The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank Read Free Book Online Page A

Theodora? Where’s your faith in Pearl?”
    I sipped my tea, still not quite believing she was there. There was no denying it; it was my Pearl, the same glorious woman who had steered me through the shoals of my childhood. She was the Eighth Wonder of the World, come back to educate my daughter and the generations that had followed. In her own way, shewould reveal to them a thing or two about what really mattered in life. She would succeed where I had failed. I looked at my wristwatch.
    “Mercy! Pearl! We’ve hired someone to come and help. A woman named Jewel! What are we to do when she shows up?”
    “Don’t fret. She ain’t coming ’eah. I done seen to that. She forgot. Now you got a pencil and some paper? We need to be making a list. I’ll get that ham in the refrigerator going and a pot of red rice. There’s what I need for biscuits and I saw some greens soaking…”
    I had taken a pad and pencil from the drawer and put it in front of her. “The collards?”
    “Yeah, I reckon Eliza who works ’eah…”
    “Eliza? Oh, I haven’t told you this…I’m so worried about her! Her daughter…”
    “My darlin’? Don’t pay that no never mind! I know all about that situation and it’s well in hand. They’s fine.”
    “Praise the Lord!”
    “Amen. So, I need a few things from the store, and wait ! Where’s everybody? How come they ain’t in ’eah to see what’s going on? Where’s the Christmas spirit? And that manger scene your daddy had built? He musta spent a fortune on that. They gots to get that out and set up!”
    “You know what? You’re right! I’ll handle this!”
    “Good luck!”
    “Watch me!” I said. “I’ll switch them good if they give me any trouble!”
    Pearl laughed and shook her head at my sudden initiative.
    I was going to help!
    I found Cleland and George, and I can tell you they were not very happy with my request. They stammered and sputtered all around like old Demosthenes, their mouths filled with pebbles. Finally they agreed to do as I had asked. It was not as though I had requested either of them to serve as a living organ donor, after all.
    By the time I returned to the kitchen, the ham was miraculously in the oven and the rest of dinner simmered on the stove. The mysteries of Pearl filled the air, as did the mouthwatering aroma of brown sugar crystallizing with mustard and cloves.
    I could hear George and Cleland complaining all the way from where I sat. They grumbled and struggled under the weight and proportions of the plywood pieces of the outdoor manger scene as they carried them down the front-hall stairs. Pearl and I looked at each other and snickered. I got up and left the kitchen for a moment to take a peek. They had located the three sides and the roof of the stable, the figures, and themanger. George and Cleland were leaning against the table in the front hall as though this little bit of effort had completely worn them out.
    I felt much worse for the manger itself. The whole shebang had been cooped up in the cynicism of the attic forever and was filthy dirty from doing nothing except getting dustier by the year and growing sticky cobwebs. I quickly closed the door and hoped they hadn’t seen me.
    “Who you hiding from?” Pearl said.
    “Cleland and George.”
    “How come?”
    “They have very bad tempers.”
    “Hmmph,” she said, indicating she thought that was absurd. “That ain’t no concern of mine! Shouldn’t be no concern of yours neither!”
    A minute or two later, Cleland and George appeared in the kitchen to deliver a condition report and the fact that there was no Baby Jesus to be found.
    “I don’t think it’s gonna be worth the effort,” Cleland said. “That thing’s pretty disgusting. Besides, it’s so foggy outside, no one’s going to see it.”
    “Yeah,” George said, “what’s the point? Christmas is tomorrow. Seems like a lot of effort for just one day. ’Sides, there ain’t no Jesus.”
    Pearl narrowed her eyes at them