The 12 tales of Christmas season 2: One for me and one for her
Welcome back readers to the 12 Tales of Christmas Season 2. Well, it’s time for story 2, and for this one the person wishes to remain anonymous. And that’s fine I can respect their wishes on this. The number choice is two and the Christmas word is wreath.
A wreath vendor and landscaper who is down on his luck has a visit from a friend of his, an elderly gentleman. But for both their sad Christmas is about to become much merrier. Get ready for a tale of family reunions and second chances. Get ready for One for me and one for her.
Brett Willingham scratched the stubble on his face. The cold Columbia Gorge winds bit into his exposed skin on a cold December morning. Looking out on the lot his small wreath booth was on reminded him of his sorry state. Here I am a first-rate landscaper reduced to selling wreaths at Christmas time. And I have no family or prospects, he thought in frustration.
For the last several days he’d been sleeping in his car. All because his landlord had kicked him out when he’d been unable to pay rent. Rent that his landlord had increased without warning. Worse still He hadn’t had much chance to invest any money to save for a slow period. “Stupid grocery prices!” he growled.
He kicked the booth he stood behind. Behind him hung all kinds of various wreaths. Around him lights were up celebrating what should have been the most joyous time of the year. Yet here he was homeless and on the verge of losing all hope.
Then he saw a car pull into the parking lot. It was a metallic blue 2019 Ford Escape. At first the 40-year-old man didn’t think anything of it. But then as the car parked a familiar figure got out. Brett’s eyes lit up as he recognized the figure.
The man who got out was in his early 70’s. He wore a warm coat, jeans, shoes, a wool sailor cap, gloves, and a set of thick glasses on his face. Beneath the hat were strands of graying chestnut hair. The older man walked up to the booth. Putting on the best smile he could Brett greeted him.
“Samuel Kincaid, good to see you. How are you doing?”
"I've had better days Brett. How you doin’ boy?+” The older man greeted.
The vendor wanted to say that everything was okay. But with the one person who’d been the closest thing to a friend the last several years he couldn’t. “I wish I could say that things are fine but then I’d be lying,” He admitted.
The older man’s face furrowed. “How bad is it?”
Brett sighed and said, “Oh I don’t know, how about I've been sleeping in my car the last several days. My sleazy apartment manager threw me out after jacking up the price! I have no family and nowhere to go and I know this job selling wreaths won’t last long.”
The older man grimaced and said, “So Clemens threw you out huh?”
Brett nodded his confirmation. “The worst thing is I haven’t got any savings or anything. Every ounce of money has gone either to maintaining my equipment or buying food.”
“I get where you’re coming from Brett. Food prices have been going up like crazy. And it’s pretty damn clear the mayor of Portland and the city council don’t give a damn about any of us.
"I should be enjoying retirement. But instead, I’m living in a small apartment and having to take a part time job at a grocery store. All to make ends meet and even then, I’m only surviving."
Brett nodded and said, “I heard from around the neighborhood that you sold your house a year ago. So, what brings you here?”
“I do have a little money so I thought I’d buy a couple wreaths. One to hang outside my apartment door, and one for the inside.”
Brett stepped aside to show the selection from the ringed ones to the arrow shaped wreaths. All decorated with bows and mistletoe. “I give Glenn credit where due he makes some good Christmas wreaths.” The vendor noted.
Sam looked over them and pointed to a couple of the ring-shaped ones. “I’ll take two of those.” he stated.
Brett nodded and got them for him. Sam paid the necessary money to buy them, and Brett put the money in the cash drawer. He then got the wreaths and brought them to Sam's vehicle. It wasn’t long before the two wreaths got tucked in the back. Sam pressed a button and the automated door closed.
Brett sighed and said, “Well this brings an end to what’s been the most exciting business I’ve had all morning.”
“Has business been slow this year?” Sam asked.
The wreath vendor sighed and said, “You got that right Sam. In fact, this season has been dead! And it’s not as if our wreath prices aren’t bad or anything.
"Folks these days don’t have the money they used to, ” he observed.
The older man nodded and said, “Things are pretty bad and life’s not been kind to any of us.”
“Yeah,” the Willingham male agreed.
The men looked out at the nearby shopping mall and the large evergreens behind it. “It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since Lisa died.” Brett observed.
“Stupid damn heart issues got her when neither of us were expecting it!" The elderly clerk snapped.
“Your wife was a good woman who made a lot of people in the neighborhood smile, even me.”
“We had a good life together and I sure do miss that girl.” Sam said his voice trembling with heartache.
