My RA Ch. 01

Hope said, "Mei, since you are in charge of our decorating committee you should pick out what we need." The salesman took her outside to look at the gingerbread lights and inside had color and white lights for the tree.

"Mei remember you have to decorate the entire first floor. "

She could not decide so she got everything, live greenery and big red bows. Colored and white light, gift wrap. The entire basket was stuffed.

The salesman said "Now, before you leave you need to pick out your ornament, most people give them to a friend every year. Your friend's Mom said she wanted you to pick out a special one from you so they can put it on their tree every year."

"What has been the most fun you have done so far on your trip?"

"Skiing," she whipped out her camera to show the salesman. There were five ornaments with skiers on them, she picked one. Then the salesman reached back farther to get a similar one but this one had someone decorating a tree.

"Alice, the ornaments are on the house. Merry Christmas Mei." Mei looked at Hope and started to cry.

"Dad, can you pull into the shopping mall, please?" The two ran in.

Hope said, "See you in the food court."

Mei asked, "Joy, what are we doing here?"

"Christmas presents silly. You want Mistress and some friends to get a present from you, don't you? What does your Mom and Dad like? You should buy Mom and Dad a stocking to pack your presents in. Make sure each gets an ornament and pack the stocking full. Have one box for Dad and one for Mom, we can have the store mail them."

Hope saw them approaching the food court and just chuckled, each pushing a full cart.

Everyone was tired when they got home. Everyone agreed to do the outside lights after dark but just rest for now.

Hanging the lights was really fun, there was a light snow which looked great on the gingerbread lights. Every window also had a single white candle. All of a sudden you could hear a truck horn blowing all the way down the driveway.

"Anyone here order some Christmas trees?"

"I am sorry Hope, but I could not decide so I got you two trees, one for you and one for the girls."

Mei was just giddy by this point as she saw the two trees go up.

Joy handed Mei an angel. "Mei, every tree needs an angel on top."

Mei decided the girl's tree would have all white twinkling lights and Mom and Dad's tree (as she has affectionately adopted them) would be colored.

She had fun looking at all the old decorations. She kidded Joy whenever she came across one she made or her picture was on it.

"Joy, do you think my parents will like the gifts I got them? They do not celebrate Christmas."

"Mei I think any parent that receives a present from the heart from their daughter would be proud of it. Those nick-knacks you got your American friends were staples in my stocking for years, they should bring back fond memories. I do not think Mistress will be expecting that present."

The next day, Christmas Eve, was a whirlwind for Mei. The snow family finally got finished, the snowmobiles were pulled out and raced all over the back forty.

That night they all went Caroling around the neighborhood. Mei did not know any of the songs, but learned some quickly. "Silent Night," "Frosty" and "Rudolph" were her favorites. She found out why "Frosty" was so special. Then they went into the nursing home to sing. Mei liked that, she could see the seniors really looked forward to events like that.

By 10 o'clock all the packages were wrapped. Joy informed Mei "You have to be in bed so St Nick would come."

Then Hope snuck in all the presents that were in the garage. So many it covered the bottom half of both trees. Hope called Mei's parents so they could set up a time so they could share in a Christmas morning.

Early on Christmas Day Joy asked, "Mei, can you get me some cocoa? " "I think I am still riding that snowmobile from yesterday."

Mei opened the door to see her parents; the TV had been moved to face the two trees. Mulled cider was simmering on the stove. Mei looked at the trees only to see mounds and mounds of presents. Gail had started her present campaign, the nursing home had one, and the townies had their own. Just to make Mei's first Christmas ever so special Mei's parents had their presents on their laps.

Mei insisted that her parents open their presents first.

Mei's Dad said, "These were unexpected so we forgot to get you one."

She got both parents her picture in a silver frame and got her mom an angel ornament. Her Dad got a Father Christmas ornament and a digital picture frame so they could have updated pictures and videos of her wherever she was. Mei was an emotional wreck now.

Hope said to Joy "Get some different gifts now." Hope told Mei, "Come here child. " Hope just cuddled her and got her some mulled cider.

Joy handed her parents their gifts, a nice natural pearl necklace and earring set for Mom and Dad got a nice fountain pen with Joy's picture on it. Then there was just one gift left, under the tree way in the back.

"Mei can you get that one, I am bushed."

