We are all dressed up for the Gala. Sweater dresses are trendy this year, so I have on a Christmas themed sweater dress. It's a little form fitting and silly, but I thought it was perfect for a children's charity.
It's snowing out, so it feels like Christmas time. Just past the valet is the NASCAR car that Robert from Chevy promised to donate to Christmas for Kids. It's under a big tent to keep the snow off it.
"Wow. Look at that." Says Jim. "Can we go look at it?"
"Sure." I say wrapping my arm in his. "This is the car Chevy donated for me at the NASCAR race for Christmas for Kids."
"They donated it for you?" Jim asks.
"Well I was at the race for Ben & Karen's Kids and they had a race car all painted. Well I guess they call it wrapped in a design for my charity, and it looked cool. They then had a real car that looked just like that they raffled off. I thought it would be cool to raffle one off for Christmas for Kids all designed for Christmas. I offered to pay for it, but Chevy donated it." I say.
We are standing beside it, and Jim is looking at a board with all the details for the car listed. "You were going to pay for it? A $300,000 car?" Jim asks.
"WHAT? It doesn't cost that much. It's just a sports car." I say.
Jim laughs at me. "It started that way, and then Burn Rubber souped it up. An old school racer takes these cars and replaces and upgrades almost everything in it. This could probably do a decent job of keeping up with a race car, while you sit back in comfort with the AC on. This thing is a Beast!"
I am looking at the car. "No way." I mutter.
Jim laughs and hugs me to his side. "Yes way." Then he opens my coat, and looks at my dress. "And your dress kind of matches the Christmas wrap on the car. We have to take a picture."
We start taking pictures, and a photographer sees us and insists on taking photos of us. "Ezzie, is it me or is he a little pushy?" I ask.
"He is just doing his job, Mary. You are one of the people he was told to get pictures of for the charity." Ezzie says.
Then I hear a voice that is familiar but I can't place it calling my name. I turn and I see the woman in charge of Christmas for Kids.
"Tilly." Says Ezzie.
"Thanks, Ezzie." I say as Tilly hugs me.
She has a big smile on her face. "There is my Hero." She says, as she greets me, Auntie & Uncle.
"No Tilly, that was last year. This year I am just a guest." I say.
"Oh I don't think so young lady." She wraps her arm around my shoulder pulling me from Jim. "That Beautiful car right there, as of a few days ago, has raised over $1,000,000 alone." She turns me to face her as she holds my shoulders. "And your request on the Alan Fudd Show on Live TV last week gave our website and donations a 50% jump over our average." She gives me a hug. "You will always be my Hero." She says.
I don't know what to say. Tilly gives me a quick hug and runs off promising to see me inside. Jim continue to look at the car while Uncle gives me a big hug. He smiles down at me. "Your Dad would be very proud of you, and what you have done for his favorite charity. You know that right?" He says.
I hug him as tight as I can. "I do Unc." I say.
I turn and look around. I can't see Auntie. I turn back to Uncle. "Where is Auntie?" I ask.
"She is just setting something up inside." Says Uncle.
"Setting up what?" I ask.
He shoos me off. "I don't know. Stuff. Go look at the car with your boyfriend." He says.
"Ezzie, what is going on here? What is Auntie doing?" I ask.
"Like Uncle said, she is setting up things inside." Says Ezzie.
"Ezzie, what are you not telling me?" I ask.
"Auntie & Tilly have a little surprise for you inside, and don't ask me to tell you what it is." Says Ezzie.
"Ezzie, I don't want any surprises. I just want to be a guest." I say.
"Then you shouldn't have gotten a car donated or mentioned the charity on Live TV." Says Ezzie. "Plus it's just a small surprise. I promise you."
"And you won't tell me will you." I say.
"You are so much like your Father." She sighs. "Please don't ask me to."
"Fine! You win. Are you happy?" I sigh.
"Hhmm. I think I am." Says Ezzie.
"Have I told you lately what a brat you are?" I ask.
"Not recently, no." Ezzie says and I can hear the smile in her voice.
"Well you are." I say and I give her a mental raspberry.
We have the family table again. Even though I saw them just last week, I am happy to see all my grandparents. I introduce Jim to them. Grandpa smiles at him. "My girl here speaks very highly of you, Jim. Her eyes lit up last week as she talked about you." He says.
"GRANDPA!" I gasp.
"What?" He says. "I want to make sure he knows how much you love him and how lucky he is."
"Kill me now." I moan.
Grandpa pulls me into a hug, laughing.
Jim is smiling at me, as Grandpa hugs me. "Sir, I think I am the lucky one to have found such a beautiful, loving, caring woman. I know how lucky I am." Says Jim.
Grandpa looks at Jim for a moment, and looks down at me. "I think I like this one. He is certainly better than all the guys before him."
"ALL THE GUYS BEFORE HIM!" I gasp. "Grandpa! There were two."
I look at Jim. "There were only two." I say.
Grandpa then starts laughing. "My job is done. I have embarrassed My Girl."
Grandma comes to my rescue. "Stop embarrassing the poor girl. The older you get the worse you get." She says to Grandpa, and he just laughs.