“I wish I could do something about your problem Brett, but my apartment only has enough room for one person.”
“I understand, it proves how unfair and cruel life is.”
“Life can be hell boy and in Portland it’s reaching the point where a lot of people have given up hope. Especially when you have people in charge who don’t care.”
The two men leaned against Sam’s vehicle. They looked around at the apartment complexes that surrounded the lot. There was a dreary feeling to the Southeast Portland neighborhood. As if all the life had gotten drained out of it. And the cheerful lights and Christmas decor didn’t do much to dispel that sense.
“Hey Sam, you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead, it isn’t like I have much else to do.”
Brett took a breath thinking about how to put it. “I seem to recall you once mentioned you have family. Don’t you have a son and daughter?”
The older man sighed and shook his head as a sad expression crossed it. “My son is overseas for his job, and I haven’t heard anything from him since the funeral.”
A dark look formed on Sam’s face. “As for my daughter I haven’t heard a word from her in years. Some people said they saw her at the funeral, but no one could confirm it. The last time we spoke was when she left when she was 18.
"We haven’t spoken to each other since.”
“What happened that caused you to stop speaking?” The vendor asked.
“My daughter was getting involved with a bad crowd. I'm talking drugs, petty crime, that sort of thing. When she left, I made it clear she wasn’t to come back until she got her act together.
"It was harsh I admit, but necessary. No way in Hell was I going to aid and abet someone who could end up in jail!"
“Harsh yes, but necessary, you did the right thing Sam," Brett put in. "She needed to learn about consequences on her own. "
“You got that right but throwing her out still hurt. And the words she threw at Lisa and me when she left didn’t help either.”
Brett grimaced and said, “Sounds like it was all kinds of unpleasant.”
Sam said, “If you don’t mind my saying so Brett, it might’ve been a good thing you left that apartment complex. The owner of that place has been importing some questionable people. I suspect the police may be paying him and his complex a visit soon.”
Brett let out a cynical snort. “Considering what an ass he was turning into before I got forced out it wouldn't surprise me.”
What the two men hadn’t noticed was the silver 4 by 4 Ford Explorer that drove past them. Then it turned and came back their direction. The vehicle then pulled into the lot. Brett and Sam looked up as the vehicle pulled in. “Look at that car,” Brett noted.
Sam whistled and said, “Might not be super fancy but that’s a nice-looking vehicle. Kept up by someone who cares and makes a good living.”
The car came to a stop and four people got out. All dressed in warn winter attire. Two of them looked to be in their pre-teen years, around 13 to 14 by Brett’s estimate. The boy had peach fuzz showing signs of a mustache and beard coming in. The girl had long flowing straight chestnut hair.
Sam’s eyes widened as he saw the older woman. She had chestnut hair like the girl. But Brett saw that an arm underneath the coat showed signs of tattoo ink. With her was a tall man with a thick but well cared for mustache. The woman saw Sam and her eyes welled up with tears as she said in a cautious tone, “Hello...daddy.”
Sam’s eyes almost popped out of his head as his face paled in recognition. He rubbed his eyes for a moment and said, “Steph, Stephanie is that you?”
The woman ran over and hugged her father close as she began to sob and said, “Daddy...I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
Brett then heard a gruff male voice say to him, “What the? Holy crap, Brett Willingham you son of a gun!”
Brett looked at the tall man with a mustache coming towards him. A memory going back to high school flashed before his eyes. “Son of a…” he began then remembered the kids present.
“Bill, Bill Eckersley?” He squawked.
The face was older, but Brett recognized his old High School buddy. The big man walked over, and the two men embraced. “How the hell are you brother?” Bill asked in genuine warmth.
They pulled away as the woman named Stephanie turned Sam towards the Eckersley male. “Daddy this is the man who helped me get clean. This is my husband, Bill Eckersley.”
“Clean, you mean you’re…” Sam asked hope coming to him.
“Clean and on the path of the straight and narrow for twenty years. And it feels good to be that way.”
Bill extended a hand to Sam and said, “How do you do sir, Steph has told me a lot about you. Mentioned you were a good man who she didn’t appreciate until she lost you.”
Brett wanted to be cynical about this. But as he stared into the eyes of the couple, he could only see genuine warmth and sincerity about the two. Bill explained, “We actually met when she was still in prison. I was working with a minister at my church as part of an inmate ministry program. She was kind of a mess when I got in there,
“But thank God, I got her off drugs for good. I helped her see the light by listening and helping her when she needed it.”
