had it, she added one more thing.
For a dizzying second the image in her mind rotated, spinning out of control. She dropped the paper and shuddered, desperate to get it under control again. When she thought she had it, she picked the list up again and started over. Just before going back to bed, she checked off all the items with a pencil. He'd find it in the morning sometime. Two homeless charity drives, one children's party, one new member's social, a few hours delivering meals…..and Midnight Mass.
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