| General Fiction posted December 18, 2022 |
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A Christmas party for Grandma.
Christmas, Texas Style
by Terry Broxson
November 26, two days after Thanksgiving, one day past Black Friday, and now it's planning day for the four T's. The four T's are the daughters and daughters-in-law of Willowmina: Tomasina, Teri, Tiffany, and Tulia. They are meeting at Tomasina's house for their session.
Grandma Willowmina had treated forty-two members of her extended family to a special catered Thanksgiving enjoyed by all. It set a high standard for future holiday celebrations.
Willowmina had made it clear to the four T's they would be in charge of Christmas, and she expected to be entertained.
Tomasina, the oldest of the group, asks her sister and sisters-in-law, "How in the heck are we gonna exceed Mother's Thanksgiving celebration?"
"I don't know, Sis," Teri replies.
"You know," says Tiffany, married to oldest son Stephen for eighteen years, "Willowmina didn't say we had to top it at Christmas. We have to be in charge and entertaining. Surely we can do that."
Tulia, the newest member of the four T's, had been thinking about this planning session for the last two days. She had married Willowmina's youngest son, Ralph, six months ago. It was Ralph's third marriage and her first. At twenty-four, Tulia was considered a trophy wife. She wanted to impress her new sisters-in-law. But how?
Tulia thought about her mother-in-law. Willowmina, sixty-four, was widowed for five years and owned a successful insurance agency. Her two daughters and sons had given her eleven grandkids, ages six to seventeen. Three of the grandkids were from Ralph's previous marriages. Tulia wondered if she would add to the total.
Tulia did hold Tomasina, Teri, and Tiffany in high regard. They had all been very welcoming to her when she married Ralph. Tulia wanted to prove to the women that Ralph's revolving door was now closed.
Tulia had an idea. She blurted out. "I think I know how we can entertain Willowmina."
The three older T's looked at the younger one with a nod that communicated, go on.
"We need a Christmas party, right?"
"Yep."
"Exactly."
"Got to be good."
Tulia expanded her thoughts. "I think we do Christmas in two parts. One is a party for the adults. I'm thinking Willowmina loves country music. So, let's have a Christmas party with a country band a few days before Christmas. The second part allows each family to spend Christmas day with their family."
Teri says, "I like spending Christmas day with my husband and kids."
"Me too," Tiffany adds. "And a country dance sounds pretty good."
Everyone looks at Tomasina. "I do like Christmas day with my family. But how do we entertain Mother?"
Tulia smiles. "This is where we get creative. At the Christmas party, we will be doing the Texas two-step. We need to find Willowmina, a sixty-four-year-old Sam Elliott, without the mustache, for her dance partner."
The three T's sit silent, looking at Tulia and each other.
A smile slowly emerges on Tiffany's face. "I think that is dang brilliant!"
Tomasina surprises herself and the others by saying, "Why can't he have a mustache?"
"Ladies, that is negotiable." Teri offers and then adds, "The real question is, where do we find him?"
Tulia looking like the cat that swallowed the canary, says, "That is the easy part. His name is Clyde McMann. He owns the HotHouse Eating and Drinking Emporium in Mesquite. He also has a new partner, Ric, who is also the frontman for the HotHouse Five, a terrific country band that plays in their recently expanded venue."
Tiffany asks, "This Clyde looks like a younger Sam Elliott?"
"Yep, a dead ringer without the mustache."
Tomasina inquires, "But how do we get him?"
Tulia replies, "I say, Grandpa, I want you to meet someone."
Teri asks, "Why haven't we met him before?"
"Teri, I've only been in the family for a few months. When Ralph and I eloped, we hadn't had time to do a full let's meet the family thing."
"Tulia, it's time we make the introductions." Tomasina has decided she will take charge. "Tell us about Grandpa."
Tulia is beaming. "You may have eaten the famous chicken sandwich he sells at the State Fair of Texas every year. The one with the pimento cheese, jalapeno ranch dressing, and pickles. It's a big seller. He also serves it at his HotHouse Bar. And now he has a dance floor with the HotHouse Five playing five nights a week."
Tiffany says, "But is he married, divorced, separated? What's the deal?"
