Sammi was the easy one to buy for. Four-year old daughters were focused on toys and young girly stuff. I had her gifts well in hand inside of an hour. But what to get for Renee that wouldn’t upset her? Knowing how she felt about charity, something material would probably not sit well with her. But I wanted her gift to be special.
I got back home in the early afternoon. Sammi saw me drive in and was waving from their living room window. Of course, I waved back. I had her presents in the trunk of my car so that’s where they would stay for now; at least until I had a chance to gift wrap them for Christmas Day without them knowing.
Sammi and Renee came over a few minutes later.
‘Sammi couldn’t wait till you got home,’ Renee let me know as they walked through my doorway.
I laughed, ‘Well it’s good to see you too. Did you have lunch?’ I asked.
‘Thanks Mr. Petey, we had pizza.’ Sammi reported, ‘my favorite.’
‘That’s for being such a good girl yesterday.’ Renee said.
They helped me take out the lights and decorations from a hallway closet while I retrieved a ladder from my storeroom. Two hours later we had my tree decorated and lit.
‘Mr. Petey! Your tree looks so beautiful!’ Sammi yelled at the top of her lungs while Renee cringed. I laughed.
‘It’s beautiful because you and your mom helped. Don’t you see the love that went into decorating the tree? This is special.’ I told Sammi.
‘Come on, you can help me with one last task this afternoon.’ I told them.
‘What do you need help with?’ Sammi asked as I led them into the kitchen.
‘Well I have these Christmas brownies and cookies that are going to be stale unless we eat them. So you can help with that.’ I replied as I put the hot water kettle on.
They laughed while Sammi was bouncing up and down, ‘oooh, brownies.’
An hour later we were in a chocolate daze from the hot chocolate and brownies.
‘Thanks Petey, that was wonderful,’ Renee said. ‘This week has probably been one of the best weeks that we’ve had in quite a while.’
‘You’re welcome. And it’s been one of the better weeks that I’ve had in quite a while also. Thanks to you and Sammi.’
Sammi was smiling as she finished off her hot chocolate.
‘Well kiddo, I think we’d better start thinking of getting home.’ Renee told Sammi.
Sammi nodded her head as she got down off her chair and put her jacket on.
‘Thanks for coming over to help with the tree,’ I told them. Sammi hugged me followed by a hug from Renee.
‘Anytime, Petey. Anytime.’
‘I have an idea. Would you like to come over and join me for Christmas dinner on the eve?’ I asked them.
‘Can we?’ Sammi asked.
Renee replied, ‘only if we can bring something.’
‘Well, I have a bird in the refer so how about you make the stuffing?’
‘What else can we bring?’
‘I have everything else. But you and Sammi can help mash the potatoes when you get here.’
With that decided, they left for their home while I went out to my car and brought in their gifts and wrapped them and placed them around my Christmas Tree.
I still had not figured out what to get for Renee. I racked my brain trying to think of something that would be meaningful for her but would not be considered by Renee as a charity offering. Then it dawned on me; a job. That’s what Renee needed most of all. A job to enable her to earn a living and restore some self esteem. A job.
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