Dana's Valley (4 page)

Dana hesitated. “That's not very nice, Erin. Mom really likes to surprise us. I wanted to know if I was
getting
one. I don't necessarily want to
see
it right now.”

“Fine, but I'm going to look in the garage. You don't have to come if you don't want to.” Dana was right on my heels as I left the room.

“Girls? Is your homework done already?” Mom was at the kitchen table putting last-minute touches on a church mission project, all the while chatting with a friend on the telephone. Somehow she still managed to notice our attempt at an exploratory excursion to the garage.

“Not quite,” we admitted. “We were just going out for a few minutes. We'll be right back.”

“Any particular reason?” she asked, covering the mouthpiece of the phone.

Mom, who was as trusting and pleasant a person as you'dever meet, always seemed to have a sixth sense whenever her children were about to step out of line.

We decided, after a silent conversation of meaningful glances back and forth, it was best to retreat. “No reason. Never mind.”

There was an inquisitive look in our direction. But Mom let the matter drop as we turned and plodded back up the stairs, hoping there would be a moment after school the next day to slip undetected into the garage for a look around.

But by the next afternoon, there was no hidden parcel. Not in the garage. Not in the large closet under the stairs. Not in any of the usual hiding places. The only thing Dana and I could conclude was that Mom had figured out where we'd been heading and had moved her surprises to a neighbor's garage. She'd been known to do so in the past. Now there was nothing to do but wait.

Dana decided to continue perusing the catalog just in case she would still need to fall back on her original hopes—that enough money would somehow materialize when the mail arrived carrying the usual birthday check from Grandma and Grandpa Walsh. These were some very slim hopes, we both realized.

Brett's birthday came first, falling this year on a Tuesday night and heralded with his favorite supper followed by his favorite cake—German chocolate with coconut pecan icing. Brett easily blew out all fifteen candles in one breath and still had enough air to exclaim excitedly, “Wow—now I can get my driver's permit.” We all laughed.

Mom had allowed Brett to invite one friend over for dinner to celebrate with us. He had chosen Travis, the pastor's son. I liked Travis, though he rarely spoke to me. But I always felt if he ever did address me, he was friendly enough. I couldn't say the same about all the buddies that Brett brought home. In fact, Travis was a favorite of Mom and Dad's too. And I think they did what they could to encourage the friendship.

Not that the boys didn't naturally share common interests. They had both played on the school basketball team for the last two years. And both planned to make the varsity team in high school. Travis was somewhat taller than Brett, but Brett was quicker. So far he'd been able to make significant contributions to the team despite his size disadvantage.

“All right,” Daddy began after the cake had been devoured. “Why don't you start, Corey? You tell Brett one thing you like about him, and then you keep count so we end up with fifteen—one for each of Brett's years. Okay?” This was a favorite family birthday tradition.

Corey nodded and bit his lip in serious concentration.

“Wow, fifteen! It's going to be hard to think of that many!” Every birthday somebody said it. This time it was Dana. Brett laughed it off and tried to pretend he had outgrown the ritual.

“I like Brett because he lets me play with the toy cars he builds.” The truth was, Brett only let Corey have a selected few of his model collection, some of his first attempts. The rest he kept on a very high and guarded shelf above his desk.

“My turn,” Mom was quick to chime in. “I appreciate what a kind older brother you are, Brett. There are lots of benefits of a larger family, but it's not always easy. And, Brett, you are consistently kind and polite to your siblings.”

“That's two,” I noted.

We all waited for Daddy to speak next. “I'm proud that you take responsibility and that you are a conscientious worker.” Corey cut in. “Daddy, is that one or two?”

“We'll count it as just one.”

Brett was looking a little red and tried to avoid eye contact with anyone. Dana was ready to add her comment next, a teasing smile playing across her face. “I like you because kids in school like you—and when they hear that you're my brother they expect to like me too.”

Brett laughed. “Yeah, until they get to know you.” Immediately he caught himself and squirmed in embarrassment. “Not really, Dana,” he mumbled. But she hadn't been bothered by his joking.

It seemed that my turn had rolled around and I hadn't really thought about what to say. “I like you because …” I began the sentence in hopes that something would pop into my head—and it did—“because you teach me some of your basketball moves. Most brothers wouldn't do that. I'm glad you do.”

Mom looked as though she was just about to speak again when Travis cleared his throat. “I like you because you're the only other guy on the basketball team who believes in God. And it makes me feel better knowing that … that we can kind of look out for each other.”

Mom waited a moment and then continued the countdown. I'm not sure Brett heard any more of it, though. I guess there's only so much praise a fifteen-year-old boy can handle.

Now Brett was ready to dive into the gifts.

“Open mine, Brett, open mine.” Corey was electric with energy at any type of gathering. And birthday parties—anyone's birthday party—seemed to make him more excited than anything else.

“All right, Corey, let's see.” Brett picked up the wrinkled little package and shook it. “Is it a watch?”

Corey giggled. “No.”

“Is it … a diamond?” This time the laughter was louder.

“It's not an elephant, is it?”

By now Corey was jumping and clapping. “Open it! Open it, Brett.”