"He is almost sixty-five. Grandma died two years ago. He plans to let his new partner, the band leader, buy him out of the bar."
"I have a question. Does his bar have a private party room?" Tomasina asks.
"Yep. The new venue accommodates five hundred or so and can be divided for private parties."
Tomasina looks at the other T's. "I propose we do a Christmas party in a private area of the HotHouse. We'll invite the adults in our family and Tulia's family. As office manager of Mother's insurance agency, I'll ask our staff and some key customers. The agency will pay for the party, and we can write off the cost as a business expense."
Tulia asks, "When do you want to do it?"
Looking at the calendar on her iPhone, Tomasina says, "How about Thursday, December 22?"
Taking her iPhone out of her purse Tulia says, "Let me make a call. Good morning, Grandpa. I have an opportunity for you, and I need a favor. A favor I think you'll like."
***
The Christmas party was a grand success. One hundred twelve family members, staffers, and clients dined on tamales, fajitas, frijoles, quesadillas, bunuelos, nachos, and other delicacies provided by Emilo's Tex-Mex.
The attendees also joined other customers of the HotHouse on the dance floor doing the Texas Two-Step and a whole lot of Bootin and Scootin. Tomasina danced with her boyfriend and her ex. The other three T's had a delightful time dancing with their husbands.
At first, Willowmina and Clyde were a little out of practice. But after a couple of margaritas, everything was just fine.
When the evening ended, everyone said they looked forward to spending Christmas day with their family.
Tulia told her husband Ralph how much she loved him and now felt she was a welcomed and valued member of his family—and she was.
***
At 10 AM on Christmas morning, the iPhones of the four T's dinged, signaling an incoming text.
Merry Christmas! Thank you for the wonderful party. Clyde and I flew to Las Vegas yesterday. We are at Ceasar's Place. We will be home in a few days. Mother.
Tomasina's six-year-old son, Tim, says, "God bless us, everyone!"
Tim's eleven-year-old sister says, "Ditto."
"Whatever," comes from Tomasina's fifteen-year-old daughter, who busily posts Christmas selfies on Facebook.
November 26, two days after Thanksgiving, one day past Black Friday, and now it's planning day for the four T's. The four T's are the daughters and daughters-in-law of Willowmina: Tomasina, Teri, Tiffany, and Tulia. They are meeting at Tomasina's house for their session.
Grandma Willowmina had treated forty-two members of her extended family to a special catered Thanksgiving enjoyed by all. It set a high standard for future holiday celebrations.
Willowmina had made it clear to the four T's they would be in charge of Christmas, and she expected to be entertained.
Tomasina, the oldest of the group, asks her sister and sisters-in-law, "How in the heck are we gonna exceed Mother's Thanksgiving celebration?"
"I don't know, Sis," Teri replies.
"You know," says Tiffany, married to oldest son Stephen for eighteen years, "Willowmina didn't say we had to top it at Christmas. We have to be in charge and entertaining. Surely we can do that."
Tulia, the newest member of the four T's, had been thinking about this planning session for the last two days. She had married Willowmina's youngest son, Ralph, six months ago. It was Ralph's third marriage and her first. At twenty-four, Tulia was considered a trophy wife. She wanted to impress her new sisters-in-law. But how?
Tulia thought about her mother-in-law. Willowmina, sixty-four, was widowed for five years and owned a successful insurance agency. Her two daughters and sons had given her eleven grandkids, ages six to seventeen. Three of the grandkids were from Ralph's previous marriages. Tulia wondered if she would add to the total.
Tulia did hold Tomasina, Teri, and Tiffany in high regard. They had all been very welcoming to her when she married Ralph. Tulia wanted to prove to the women that Ralph's revolving door was now closed.
Tulia had an idea. She blurted out. "I think I know how we can entertain Willowmina."
The three older T's looked at the younger one with a nod that communicated, go on.
"We need a Christmas party, right?"
"Yep."
"Exactly."
"Got to be good."
Tulia expanded her thoughts. "I think we do Christmas in two parts. One is a party for the adults. I'm thinking Willowmina loves country music. So, let's have a Christmas party with a country band a few days before Christmas. The second part allows each family to spend Christmas day with their family."
