Title: Christmas Wrapping
Contact: tribalfreakforever@hotmail.com
Author’s Notes: My annual holiday fiction for 2002, though this one is quite a bit shorter than Meet Me Under 
the Mistletoe. This one part story was inspired by the Christmas song by the Waitresses, Christmas Wrapping and 
The Tribe’s bloopers video #2. There is a man mentioned in this story whom Trudy is interested in, though he is 
never given a name. For the man’s identity, stay tuned to season five of the Tribe.
 
 
A long drawn-out sigh escaped Trudy Taylor’s lips as she sat curled up in a pale pink and dark burgundy carefully 
knitted afghan that her grandmother had crocheted for her last year for Christmas. The heat in her small one-
bedroom apartment had gone out again and the manager had gone out of town for the holidays. If Brady had 
been there Trudy would have made a huge stink about it, but Brady was spending Christmas with Martin this year 
and Trudy was alone. 
 
 
Trudy stared vacantly out the thin-paned window, watching as delicate snowflakes of white made their slow 
descent towards the earth, causing the busy streets of the city to look almost magical. It was Christmas Eve and 
it seemed that the entire city had saved their shopping for the last minute. Watching the harried shoppers from 
her vantage point on the third floor of her apartment complex made Trudy thankful she and Brady had their own 
private Christmas celebration two days ago, just before Martin picked her up to spend Christmas with the 
Fieldings.
 
 
Thoughts of her daughter, now nearly eight-years-old, caused the young mother to cast a wistful glance over at 
the gilded frame on the bookshelf that contained Brady’s latest school picture. At times Trudy was flabbergast at 
how quickly Brady had grown from the adorable little baby girl she had been years ago into the darling second 
grader smiling back at her through the framed glass, her two front teeth missing. 
 
 
Trudy’s lips twisted up in a melancholic smile as she turned away from the window and bookshelf. Brady was 
normally coming home from school at this time and Trudy would have a warm cup of tea or cocoa ready for her 
daughter that they could share together as they discussed each other’s days. 
 
 
Deciding that it would be alright to carry on the tradition without Brady’s presence, Trudy shuffled her way 
towards the kitchen intent on setting a kettle. She hesitated at the table where she had left several opened yet 
still unanswered Christmas invites. She was always so bad with the RSVP thing. She didn’t even know what RSVP 
stood for.
 
 
The tea could wait, Trudy determined, but she had a few hours and it would only be polite to let her friends know 
that she could not come to their various parties. She was far too exhausted. This year had passed in a whirlwind 
and Trudy was determined to spend Christmas Eve curled up in her grandmother’s blanket watching a marathon of 
Christmas movies and enjoying a mug of hot cocoa. 
 
 
Trudy picked up the first invitation and smiled at the cute and loopy handwriting of her best friend, Amber 
Kennedy. Amber and Lex were throwing their annual Christmas Eve party, inviting everyone on the North Island 
and cramming them into their tiny living room. 
 
 
It was at Amber and Lex’s party last year that Trudy had met him. Trudy had only been able to stay a minute or 
two, needing to get back home to her apartment before Ryan brought Brady back from her play-date with his and 
Salene’s daughter, Jessica. While waiting to talk to Amber, tell her that she needed to get going, Trudy had 
literally bumped into him, spilling bright pink holiday punch all over his crisp white long-sleeved oxford shirt. 
 
 
Trudy’s cheeks tinged pink at the memory, still embarrassed by her clumsiness. He hadn’t minded one bit and 
assured Trudy that the stain would come out, but Trudy was still unsure. They had continued talking for several 
minutes until Amber had finished lecturing the caterer who had forgotten the Vienna sausages, replacing them 
with rather tasteless ordinary hot dog franks. They had exchanged phone numbers, promising to keep in touch, 
then Trudy had said goodbye to Amber, intent on calling him after the traditional three days waiting period had 
passed. 
 
 
However, three days after Christmas Eve Trudy had been called in to the hospital to cover for one of the other 
nurses who had suddenly fallen ill. Trudy had put off calling him till the next day, but something else had come 
up. Without really knowing how it had happened, the months had whirled by and she still had not called him. 
 
