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P.O.W.E.R.* Girl III - Ch. 7 - The Crowning Piece

by Tonja Taylor  
9/18/2022 / Short Stories


“Uncle Burt, this treetop is heavy!” said Pearl, trying to lift it.

“Here, Princess,” said Xi. “I’m stronger than you, and this thing is taller than you are!”

“Yes, Ms. Sophia has a huge tree, for her huge living room!” said Robin. "It smells like a real one. How did she do that?"

"Well, they make them with lights already strung in them, so I guess they can make fake ones smell like the real thing, too," Xi said. 

“That’s so cool that we found a huge star to put on the top,” said Robin.

“Yes, it’s my favorite shape—the long one, that looks like the rays coming out of it. This one really glistens in the light, too, even without the light inside it on!”

Robert walked up to them, eating a huge sugar cookie. Red icing covered his mouth.

“Robert!” said Pearl. “You’re going to get crumbs in Ms. Sophia’s carpet!”

“Is it my turn?” Robert said, his mouth full. “I wanna put the pretty balls on!”

“No worries, dear heart,” they heard Ms. Sophia call from the kitchen. “I will have it cleaned late this week.” They heard her laugh. “Robert, help us choose the shapes for our next batch!”

“Go help Ms. Sophia, Bub,” said Burt. “We’ll call you when it’s time.”

If it’s ever time! thought Pearl. At least he minds Ms. Sophia!

Robert gobbled down the rest of his cookie, and ran back to the kitchen.

Burt laughed. “Good thing Ms. Sophia doesn’t mind letting Rob ‘help’ her. He’s probably making a mess!”

“I hope Lucas is keeping him from doing too much damage!” said Pearl.

He looked around and saw a big wooden chair, and put it next to the tree. "Yep, this is going to be a magnificent Christmas tree, once it's done!"

Classical Christmas music flowed through the place. “Hey girls,” said Burt, “are you merry and bright, like Bing Crosby says?”

“Huh?” All three looked at him.

“I think I’ve heard that before,” said Xi. “Or maybe on a card or something…”

Burt laughed. “Here, let me put this up,” he said, as he lifted the top of the tree and climbed onto the chair with it. He secured it, then straightened out the branches. “Okay, girls,” he said, “please help me fluff the rest of the tree, so it looks more natural.”

Getting down and arranging the branches of the rest of the tree, he said, “In the song, Bing is wishing people a Christmas that is merry and bright. But I think you girls are all merry and bright!”

Xi laughed and rolled her eyes a bit, “Sure, Burt. Why not?”

Pearl and Robin dug through the boxes. “Here’s the silver garland!” Robin said. She pulled and pulled and kept pulling. “Wow, it’s loooonnnng! So now, we need some lights.”

A song with flute and harp music came on. “Ooooh, pretty!” said Pearl. “I want to play that on a harp!”

When will I get my harp, Lord? And lessons? Pearl wondered. I believe this idea’s from You, but no one around here knows anything about ‘em. Anyway, You’ve got this!

“Here we go!” said Robin, pulling out a long string of big clear blue star-shaped lights.

“Neat! But we’re gonna need a lot more, cause that’s a huge tree!”

“Yes, isn’t it gorgeous?” said Robin. “It must be 15 feet tall!”

“Hey!” Pearl said, pulling candles and a green wreath out of packaging. “Here are her Advent decorations.”

“Yeah, we do that,” said Robin. “We just haven’t put them yet.”

“Are you Catholic?” said Pearl. Do they really believe in Jesus?

“We used to go to Mass and stuff, but Jesus is our Savior, of course” said Robin. “I’m so glad Mom found out she’s not supposed to pray to a man, but to the Father through Jesus. Even Mother Mary prays to Jesus, for He is God, although He is her Son…Anyway, no man can forgive sins, except Jesus the Son of Man.”

“Right!” said Pearl.

Preach it, Robin!” said Burt. “Risa told me about the Advent candles last year, I think,” he said, as he unsheathed more decorations. “Every religion that insists that people can only get to Heaven by following rules is a box that God never created. He is the Spirit of Freedom—freedom to learn His ways and follow them, but always out of love and devotion to Him and not performance.”

He adjusted the top part of the tree, and said, “You girls know that the real deal is believing in your heart that Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of all our sins—all our wrongs--and that He rose again and lives in our hearts to help us live right.”

He stepped up on the ladder to hang garland at the top of the tree. “I’m so glad you all believe in Him, and know that God is much bigger than any box!”

“Amen!” said Pearl. She heard ‘Carol of the Bells’ and started singing, “Jesus is LORD! Jesus is LORD! Jesus is LORD!” to the tune.

“Right, Pearl Girl!” said her uncle. “I like your words, and I know the Lord does too!

“Wow, this place looks and smells great!” said Pearl’s mother, as she and Risa came in. “Pearl, are you going to learn that song to play at the nursing home? I heart you singing, and I know they would like it.”

I’d rather play a harp! Pearl thought. “OK, I will,” she said. “I can practice tonight.”

“Isn’t Burt’s baby grand nicer than the old upright we had in Tennessee?”

“Daddy made it sound good, though,” said Pearl. Daddy, are you playing the piano in Heaven now? she wondered.

