The Christmas House Page 13

  "I'll get it. Jack probably forgot something. Either that or he wants to tease me some more about seeing ghosts," Michael shouted out.

  Michael opened the door and looked through the fogged up glass of the storm door. He could see what appeared to be two people, but couldn’t make out their faces. He opened the storm door and peeked out.

  "Jack? Wanda? Did you forget something?" he asked.

  "Merry Christmas Michael!" the people standing out on the stoop shouted.

  "Well, Merry Christmas to you too. Can I help you?" Michael asked.

  The two people on the stoop didn’t say a word. They just stood there and stared at Michael, as Michael stared back at them.

  They were both formally well dressed as if they were going out to a fancy gala. The man was in his late fifties and the woman was in her forties. He then focused on their faces.

  He started to say, "I'm sorry, but do I know...." He stopped. He looked at the woman's face and suddenly the identity of these strangers hit him like a ton of bricks.

  "Wait right here! Don't move! Don't go anywhere! Okay? Okay!" said Michael.

  He shut the door and ran into the living room. He removed a picture off the wall and looked at it carefully. It was the picture of Arianna's parents.

  "Holy shit!" Michael exclaimed. "Holy shit! I am losing my mind! Yep. I have lost it!" he said out loud.

  Arianna came into the room.

  "Michael who was at the...” she stopped as she saw Michael shaking while staring at the picture.

  "Michael? Are you okay?" she asked.

  "Oh My God! Arianna, you are going to think I have lost my mind," he replied.

  "What? Is Martha back at the door with the dog we lost 7 years ago?" she asked jokingly.

  Michael set the picture down on the coffee table and turned to Arianna.

  "Come with me."

  He led her by the arm out of the living room and to the foyer. Arianna just stared at him as he quickened the pace to a brisk walk. Arriving at the closed front door, Michael stopped sharply.

  "Open the door. Go ahead- open it," he said.

  "Oh for God sakes Michael," she replied.

  Arianna opened the front door and looked out.

  "Do you see anyone there?" asked Michael.

  "No. I don't see anyone Michael," she replied. "But who could see anything through this fogged up pane of glass!"

  Michael put his hands over his face and started muttering in disbelief, “I’m not afraid of spooks, I’m not afraid of spooks.”

  She pulled the sleeve from her sweatshirt over her hand and wiped the fog from the glass. As she rubbed the glass clear, she looked at Michael.

  "Honey, you know you have got to get some rest. I think you have been working too har.... HOLY SHIT!"

  Arianna screamed as she looked through the now clear glass of the storm door and saw her parents for the first time in 15 years. She jumped back and into Michael's arms.

  "YES!" shouted Michael as he made a fist and raised his arm into the air as a sign of victory.

  Arianna started to tremble and was unable to speak. Michael held her tight as he inched his way to the storm door. He opened the door.

  "Merry Christmas Arianna!" the people shouted.

  As Michael held open the door, the man and woman from outside entered the house. Michael and Arianna backed up several feet as they both continued to stare in total amazement.

  "I don't believe I have ever had the pleasure. I'm Michael Carter," Michael said and he extended his hand.

  "A pleasure to meet you Michael! I'm Arthur Campbell and this is my wife Marie. We're Arianna's parents."

  Michael looked at his hand touching Arthur’s.

  "They're real."

  Arianna’s eyes rolled back in her head as she passed out cold in Michael's arms and went limp. Michael struggled to hold her up.

  "I think the shock of seeing you again is a bit overwhelming. Please, come in and make yourselves at home," Michael said as her tried to hold Arianna up right.

  "Oh my, didn't Martha come by yet to let you know that we were coming?" asked Marie.

  "Martha? Did you say Martha?" asked Michael.

  "Why, yes. She was supposed to have been here at exactly 6:00 p.m. to let you know what was going on tonight," answered Marie. "Oh, my Art, we have made a mess of things now."

  "Ah Ha! So Martha was here. I'm not losing my mind after all! No, I'm just standing here holding up my comatose wife and talking to her DEAD PARENTS!" Michael shouted.