 
Then, one unusually sweltering hot March day Trudy had bumped into him at Brady’s school. Because of Trudy’s 
work schedule, she was rarely able to pick Brady up from school, relying on Salene to pick her up and bring her 
back to the apartment just as Trudy was getting back from her shift so Trudy did not know if he had a child 
enrolled in the school. 
 
 
They had chatted for awhile as they waited for the bell to ring and during the natural course of conversation he 
had mentioned he was doing his brother a favor and picking up his little boy. Trudy casually informed him that it 
was her daughter she was picking up and was pleasantly surprised to see that he was did not automatically loose 
interest just because she had “baggage” attached.
 
 
He had suggested they have lunch the next week but their schedules just couldn’t coordinate. Before they had 
time to set a date for later in the month the school bell had ran and a beautiful little boy, no more than five, 
came rushing out, his dark brown eyes glowing with pure adornment. The little boy was gorgeous and obviously, 
the boy’s father took after his brother.
 
 
Trudy had expected him to call within the next few days, but he never did and Trudy contemplated phoning him. 
When she finally worked up the nerve to call, however, she discovered that she had somehow lost his phone 
number during the course of the several months between then and their first meeting. 
 
 
She momentarily considered calling Amber to see if she had his phone number, but knowing how eager her best 
friend was to hook Trudy up with someone so she could be “just as happy as she and Lex” she had quickly 
discarded the idea. He had her phone number, he could call her. And if not, then it was obviously not meant to 
be.
 
 
He did call her, but of course not until that summer in the middle of July. Trudy had just come back from a mini-
vacation with Brady to the beach where they had stayed at Ebony and her husband’s timeshare. Trudy had been 
a dutiful mother and made sure Brady always wore proper sun protection, but unfortunately she had forgotten all 
about herself. They had cut their vacation a day short due to the fact that Trudy’s extremely fair skin had gotten 
burnt and was already starting to break out in painful blisters. 
 
 
He had invited both Trudy and Brady out for a day on his boat, maybe do a little fishing or something. Trudy knew 
that Brady would love to go out on a boat, but she had to decline because of her sunburn. Once again she was 
kicking herself for not bothering to put sun block on herself. Thankfully he had understood and promised that they 
would do it another time. 
 
 
He called again a couple times during the summer but each time they planned something it just wouldn’t work out. 
It was beginning to frustrate Trudy because she honestly was interested in him and he was the first young man 
who actually seemed interested in her as well in a very long time. 
 
 
After several more months of hit and miss they set a date way in advance. Amber and Lex were having a 
Halloween costume party. They had made plans an entire month in advance to attend together and yet on the 
night of the party he didn’t show. 
 
 
Three hours after the party had started and Trudy was still waiting at her apartment for him to pick her up she 
received a phone call. On the way to her place he had gotten into an accident. He had been rear-ended and 
though he was not hurt and there was only minor damage done to his car the man who had hit him sped off, a hit 
and run. It was witnessed by a police officer and rather than allowing him to continue on with his plans for the 
evening, the officer had requested that he come down to the station and file a report. 
 
 
It was almost humorous and he was extremely apologetic. Trudy was never one to hold a grudge and they made 
a promise to each other that they would get together before Christmas, Trudy knowing in the back of her mind 
that somehow something would come up and they would never connect. 
 
 
“Ah well.” Trudy murmured softly to herself, fingering the invitation to Amber and Lex’s party. “What will be will 
be. The future’s not ours to see.” She quoted the old song she had just recently taught Brady. 
 
 
Trudy set aside Amber’s and Lex’s invitation momentarily and picked up the next. This one was from Ruby. Trudy 
used to work for Ruby at her bar and though they had practically nothing in common, they still kept in touch. 
 
 
Trudy picked up her cordless phone and quickly dialed the number to The Red Slipper, waiting for someone to 
answer. 
 
“The Red Slipper.” Trudy recognized Ruby’s voice on the other end, only a little surprised that the bar’s owner 
bothered to answer the phone. Ruby had always been good like that. 
 
 
“Hi, Ruby. It’s me Trudy.”
 
 
“Trudy!” Ruby’s voice lightened instantly. “How are you? Did you get my invitation? We’re going to have an 
absolute gala at the Slipper tonight! I got Triple Threat to do the entertainment and I hear that Caleb Ross might 
be attending.”
 