Teri says, "I like spending Christmas day with my husband and kids."
"Me too," Tiffany adds. "And a country dance sounds pretty good."
Everyone looks at Tomasina. "I do like Christmas day with my family. But how do we entertain Mother?"
Tulia smiles. "This is where we get creative. At the Christmas party, we will be doing the Texas two-step. We need to find Willowmina, a sixty-four-year-old Sam Elliott, without the mustache, for her dance partner."
The three T's sit silent, looking at Tulia and each other.
A smile slowly emerges on Tiffany's face. "I think that is dang brilliant!"
Tomasina surprises herself and the others by saying, "Why can't he have a mustache?"
"Ladies, that is negotiable." Teri offers and then adds, "The real question is, where do we find him?"
Tulia looking like the cat that swallowed the canary, says, "That is the easy part. His name is Clyde McMann. He owns the HotHouse Eating and Drinking Emporium in Mesquite. He also has a new partner, Ric, who is also the frontman for the HotHouse Five, a terrific country band that plays in their recently expanded venue."
Tiffany asks, "This Clyde looks like a younger Sam Elliott?"
"Yep, a dead ringer without the mustache."
Tomasina inquires, "But how do we get him?"
Tulia replies, "I say, Grandpa, I want you to meet someone."
Teri asks, "Why haven't we met him before?"
"Teri, I've only been in the family for a few months. When Ralph and I eloped, we hadn't had time to do a full let's meet the family thing."
"Tulia, it's time we make the introductions." Tomasina has decided she will take charge. "Tell us about Grandpa."
Tulia is beaming. "You may have eaten the famous chicken sandwich he sells at the State Fair of Texas every year. The one with the pimento cheese, jalapeno ranch dressing, and pickles. It's a big seller. He also serves it at his HotHouse Bar. And now he has a dance floor with the HotHouse Five playing five nights a week."
Tiffany says, "But is he married, divorced, separated? What's the deal?"
"He is almost sixty-five. Grandma died two years ago. He plans to let his new partner, the band leader, buy him out of the bar."
"I have a question. Does his bar have a private party room?" Tomasina asks.
"Yep. The new venue accommodates five hundred or so and can be divided for private parties."
Tomasina looks at the other T's. "I propose we do a Christmas party in a private area of the HotHouse. We'll invite the adults in our family and Tulia's family. As office manager of Mother's insurance agency, I'll ask our staff and some key customers. The agency will pay for the party, and we can write off the cost as a business expense."
Tulia asks, "When do you want to do it?"
Looking at the calendar on her iPhone, Tomasina says, "How about Thursday, December 22?"
Taking her iPhone out of her purse Tulia says, "Let me make a call. Good morning, Grandpa. I have an opportunity for you, and I need a favor. A favor I think you'll like."
***
The Christmas party was a grand success. One hundred twelve family members, staffers, and clients dined on tamales, fajitas, frijoles, quesadillas, bunuelos, nachos, and other delicacies provided by Emilo's Tex-Mex.
The attendees also joined other customers of the HotHouse on the dance floor doing the Texas Two-Step and a whole lot of Bootin and Scootin. Tomasina danced with her boyfriend and her ex. The other three T's had a delightful time dancing with their husbands.
At first, Willowmina and Clyde were a little out of practice. But after a couple of margaritas, everything was just fine.
When the evening ended, everyone said they looked forward to spending Christmas day with their family.
Tulia told her husband Ralph how much she loved him and now felt she was a welcomed and valued member of his family—and she was.
***
At 10 AM on Christmas morning, the iPhones of the four T's dinged, signaling an incoming text.
Merry Christmas! Thank you for the wonderful party. Clyde and I flew to Las Vegas yesterday. We are at Ceasar's Place. We will be home in a few days. Mother.
Tomasina's six-year-old son, Tim, says, "God bless us, everyone!"
Tim's eleven-year-old sister says, "Ditto."
"Whatever," comes from Tomasina's fifteen-year-old daughter, who busily posts Christmas selfies on Facebook.
 Recognized |
#21 December 2022 |
Artwork by cleo85 at FanArtReview.com
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