Kerry’s breath frosted his bedroom window Christmas morning as he waited anxiously for his uncle’s arrival. Uncle John was his favorite be-cause he always brought the best gifts. Daddy didn’t like Uncle John; he would say that Uncle John tried to show up everyone else with his presents. He said if Uncle John had kids of his own, he wouldn’t be able to afford those gifts. Kerry didn’t care; he just wanted his presents. He wished Uncle John never got married.
He sat up straight when he spotted the familiar BMW 745 cruising up the long hill to his house. He jumped off the bed, his feet slamming against the floor as he tore out of his room.
“Uncle Terry is coming! Uncle Terry is coming!”
Kerry ran by his sister’s room on the way to the stairs. Michelle stuck her head out the door, her rollers tumbling to the floor, her cell phone pressed against her head.
“Girl, I got to go! My Uncle Terry is coming.” She pulled her head back into her room to dress.
Jerome was downstairs. He sat at the table with Daddy, playing with his new laptop. Mama stood before the oven, putting the finishing touched on Christmas dinner. Jerome was graduating and heading off to college soon, so Mama and Daddy bought him a laptop to help him with his work. Kerry didn’t like the laptop; Jerome wouldn’t let him play any games on it. Kerry ran through the family room and down the foyer to the front door.
“Get away from that door, boy!” Mama ex-claimed.
Kerry’s hands dropped to his side like a little soldier. “It’s Uncle Terry, Mama. He’s coming up the street!”
Mama wiped her hands on her apron and strolled towards the door. “How do you know?”
“I saw him out the window.”
“What did I tell you about looking out that window? You’re always leaving my blinds up. Move on out the way now.”
Mama gently pushed Kerry aside and looked through the peep hole.
“It’s Tee,” she said, “and he’s got someone with him.”
Daddy huffed. “I hope it’s not one of his free loading friends.”
Mommy looked back with a sly smile on her face. “It’s a woman, a very pretty woman.”
Daddy feigned shock. “You’re lying!”
The doorbell rang. Mama opened the door with a wide grin.
“Merry Christmas, Tee!”
Uncle Terry stepped into the house, lifting Ma-ma off her feet. He was a tall man with brown cop-per skin and a round joyful face.
“Merry Christmas, big sister!” he announced, his alto voice filling the foyer. He carried Mama back into the foyer and placed her down. A woman entered, an ebony skinned woman draped in a kente colored coat. Her hair was cut close like Uncle Terry’s and her smile was sincere like an old friend.
“Barbara, this is Zarina.”
Barbara hugged Zarina. “Welcome to our home, Zarina. You’re beautiful.”
Zarina lowered her eyes. “You are too kind, Barbara. Thank you for having me. I told John to ask if it was okay that I come, but he insisted. I apologize if my presence is an inconvenience.”
Barbara waved her hand. “Not at all, girl. There’s plenty for everybody. Besides, you don’t look like you eat as much as his other friends.”
As the ladies shared a laugh Uncle Terry noticed Kerry. His eyes widened and he grabbed the boy, lifting him to the ceiling.
“Barbara, what you been feeding this boy? Miracle Gro?” He shook and tickled Kerry at the same time. “What’s up, big boy?”
“Stop, Uncle Terry!” Kerry squealed.
Daddy walked up to them. “How you doing, Tee?” He stepped pass Kerry and Tee to greet Zarina.
“Welcome, Zarina. Y’all come away from this door. It’s too cold.”
They went to the family room, Uncle Terry carrying Kerry under his thick arm.
“Where’s my present?” Kerry demanded.
“So that’s what’s going on,” Uncle Terry said. “I thought you were happy to see me. You’re just down here for the loot.”
“You spoiled him,” Daddy said.
Michelle made her entrance, overdressed as al-ways.
“Hi, Uncle Terry,” she said with a shy wave of her hand.
“Girl, get over here and give me hug!”
Michelle shed her teenage pretense and skit-tered across the floor to hug her uncle.