 
“Triple Threat, eh?” Trudy grinned at the thought of the amazingly talented sister trio that had dominated the 
pop charts for over the past year. “That’s pretty impressive. And Caleb Ross? I thought he was filming some 
movie right now, with that girl who was in Star Wars or something…”
 
 
“Natalie Portman.” Ruby stated. “And he is, but apparently they’re taking a break for the holidays. One of the 
new girl’s here is dating a guy who does Caleb’s hair. He casually mentioned the bash to Caleb and he said he’d 
like to come.”
 
 
“That’s so great, Ruby. I’m really happy for you.” Trudy grinned, knowing how much free publicity Ruby would be 
getting if Caleb Ross did indeed show up at her party. 
 
 
“So are you going to come?”
 
 
“I can’t.” Trudy explained, her tone apologetic. “The past couple weeks have been absolutely insane at the 
hospital and with the holidays I haven’t had a moment’s peace. Brady’s at her father’s until the weekend and I 
really just want to curl up in a little ball and fall asleep.”
 
 
“Been there done that.” Ruby chuckled. “I remember my university days. I don’t think I was home for a single 
night for almost an entire year. You rest, Trudy. Take care of yourself. And that little girl of yours, okay?”
 
 
“Oh, don’t worry. I will.” Trudy smiled, imaging the pretty blonde already becoming distracted from the phone 
conversation after she had gushed her exciting news. “I’ll talk to you later, okay Rubs? I have a present for you, 
but I’ll probably bring it by next week if that’s alright.”
 
 
“You shouldn’t have!” Ruby exclaimed, giggling a little. 
 
 
“Ah, it’s not much. Just saw it and thought of you, that’s all.” Trudy explained. “Anyway, I’ll let you go. Have a 
merry Christmas.”
 
 
“You too.” Ruby echoed. “See you next week.”
 
 
“Yeah.” Trudy replied then waited for Ruby to hang up the phone before pressing the off button on her phone and 
shuffling to the next invitation. Ryan and Salene. They were having a Christmas party for Jessica. Trudy had 
already told Salene that Brady was spending Christmas with Martin this year and would not be able to come, so 
she did not have to make that call. 
 
 
The next invitation had come from Ellie Brown. Trudy had shared an apartment with Ellie’s older sister, Alice, for a 
few months while she was in school. Trudy had not been able to work many hours and could not come up with 
the full rent. Alice had needed a place to say for a few months before her wedding and had answered Trudy’s ad 
in the newspaper. 
 
 
Though Trudy and Alice had never been the best of friends, Alice’s little sister came over often and the two of 
them had gotten quite close. Though they had drifted apart a little bit after Alice had moved out, they tried to 
stay in touch, having lunch or going shopping together at least every other month. 
 
 
Ellie was having a small exclusive party at her fiancé's mansion. It was a black tie affair and even if Trudy had 
wanted to rub shoulders with the city’s finest, she wouldn’t have had a dress suitable. Besides, Trudy did not 
care for Luke Preston very much and always tried to avoid him at all costs. 
 
Trudy dialed Ellie’s number quickly and was pleased with the answering machine picked up. She left a brief 
message telling Ellie that she wasn’t feeling well and would not be able to attend her party, but wanted to make 
sure they were still having lunch together the week after next. 
 
 
She had gone through all the invitations save for Amber’s and Lex’s. Part of her actually wanted to go to the 
party, even though she knew there would be far too many people there for her to really relax and have a good 
time. The chance of running into him was just too much of a temptation for her to outright say no. 
 
 
Trudy made a face, her finger hovering over the speed dial button that would connect her to the Kennedy 
residence. She knew that Amber would completely understand if she bowed out and they were planning on 
getting together for New Year’s anyway. 
 
 
“Here goes.” Trudy let out a long breath, deciding to stick to her original plan and keep her date with Jimmy 
Stewart in classic black and white. The phone rang six times before anyone picked up. 
 
 
“Hello?” Amber’s sounded slightly winded. 
 
 
“Amber, is that you?” Trudy furrowed her brow, not wanting to imagine just why it was that Amber was 
breathless when she answered the phone. 
 
 
“Trudy?” 
 