  Michael dragged Arianna into the family room and placed her on his lap as he sat on the couch. He started to slap her face lightly.

  "Arianna! Arianna! Please wake up. Please don't leave me here alone with your folks. You gotta wake up honey. Arianna?"

  The doorbell rang.

  "You want me to get that Michael?" Arthur asked.

  Michael replied, "Sure why not! And if it's Martha, tell her to get her butt in here right now!"

  Michael continued to try to revive Arianna for several minutes.

  "Please honey. C'mon now. This is really rude. We have company," he said.

  "Here Michael, try this cold compress," a woman said.

  Michael took the cold compress from the woman and looked up at her quickly, to notice a man standing beside her.

  "Thanks Mom. Hi Dad, Merry Christmas. Arianna passed out when she saw her... HOLY SHIT!"

  Michael jumped up and Arianna fell off his lap and onto the floor with a thud.

  "MOM! DAD!" Michael shouted.

  He backed up and started to look around in a frantic frenzy.

  "What in the world is going on here?" he asked.

  A young man behind him said, "I don't know Mike, but man, it sure is far out isn't it?"

  Michael turned to see his brother Billy.

  "OH MY GOD!"

  "Hey Mike relax. It's cool. We're as freaked out about this as you are. For the last 10 years we've been spending Christmas, well, up there. All of a sudden, today we get back the threads we were buried in and these trays of munchies and BINGO! We’re standing here talking to you like we're alive again. This is a real trip man," Billy said.

  "Michael, could you come here and give your old man a hug? It's been a while," asked Michael's father.

  Michael was totally bewildered. Arianna was still on the floor passed out. Michael had no idea what was happening to him. He figured it was some kind of weird dream. Maybe he was still sleeping on the couch with Jack. Maybe David never came home. Maybe he had truly lost his mind.

  Michael's dad walked toward him and opened his arms. Michael reluctantly walked toward his father and embraced him carefully and cautiously at first. Then he felt the love from his father's embrace and hugged his Dad as tight as he could.

  "Oh, I don't know what is happening here, but I like it!" said Michael as he continued to hug his father.

  Just then Arianna regained consciousness and sat up slowly. Michael was now hugging his Mother tightly as he kissed her. Billy was patting Michael on the back, as his father stood close by. Arianna looked up and focused on the four of them.

  Michael turned to see that she was awake and said, "Arianna! Look! My Mom, Dad and Billy came over for Christmas!"

  "Merry Christmas Arianna!" the three of them shouted.

  Arianna's eyes rolled to the back of her head again and as she began to slump forward they softly heard her say, "Holy Shi...."

  As the evening continued, Michael was like a kid in a candy store. His whole attitude was so much different than it was just a few hours ago when he was so concerned as to the whereabouts of David. As the doorbell rang and rang, Michael happily yelled out, "I'll get it!". He ran to the door each time not knowing who would show up next.

  Guest after guest arrived at the house, bringing trays and platters of goodies. Cakes and cookies were quickly filling up every table in the house. Some of the guests were Arianna's family thus Michael didn't have any idea of who they were. He seldom had the opportunity to
meet many of her relatives. As well, much of her family had already passed away before he and Arianna ever met.

  The doorbell rang again.

  "I've got it!" yelled Michael.

  "Merry Christmas Michael!", shouted two more people as a Michael opened the door.

  Michael stopped and looked into their faces. As he recognized the two people at the front door, he started to breakdown. The two guests standing on the front stoop were Bryan and Jennifer, the best man and maid of honor at Michael and Arianna's wedding who died just last year in a house fire.

  "Bryan, Jenn. Oh my God it's good to see you both," said Michael as they entered the house and hugged.

  "Michael! Hi ya handsome!” Jenn said as she kissed him softly. "Hey look, I got my old body back. What do ya think?"

  "You both look fantastic!" said Michael.

  "Michael, hey buddy I missed you!" said Bryan.

  They hugged and patted each other on the back several times.

