A Calendar of Tales: May

Way back in 2013, I was inspired by Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.

 “What is the weirdest gift you’ve ever been given in May?”

“An anonymous Mother’s Day gift. Think about that for a moment.”

Aaron picked up the small package and looked at it. It was addressed to Shelby Jones. Jones was his wife's maiden name. There was no return address.

“Hm.” He brought it in the house. “Hey, Shel, you home?”

“Yeah, babe, I'm working,” Shelby called from the office. Aaron saw her sitting there with one leg tucked under her as she always had, and he was struck by an image of her ten years ago, doing the same thing. She smiled up at him and wrapped her arm around his hips. He bent down and kissed her, then showed her the box.

“Hm.” She took it from him, snagged a box cutter from the desktop and opened it. Inside was a wrapped gift and a card. Shelby opened the card. Her eyes widened, she dropped the card and put her hands over mouth. Tears filled her eyes and her face pinched as she fought them.

“What is it?” Aaron said, grabbing the card from her lap. It was a Mothers' Day card. He looked at her, horrified. Who would send a mother's day present to a woman who couldn't have children?

Shelby grabbed the gift and unwrapped it. She reached in her hand and pulled out a beautifully carved wooden figure. It looked like an owl. She turned it over and over in her hands, stopping with the owl upside-down and its foot showing initials VWJ. Shelby seemed to melt into her chair, holding the owl close to her.

“Shel...” Aaron said, putting his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and seemed to cringe. “Do you know what all this is?” he asked her.

“VWJ. Victor Winter Jones. He's...my son.”

Aaron sat down on the floor of the office. “You don't have a son. You can't. Because...of the cancer.”

Shelby shook her head. “I told you about the cancer. It was all I could do. The rest...I...just couldn't. It was all too much.”

“You really do...have a son?” Aaron didn't know what to feel about Shelby having someone else's child, even back before they met. He was more worried he'd say the wrong thing right now and lose her.

Shelby nodded. “I was very young, there were a few candidates for baby daddy and none of them seemed very promising, but as soon as I knew he was in there I loved him. It didn't make any sense. Probably hormones, or something. It was on the first ultrasound that they found the cancer.”

Aaron scooted closer to her on the rug and touched her knee. She gathered his head into her lap and stroked his shaggy, dark hair. “I loved him. I wanted to keep him. I tried. But it was just too much. The surgery, the chemotherapy after, and I didn't have anyone to help me. So I gave him up. You know the rest.”

Aaron did. She recovered from the cancer, and then set about trying to destroy herself with drugs and booze.

“Someone asked me who I wanted to be when my son found me, and that became the focus of my recovery. And I did. Find him, I mean. He was three. I wanted to cuddle him so badly, but...I was terrified the family would reject me and I'd never see him again, so I just started sending anonymous birthday presents. I see him every now and then, but I've never interacted with him.”

“How old is he?”

“Seventeen.”

Aaron got up and put his arms around her. “I'm sorry you couldn't tell me. I'd have helped you choose the gifts.”

Shelby snortled a bit of slightly hysterical laughter and shook in his arms. “I think I thought I deserved to go it alone.”

“I'm glad you changed your mind.” He looked at the owl in 

Shelby's hands. “I think Victor has figured out a few things on his own.”

“He's smart.”

“And talented. I bet he carved that owl.”

Shelby nodded. “And sent it to his bio mom to show off to her.” She placed the owl on the desk next to her laptop.

“Come hang out with me in the kitchen,” Aaron said, grabbing her hands and pulling on her arms.

“The kitchen?” She resisted, but eventually stood up.

“Yeah. Take a break from all this heavy shit. I'll make some tea.”

“You just want me to make you food.”

“Oh, you're going to make me food? What a woman!” He wrapped his arms completely around her and gave her a huge kiss.