 
“Yeah, it’s me.” Trudy replied. “I was just calling you to let you know I wasn’t going to be able to make it to your 
party tonight. I, uh, well, I really haven’t had an evening to myself in a really long time and the thought of a 
party right now is making me want to climb to the roof of my building and shout ‘Bah humbug’ at the top of my 
lungs.”
 
 
Amber giggled a little at Trudy’s commentary. “Well, no one is forcing you to come, Trudy. Go ahead and relax. I 
know you’ve been really busy this year. Though I must say, I am a little disappointed.” Amber’s voice contained a 
light note of teasing.
 
 
“Oh, and just why is that?” Trudy arched her eyebrow. 
 
 
“There’s going to be a lot of really cute guys here tonight.” Amber let out another squeal, giggling uncontrollably. 
“Lex!” She gasped at last. “Stop it! I’m on the phone!”
 
 
Trudy rolled her eyes but smiled as she listened to Amber trying to detangle herself from her husband’s arms. It 
did Trudy’s heart well to hear how happy Amber and Lex were. She had been worried at first, thinking that Amber 
had just hooked up with Lex to get back at the cheating slimeball Bray, but their relationship had proven true and 
would be celebrating their two year anniversary in just a few short months. 
 
 
“Look, Amber, I need to get going.” Trudy interrupted the war that was taking place on the other end of the line 
at last. “I’ll let you two get back to, uh, well, whatever it was that you were doing.”
 
 
“No!” Amber exclaimed, her voice filled with mock terror. “You have to rescue me, Trudy. Please, you’ve got to.”
 
 
“Rescue you?” Trudy couldn’t help but laugh. 
 
 
“Um hum.” Trudy could imagine Amber bobbing her head up and down enthusiastically. “Lex was insistent on 
ordering Vienna sausages again this year for the party because he says they’re his favorite. But I told him that 
wasn’t such a good idea. You remember the whole incident last year, right?”
 
 
“Yeah…” Trudy trailed off, her mind preoccupied by the mesmerizing eyes of the handsome young man she had 
been playing phone tag with all year long. 
 
 
“Anyway, I told him that we should try something different, you know? Maybe get some quiche instead of the 
sausages but Lex hates quiche. So do I, but I know a lot of people like it—“
 
 
“Forget it Amber.” Lex’s laughing voice interrupted his wife. “It’s too late to change the order. It’s not the same 
caterer as last year and we’re going to get the Vienna sausages and that’s final.”
 
 
“But I want quiche.” Amber pouted.
 
 
“Oh yeah?” Lex challenged. “Just how badly do you want your quiche?”
 
 
“Um…” Amber trailed off as Trudy listened to the little melodrama unfolding on the other end of the phone line. 
 
 
“You want your quiche enough to face the terrible terror of tickle torture?”
 
 
“No!” Amber shrieked wildly and Trudy heard the sound of the phone clattering to the hardwood floor she knew 
was in the Kennedy house. Trudy listened to the sound of footsteps running about followed by the gasping 
sounds of her best friend dying laughing. 
 
 
Trudy chuckled, shaking her head as she hung up her phone knowing that Amber and Lex would more than likely 
be at it like rabbits until well after the Christmas Eve party had started. Same thing happened every year it 
seemed. Trudy just felt sorry for the poor unsuspecting guest who accidentally walked  in on them. 
 
 
She well remembered when she had that honor three years ago back before anyone had known Amber and Lex 
were an item. Trudy was sure Lex’s ears were still burning from the tongue lashing he had received that day, but 
that was back when Trudy had thought he had taken advantage of her best friend. How wrong she had been.
 
 
Trudy stifled a giggle and shook her head then glanced over at the clock. It was nearly five o’clock and the day 
was quickly draining away. Jimmy Stewart was waiting for her. And yet though watching Christmas movies with 
hot cocoa and feeling sorry for herself had sounded so appealing moments ago her “conversation” with Amber and 
Lex had suddenly put her out of that mood. 
 
 
Making a quick decision, Trudy rushed to her kitchen and opened the cupboard taking inventory of the contents. 
She didn’t have much to make a Christmas dinner and would need to run to the dairy to pick up a turkey that was 
for sure. She quickly scribbled a list then grabbed her coat, preparing herself to become another harried shopper 
on the streets of the city making last minute purchases. 
 
