Chestnut Falls
1952
It was a beautiful, frosty Christmas Eve as Mark Matheson stood at the bathroom mirror, neatly combing his hair. Always the early bird, he had already dressed and readied himself for the Christmas Eve church service while the rest of the Matheson's scurried around with their last minute holiday preparations. From the kitchen, Mrs. Matheson's gorgeous glazed turkey filled the house with a heavenly aroma while Mrs. Matheson, herself, busily decorated the last of the gingerbread men. Katrina, Mark's sister, was preoccupied in her bedroom trying to decide which of the six new dress she received from boyfriends she would wear.
"Oh, Mark," Mr. Matheson called up the stairway. "Are you up there?"
"I'm just finishing up getting ready, dad," Mark called back.
"Hey, do you have a minute?" Mr. Matheson asked.
Mark finished up in the bathroom and scurried down the stairs to where his father waited. "What is it, dad?"
"Can you run over to the Rogers' house?" Mr. Matheson whispered. "They're hiding the Christmas present I bought for mother, and I was hoping since you're all dressed and ready, you could run over there and get it."
"Sure thing, pop," Mark replied. "I'll run over there now."
Mr. Matheson smiled. "Thanks, Mark. Oh! And here, take this." He handed Mark a beautifully wrapped package.
"What's this?" Mark asked.
"Mr. Rogers' oldest son is in town for Christmas, on holiday break from State University," Mr. Matheson explained. "This is just a little something for him from your mother and I; we gave the rest of the Rogers' kids presents and we didn't want to leave him out."
Mark's eyes widened. Mr. Rogers' oldest son was home for Christmas?! Was this true? Brody Rogers was home from State University?! Mark gulped. He had crushed on Brody Rogers for the better part of his teenage years. Three years older than Mark, Brody had been a gorgeous, strapping young man when he graduated from Madison High School. Mark could only imagine what he must look like now, a junior at State University.
"Uh, yeah, sure thing, pop," Mark said, taking the package. "I'll head over there now and give this to him."
"And, don't forget to bring back your mother's present, of course," Mr. Matheson said.
"Of course!" Mark replied with a smile.
Mark grabbed his coat and was out of the house in a hurry, eager to dash over to the Rogers' house with the hope he'd have the chance to see Brody. Over the neighborhood, freshly fallen snow had covered the houses and yards, creating the merriest of winter wonderlands. The colored lights lined the frosted windowpanes of the white frame houses, festive Christmas trees stood in all the front windows, and it seemed that the aroma of delectable holiday feasts wafted from every home. Trundling along with the package, Mark grinned to himself. He loved the Christmas season - the anticipation, the merriment. And now, with the thought of seeing Brody for the first time in years, Mark couldn't help but think this chance meeting would be his greatest of Christmas presents.
Mark knocked on the front door when he reached the Rogers' house. After a brief moment, Mrs. Rogers answered. "Well, if it isn't Mark Matheson," she said with a warm smile. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Rogers," Mark replied.
"What can I do for you? Have you come to collect your mother's gift?"
"Yes, ma'am," Mark replied.
Mrs. Rogers opened the door for him. "Oh! Now, do come in, you'll catch a death of cold standing out there for too long."
Mark entered the house and immediately he could smell Mrs. Rogers' Christmas turkey roasting in the kitchen. The house was warm and felt wonderful after the outside snow.
"So, I had my husband take your mother's present down to the den, it is awfully heavy so you may need some help getting it up the stairs. Do you know what it is?" Mrs. Rogers asked.
Mark shook his head, "No, ma'am."
Mrs. Rogers let out a laugh. "I'm terribly jealous; the size and the weight of it suggests possibly a new sewing machine. I'm hoping Mr. Rogers will give me a new sewing machine for Christmas."
"Yes, ma'am," Mark replied.
Mrs. Rogers looked at the present in Mark's hands. "And what have you got there now?"
Mark held out the gift for her. "It's from my mother and father; my dad said that Brody is home for the holiday and he asked me to bring him this."
Mrs. Rogers beamed. "Well isn't that wonderful? How thoughtful. Yes, Brody is home for Christmas, we're so happy to have him with us. You know, why don't you give it to him yourself, after all the gift is from your family. And after, Brody can help you with your mother's present."
Mark grinned with excitement. This couldn't have gone better if he'd planned it himself.
"Your mother's gift is in the den, and coincidentally that is where Brody is now," Mrs. Rogers explained. "Oh dear, I'm afraid he's been down there for over an hour now horsing around with that weight bench of his. You run on down there and have him help you with your mother's gift. I've got to hurry back to my turkey."