Brett tore the wrapping off to reveal an odd little blue plastic bag. With a curious glance at Corey, he opened it and out fell two little white cylinders.

Corey was delighted. “They're for your ears. They're ear bugs.” We all chuckled, but Corey hurried on. “So you can stay asleep in our room even if I sleep there too. Momma helped me get them.”

This time Brett's gaze searched Mom's face. She was thoroughly enjoying the surprise.

“You're goofy, Corey.” But Brett's words were softened when he reached out and touched Corey's shoulder lightly, and Corey grabbed his hand long enough to give it a little squeeze.

The next gift Brett opened was from Mom and Dad. It was a large, awkward-looking package and was obviously a mystery to Brett. He peeled back a corner and made an odd face. It was a skateboard. It was not what Brett had hinted for. Brett had always been too into basketball to be interested in any other sport.

Travis jumped right in. “Hey, Brett. That's great. That's a super make. Mine's not nearly as good.”

Brett cocked his head toward Travis, still looking reluctant to show enthusiasm. “You've got one? I never knew that.”

“Sure. There's a park in the city. A bunch of us guys go whenever we can. It's great. But you've got to have a lot of nerve to do it. The ramps are really high.”

“How high?” I could tell Brett was warming up to the idea. I wondered if it was the thought of needing nerve that appealed to him.

The next gift from Mom and Daddy was a helmet and a set of pads. Brett flipped them over and over. I was pretty sure he was trying to picture what he'd look like in them.

Travis laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “Don't worry about what you'll look like. All the guys wear them—and you'll need them. Believe me.”

Brett's next gift was from Dana and me, a new model car because we weren't quite sure what else he'd like. Dana had wanted to try to be more original, but I talked her into staying with the sure thing. Brett could always use a new model kit.

“Thanks.
This
I know what to do with.”

There were a few more gifts, and then Mom bundled up the torn gift wrap while Brett handled each of his gifts again.

The next morning Dana's gaze was a little preoccupied while we were walking to school. I knew that look. She was dreaming of the gifts she might get. And she had never stopped thinking about the possibility of the new bedroom accessories.

At last Monday night and Dana's birthday celebration arrived. Both Marcy and Carli had been invited for the birthday dinner. They entered with giggles and chatter, sliding onto the bench on the far side of the table between Corey and me. Dana was allowed to sit in Daddy's seat at the head of the table, and Mom stood nearby, her camera in hand. The supper that Dana had chosen was Chinese food. She loved sweet-and-sour chicken and fried rice. Since none of the rest of us were crazy about it, this was a rare treat for her, and she savored it thoroughly.

Dana had made another odd choice for dessert. A cheesecake, topped with cherries. Mom had already positioned and lit the candles on this nontraditional birthday treat, and we sang “Happy Birthday” as we watched the tiny lights flicker against the shiny red fruit.

We did the usual counting-of-family-compliments thing, but I wondered as I watched Dana if she was really hearing the nice things we were saying about her. Her smile was looking more and more forced, and she was fidgeting on her seat.

Once the presents were gathered and set before her, she seemed rather ill at ease. I was pretty sure I knew what the problem was, but I wasn't about to explain. Even unwrapping the gift from me, the new music book, just what she had wanted, brought only a wistful smile.

Finally there were no presents left, even though Mom and Dad's was conspicuous by its absence. Just as Mom was about to begin a little speech, Dana raised her tense face and whispered, “Mom, can I talk to you for a minute? Please?”

Mom looked surprised but led Dana into the laundry room, where their conversation was just barely audible. I knew what was going on, even though no one could make out their words. Dana was confessing. But to my way of thinking, there had been no crime. Not even a slight transgression. What kid wouldn't, if given opportunity, want to snoop out a birthday surprise before the actual day arrived? That was just common sense to me. And I was certain that when I became a parent, I would just expect my children to be tempted. I'd simply choose my hiding places well.

But Dana, who lived by “What would Jesus do?” could not rest until she had confessed to Mom that she had attempted to discover the hidden surprise. Mom had described Dana as having a “tender conscience.” I felt she was just a bit too goody-goody.

When Dana returned, she was smiling again. And Mom made her special presentation of the mystery packages. A lovely pair of blue comforters with delicate white pinstripes on one side and a print of darker blue rosebuds on the other were revealed to squeals of delight from both of us. The comforters were reversible. We could change the look anytime we liked.

In addition there were cans of soft blue paint to coordinate the walls with the new spreads, and also a beautiful wallpaper border as an accent. Last, but not least, Mom had sewn a pair of white lace balloon curtains. Together the gifts really would transform our room. Dana's eyes shone. And I was grateful for my share of this extravagance. Though I was pretty sure that when my birthday arrived in two months' time, I too could expect a gift that would be shared equally between us.

That was all right. Dana and I were used to sharing.

We used our new comforters that very night. Then Daddy took a day off on Thursday to help Mom do the painting. By Friday evening, all the accents had been added and the bedroom was complete.

Dana and I would have simply thrown the old comforters into the trash, but Mom washed them carefully and wrapped them in plastic. She and Corey would make a trip to the inner-city mission. She went fairly often and knew she could find someone who could make use of the faded but warm Barbie quilts.