An Aurora Skies Christmas Romance Tale

Hero

7 years ago

Thank you for the comments @lanlyn . I always look forward to getting them. 💗
90's country is the BEST! 🌟

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Chapter 5

December 19th

On this particular morning in Aurora Skies it was a clear and sunny winter day. However it was also accompanied by wind, that seemed to reduce the current low temperature outside to about 15 degrees lower! It was a biting cold and Miriam figured she better dress a bit more warmly when visiting Mr. Hodge today.

Before leaving she assured Ciro that she could go without him now as there wasn't anymore hostility coming from Mr. Hodge. Ciro expressed his uneasiness about letting her go alone, but when all was said and done he trusted her. Besides it wasn't like she didn't have a phone to call for help or that she wasn't one of the fastest runners around.

After arriving on Mr. Hodge's property and knocking on the door, it took a bit longer for him to answer. Miriam prayed he would soon as the freezing wind was already started to penetrate through her coat and pants. She gripped the center of her coat and squeezed the seam together to help keep in the warmth better.

Mr. Hodge finally opened the door with a smile on his face and stepped out to greet,
"Good morning to you Miriam."
"Good Morning Mr. Hodge," she replied, shivering a bit. Her nose felt frozen.
"Whew!" he breathed, "this wind is terrible! I'm glad you wore something warmer this time around."

"Indeed," she agreed. "Happy December 19th Mr. Hodge," she said, holding the gift out to him."
"Thank you again," he said, with an even brighter smile.
She smiled, blushing in return.

"Well," she began, unable to handle the cold any longer. "I better be going. This wind is nasty! I really hope you like the gift."

"Wait!" Mr. Hodge stopped her. She looked upon him curiously. "I," he started, scratching at the back of his head. "I...uh...sorta have something for you too." And he went back inside his house.

What!? Miriam tried desperately to keep her mouth from falling! This was quite...surprising! For a moment she thought this was a dream!

Mr. Hodge quickly returned before her with a very nicely wrapped present. Miriam held her hand to her heart, unable to believe it.
"Here," he said, placing it into her hand for her. "It's not much but..."
"Oh Mr. Hodge," she happily said, "I know I'll love it no matter what! Thank you!"

She gently shook it a bit. It was always the natural thing for her to do when trying to guess what's inside a present.

"Careful," Mr. Hodge cautioned. "It's quite fragile."
"Oops! Sorry..."

Carefully she tore off all the wrapping - to which Mr. Hodge threw away in the trash can like she always did for him - and removed the lid. When she beheld what was inside, her heart skipped a beat and for a moment, she was breathless.

Inside held a piece of ice, shaped like a snowflake, resting on a bed of cotton balls. She glanced up at the man with glistening eyes as if to ask, Where did you get this?

"It's from the lake," Mr. Hodge answered, motioning with his head toward the falls. "I found it on the bank's edge all shaped like that when I went ice fishing yesterday. Thankfully I was able to break it off without it shattering into pieces, but it was such a unique and beautiful formation that," he paused nervously, "it made me think of you."

Any chill Miriam felt from the biting wind was long gone now, as Mr. Hodge's thoughtful gift and sweet words created a deep warmth within her. Her blushing cheeks certainly thawed out her face. "It is beautiful," she expressed. "I love it! Thank you!" She wanted to hug him, but it was too soon for that.

Giving off a gratified smile, Mr. Hodge then folded his arms as a burst of wind slammed upon them both. "Brrrr!" he shivered. "Would you like to come inside for a bit? We need to get out of this cold!"
Eyes widened, Miriam replied, "Sure. I mean...Yes! That would be wonderful!" He's actually inviting me inside! That's a double miracle in one day! She tried not to squeal. I guess it's a good thing Ciro didn't come with me...

The inside of Mr. Hodge's home looked about as Miriam always expected it would. Very open like a warehouse, a single fireplace in the center, a metal floor, a tiny bathroom, and furnishings that clearly came from large trash cans and the dump over the years. But even so, it felt humble. Nothing dangerous or worrisome stood out in the open so that was good. It seemed there was more normal in Mr. Hodge than everyone thought.

He beckoned her to take a seat on the sofa with him as he offered her a cup of coffee.
"Thank you," she expressed, taking a light sip as she sat down.

For the next several minutes they made small talk, sipping down every last bit of coffee in between, then resting the empty cups on the floor beside the couch.

Then there ensued an awkward silence if there ever was one, Mr. Hodge kicking himself for inviting such a lovely woman into a dump like this especially at a time when it reeked of freshly gutted fish!