  "Come on in and make yourself at home you two. I don't know why you are here, but I am so happy that you are. Arianna is going to be so excited to see the both of you again,” Michael said.

  Meanwhile back in the living room, Arianna was finally waking up, but remained sitting on the floor in a state of confusion.

  "You feeling a little better now honey?" asked her mother.

  "Yeah... I guess so Mom. Mom? Are you really here?" she asked.

  "Yes honey, we are both here and so is Uncle Roy, Aunt Laura and Cousin Edward," replied her mother.

  "Mom, this is so weird. You have no idea," Arianna said.

  "Honey, we don't know what's going on here either. All of a sudden, we were at your front door. We knew it was your front door because Martha described the house to a tee. Over and above that we have no idea why we are here either. But we sure are glad to be with you again," she said as she smiled.

  Michael entered the living room and noticed that Arianna was awake. He walked over to her and sat on the couch behind her.

  "Arianna, this is unbelievable. It's great! I mean it's really weird, but it's also really great!" said Michael as he continued in a fit of excitement.

  "David is talking and joking with our parents. Calling them Grandpa and Grandma. Your Dad is holding Nicole so tenderly. Everyone is laughing and drinking. Oh, you should see all the food they brought with them. There must be a thousand cookies in the dining room. Bryan and Jenn just arrived and they look great!"

  Arianna responded, "Bryan and Jenn? Grandma and Grandpa? Michael what is happening here? How did these people that in some cases, have been dead for many years come back to life? How long are they here for? Is this forever or just until I wake up from this goofy dream?"

  "Honey, I don't know, but if this is a dream then we are both having it at the same time. I don't know how long they can stay with us, but I do know that Martha is behind all of this. Does it matter though? We have been given a gift to share our lives with loved ones we thought we would never see again. Why are we wasting time analyzing it? Get out there and make up for lost time. Go give your Dad a big hug. It will make you feel a whole lot better," Michael replied.

  "Maybe you are right Michael. I think I will get up and mingle for a while. Just stay close to me in case I pass out again, okay?" she asked.

  “You’ll be fine hon. Just let it happen naturally.”

  Arianna stood up and cautiously proceeded through the house. As she walked, she was in awe of all the people that were there. She saw cousins, uncles, and aunts, great grandparents and friends that were deceased for years, laughing and joking as if it was yesterday. They waved to her and hugged her as she passed by them. She found her father in the dining room sitting at the table and holding Nicole. She hugged him around his neck and said, "So do you like your grand-daughter Daddy?"

  As he stood, he handed Nicole off to Michael's mother who was standing nearby.

  "She is almost as beautiful as you were when you were a baby Arianna," he said as he embraced his daughter.

  Arianna felt the same response that Michael felt when he embraced his father. A feeling of overwhelming love. A smile came to her face and she started to laugh.

  "I can't believe you are all here! Can I get anyone some coffee or a soft drink or maybe a double Scotch?" she asked.

  The whole room started to laugh and Michael's brother Billy turned on the stereo. As he tuned in the radio, he found a station that was playing non-stop Christmas songs for the next 24 hours. He turned up the volume as "Silver Bells", by Johnny Mathis sounded from the speakers.

  The old house that was now renovated and looked brand new was filled with over seventy people that were somehow connected to Arianna and Michael. None of them had ever been to this home on Festive Lane before and thus, like the house, they too were new and rejuvenated. People were dancing in the family room, talking in the kitchen, playing cards in the living room and eating in the dining room. Arianna and Michael quickly lost their apprehension about the presence of their unexpected guests. They were living in the moment, for they knew not when it could all suddenly disappear forever.

  Arianna prepared beverages for their guests and set up a punch bowl in the kitchen. As she mixed fruit juices and sodas into the bowl, David approached her gingerly.

  "Mom?" he asked.

  "Yes honey?" Arianna responded gleefully.

  "Are you still mad at me for getting lost?"

  Arianna stopped mixing the bright red punch, held David by the shoulders and pulled him toward her.

  "David. I was so worried about you. I am not mad at you. I am mad at myself for leaving you alone. I should have stayed by your side. I am not a very good mother."

