The Prayers in Rossford

Christmas night

Conclusion

“Don’t we need to get to your friend’s house?”

“Not yet,” Noah said, hopping out of the car. “Damn, isn’t any place open?”

“On Christmas day?”

“Half the stores in the mall are closed,” Noah said, ignoring James as the doors opened and he entered the large, lit lobby.

“I can’t believe anyone is actually here,” James took off his gloves, and shoved them into the pockets of his large, black overcoat.

“What do you want?” Noah said, turning around and taking his hat off so that his red brown curls bobbed. His nose and eyes were ringed in red from the cold.

“Whaddo you mean?”

“For Christmas,” Noah said. “I would like to surprise you, but you’re here with me.”

“This is nuts.”

“Anything you want,” Noah said. “Anything you want, and make it something big.”

“Noah, I don’t understand you.”

“I didn’t get anything,” Noah said, “For anyone. I… I was so convinced that… no one would get me anything. That I didn’t matter. I don’t buy Christmas presents. Not ever, really. And I thought…

“Look, last night when Paul and Claire gave me their gifts I felt so bad. I mean a gift means people are thinking of you, and…”

James waited a long time. They had arrived at the first center court, where there was a little water fountain.

“And I don’t give people gifts because… I don’t want them to know I think about them. I’m not supposed to let folks know I care. So… I didn’t give anything. And… I do care. I don’t want to be how I used to be.”

“And you think spending lots and lots of money on people will change you?”

“It’s not even about that,” Noah said, frustrated. “See, you always do this.”

James recognized familiar old territory and said, “Fine. Never mind. Let’s go shopping.”

“Thank you,” Noah said.

“I’m no fool. If the choice is between fighting with you and making you buy me something expensive, I know what I’m going to choose.”

“It’s feeding time!” Todd shouted into the living room.

“Don’t say feeding time,” Lula said. “This ain’t a zoo. It’s a civilized household. Say, gather ‘round.”

“Leave the boy alone,” Leroy told her.

“Look, don’t say shit to me.”

“Look,” Fenn said, “No one say shit to anyone. Let’s just,” he made a gesture toward the dining room table.

“Mind your manners,” his grandmother and his father said at once.

“My house,” Fenn declared. “My manners.”

“I don’t know what’s come over you, boy,” Leroy shook his head, shambling to the table beside his other daughter, who he probably thought needed some protection from Adele. “First this white baby, and then no manners. You’ve just lost yourself, boy.”

“Says the man who fathered his son-in-law’s mistress,” Fenn noted as he sat beside Todd in the middle of the table.

“Todd, you wanna say the blessing?”

“I’m Jewish. “

Fenn looked at him.

“It’s Christmas.”

Fenn just looked at him.

“All right, to heck with it.”

Todd put out one hand for Fenn to take it and another for Nell, and as they linked hands and bowed their heads, there was a heavy knock on the door, and then it came open and, between Lee and Adele, Danasia stood up.

“We need a little help, here,” James’s voice came through the door.

“I like that boy,” Fenn commented. “Is he Noah’s?”

“I can’t see that,” Julian said, coming to the front door with Danasia.

“Noah… what the hell is all this?” she said, sweeping bags and boxes into the living room now filled with cold air.

Now Fenn got up too, and Noah said, “There’s more in the car.”

“There’s a lot more in the car,” James added.

“I think he’s lost his mind,” Danasia commented as if Noah wasn’t there.

“I have not,” Noah shouted, running back to the car. “I’m just full of Christmas cheer.”

Before heading back to the car, James whispered to Danasia: “Yes, I think he has too.”

A few moments later, Noah was at the dinner table and Todd said, looking around, “Is anyone else supposed to come.”

“Well, anyone could come,” Tom said. “I mean, anyone does come here.”

“Let’s say some damn grace!” Leroy said.

Todd nodded his head and said, “Thank you, Lord, for bringing us all here, and all together on this Christmas day. Thank you for… new members,” he looked to Dylan. “Thank you for making us all a family and bless all of those we love who aren’t here today—”

“In Jesus’ name,” Anne cut in.

“Sure,” Todd said, noncommittally, and added, “Amen.”

“Um, pass some turkey,” Leroy rubbed his hands together.

“Mom,” Julian said, “Could you pass the sweet potatoes?”

Vanessa reached for them at the same time Adele did, and the two women’s eyes met.

“Here, you have it,” Adele said.

“Adele?” Vanessa began.

“Um hum?”

“Do you think we could begin to be friends?”

Adele frowned and said, “How about we just restrict it to me passing you the potatoes?”

“I thought of inviting Daddy,” Layla began, and her mother said:

“But then you knew it would be too much.”

“Yes, Mother,” Adele said, smoothly. “I did.”

“This,” Fenn held the speaker of the stereo on his lap, “is beautiful, Noah.”

Noah nodded his head up and down, so pleased he looked vaguely stupid.

“But, Noah…?”

He nodded.

“Why? I mean… this is really expensive.”

“Fenn, you got me a beautiful coat!”

“I didn’t get you a million dollar coat.”

“I… I don’t get it.”

“Noah, this is very expensive. The stuff you got is very expensive.”

“But… we have money. We’re rich. I… just want to give things to people I care about. That’s all!”

Fenn opened his mouth, closed it, was quiet a while, and then he decided on: “Well… Thank you.”

“Thank you, Fenn,” Noah said.

Fenn looked at him.

“For worrying. I mean, there were times when I used to buy stuff for people. Try to buy them and all and, they never worried about it. They never said I shouldn’t. They just took it. When I had cash they were there to get as much as they could. And then when the stuff was gone so were they.”

“Well,” Fenn said, he and Noah hefting the stereo out of the next box, “there is a difference between me and those people.”

“Yeah,” Noah grunted as they set the stereo on the carpet. “You’ve got a heart.”

“No,” Fenn said.

Noah looked at him.

“The difference is that I’m a lot richer than you.”