He couldn't hold it back any longer...but not first without saying, "Please forgive the smell. I'd open a window but..."
"It's alright," Miriam assured. "I understand."
He nodded, but then shook his head. "Gosh I never thought I'd end up like this..."
Carefully Miriam glanced over at him, hoping her gaze would encourage him to go on. There was just so much more she wanted to know about him.

"It all happened 13 years ago," he began, "this Christmas Eve."
"When what happened?" Miriam gently encouraged.
There was a pause. "The beginning of the end of my life."

****

"It's okay," Miriam assured, sensing his great hesitation. "You can tell me. I promise what you say will be safe with me Mr. Hodge."
The man glanced over at her appreciatively and then, with a deep sigh, began his story.

"We were so young back then, my wife and I. So deeply in love and ever so naive to the realities of life; the sorrow and disasters it can throw out at you without any warning that change everything. The kind of pain and tragedies everybody is aware of, but no one believes will actually happen to them."
Miriam's brow furrowed.
"Her name was Ayana," he continued, "the kindest most elegant woman to ever grace this Earth. My dear Ayana...we met during her first year of college. I never attended college...but I worked in the cafeteria there and...that's how we met." He smiled. "Neither of our parents approved of our courtship, but we eloped anyway. They practically disowned us, Ayana's parents especially when she decided to not finish school to run away with me."
Miriam frowned.

"We settled here in Aurora Skies, hundreds of miles away from our parents, ready to take on the world together. Oh it was the most joyous of times. We couldn't get enough of each other. And we were the homebody type, didn't get out much, basically because we were introverts, but mostly because we felt that all we ever needed was right there in each other and...in many ways it was true."
Miriam smiled.
Mr. Hodge then lowered his head, studying his fingers tightly woven together upon his lap. "It took a while for her to secure a good job as she was the main breadwinner," he chuckled. "That woman didn't want it any other way. I just did home repairs on the side to stay busy. Then one day, after trying for two years, she tells me she's pregnant. It was the happiest day of my life since we married," he said with a choke.

"Aww. This is such a beautiful story," Miriam finally spoke, "but Mr. Hodge, what does this have to do with--"
"Just," he addressed her sharply, "let me finish."
Miriam consented.

"Months passed...we found out we were having twins."
"Oh wow!"
"Yeah! We had no clue how we were going to support and take care of two kids without help from family, but...we knew we could do anything...together."
Miriam smiled. What a joy it was to see this side of Mr. Hodge that she never could've imagined was there.
"The doctor's had her due date set for February 25th. But," he stopped, gulping. Hesitating again. "She began bleeding heavily just two months prior."
Heart sinking, Miriam didn't like where this was going.

Now Mr. Hodge was really struggling to get the words out. "I...ran her to the ER. Once we arrived...there were so many...complications...and it all happened so fast." He squeezed his eyes shut.
"Mr. Hodge..."
"They had to deliver the babies immediately so she had an emergency c-section, there was no time for pain killers. I'll never forget...her screams..." His eyes welled up with tears.
Miriam lowered her head.
"Our babies were taken to whatever that place is called upstairs as I did my best to comfort my dear Ayana. But she started bleeding out and the surgeons kicked me out of the room! The last thing I said to her was...'It'll be ok.'" He wiped at his eyes. "About a half hour later they came out to tell me they did everything they could, but...she was gone." He shook his head.
"Oh Mr. Hodge..."
"So instantly I ran upstairs to find our babies." He spoke with an angered look of determination in his eyes. "They were a boy and a girl. Tate and Tia we named them. The most beautiful little babies you ever did see...struggling to hold onto life."
You gotta be kidding me, Miriam thought. Don't tell me they didn't...
"I don't remember the complications they had," Mr. Hodge went on, "but Tate died an hour after his mother and...Tia followed another hour after."
Miriam held her hand to her mouth.
"So there it happened...everyone in my life, my whole entire world, taken away from me in a matter of hours...on Christmas Eve night."

Miriam lowered her hand from her mouth and gently placed it on his leg. "I am so so sorry Mr. Hodge! I," she choked, "I can't...I can't even imagine!" Tears welled up in her eyes.
"CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT of ALL nights!" Mr. Hodge shouted, throwing his hands into the air. "God is a cruel one Miriam! And I've cursed Him ever since!"
Miriam certainly couldn't blame him for that.
"I thought," he said, the tears rolling down his cheeks, "that I would be going home the next day, with my beautiful wife, both of us carrying the greatest gifts one could ever receive on Christmas, but NO! I lost EVERYTHING that Christmas!"

"So that's why you hate Christmas," Miriam silently uttered. "It's totally understandable now Mr. Hodge!"