“Now that’s more like it!”
Jerome sauntered up and extended his hand.
“What’s up, young man?” His voice was sudden-ly serious.
“Uncle.” They shook and hugged. Kerry looked at them envious. He wished he was old enough to shake and hug Uncle Terry like that.
“So, you’re a college man now?”
Jerome smirked. “Not yet.”
“Where you going?”
Jerome stuck his chest out. “Morehouse.”
Mama sucked her teeth. “Not unless he gets a scholarship.”
“He’ll get one,” Uncle Terry replied. “Money ain’t a thing.” Uncle Terry reached into coat pock-et and extracted an envelope.
“Merry Christmas, young man.”
Kerry ran to his uncle. The presents were here!
Jerome opened the envelope and his eye bulged. “Thank you, unc! Thank you!”
“That’s for college now,” Uncle Terry said. “Don’t spend it on gaming.”
Mama pushed Kerry aside and took the envelope from Jerome. She looked at the check and her eyes went just as wide.
“Oh my God! Tee, where did you get this kind of money? We can’t accept this!”
Daddy ran over to see for himself. “Oh yes, we can! Let me see.” He looked at the check and sat down.
“Ten thousand dollars!” he exclaimed. “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
“I got something for you, too,” Uncle Terry said to Michelle. He reached into another pocket and took out an iPhone. Michelle squealed.
“Don’t panic, sis. I got the bill.”
Uncle Terry squatted before Kerry. “Your turn little man.” Uncle John reached inside his coat. A videopad rested in Kerry’s hand. Kerry hugged Un-cle Terry tight.
“Thank you, Uncle Terry!”
“You earned it. Your Mama said you’re a straight A student. Good work deserves good re-ward.”
Everyone settled into the family room while Mama and Michelle went to the kitchen to finish dinner. Kerry sat down and went to work, immersing himself in his favorite game on the pad. He looked up from time to time when everyone else got loud to see what was happening. Every time his eyes met Zarina’s, an admiring smile on her face. Kerry smiled back and resumed his game.
Kerry was upset when he had to put away his pad for dinner. His anger was brief; the food was excellent. Mama went all out as always, with tur-key, ham, dressing, macaroni and cheese casserole, collard greens, sweet potato soufflé, rice, gravy, cranberry sauce and cornbread. It was enough for twice as many people. Jerome, Michelle and Kerry sat together at the kitchen table, listening to Daddy tell his funny stories at the grown-up table. Kerry escaped from the kitchen as soon as he finished his plate, running upstairs to his room to immerse himself in the complexities of Sonic the Hedgehog.
A light tapping on his door broke his attention.
“Yes?” Kerry yelled out.
“Can I come in?” an unfamiliar voice asked.
Kerry rolled off his bed reluctantly and opened the door. Zarina stood before him, a sweet smile on her face.
“You ran away before I could give you your gift.”
Kerry’s eyes brightened. Zarina handed him a leather tube etched with images of elephants and lions. Kerry was confused.
“Open it,” Zarina said.
Kerry opened the tube and extracted a wooden object that looked like a telescope.
Kerry looked confused.
“It’s a kaleidoscope.” Zarina took the object from him. “See, you put this end to your eye and turn this end. Try it.”
Kerry placed the kaleidoscope to his eye. Inside was a colorful pattern of colored crystals. When he turned the large end, the pattern changed. He smiled.
“It’s like the snowflakes in my class,” he said.
Zarina smiled. “Very good, Kerry. Terry told me you were smart.”
Kerry kept turning the kaleidoscope. It wasn’t very fun, not like his game, but Mama told him to always be polite.
“Are you going to marry my uncle?”
Zarina laughed. “Your uncle is a nice man, but I don’t think we’ll marry. I’m too old for him.”
Kerry lowered the kaleidoscope and studied Miss Zarina
“You don’t look THAT old,” he said.
“You’d be surprised,” Zarina replied.