  "It's not your fault Mom. I'm the one that got lost. I'm sorry for making you worry so much," he replied.

  “David, if we didn't worry about the ones we loved, then there is no reason to love at all,” Arianna said.

  "Now we are not finished talking about this. I want to hear all about what exactly happened to you and how you got lost. We will talk about this later, when it is a little less hectic around here."

  "Okay. This is a pretty cool thing isn't it? All these people that I have never met are here and they are all really nice to me! I really like Grandpa Tony and Grandma Dorothy. Are they your Mom and Dad or are they Dad's?”

  "They are your father's parents. Don't you like my parents David?" she asked.

  "Oh yeah. Grandpa Arthur can make strange noises with his mouth. He's funny!" David replied.

  Arianna laughed.

  "Yes, Daddy could always make that... uh... noise with his mouth!"

  David ran off to talk with the guests of the house, when he suddenly heard his guitar being played upstairs in his room. He looked up and seemed puzzled.

  Michael walked down from the upstairs.

  "That's your Uncle Billy. He is the real musician of the family. Boy he can still play that guitar like it's a part of him. Why don't you go up and check it out David. He might teach you a few licks."

  David’s face lit up with a wide smile as he ran through the dining room and up the stairs in a flash.

  As Michael walked into the dining room from the foyer, he sat at the table with his parents, Arianna's parents, his grandfather Albert and his Uncle Wally.

  "David wants to be a rock star when he grows up," Michael stated.

  Grandpa Albert who was in his 90's and had pure white hair and a bit of a beer belly said, "Well I think he would make a great musician. He has the hands for piano though, not guitar."

  "Piano? No way! He is gonna beat those skins until he is rocking this paradise," Uncle Wally replied.

  Uncle Wally was a robust man in his early sixties. He was dressed in the dark blue three-piece suit that he was buried in. His large face was round and cheery as his smoke stained teeth protruded over his bottom lip.

  "So Uncle Wally? How are you? I haven't seen you since...hmm-"

  "My funeral Michael?" asked Uncle Wally.

  "Yes. I g
uess that would have been the last time. That was a stupid thing to say wasn't it? I'm sorry," Michael replied.

  "Hey don't sweat it Mike. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember you coming up to my casket and being all scared. I wanted so bad to sit up and wave my arms like crazy just to see you pee your pants! Ha Ha!" Uncle Wally said and then laughed.

  "I'm surprised you didn't!" said Michael and then continued.

  "Arianna? Uncle Wally used to tease and scare us kids constantly. He would always pick on us."

  "Arianna, you wanna see me take off my head?" Uncle Wally asked.

  "No! Don’t you dare!” Arianna shouted.

  They all laughed.

  "He can't take his head off Arianna. But keep your eye on him, he might just pull your leg right off with his constant kidding," Michael's father said.

  As Arianna laughed, she took Nicole to her playpen for a nap. Michael started to ask some serious questions of the people who were sitting at the dining room table.

  "I don't mean to be nosy, but I have to ask a few questions. First of all, is there a heaven? What is it like?" asked Michael.

  For a moment, there was silence. Michael's mother began to speak.

  "Well, Michael, we aren't sure if we are allowed to talk about that. No one said we couldn't, but no one said we could either. I sure wish Martha were here. She has the answers to all of these questions."

  "Okay, well what about Martha? How is it you all came to know her? I assume there are millions of people... I mean souls... uh... are they souls? Do you have bodies in heaven? Do you fly around in clouds all day? How did you meet Martha out of all the millions there?" Michael asked.

  Michael's father laughed and said, "Slow down son. All in good time."

  "That's another thing; “time”. How long are you here for?" asked Michael.

  "Well, I'm afraid we don't know the answer to that question anymore than you do Michael. Martha was suppose to let us know the schedule when she arrived but obviously, she’s not here as of yet," his father replied.

  "Well I think I'm going to tell him about heaven. What the hell. OOPS! Ha! Ha!" said Uncle Wally.