The label said "To our loving daughter Mei from Mom and Dad." Mei shrieked. It was also a picture of both parents in a silver frame. "Mom and Dad I love you. I wish you were here."

Mei's Mom said, "Child, we are and will always be there. Just look to your heart and you will find us."

At the bottom of the large box there were three smaller packages. It had Joy's name on it, she was about to open it up when Hope stopped her.

Hope wanted the smaller packages. They had to be opened after the big box.

In the big box Mei found the same bear that she got when she was three. Of course, you could never replace all good times and bad times that Mei had with 'Bear', all the secrets, all the tears, all the hugs. New memories would have to be made. The small packages were outfits that the women at the nursing home made for 'Teddy' and 'Bear'.

'Teddy' got a snowsuit, cap and scarf just like Mei received. 'Teddy' got a night on the town three-piece suit with a gold watch plus a polo shirt and jeans.

'Bear' got a swimsuit, snorkel and swim fins and a sun hat with flip flops. 'Bear' would need them when he went to Florida to see Mei's parents for summer vacation. The girls were extremely close, one would always help the other.

Hope gave Joy a memory stick. Gail asked all the children if they wanted to give Joy a Christmas present. They all did but they did not have anything to give her.

Gail just told the kids "Get your dolly or bear so we can take a picture of you with it." Gail took all day taking the shots, single pics, group pics, family pics. Gail said, "Joy would love those pictures just as much as she loves her teddy bear."

"You just have to promise to always love your toys. If you see someone not being nice to a friend's toy you will come to the rescue. You should ask permission if you want to play with someone else's toys."

Gail also printed out, framed and wrapped each picture for each child to give their parents a surprise present. Each child got their gift from Santa's sack and asked their parents to hold their present for them. When all the presents were given out the children sang out "Merry Christmas Mommy and Daddy. You can open your presents now!"

The parents were stunned: they made sure each picture had a place of honor in their home.

Alkaia thought Joy was right about her and Mei being roommates. The school at one time was an old manor house and it had a lodge towards the center of campus. She pushed hard to get all the work done for the two students. It was also big enough for Dawn to move in after she graduated.

What happens as each of them graduates had not been figured out yet. It was decided that for now, Alkaia would take an overseer role, Mistress Dawn would be Joy's Mistress and Mei would be Joy's confidante. Most likely Joy would go with Mei after college until a romantic relationship happened.

Gail was fidgeting in Dawn's room, she was waiting for Mei and Joy.

Alkaia had left for the airport to pick up the two students. While Mei and Joy made memories up north, Gail had some herself.

When the girls piled out of Alkaia's car when they got back to school she noticed that the girls just seemed to make the whole campus brighter.

Alkaia told the girls to follow her, but she was not headed to the dorm. Joy rebelled, as expected, Gail and Mistress guarded the stairwell. When Joy burst through the door, Mistress immediately took her to task. "Joy, were you not told to follow Alkaia? Did she tell you to come into this building?"

"Yes she told us to follow her Mistress."

"I am very disappointed in you Joy. You disrespected Alkaia by not following her orders. You disrespected me when you tried to sneak up the stairwell so I would not see you. What do you have to say for yourself girl?"

Joy was aghast, how could she make such a mistake. Joy could make no excuses, the infractions were plain as day.

Mistress grabbed Joy's wrists. "Gail hold her legs down. I do not want her to kick me." Joy soon found herself over Mistress's knee and was being the recipient of twenty hard smacks on her ass. "If you disobey again there is more where that came from. Now go out and follow Alkaia. Remember Joy, Mei gave me that leather flogger for Christmas. Don't make me use it."

When Joy came outside she gave a sincere apology to Alkaia for disrespecting her.

When Alkaia brought them to the Lodge, it was just perfect, Joy squealed when she saw the high tech wood fireplace. "This will keep us nice and comfortable Mei."

Alkaia said, "You will get free firewood as the grounds crew takes trees down. Mei I think you need to celebrate your new digs. I think inviting Mistress, Jerry and Gail over would be a good gesture."

Mei thought the group was an odd combination but did so anyway. Alkaia handed Joy a tube saying it will take the sting out.

"Thank you Mistress."

Joy showed Mei the proper way to stoke the fireplace. They put a couple extra logs on in preparation for their guests that night.