She folded her arms. “Now it’s time for a secret. Tonight, when everyone is asleep, I want you to take the kaleidoscope and go to your window. Be-fore you look inside, I want you to close your eyes and say, ‘Wherever I see, I can be.’”
“Mama doesn’t like me looking out the window,” he warned.
“She won’t know if you close the blinds,” Zarina answered. “Now what are you going to say?”
“Wherever I see, I can be,” Kerry recited.
Zarina smiled like a proud teacher. “Good. I’ll leave you to your games. Goodbye, Kerry. I hope to see you again one day.”
Kerry tossed the kaleidoscope on the bed and continued his game. He stopped for a moment to go downstairs for pound cake and vanilla ice cream, then it was back to his room. He barely noticed Uncle Terry stick his head in to say goodbye. After being forced to bath, Kerry played until his eyes became too heavy to stay open. He fell asleep, the pad still in his grip.
He awoke suddenly, the words Zarina taught him buzzing in his head. Kerry went to the window and lifted the blinds, the kaleidoscope in his sleepy fingers. He lifted it to his eye, the colorful patterns boring to him.
“Wherever I can see, I will be,” he whispered.
He turned the large end and the crystals disappeared, replaced by a montage of space and stars.
“Wow!” He turned it again and a solar system appeared, five planets circling a yellow star similar to the sun. Two of the planets occupied the same orbit, one directly opposite the other. Both planets had the same color of Earth. He twisted the big end and planet appeared, the surface covered with trees and grasses, mountains towering into the sky, flying things and walking things and crawling things in abundance. But these were not the trees and animals that he knew. He turned it again and this time he saw people that reminded him of Zarina, working and playing in cities that were again the same, but different. He kept turning the kaleidoscope, marveling in the amazing images. This is better than the pad, he thought.
Kerry twisted. The planets were gone. He was looking at space again, at stars casted on an infinite black void. A luminous blue line appeared, connecting stars like dots while numbers flashed before his eyes.
“Cool!” he said. He gazed into the toy until the sun peeked over the hills.
“Uh oh!” Kerry closed the blinds and jumped into bed. He looked into the
kaleidoscope and the crystals had returned.
“Only at night,” he whispered. He placed the toy on his dresser and fell asleep.
* * *
Reporters from around the world flooded Cape Canaveral, each hoping to get a close view of the podium. The usual dignitaries occupied the choice seats and each one was claimed. No one wanted to miss what promised to be the most historic day for mankind.
The press secretary took the podium, brushing her hair back from her beaming face. Despite her years of announcing scientific breakthroughs, she exuded an unexpected joyfulness that was reflect-ed by the anxious throng.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t have much to say. You all have followed this project since its inception eight years ago. None of us imagined it would culminate so quickly, but all of us are ecstatic about the outcome and the man who made it happen. I won’t make you wait any longer. Let me introduce the man of the hour, the adventurer that will take us into a new age of space travel, Colonel Kerry Washington!”
The conference room exploded in applause. Colonel Washington took the stage in his flight suit, waving at the crowd. He hugged the press secretary and took the podium.
“I’d like to say a few words before I take any questions. This dream began for me when I was a little boy. I stand here today realizing a dream come true. When my brilliant team of scientists transformed the theory of slip dimensional travel to reality, the stars opened up to us. The journey I embark on this day will prove once and for all we are not alone.”
Stacy Owens, Technology correspondent for the New York Times sprang to her feet.
“How can you be so sure, Colonel? What makes you believe you can find intelligent life?”
Kerry just smiled, refusing to answer the re-porter’s question. Later that day as he strapped himself into the Traveler, he thought about that Christmas day when he received a special gift from a special person.
“How do I know what I’ll find?” he said to him-self. “Because I know exactly where I’m going.”
He checked his instruments one last time then gave Mission Control the signal to begin launch sequence. In an afterthought he reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn kaleidoscope, securing it atop the panel.
“Wherever I see, I can be,” he whispered.
I hope you enjoyed the story. For more, check out my short story collection, Muscadine Wine. Happy Holidays!
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