 
Less than forty-five minutes later Trudy burst back in through her apartment door, snowflakes melting her in dark 
brown hair, a huge grin spread wide across her face. The stores had been insane but she had managed to find 
the world’s smallest turket tucked away in the freezer section as if it had been set aside just for her. 
 
 
Moving quickly Trudy began to make preparations for Christmas dinner, putting the turkey in the oven first so it 
would have time to cook. After the turkey was in the oven she turned on her stereo and listened to the beautiful 
sounds of Tom Hern’s acoustic guitar as he sang a Christmas duet with the talented Megan Alatini from Triple 
Threat. 
 
 
Trudy let out a content sigh as the swells of Christmas music filled her apartment and before long she found 
herself humming along as she put the green beans on the stove to simmer. 
 
 
“Damn!” She gasped suddenly, her eyes flaring wide open. “How could I forget!” 
 
 
Trudy shot a wild glance at the clock on her microwave. It was nearly 7:30. There was no way a grocery store 
would be open on Christmas Eve. Not this late. She bit down on her lip, determined not to feel sorry for herself. 
 
 
“That’s alright,” She consoled herself. “It can be the perfect Christmas dinner without cranberry sauce. Besides, 
all the stores are probably sold out of the gel kind and you know how you hate the whole berries…”
 
 
Yet as much as she tried to convince herself, Trudy had suddenly lost all of her previous acquired Christmas 
spirit. The delicious aroma of turkey wafted towards her nostrils and she made the decision that somehow she 
would find a grocery store that was open late. 
 
 
Trudy snatched up her phone book and began to page through till she reached the grocers section. After calling 
six different markets she finally found one open, though it was only open until eight. Her mood instantly 
brightened, Trudy snatched up her coat and went dashing through the snow for the second time that night. 
 
 
The streets had calmed down quite a bit since that afternoon and though the snow had not stopped falling Trudy 
did not feel cold. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and trudged her way towards the store, hoping that 
they would have the right kind of cranberry sauce, though she would even take whole berry at the moment. 
 
 
It was 7:57 when she walked through the automatic doors of the store and though she received a dirty look from 
the cashier Trudy went on. The aisles were pretty much picked clean and Trudy had never gone shopping in this 
store before, but at long last she found the aisle that had to contain the cranberry sauce. She had walked down 
every other one already. 
 
 
‘Two cans left.’ Trudy chuckled to herself when she spied the prized cans. ‘One gel one whole berry.’ She reached 
out to grab the gel cranberry sauce, pulling her hand back as another hand reached for it at the exact same 
moment. 
 
 
“Oh, I’m sorry!” She exclaimed, already mourning the loss of her cranberry sauce. 
 
 
“Trudy?” 
 
 
Trudy looked up at the man who had greeted her. A huge smile broke across her face and she found herself 
giggling uncontrollably much like her best friend had been only hours before. ‘You!” She managed at last. 
 
 
“Yeah, me.” He nodded, chuckling. “Not going to Amber and Lex’s Christmas party?”
 
 
“Naw. I need a break. This year’s been crazy.” Trudy answered. “Brady’s with her father so I’m spending this one 
alone this year.”
 
 
“Me too.” He smiled, his warm chocolate brown eyes warming Trudy’s heart more than the biggest mug of rich hot 
cocoa could. “I was going to make myself a midnight Christmas dinner. Only I forgot—“
 
 
“Cranberries.” Trudy interrupted, shaking her head at the magical irony of it all. “Me too.”
 
 
“Well, here,’ He handed her the can of coveted gel cranberry sauce. “I don’t normally like the whole berry kind, 
but in the spirit of Christmas, you can have the last can.”
 
 
“Thank you.” Trudy felt her cheeks flushing, a sudden idea coming to her. “Look, my turkey’s pretty small and all, 
but it’s already in the oven ready and waiting for me and the cranberry sauce… Would, would you like to join me 
for Christmas dinner? That way, well, that way we both can have the good cranberry sauce.”
 
 
His face broke out in a wide smile and he nodded. “Yeah. I think I’d really like that.”
 
 
Trudy smiled, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest, forgetting all about her date with Jimmy Stewart. Their eyes 
locked and Trudy felt her knees begin to weaken. “Come on,” She whispered at long last, catching her free hand 
in his. “Let’s go celebrate Christmas right this year.”   
 
 
The End