Floral


CHRISTMAS IN DOVER


I liked my roommate

Annie

and she liked me

because I was easy to get along with.


I didn't care if I got the bed by the door.

They both looked puffy and soft to me.


I didn't care that she put her bedspreads on the beds either

so that they would match

because I didn't bring a bedspread

never mind a matching pair.


She was so cute

with her mop of brown curls

and so forgetful.


Almost every time she went down the hall to the showers

she would holler

"Lynne guess what I forgot my towel again please bring it to me!"

and I liked that she did that

because I felt needed

and that I belonged.


I was stunned one day

when I was hurrying to Medieval History

to have a really good-looking hunk of a man

who said his name was Charles

appear by my side

and start talking.



After that, Charles seemed to follow me around

showing up in the cafeteria if I had a minute to eat

at church on Sunday

at the Library


and I didn't mind at all.


He was good and kind and he laughed a lot

plus he had red hair

and freckles

and dimples.


After a while I stopped worrying about him leaving me

and just thanked the Lord for him.



At Christmas, he took me home in his car.


I could tell Mom and Daddy liked him a lot.


Mom put on her best dress

and her best apron

and cooked her best Christmas Eve meal ever.


Daddy snatched him away after supper

into his office

and the two of them yakked for hours.


I was so so happy!


God was so good!


* * *
Christmas morning dawned snowy

but sunny

and to my surprise Mom and Daddy had gotten me a desk lamp

which I needed really bad

because I could barely see to study

seeing as how Annie had the window on her side of our room.


It was a wonderful magical glorious Christmas!

The house smelled like cinnamon

the babies were good

Jimmy and Wes each got a radio

Charles got a pen set

and I played the piano and we sang Christmas carols.


When we were done unwrapping

Mom served a good lunch

of leftover turkey and taters and mince pie


then Charles and I got started on the eight hour ride back to school

leaving New Jersey behind


listening to Christmas music on the radio

laughing when trucks splashed our windshield

going through patches of drifting snow

black ice


warm in the car

talking

holding hands

up and up

to the tip of the State

where the red brick buildings

and huge white lawns covered with fresh snow

were waiting for us



and I couldn't help but think of my first trip up to college

and how different this one was


and I thanked the Lord from the bottom of my happy heart!




Music Playing: Love Me Tender
This page contains copyrighted material
©2001

GO TO CHAPTER 6

HOME




This story is a continuation of Diary of a Preacher's Daughter.
For earlier stories, click on my banner