His excitement was contagious, and I matched him step for step as we went inside.
A few minutes later, he dropped seven bags into the box of his truck.
“You got the addresses?”
“Loading them into my phone now.”
They were all in Cheshire Bay. The organization was called A Grinch-less Christmas, a non-profit that collected toys and books for children and delivered them on Christmas Eve by Santa-hat wearing volunteers – Jesse and I being one of dozens of drivers.
“There’s really this many families without this year?” I was stunned and had expected it in the big city, not in the tiny seaside village.
“Sadly, yes. And most you wouldn’t know were broke. Outside appearances and all.”
We drove to the first address, a ramshackle walk up fifty years behind in renovations with deep cracks in the sidewalks and along the edge of the foundation. The paint on the wood peeled in long, weathered strips, and the windows had a film on them from years of neglectful cleaning.
Afterpressing the buzzer and not hearing a response, Jesse tested the door. It pulled open with a creak, but it was a little scary how unsecure the building was. Wasn’t that against a landlord/tenant act or something? We climbed the stairs to the third floor and down the dank and dreary hall, still adorned with original 1970’s maroon industrial carpeting and faded golden wall sconces.
Since this was my first ever delivery, Istepped to the side and let Jesse knock.
He kept his voice low enough to be heard by the residents on the other side of the door, and notloud enough to echo down the halls. “Delivery for the Akoo family fromA Grinch-less Christmas.”
The walls were paper thin as the song Jingle Bells wasbeing sung on the other side.
The chainslid off, and the door inched opened to a mom of my age holding a child about Henry’s age on her hip, who was dressed only in a diaper but waving at us. The lady’s sweater dangled off a bone-thin shoulder and her leggings didn’t even stretch out the fabric. Bags and dark circles had settled in beneath her eyes but her smile at seeing us was as wide as the Grand Canyon.
Jessequickly set the bag inside the doorway and stepped back out into the hallway. “Merry Christmas.”
The woman’s brown eyes filled with tears, and she turned to set her son down. Without warning, she walked to Jesse and wrapped him in a bear hug, planting a kiss on his cheek. “May God bless you, my brother.”
He didn’t say a word, but the little boy did. “Bess ewe.” A cherubic smile filled his face.
She broke from Jesse and before I had the chance to put distance between us,her arms were wrapped around me. There was no mass to her but the strength she exuded was incredible. “God bless you, my sister.” A kiss also graced my cheek.
“Bess ewe,” the little boy echoed from the safety of the kitchen as he waved with delight.
I swallowed down a lump rapidly forming in my throat, but words failed to release.
She retreated into her home, twisting her hands. “Do you know if the food bins are coming?” Her face contorted into an apologetic expression, as if she had no right to ask.
Jesse glanced at his watch. “They haven’t come by yet?”
The woman shook her headand lowered her gaze.
He reached into his wallet and retrieved a twenty, leaving the billfold empty. “I know it’s not much, but this should help until they arrive. Donnelly’s is open until nine.”
Jesse didn’t have money to spare. Not after our conversations.
I reached into my purse and added a couple of twenties to his.
“Oh no, I can not accept. The food bins will be here. I believe.” Her hand covered her heart.
“Please.” I took the money from Jesse’s outstretched hand and thrust it into hers, quickly glancing into her apartment.
There were no toys on the floor,and there was only one couch, covered in a sheet with a pillow on the far end. A scuffed table with two mismatched chairs added to the furniture, but that was all. Whatever hard times befell on this poor woman; she was barely scrapping by.
Her hands trembled as she looked us in the eyes.“God bless you both. Merry Christmas.”
My own tears formed, and I tried hard to blink them back into their holds. Breaking the eye contact, I nodded and walked away, the wordsMerry Christmasdancing in my head but unable to find a way out.