If there was a lasting problem three years into living together, it was that Elbert the Great Dane took up way too much room on the bed.
There were some sleepless hours, cramps, excessive heat and a ton of snuggles.
They had a money thing for a few months too, solved when Kenny sold some music to a national Chrysler spot.
A recent problem for Kenny Hyland was a crystal swan that Jennifer saw when they were in Glen Arbor and regretted not buying on the spot.
If he and Jennifer ever had kids, which they probably weren’t going to, they would be the only ones Brad would bore with the story of the sneaky drive up north that basically involved and outright lie that would hopefully be forgiven when Jennifer opened the swan under the tree.
Except when he got to Lillian’s Antiques, the hold he had requested had been ignored by a young clerk.
The thought of getting caught in the lie without coming back with the damn swan tore a hole in his gut,but through a series of cajolings and some small-town close degrees of separation, he had tracked down the purchaser and overpaid for a piece of glass that he thought was grossly overpriced on the shelf.
Kenny made sure to give Jennifer a few decent gifts before he handed her the box, commenting, “here’s a little something.”
When Jennifer unwrapped the swan, her eyes rolled back in her head almost as if she was having a seizure. She shivered.
Sensing something was wrong, Elbert jumped from his blanket near the bay window and galloped toward Jennifer.
His big furry shoulder nudged hers and the swan flew from her grip.
Kenny twisted, pushed off with his left foot, dove and caught the swan inches above the hardwood floor.
He rolled, smiling, relieved but still freaked out.
Jennifer took two crawling motions toward Kenny and collapsed on his chest , smiling but crying.
“Ken…ohhh my….Ken…
He handed her the swan, simultaneously yelling at the dog to back off.
Elbert obeyed and retreated.
Jennifer continued to smile, but now she twisted the swan in her hand, running her index finger over the base.
She leaned in and kissed Kenny passionately-Elbert jumped up again to join, but Kenny pulled back and grunted a “no”- then Jennifer went back to looking at the swan.
There was joy on her face, but it wasn’t the reaction that Kenny had pictured driving home from Glen Arbor, broke.
“That meeting with the Kuller Agency was a lie, Angelbreath. I drove up to Glen Arbor to get that.”
“I can’t believe they still had it.”
“They didn’t,” Kenny said. “I asked them to hold it, they said they would, but the woman’s niece didn’t get the memo. Long story, some Pastor’s wife bought it and I explained that you had leukemia and that…”
“Shutup, Kenny, you did not.”
Kenny bit his tongue.
“Sorta.”
“Sorta?”
“Sorta exactly. I was running out of time and patience.”
“Kenny, lying about someone being ill is bad karma.”
Kenny smiled.
“Well, I hope we’re laughing about it when it’s still on the mantel when we’re ninety.”
Jennifer bit her lip and shook her head.
“Honey, don’t be mad…I can’t keep this.”
“Because I told some old lady you had leukemia?”
Jennifer cradled the swan, running her thumb over the bottom left edge, near the tail.
“Ken, this is an original Bouvetierre. When I first saw it I thought it had to be a knock off at the price Lillian had, that she even had it at all. It’s not. We have to sell it. It’s worth about 45 thousand dollars.”
***
Merry Christmas. I truly hope you enjoy the stories every day. If you’re a free subscriber I really hope you’ll join our lively little community of Roulette Weal supporters so that I can continue to publish.
Cheers to you and yours,
Jimmy
Merry Christmas!
This was a delight. A new Christmas classic tale. O. Jimmy