Part 10 (1/2)
Jess smiles and walks up to me to place one of her arms across my shoulders.
”Now, let's go back inside and get to the gift giving portion of this s.h.i.+ndig.”
”Gifts?” I ask in surprise. ”Does Heaven have stores?”
”Hmm, not exactly,” Jess says mysteriously. ”But we put some things together that we thought might help you out back on earth.”
Jess and I walk back into the house and find the others sitting in the living room. Lilly is the first to see me.
”Everything ok?” She asks, looking between Jess and me from her chair by the fireplace.
”She made it back from her impromptu trip to h.e.l.l in one piece, if that's what you're asking,” Jess says. ”I would say that's a small miracle. Oh, and apparently h.e.l.l has given itself a drop dead gorgeous body and a name, Helena.”
”Not exactly original,” Caylin retorts. ”But easy enough to remember I suppose.”
”Well, I for one would much rather talk about happier things right now,” Utha Mae says. ”I want to give my baby the gift Tara and I made for her.”
Utha Mae waves me over to the empty spot between her and Tara on the couch.
After I sit down, Utha Mae hands me a medium size glittery green box tied with a silky white ribbon. I pull on the ribbon and the box and ribbon disappear in a wisp of white smoke leaving only the gift inside it sitting on my lap. It's a beautifully bound brown leather book with 'Family Recipes' st.i.tched with gold thread on the front in a fancy script.
”We thought you might like some of the recipes that have been handed down from one generation to the next,” Utha Mae tells me with pride.
”This is perfect!” I say, becoming excited that I might be able to surprise Malcolm by cooking something he wouldn't expect me to know how to cook. ”Thank you so much.”
”It's not just any cookbook either,” Tara says, reaching over to flip the cover open to reveal the first recipe.
Each page has two recipes written in long hand on note cards bordered with gold cording.
”Touch one,” Tara says excitedly.
I touch one of the notecards and instantly hear Utha Mae begin to speak about the ingredients I will need to prepare an apple pie. I touch the card again, and it instantly stops the oration.
”It's well enough to have a written recipe,” Utha Mae says, ”but sometimes you just can't tell everything by reading one. Good cooking is an art form, Anna. After all the time you spent with me in the kitchen, I kinda thought you might be able to cook, even if some people thought I was just wasting my time making this for you.”
”I didn't say it was a waste...exactly,” Tara says. ”I just figured it would end up collectin' dust is all. Didn't I help you make it in spite of that fact?”
”Reluctantly, yes,” Utha Mae replies.
”Well, I had no doubt in my mind you would be able to use my gift,” Caylin says, handing me a small rectangular white glittery box tied with red silky ribbon.
I sit the box on top of the book and pull the ribbon. The white box and ribbon disappear leaving only a silver handled paintbrush with off-white bristles.
”If you're ever in need of something,” Caylin tells me, ”just close your eyes, visualize what you want in your mind, and paint it in the air. When you're done painting it, it will materialize.”
”Anything I want? Can it make people appear?” I ask, thinking this might be a way to get my papa back.
”No,” Caylin says regretfully. ”It can't transport people, only inanimate objects. Also, the object can only stay solid for about 2 hours. It's not permanent.”
I feel a little let down by this fact but try not to show it.
”Here, kid,” Jess says tossing me a small purple glittery box tied with black ribbon.
The box lands on top of the recipe book. I pull the ribbon and find myself in possession of a black leather bracelet that has a silver angel wing charm on it.
”Tell Malcolm I had Caylin swipe that out of his vault for me,” Jess says. ”I think it might come in handy one day.”
”What does it do?” I ask, a.s.suming it has some sort of magical properties.
”When you wear it,” Jess begins to explain, ”you can ask it to let you know how someone is feeling. But, be prepared to feel what they are because their emotions will come at you totally unfiltered. So be careful. Don't ask if you don't want to know.”
I slip the bracelet onto my right wrist as Lilly walks over and hands me a box with a baby blue bottom and pink top tied with a ribbon which has a swirl pattern of the two colors mixed together.
”I know you will need this,” Lilly says confidently.
I untie the ribbon and find myself in possession of a silver dumbbell shaped baby rattle. I pick it up and hear the crystal clear chime it makes.
”Guaranteed to make any baby stop crying almost instantly,” Lilly tells me with a smile.
”Girl, that thing right there is priceless!” Tara exclaims. ”Don't you dare lose it if you want to keep your sanity with twins around the house.”
”I wish I'd had one when I had my twins,” Lilly says in all seriousness. ”It would have saved Brand and me some sleepless nights.”
”Thank you all so much for my gifts,” I say. ”I love them all.”
”Well,” Lilly says standing from her chair, ”although I would love to keep you here longer, I don't think Malcolm would appreciate me making you late to your own wedding.”
”Is it time already?” I ask, thinking I'd only been in Heaven for a couple of hours at most.
”Time in Heaven moves differently than on Earth,” Lilly tells me. ”You should still have plenty of time to prepare yourself for the ceremony.”
We all stand up and the ladies take turns giving me a hug goodbye.
”You take care of yourself down there, baby girl,” Utha Mae says, looking nervous about what the future holds for me.
”Don't worry,” I tell her, even though it's something I can't seem to make myself do either. ”I won't let you down.”
”Oh, child,” Utha Mae says, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. ”That possibility never even crossed my mind. Just take care of yourself. That's all I ask.”
After the goodbyes are said, Lilly phases me back to my bedroom in Malcolm's house.
”Oh!” Millie says, jumping slightly as she walks out of my bathroom just as Lilly and I phase in. ”Gracious, you two almost made my old heart stop on the spot.”
”Sorry, Millie,” I tell her, guiltily finding her reaction a little amusing. I place my gifts down on the nightstand by my bed.
”No worries, my sweet. I'm just glad to see you back. The ceremony is only a couple of hours away. We should probably get started on getting you ready for it.”