Stephanie flashed a smirk and said, “It’s true. I admit when I left the house, I thought I was going to be the next great female gangster. All I can say is prison life beat that out of me.”
“So, you went to prison huh?” Sam asked.
She nodded and explained, “I’m not proud of the fact I got sent to a women’s correction center. But I have to say it was one of the best things that happened to me. It helped get me off drugs, go straight, landed me my husband...”
And then she waved the two preteens forward. “And gave me the chance to bring these two into the world. These are your grandchildren, Kayla and Bradley.”
The two approached Sam and Brett saw tears well up in the man’s eyes. “Kayla’s got her grandma’s eyes and the boy definitely has my jaw.”
“I know I can never take those horrible words back. But I can admit what I said to you was wrong. I can admit I’ve been wrong about everything.” Stephanie stated.
Bill put in, “Also you should know...we bought the house you and your wife lived in.”
That took the vendor and his customer off guard. “You...bought the house?” Sam asked.
Stephanie's husband nodded and explained things. “I’m part of an up-and-coming landscaping business. We have facilities in Tacoma, Seattle, and even Vancouver across the Columbia. My boss has placed me in charge of the Portland expansion.”
Stephanie added, “We wanted the house because….I know this is sudden and you don’t have to if you don’t want to. But Bill and I want you to move in with us.”
At least someone’s prospects are looking up, Brett thought as he turned to leave.
“Hold on dude,” Bill Eckersley called.
The vendor turned to his old high school friend. “Um...what’s going on?”
The mustached man explained, “I noticed you look a little rough as if you’ve been down on your luck.”
The wreath vendor sighed and said, “Is it that obvious?”
Bill nodded his confirmation. “I was hoping to find you and heard you were living around here in Southeast Portland. The landscaping company I work for is hiring people from around here. And I wondered if you’d like a full-time job with Green Hills Landscaping?”
Brett’s eyes almost popped out of his head. “Are you serious?”
Bill nodded and said, “And by the look of things I’d say you’ve been living out of your car the last few days.”
Brett nodded in embarrassment. “As for housing, I know some places here with reputable landlords and good prices where I can set you up.” Bill explained.
Brett’s face furrowed. "Why would you do that for me?"
“Back in High School I remember a gruff dude with a good heart helping me beat up a spoiled entitled brat and his goons.”
The wreath vendor’s eyes widened. "You still remember that?"
“I do my friend, and I’ve been waiting for the chance to pay you back. Well, this is my chance.”
A matter-of-fact look crossed the Eckersley man's face. “What do you say old friend, Want a job and a little helping hand so you can get back on your feet?”
Under normal circumstances Brett Willingham wouldn’t have asked for a helping hand. But he realized this opportunity was his only way out. The vendor sighed and stated, “I hate the idea of having to get help from others. I prefer to solve my own problems, but in this case…”
He extended a hand as he stated, “Your offer’s accepted.”
Bill took the hand and shook it. “You’ve made a great choice. Now let’s say we see about getting you and Sam here helped out.”
Brett looked to see Sam had walked a short distance from the others. He and his daughter were talking in soft tones. Bill said, "Kids you can go sit in the car if this doesn’t interest you. But remember we’re going to need you if your grandpa decides to move in with us."
“Yeah Dad,” the boy Bailey said.
“You got it daddy,” Kayla added.
Brett turned to his high school friend. "Looks like you got some good kids there."
Bill chuckled and said, “Well, I admit they can get a bit mouthy sometimes being they’re getting into the teen years. But Steph and I have given them some good consistency.”
Brett noticed Sam taking his daughter’s hands. She leaned her head against his own her face streaked with tears as she spoke. He turned back to his school friend. “Hey Bill, thanks for the help.”
The Eckersley adult male put a friendly arm around him. “Like I told you I owe you for helping me with that bully and his goons.”
Brett felt an invisible weight he’d never noticed start to lift from him. Well, this Christmas season has started to improve, he thought.
Ah a Christmas story of a family reuniting and a story of favors repaid. Now that’s how to celebrate the Christmas season. Well, I hope you` enjoyed this tale. If you like what you’re reading hit the like button, and if you can share this story. Spread the word about me, Animeman73, and all I do.
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Well, there’s still plenty more to go. The 12 tales of Christmas continue next time. Until then stay true to yourselves, stay classy, and God bless you all. Enjoy the Christmas season good readers.
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The 12 Tales of Christmas Season 1
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Next: Family bonding