Cider was promptly put on the fireplace. When Mistress came she highly approved of it. She was told if she wanted to she could live here after she graduated with Mei and Joy. All were shocked, Dawn went and picked out a room. She picked the corner room so she would be away from the gossiping girls.

Gail was jumping up and down waiting to get her news out.

When going into the Lodge Jerry noticed Gail's hand and looked at her with disapproval. Gail kissed her finger and put it to Jerry's lips.

Alkaia said, "Go ahead Gail before you pop an artery. "

"Well when you two were up North in the bitter cold, Jerry came to my parents' house. I should have known something was up. He purposely untied his right shoe laces and started to retie them right in front of me."

"While he was kneeling, he proposed and gave me this beautiful ring." Gail pulled out a bright shiny diamond ring from her pocket. "But when he went to kiss me the goofball never tied his shoes and I stepped on them, and he went flying down to the ground. I am afraid I gave him a concussion. At the ER there were no end of jokes, all at my expense. But I love him."

"Now my sister, Rose, is going to be my maid of honor. I need two bridesmaids. Jerry don't you think they should be around 19 or 20 years old?"

"Yes dear."

Everyone cracked up, it finally hit Mei, "Gail, you want both of us to be your bridesmaids?"

"Dawn you need to train these two better, it took them five minutes to figure that out. It is going to be a Spring wedding! You have to make all the plans with Rose, surprise me. I will get the dress, you get everything else."

"Well this calls for a toast, more cider anyone. Here's to Gail and Jerry, may they both have a great life together with no concussions."

"Jeez, a girl makes one tiny mistake like giving her boyfriend a concussion when he proposes to her and she can never live it down."

Later that night Joy said, "Mei, tomorrow I want to go to town and thank them for their gift to me, we can both bring our bears. It will show them you can never outgrow a teddy bear." They both agreed and they both headed to sleep.

All the kids heard Mei and Joy before they got to the town. They all saw Mei and Joy proudly holding their bears, each dressed up.

Mei had the snowsuit, cap and scarf on Teddy and Joy just shorts and a shirt on Bear.

All the kids saw the snowmen, snowball fights, skiing and everything else Mei did over Christmas break. All these kids just lost everything they had in a flood. Both said, "See you do not need to be afraid of water." If their friends Mei and Joy say so then it must be so. You could see Mei having fun on her trip.

Joy explained to all the kids, "Mei got 'Bear' when she was just three, imagine all the secrets, tears and hugs they shared together. When I was in the hospital Mei gave me 'Bear' because she knew I needed someone always there to hug. Now, she has a new bear so she can always have someone to hug. We put our bears right on our beds. That means you have to keep your room cleaned up, you would not want your dolly or bear sitting on a messy bed would you?"

All the kids shook their heads no.

"Do all of you think you could cheer someone up with a smile or hug if you see them having a bad day?"

All the kids nodded yes.

Many of the parents came over to Mei and Joy to thank them, most were concerned the flood would have a lasting impact on them.

Mei said, "They all have an extra anchor to hold onto. They are united now, each will help the other, just like Joy."

Mei was unpacking her loot. All the men at the nursing home carved delicate songbirds, they brightened the room. The Bluebirds and the Goldfinches were her favorites but she liked the Northern Cardinals as well.

Joy noted, "No one made you a cuckoo Mei? "

"You know Joy, sometimes I do not know why we are such good friend. You drive me crazy sometimes."

"Mei, it is your impeccable sense of good taste."

"Yes, there is that I suppose."

That night Rose called, she was in a frantic state. "There is just too much to do and not enough time to do it in!"

"Relax we got this. Joy get my white board from my room please. Now Rose, she wanted us to plan everything but the dress right?"

"Yup, that's right, but it is too much!"

"Joy why don't you write our ideas on the white board so we can organize them."

"1-Cake, 2) caterers, 3) Honeymoon, 4) Hall, 5) Band, 6) Dance floor, tables and chairs 7) florists, 8) Tux, 9) hair dressers, 10) reception dinner." "That is a good start."

"Where does she want to get married?"

"My parents' house I am sure."

"How many people would she want?"

"About fifty I would think."

"Joy, you will get the photographer and the printer for all the invites and such."

"Yes ma'am."

