The Christmas Present

The seventh short story submitted to the TOI Write India competition. For the other stories click here

ย Author Prompt

It was the first thought that came to her as she woke up. He was gone. And, soon, this bedroom, the house in whose eastern corner it sat, and the tiny garden outside with its gnarled old red hibiscus and the half-grown mango tree they had planted together, all those would be gone as well. It was the strangest feeling ever. by Jaishree Misraย  (For more about the contest/rules click here).

The Christmas Present

Daddy wasnโ€™t going to come home ever.

It was the first thought that came to her as she woke up. He was gone. And, soon, this bedroom, the house in whose eastern corner it sat, and the tiny garden outside with its gnarled old red hibiscus and the half-grown mango tree they had planted together, all those would be gone as well. It was the strangest feeling ever.

 

Rhea closed her eyes, trying to shut out the present, the past, the pain. But no matter how hard Rhea tried, the memories came flooding back. Her hiding in the dark, pressing back against the shadows, stifling her scream, of her fatherโ€™s low menacing growl, โ€œAre you hiding in here Princess? I can hear you breathing.โ€

Rhea clapped a hand over her nose but it was too late. A hand reached out and plucked her out.

Rhea squealed and protested even as she threw her puny arms around him. โ€œNot fair Daddy! If I hadnโ€™t got a cold you would have never found me.โ€

โ€œWell, thatโ€™s your fault isnโ€™t it my little Princess?โ€ Jason pulled her button nose as he strode off with her in his arms. โ€œRemember what the doctor said? Itโ€™s because you donโ€™t eat properly that you keep falling ill.โ€

โ€œOh but I do eat! Do you want me to eat like an elephant?โ€

Jason laughed. โ€œBut that doesnโ€™t mean you eat like an ant!โ€

โ€œDaddy do you know how strong ants are? They can carry load up to 50 times their weight.โ€

Jason put her down and got down on his haunches beside her. โ€œAre you 6 years old or 60?โ€

Rhea sighed and put her hands on her hips. โ€œHow would I know Daddy? I was just a baby when I was born wasnโ€™t I?โ€

Jason cracked up.

โ€œCome on Daddy, itโ€™s your turn to hide now,โ€ Rhea pulled him.

Chuckling Jason got to his feet. โ€œLater. First have dinner.โ€

โ€œNo! First you hide.โ€

โ€œAfter dinner, I promise.โ€

โ€œYou are cheating!โ€ Rhea walked off in a huff.

Jason caught up with her. โ€œCheating?โ€

She looked at him knowingly. โ€œYou are trying to trick me into eating arenโ€™t you?โ€

Jason clapped his hands together and bowed. โ€œYes Granny!โ€

Please and flattered, Rhea condescended to nibble at her food. โ€œMummy, after dinner you also come and play. Itโ€™s my turn to be the den.โ€

Gia smiled and pinched her cheeks. โ€œMaybe if you finish all the food on your plate.โ€

Rhea rolled her eyes. โ€œNot you too!โ€

Gia looked at Jason, whose shoulders were shaking. โ€œBeware Gia, thatโ€™s not your daughter. Thatโ€™s my Granny โ€“ isnโ€™t it?โ€

โ€œYes!โ€ Rhea frowned and tapped him on the knuckles with her spoon. โ€œCome on now, eat your food quickly. Wash your plate and donโ€™t forget to brush your teeth.โ€ She dropped her serious veneer and giggled into her hand.

Warm rich laughter erupted and broke over the clatter of cutlery.

It was her turn to find Daddy. She hunted for him high and low, upstairs and downstairs, outside and inside but he was nowhere.

โ€œDaddy? Daddy! Daddy!!!โ€ She woke screaming.

Gia held Rhea close as she blabbered. โ€œโ€Whereโ€™s Daddy? Why doesnโ€™t he come home? Is he angry with me Mummy? I promise I will eat up everything Mummy, just ask him to come home. Tell him that I lost the game Mummy. Please Mummy.โ€

โ€œShush my darling shush. Itโ€™s okay dear. He has just gone on a long flight, somewhere very far.โ€ Gia wiped her face and consoled her. โ€œYou know he is a pilot right? It happens that sometimes he is gone for days on end? Well this time it is just taking longer than usual.โ€ Her voice broke and she turned away to hide her emotions.

