November started and things were very good between us. In the past several months, we learned how to fight in a healthy way with each other and to compromise too. We had built respect and a real feeling of warmth and growth. The past was there, and it would hit us along side the head, but we would weather it. We also were drawing strength from one another.
When her father Fred collapsed at work, we thought it was not going to be a good ending. But after three days of testing, dehydration was the most likely cause. If I was not at Cathy's side, I was looking after Franciszka, picking her up, dropping her off, putting her to bed, or waking her up. Our family and friends jumped in as they could. Everything finally settled down by the week before Thanksgiving.
That is when Franciszka came down with the flu and could not keep anything down, or in. It was a week of her being ill, and then the next week of her getting her strength back. It took another two weeks for us to get back to normal. I gladly used up most of my remaining vacation time to be there. She was fine, we were exhausted.
For an early Christmas present, my Aunt Iwona gave us tickets to see Holiday Magic, the lights at Brookfield Zoo. After dark on the weekends, a big part of the zoo is opened and loads of lights and decorated Christmas trees from scouts to church groups are on display. It is not like the 4th of July fireworks at Navy Pier each summer in downtown Chicago. Even as a kid, I liked the time outside with the animals, and just walking around shoveled walkways in the night air, with many happy people around.
I picked up Cathy and the little one after dinner on the Sunday before Christmas, and we went. What a joy to see her smile and wave and shake hands with the costumed characters. Oh yes, her daughter liked it too. In the Children's zoo, Franciszka was able to actually pet several of the animals, including a real live reindeer. Traffic was a mess getting out, but all of us really had a good time.
Christmas Eve was two days away and we were scheduled to the max. On Tuesday evening, there was an early Christmas get together and presents for little Freddie by Mary and Maria. They were flying out to see some of Maria's family in California the next morning. Maria told me on the side that there was somebody she was going to introduce Mary to, but not to say anything.
Wednesday was Christmas Eve, and it was going to be a traditional Polish Wigilia, a Christmas vigil dinner at Uncle Stan and Aunt Iwona's house. Cathy's father Fred and his 'friend' Kaja were hosting the extended family party on Christmas day at his house.
I woke up on Christmas Eve morning, made a pot of coffee and pulled down my normal breakfast, Wheaties. I've always had a real hard time waking up. Without a strong cup of coffee and a good 45 minutes, I just am just not into being 'with it'. When I sleep, I am normally dead to the world. I was almost finished with breakfast, when I realized that the box was different.
Staring me in the face was a picture of the three of us at Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo. I'm carrying Franciszka in one arm, and her eyes are wide open and a most wonderful smile on her face. My other arm is around Cathy, holding her tight while she is holding me tight. We are all beaming and enjoying life.
"What the? Who? How did she do this?" I dialed her number. With the little one, I knew that she had to be awake. The first thing out of my mouth was "OK, how did you do it?" I really love it, but how did you do it?" With a real tone in her voice she says "First off mister." Whenever she says 'Mister', I know I am in deep trouble. "Who are you? Second off mister, get off of it. Third, How did I set it up? How did YOU set it up? I woke up this morning to seeing us on my cereal box. Who did you use to take the picture? Who did you use to sneak in here to paste it on my cereal box? Fess up NOW buddy."
"Cathy, I will not tell you anything untrue. Somebody did the same thing to me." I paused. "'They' are conspiring against us again. Wait a minute, there is a little writing on the front of the box. Let me read it. 'Merry Christmas From Aunt Iwona'." There was a minute of silence. Then very softly Cathy said, "No Mike, they are not conspiring against us, they all just gave us a great gift, they showed us us, all of us."
"You're right Cathy, she and everyone else really went out of their way to do this. The tickets, finding us there, THE BREAKING INTO OUR APARTMENTS. But I'm not bitter about that. Let me think, Uncle Stan and Fred still have your keys. You never changed them. No one has the keys to my apt. But I did keep a third set in my...no they are not there."
"Mike, have you looked at that picture closely? It is beautiful. My hair is a mess. I am wearing enough clothes to outfit a family in Siberia in the winter. You have a big blob of smeared chocolate on your face from some of Freddie's kisses, and we are all as happy as can be. It is beautiful. And it is beautiful that they did it for us. That picture is really of us."
The dinner later that night was glorious. Aunt Iwona made a mushroom soup that was to die for. Traditionally, it is a meatless dinner, and the fish and everything else always makes it wonderful. We could not thank my Aunt and Uncle enough. She introduced her co-conspirators, Stan and Bill. Shelly and Marek and their two little ones were the photographic team. Mary and Maria, while in California now, had kept us busy last night. Cathy and I thanked them all. The cognac and a bottle of krupknic, a polish honey liquor, were in demand.
Franciszka was sleeping in the portable playpen that we brought, and Cathy went to get her. That is when my Aunt asked both Cathy and I to see something in back of the kitchen first. "Here is the last part of my present to you two. It is a bottle of Champagne, and we will take care of your daughter this night. You two need some time alone. And don't even think of arguing with me. If you do, I'll get Maria on you and then you'll both be sorry." She laughed and smiled sweetly and said, "You two can pick her up in the morning. Merry Christmas and good night. Now get out of here."