Christmas Past

There was a time when I didn't know which way was up what with the divorce and all the drama that followed.  We split up when Lauren was a senior in high school..a couple of months before she graduated. I had fallen in love with a farmer's son who lived north of town and something just told me to get out while the gettin' was good.  Some of his last words to me were " But I finally love you!"  It took twenty years for that to happen and I was over it by about ten.   LP took it well because she knew what was up a long time prior to the deed.  We had done it before when she was only ten.

She started out at the community college and did well until she started the nursing program.  The math got her and then she started floundering for something to believe in.  After three months working as a ward secretary at the hospital, she knew flat out that being a nurse was NOT her thing.  John was her high school boyfriend, the only one who had ever treated her better than a potential piece of ass.  We all lived together off and on for several years and had plenty of drama during that time   The scaredest I ever remember being was the night I got the phone call from Thomas and Tina's kid.

I answered the phone to a strange voice, and he tried to tell me that LP was not okay...had lost it.  She had been into her Dad's pill stash for the past month and was pretty much in her own little world.  Daddy went and got her, and stuck with her through the night.  She lost her car and the whole month of December that year.  Me and John had noticed what was going on and so did her best friend.  Heather was going to school in Kentucky so we did an "intervention" of sorts and shipped LP off to Murray State for a few days.   Heather drove down to get her, and we kissed her scowling faced self goodbye before they headed north. 

The snow started a few days before Christmas and was stuck in place by icy temperatures and overcast skies.  LP was headed home for Christmas in a little bit better shape than when she left, but still confused.  Heather left Murray and stopped by the mall in Paducah before heading home in the snow.  Thirty minutes into the drive, she realized she was lost!  Everywhere she looked the landmarks were covered in thick heavy show and her passenger was snoozing.  What started out as an arrival time of 5PM turned into hours later.

I was off the holiday that year, working Christmas Eve instead.  Sittin' on the floor in front of the tree, I finished up the presents giving them finishing touches and some wrapping.  Heather had called earlier, so I knew they'd be late.  The previous week had been a record breaking prayer vigil on my part, asking God to take care of my girl and bring her home safely.  And so, I didn't really worry. 

The headlights of Alan's sportscar followed Heather's down Samaria Bend slowly.  All went well until they turned onto Pecan Lane.  Heather made it fine but Alan ended up in the ditch.  After picking him up, they proceeded up the lane under a canopy of snow draped pecan trees.  My babygirl was home for Christmas.  She slept through the big day and was not herself for a few months afterwards.  I was still scared I'd lost her.