โ€œBut why are we staying at Grannyโ€™s house? When are we going back home? What if Daddy is home? What if he canโ€™t find us?โ€ Rhea was getting hysterical and Gia had no answers. She couldnโ€™t bring herself to tell Rhea the truth – her beloved Daddy wasnโ€™t coming home ever.

โ€œSoon sweetheart, soon.โ€ Gia mumbled as she rocked her to sleep.

โ€œDaddy will come home for Christmas wonโ€™t he Mummy? Will you tell Santa I donโ€™t want any gift for Christmas? Just that Daddy should come home.โ€

โ€œYes darling.โ€

But days passed as did weeks and months but there was no sign of Daddy. Rhea stopped asking about him but she continued to wait for him, starting with every car that turned the corner, every knock on the door, every ring of the telephone.

And then one day, Gia stowed their bags in the car and said, โ€œCome letโ€™s go.โ€

โ€œWhere are we going Mummy? To Daddy?โ€

โ€œHush. Itโ€™s a secret!โ€œ

โ€œWhereโ€™s Granny? Arenโ€™t we going to say bye to her?โ€

โ€œSheโ€ฆSheโ€™s busy.โ€ Gia hurried her into the car.

โ€œOh!โ€ Rhea squealed in delight as she spied the red blooms of their hibiscus, โ€œWe are home! Daddy, Daddy!โ€ Rhea tumbled out of the car and stopped short.

A stranger stood at the door.

โ€œCome Rhea, come in and meet your new Daddy.โ€

Rhea stared at the tall man. He wasnโ€™t at all like her Daddy. She didnโ€™t want a new Daddy. She wanted her old Daddy.

โ€œDidnโ€™t I tell you that Santa always listens to good girls?โ€ Giaโ€™s voice was shrill.

โ€œWho is that?โ€

โ€œThat?โ€ Giaโ€™s laugh was forced. โ€œThat is your new brother Ron. Say hello to him dear.โ€

Rhea looked at the scruffy grumpy boy standing a little off. He ignored them and stared determinedly at the PSP in his hand.

Rheaโ€™s eyes swung back to her mother. โ€œAm I going to get a new Mummy too?โ€

โ€œNo!โ€ Her motherโ€™s voice broke on her laugh. โ€œWhy would you need a new Mummy? I am here arenโ€™t I?โ€ She paused. โ€œBut I am Ronโ€™s new Mummy. Hello dear,โ€ she held out her arms.

โ€œI am 9 years old and I donโ€™t need a new Mummy.โ€ Ron stomped out of the room.

โ€œHello, I am Jake.โ€ The tall stranger bent down.

Rhea stared at him unblinkingly. โ€œI am 6 years old and I also donโ€™t want a new Daddy.โ€

โ€œFair enough. Maybe you would like a new friend?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t make friends easily.โ€ She warned.

โ€œGreat! I do. So letโ€™s play a game shall we?โ€

โ€œGame?โ€

โ€œA game to see who wins โ€“ you at not making friends or me at making friends.โ€ Jake held up his hand.

Intrigued and almost reflexively, Rhea gave him a high five. โ€œGame on!โ€ She grinned at him confident of winning.

โ€œAha!โ€ Jake pointed a finger at her, his eyes twinkling. โ€œBe careful, you are smiling; you could lose the game.โ€

Rhea hurriedly straightened her expression but it slipped. She pressed her lips and turned away. โ€œI am going to my room Mummy.โ€ She cast Jake a sidelong glance.

Jake grinned. โ€œI am going to win just you wait.โ€

Rhea stalked off with her nose in the air. She spoilt it by turning back to check if Jake was looking at her. He winked. She giggled and ran off.

Rhea was in a fix – she liked Jake but she didnโ€™t want a new Daddy. Neither did she want a new brother.

But where was he?

Rhea peeked into the guest room. Ah, there he was, glued to his PSP.

She pushed the door open. He ignored her. Encouraged, she entered. โ€œYou are staying in this room?โ€

โ€œDonโ€™t ask stupid questions.โ€

โ€œThat means you are just a guest.โ€ Rheaโ€™s voice dripped with satisfaction.

Ron sent her a withering glance.