"Rose, call around to three nice restaurants and find out what we can get for fifty people both buffet and sit down. Is there a good bakery near you? Is there somewhere she always wanted to go but has never been?"

"I am an idiot, my friend owns a bakery LOL. I will see if she can do it."

"If you want food at the reception I suggest finger food so we do not have soup spilled over expensive dresses. You might want to find out from Dad what our budget is LOL. I will find a band."

"Ask your Mom what kind of flowers she had in her bouquet. Gail may want to use the same."

"Right, we will check back in on Thursday night for status update and more ideas."

"Thank you Mei, you are a lifesaver."

"If you have a toddler we can give him/ her a horseshoe to give to the bride before she leaves the church."

"The horseshoe gets pinned to the newborn blanket."

"EWW, a Jerry Jr, perish the thought."

"Shoot." Mei texted Rose, "Any family heirloom items?"

Joy's job was easy. She knew printers and photographs from school, and she just had to visit a few of them to get an idea. At least she knew it most likely would be an outside event and at a home.

Mei had her headphones on listening to bands. This wedding had to be perfect.

Some of the married professors called Joy to tell her what they loved and hated about their weddings.

"A family atmosphere" seemed to be high on the likes. "Try to incorporate the little ones. You just have to tell them there is no wrong way to do something. Jerry and Gail will be proud that you wanted to do something close to your heart for them, no one can fault you for that. White candles lining the aisle. Non-alcoholic Champagne or Sparking Cider. No one likes a loud drunk."

Joy put down the suggestions she thought were good and put an asterisk next to the must do ones. Joy texted Rose to see how many little ones there were. "4, 2 girls, 2 boys 4-6 years old." She wrote next to them flower girl, ring bearer, doves? Joy thought it might be too windy for the candle idea.

The next day Joy went into town to talk to Molly. She explained that her friend Gail was getting married soon and there was a little boy and girl that did not have something to do.

"What would you like to do if you were in the wedding?"

The little girl thought hard and scrunched up her face. "I think I would like to pick out something that she wears on her dress. I like the way the candles look but I am just four so Mommy and Daddy would not let me do it."

Joy showed her a book of brides with bouquets, "Which ones do you like?" By now all the little girls gathered, each giving their opinion. They knew Daddy always gave Mommy red roses for Valentine's Day. They knew a lot of wedding dresses were white. The girls all huddled together. "Joy, what is the rhyme everyone says at weddings?"

"Do you mean something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue with a six pence in my shoe?"

"What is a six-pence?"

"It is a penny."

"I have a penny, I was playing hop-scotch with it yesterday. She can have it, she is my friend. She let us give our pictures of us with our Teddy's and Dollies to give to our Mommies and Daddy's for Christmas."

"I will give it to her, it means she will have good fortune."

The other girls were going back and forth in the book looking at all the pretty brides. White roses seemed to rule the day, they looked so nice next to the white dress.

Joy mouthed to one of the girl's Mom, "Do you have Frozen?" The Mom nodded. Joy whispered into Molly's ear "Why don't you ask your Mommy if you can watch Frozen?" Bring all your friends to watch it with you." Soon there was a stampede of little girls going into one of the houses.

When Joy got back to the Lodge she taped the penny on the white board and wrote "Children's choice award: white roses."

Mei got a little upset when she saw the penny taped on the white board.

Joy defended the presence of the penny. "I will have you know, that that penny is a veteran of the hop-scotch wars and a little four year old girl gave it to me so Gail could have it for her wedding. I fully intend to give Gail that very penny on her wedding day. She said Gail was her friend and wanted to do something for the wedding. No one else will give her a penny to put in her left shoe."

Mei was now shame-faced, of course Joy was right and for a four year old, a penny meant a lot and friendship even more so.

Mistress noticed that Mei and Joy were not mixing as much with her old friends. Dawn pinned up a large noticeable poster. "Mei and Joy invite any of Joy's sub friends for a Nerf Basketball Championships and pizza party." "Other options are Movie night, Game Night or just reconnecting." "Location: The Lodge."

Later that night, just before dinner there came a knock on their door. Joy opened the door to be surprised to see a dozen of her friends with five pies.

"Come in, come in, welcome to our new abode." Mei heated up the cider on the stove that kept it warm on the fireplace. Mei got to like the taste of cider when she was at Joy's parents' house.