"But it goes DEEPER than that!" he stressed. "It's not Christmas itself that I hate, it's just that it reminds me of my painful and ultimate loss!" He sniffed, holding his hand to his heart. "It reminds me of what could have been..."

And with that, Mr. Hodge buried his face deep into the palms of his hands and sobbed. Sobbing harder than he ever had since that fateful day. Miriam never witnessed such a breakdown from a man, especially...a man like him.
"That's why I can't celebrate it," he spluttered to Miriam, "I never want anything to do with it. It's just too painful!"
"Oh Mr. Hodge," Miriam cried, instinctively reaching out to him and pulling him in for a tight hug. She allowed him to drift down and lay upon her lap as he continued to sob and she stoked his arm. "It'll all be ok," was the only think she could think to say. "Just let it all out. That's right. You'll feel much better...I promise."

But all the while she just shook her head, unable to fathom such a tragedy. It was clearly the saddest story she'd ever heard in her life.

****

Many minutes passed as the two friends held each other close on the couch, Mr. Hodge finally able to find his breath again. Miriam's festive dress was soaked in his tears.

"So what happened after that?" she asked, breaking the silence. "What happened to where you ended up here in this warehouse?"

Mr. Hodge hoped she wouldn't ask, but since he already told her everything else. "Well," he started, "As I mentioned earlier Ayana and I were young, and stupid really, and didn't have much money. It never even crossed our minds that...well...you know. So we didn't have any life insurance plans."
"Oh..."
"So," he sighed. "Between hospital bills and funeral expenses...I had to sell everything I owned to pay for it all. Even our house..."
Miriam shook her head.
"After that I left for the big city. Tried to find a job, but didn't have any luck so I just lived and begged on the streets."
"That must've been rough."
"It was. And finally I got fed up with it. So, I decided to return back here, expecting a 'welcome back' or some help from at least ONE person in this place, but...nope."

Miriam sat up to look at him. "Seriously?"
"Yup. No one was there for me when Ayana and the twins died, except her doctor, so I don't know why I expected anyone to notice that I'd returned. I was just hoping..."
Miriam was awestruck.

"That created a bitterness towards the people in this town that's stayed with me to this very day, as you well know. I figured that since none of them seemed to care about me, I wasn't going to care about them." He shrugged. "So I did what I had to do to survive. Alone. Contemplated suicide even, until I found my way into this warehouse and...here I am," he said, almost with a hint of regret it seemed to Miriam.

"Look Mr. Hodge," she said, turning to fully face him now. "It may not be my place to say anything because I certainly could never, ever be able to fully understand what you've endured, but," she paused, "you sure allowed all that pain and hatred to consume you. So much to the point that it turned you into someone you never wanted to become."
Mr. Hodge struggled to meet her gaze.
"And I totally get it, I'd be upset with the people in this town too for not giving a darn about me when my family died and the world came crashing down, but...even you yourself said that you and your wife were pretty much homebody's and didn't get out much right?"
There was a slight nod.
"So...did it ever occur to you that maybe people thought they weren't close enough to you to offer help? Or felt comfortable enough to be there for you in such an hour of need?"
There was a hesitant shake of his head.
"Now granted," she went on, "that doesn't excuse the fact that someone should've tried to show some care and reached out to you, but...you sure quickly made up your mind about them upon returning, when it could've just all been a giant misunderstanding, and...that negativity didn't do you any favors. Do you see what I'm trying to say?"
"Yeah," he nodded, honestly wishing she'd stop.
Miriam then put her arm around him again. "I just think that now is the time to look past all that Mr. Hodge," she said, "it's been too long. It's time to move on. To be that version of yourself again that you introduced me to today."

With that conclusion he gave her the most appreciative smile he'd ever given anyone. "It's Jaron," he said.
"What?"
"My name is Jaron."
Miriam grinned brightly. "Well...it's nice to meet you...Jaron." They both chuckled.

"Thank you for listening to my story Miriam," he went on to say. "I needed to talk about it more than I realized."

Miriam's heart began filling up with the greatest of joys. A real life Christmas miracle was beginning to happen and it seemed so...unreal.

"You're very welcome...Jaron."

****

The evening, not too long after Miriam left, Jaron threw himself into the freezing lake water in his backyard. He swam many strokes under the light of the Northern Lights.

Mostly it was to cool himself off from feeling so flushed from revealing what he did to Miriam...

...or perhaps it was more of a baptism from his former self.

Either way, he sure felt great afterward!

She's right. It's high time for a change!

😁

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I don't know what influence Brooks & Dunn has had on me lately, but...here's another accurate song to end this chapter off with. 😜