Unfazed Rhea carried on. โ€œWhereโ€™s your Mummy? Is she also a pilot?โ€

Ron glared. โ€œMy Mummy is dead do you understand? Like your father is dead.โ€

โ€œMy father is not dead. His airplane got lost and he canโ€™t find his way back. When I grow up I am going to be a pilot. I will find him and bring him back.โ€

โ€œDonโ€™t be a fool. Your father is dead. He can never come back.โ€

โ€œWhen I become a pilot, I will hunt for your Mummy too.โ€

โ€œGet out of my room leave me alone.โ€ He slammed the door on her face.

Rhea knocked on the door until he opened the door. โ€œWhat?โ€ he snarled.

โ€œMy Daddy isnโ€™t dead. He is playing hide and seek with me. He is doing this to make me to eat. I try very hard but I still canโ€™t eat. No matter how hard I try, it all comes out. Thatโ€™s why Daddy is still hiding from me. But he canโ€™t hide forever can he? Did your Mummy play hide and seek with you?โ€

Ronโ€™s throat worked. โ€œNo. She used to tell me stories. After I finished my homework.โ€

โ€œDid you do your homework?โ€

โ€œNo.โ€

โ€œOh but then that will only make her angrier. Maybe if you did your homeworkโ€ฆโ€

โ€œStop talking nonsense will you?โ€

โ€œMummy also tells stories. Shall I ask her to tell youโ€ฆ?โ€

โ€œNo! I donโ€™t want your Mummy to tell me a story. Go away and leave me alone.โ€

โ€œI also know many stories. Shall I tell you a story?โ€

โ€œOf Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty? No thanks.โ€ He turned his back to her. But then he turned around again and burst out. โ€œJust becoming a pilot wonโ€™t help. When people die they become stars. And pilots canโ€™t reach the stars. But what would you know?โ€ He scoffed.

She stood there beaten, but only for a moment. โ€œAstronauts can reach the stars. I will become a pilot and you become an astronaut. Together we will find them.โ€ She clapped her hands. โ€œThis is better than hide and seek.โ€

โ€œGet out.โ€ Ron pushed her out and closed the door.

She looked up to find Jake staring at her.

โ€œGive him time.โ€ Jake said. โ€œLike you he also takes time to make friends.โ€ He grinned. โ€œNot like me.โ€

Rhea turned away but he called out. โ€œI was just going to eat mangoes and then plant the seeds.โ€

Rhea stopped.

โ€œWould you like to help me?โ€

Rhea nodded.

โ€œGreat! Let me call Ron as well.โ€

Gia peeped in to see all three of them, elbow deep in mango, peels on one side, and seeds on the other.

โ€œReady to plant some seeds?โ€

โ€œYay, letโ€™s go!โ€ Rhea scrambled up from her chair and ran out into the garden. The others followed sedately.

It was hot, sunny, and messy but a lot of fun. There were five seeds and each planted one.

โ€œLetโ€™s plant the last one together,โ€ suggested Jake. So, with great enthusiasm (Rhea) and a show of reluctance (Ron), the last seed was planted rather ceremoniously.

โ€œWell well! Just look at all of us!โ€ Jake laughed. Rhea looked down at herself. There was no denying it she was the muddiest of the lot. โ€œOh! It will take ages to clean up. And Mummy will scold me for dirtying the bathroom.โ€ She pouted.

โ€œHmm.โ€ Jake tapped his cheek thoughtfully. โ€œLet me see. How about this?โ€ He picked up the hose and swung it towards her bare mud-caked legs. Rhea squealed and jumped. He leaned towards her. โ€œCome on now itโ€™s Ronโ€™s turn.โ€

Rheaโ€™s eyes widened. She grabbed the hosepipe and together they sprayed Ron top to toe. He gave a yell and jumped into fray and soon it was a free for all session, even Gia wasnโ€™t spared. Shrieks, screams and laughter cascaded over them in healing waves.

Rhea was sporting enough to accept defeat and accept Jake as her friend if not her Daddy. Ron remained aloof and insisted on maintaining his distance. But that didnโ€™t stop Rhea from pestering him. She would wait impatiently for him to return from school and then sit with him while he had his lunch. She would weave exotic and far-fetched plans to bring back her Daddy and his Mummy quite oblivious of his silence and rejection.

Until one day she didnโ€™t come to sit with him.

Restless, Ron sought her out. He found her curled up in her chair, clutching her Daddyโ€™s picture.

โ€œWhat happened?โ€ His voice was gruff.

