Single With Twins

“He’s coming up the walk,” Melissa announced, then began to jump up and down. “And he’s got presents. He’s got presents with him, Mom.”

Heather narrowed her eyes and quickened her step to get to the door.

“Hi, Uncle Mack,” Melissa said after opening the front door. “Do you like my new shirt? It’s Garfield. See? I just got it today, and we washed it and stuff so I could wear it to go out for pizza, and Emma got a new dress, and we washed that too and Mom had to iron it ’cause it was all wrinkly, but she didn’t have to iron my Garfield. Aren’t you going to come into the house?”

“He can’t because you’re standing in his way, sweetheart,” Heather said.

“Oh,” Melissa said, stepping back.

Mack entered the living room just as Emma came running to join the group.

“Hi, Uncle Mack,” Emma said, stopping in front of him. “Oh, you’ve got presents. Is it your birthday? Are you going to open your birthday presents so we can see what you got?”

“No,” Mack said, smiling. “It’s not my birthday. These gifts are for you, and your sister, and your mother.”

Emma frowned. “It’s not our birthdays.”

“We’re celebrating that fact that it’s Friday,” Mack said.

“Why?” Emma asked.

“Why?” Mack repeated. “Well, because that means there’s no school for the next two days, which leaves you free to play, and that is something to celebrate.”

“It is?” Emma said. “I didn’t know that.”

“Uncle Mack just made it up for fun,” Heather said, looking at Mack intently. “You girls like school as much as you do playing on the weekend. Right?”

“I guess,” Melissa said, shrugging.

“Right, Mack?” Heather said, narrowing her eyes.

“Oh. Right. Sure. You bet,” he said, nodding. “I was just kidding. These gifts I brought are simply because I’m very glad to see all of you.” He handed one of the presents to Emma, another to Melissa, then extended a brightly wrapped gift toward Heather. “This one is for you, Heather.”

“Mack,” Heather said, accepting the package, “I really wish you hadn’t…”

“Can I open it, Mommy?” Melissa said, jumping up and down again. “Can I? Please?”

“May I,” Heather said absently, then sighed. “Yes, of course, go ahead and open your surprises.”

The girls sat on the floor and tore away the pretty paper.

“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Melissa said, popping up to her feet again. “It’s a new baseball mitt. Look at this, Mommy. It’s a brand-new baseball mitt.” She flung her arms around Mack and gave him a big hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Can I go show Buzzy my new mitt, Mom?”

“No, honey,” Heather said quietly, “there isn’t time now. We’re going out for pizza, remember? You can show it to Buzzy in the morning.”

“’Kay.” Melissa pressed the mitt to her nose. “It smells so good. Oh, this is the bestest present I ever got in my whole life.”

“Oh-h-h,” Emma said after she’d unwrapped her gift. “A Barbie doll. A real Barbie doll.” She held it tightly, then got to her feet and hugged Mack. “Thank you, Uncle Mack. My Barbie doll is so beautiful. She’s the most beautiful doll I’ve ever had since I was borned.”

Mack chuckled. “Well, I’m glad you both like what I picked out for you. That makes me feel great, it really does.” He looked at Heather. “Aren’t you going to open your present?”

No, Heather thought, she wasn’t going to open her gift, she was going to run to her bedroom and cry for a week. Her worst nightmare was already happening. Her daughters had just declared the expensive gifts from Mack to be the very best presents they had ever received. A brand-new baseball mitt that smelled like the genuine leather that it was and a gorgeous Barbie doll. Brand-new…not used by someone else before the twins.

“Mommy?” Melissa said. “Aren’t you going to open your present?”

“What?” she said. “Oh, yes, of course, I am.” Heather sat on the sofa and a few moments later lifted a delicate crystal vase from the tissue paper inside the box. “Oh, my goodness. It’s…it’s lovely. I’ve never had anything so…” She cleared her throat. “Thank you very much, Mack.”

“Cool,” Melissa said. “Now you won’t have to put flowers in the pickle jar.”

“That’s the plan,” Mack said.

So much for Mack not noticing the dumb pickle jar, Heather thought miserably. And she had gushed over her gift just as much as the girls had…and she’d meant it. The vase was exquisite. And it probably cost more than she spent on a week’s worth of groceries.

“Get your sweaters, girls,” Heather said, placing the vase on the coffee table. “It will be chilly once the sun goes down.”

“Can I take my mitt with me to the pizza parlor?” Melissa said.

“Can I take my Barbie doll?” Emma said.

“Sure,” Heather said wearily as she got to her feet. “Why not? Run and get your sweaters.”