โ€œYou were right. My Daddy and your Mummy are dead. They have gone away to a place where no pilot can go.โ€ Tears rolled down her cheeks.

โ€œHow do you know?โ€

โ€œMy teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. I told her I wanted to be a pilot so that I could bring back my Daddy. Sheโ€ฆshe laughed at me.โ€ She sobbed. โ€œTheโ€ฆthe whole cโ€ฆclass laughed at me. Nobody can bring back my Daddy or your Mummy.โ€ Rhea was quite inconsolable.

Ron stood there feeling the familiar helpless rage creep up on him. โ€œOf course you canโ€™t. Didnโ€™t I tell you that long ago? But donโ€™t worry when I grow up I will become an astronaut. I will bring back my Mummy and your Daddy.โ€

Rheaโ€™s tears dried miraculously. โ€œReally? Promise?โ€

Ron looked at her with foreboding. โ€œOnly if you donโ€™t nag me. And you canโ€™t tell anyone about this. It has to be our secret.โ€

Rhea nodded. โ€œCross my heart and hope to die. And I promise I wont even come and sit with you when you have lunch.โ€

Ron coughed. โ€œYou can sit if you like. I donโ€™t mind.โ€

Rhea threw her arms around Ron. He let her hug him before pushing her away with a ferocious frown. She dimpled at him. She had another friend! He would bring her Daddy back. She skipped away to her Mummy.

โ€œWhy are you packing Mummy? Are we going somewhere?โ€

โ€œYes we are soon going away from here Rhea.โ€

โ€œWhere? To Daddy?โ€

โ€œNo, to a new house.โ€

โ€œBut why Mummy? What about our mango tree? The one we all planted?โ€

Gia shrugged. โ€œWe are now shifting to Bangalore where my new job is.โ€

โ€œAll of us?โ€

โ€œNo just us. You didnโ€™t want a new Daddy or a new brotherโ€ฆโ€

โ€œThat was before Mummy. Santa was right. Iโ€ฆI like my new Daddy. Ron too.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s too late now. They are also leaving.โ€

And today Ron was gone. Jake too. They would never return, just like her Daddy. Ron would grow up and forget his promise. He would find his Mummy but not her Daddy. She clutched her pillow to crush out the pain in her chest. Ron was just a little boy but how could Jake do this to her? Hadnโ€™t he said they were friends forever?

A paper fluttered. She picked it up. A smiley stared up at her holding a placard –Friends forever. And underneath it was a phone number.

Rheaโ€™s heart gave a leap. Jake hadnโ€™t really gone away. She could phone him anytime!

Butโ€ฆbut why hadnโ€™t Daddy left his phone number? Daddy was mean. So was Mummy.

โ€œMummy, you are mean too. You let Daddy go. And now you let my new Daddy and new brother go too. This time for Christmas I am going to ask Santa for a new Mummy.โ€

***

Yup, this one didn’t make the list eitherย  – how about you telling me what you think – the good, the bad and the ugly…

But on a positive note – my blogger friend Ramya won the first prize for this prompt ๐Ÿ™‚ My heartiest congratulations to her! If you like, you can hop over to her blog for some awesome stories.

Click here for more Short Stories or here for more information About the Blog

ย 

Published by

Dahlia

Email me at mysilverstreaks@gmail.com or tweet me @mysilverstreaks

14 thoughts on “The Christmas Present”

  1. Thanks for the pingback Dahlia! I really love the refreshing take of your story – as to how a 6 yr old views love, loss, relationships and the tragedies of life, in her own charmingly innocent, uncomplicated way… really interesting!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Great take from a little girl’s view point. I loved how you portrayed Rhea, adorable, mature in her own sense and easy going. I seemed to like Jake too ๐Ÿ™‚

    Better luck next time Dahlia. You always become better from your losses.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Her innocence and the free spirit would tug at one’s heartstrings…but what was that…. an arrangement of few days?…was feeling happy for her as she warms up to her new father and brother, and then there goes everyone ….strewed into different paths…away from her!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. An arrangement which was meant to last long but one that didnt work out so went their own ways as they thought best. The children, what do they know – they are children after all….

      Like

  4. Hi Dahlia. After 50 episodes of SS took a break to read a short story. Started of with a lump in my throat, then a big grin, life’s a roller coaster ride. A true bitter sweet story – loved it !!!!

    Liked by 1 person

Go on - express yourself!

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s