Robert, came out carrying a plate of cookies. “Ms. Sophia says break time!” and he sat on the couch and started eating one.

“OK, Bub, but let me get this new tree topper we got fixed just right,” Burt said. He stood on the ladder and placed the lovely star on top.

“Hey Pearl, please plug it in—you can use that and turn off the overhead light. You girls can tell me how it looks, and we can finish decorating after the break.”

Pearl obeyed, while Robin turned off the light.

“It’s beautiful!” said Pearl. “And it looks kind of blue—like my favorite color and God’s!” she said, and laughed.

“Cool!” said Robin. “Just wait till we get all the other decorations on it!”

“Ok, thanks,” said Burt. “Time for a break now.”

“Yeah!” she said, looking around. “Where did Xi go?”

“I think she’s in the bathroom,” said Robin.

“OK, I’ll go check. I need to wash my hands anyway,” said Pearl.

I think she’s crying! Pearl thought, as she walked up to the door. 

“Hey Xi, can I wash my hands?” she said, and knocked lightly. “Your little brother made cookies,” she joked.

“Just a minute,” Pearl heard Xi say. She heard Xi blow her nose. The door opened, and Xi walked out.

“Are you OK?” said Pearl. “We are—”

“Sometimes things bother me, OK? Not your problem, Princess!” Xi said, and stomped away.

Help her heart heal, LORD, Pearl thought, as she washed her hands. She heard a soft knock.

Her mother opened the door, and whispered, “Precious, it’s normal for Xi to be sad during the holidays, with all that’s happened. But we will eat and sing carols, and then pray for each other, OK? Grief is natural, but we will tell it to get lost, because Jesus took it. We’ll tell joy to come—as only Christ can give!”

Pearl nodded and hugged her. “Yes, you told us that we could never really lose our joy, ‘cause Jesus is our joy, right?” Pearl said. Xi’s never had a good mother like mine, she thought. Thank You, LORD, for my wise mom who loves You!

Queen Mother and Risa helped Sophia and the boys in the kitchen, while the rest sat on the big leather sofa, and all but Xi grabbed a cookie. Lucas walked out with a second plate, and Pearl said, “Xi, you gotta try your little brother’s stuff!”

Ms. Sophia came out, wearing an apron, with her hair up. “Do I look like Susie Homemaker?” she said, in her thick accent.

“You look like a gourmet cook!” said Risa, following her out, taking a bite of a cookie. “Thank you, Ms. Sophia. These are delicious!”

“Yes, and we bless them, for as the Word says, ‘Let all that is within me bless His holy Name,’” said Burt.

Pearl laughed. “Uncle Burt, you are too too funny!”

"Little Pearl said I was too too funny," said Burt loudly, "so I guess that would be four times over then, right, Lucas Math Man, like two to the second power, or something?”

"Lucas!" said Pearl, giggling. "Uncle Burt is doing higher math again! Please help us!"

Lucas walked closer, flour on his hands. "Higher math? Oh, two to the second power, yes, you're right--it's four!"

They all sat on the couches and admired the work on the tree so far.

“These are so good, Robert,” said Xi.  “Good job!”

“Yeah!” said Robert and grinned. “I’m eating another one now!”

“Three with milk is plenty today!” said his mother.

They sat and talked and listened to Christmas carols for a few more minutes. Then Lucas rose and started taking everyone’s plates to clean up. 

“Thank you, Son,” said Burt. “You are a blessing!”

He grinned, then turned to Sophia, who got up and headed for the kitchen “Ms. Sophia, do you want to rest and watch them decorate? I can help Robert, if you need me to."

“No, gracias, Lucas. You are a fine boy. I can hear from the kitchen, and look out to see when I need to," she said. “I have another batch in the oven. These are Special Roberts.”

Robin giggled. "You mean "'Robert Specials'--Roberto especialmentes, Ms. Sophia?"

"Si, yes.” She laughed. “Whatever. He did them!" Sophia said loudly. "I'm sure they are muy bueno!"

“Uh oh,” said Pearl. “Are there mystery ingredients in these?” She glanced at Xi, who raised her eyebrows, but seemed in a better mood.

Then she looked at Robert, who was stuffing yet another cookie in his mouth.

He nodded. “Yep! I put some different things in there! Ms. Sophia had bowls of all kinds of stuff.”

“No worries, dear, it’s all organic--real food,” said Ms. Sophia, as she winked at Pearl. “No frogs or spiders or ants!”

“Okay!” Pearl said, and smiled, reaching for another cookie. “Then that means we can eat more than usual, right, ‘cause they have nutritional value—one of Queen Mother’s requirements!”

Xi grabbed another one, and so did Pearl. “Hey, this one has ‘Jesus’ on it.” She turned to Robert. “Rob, did you write this?”

He nodded. “Yep! The Name! Jesus Jesus JESUS!"

“Amen, The Name indeed,” said Burt. “That’s what Christmas is all about!”

She saw Xi look at her cookie, which also had The Name on it in red.

For once, my little brother is right! thought Pearl. Thank You, LORD, he's getting it—and so is Xi!

“Yep!” said Robert, and zipped to the kitchen. “Let’s do more!” he called.

He zipped back out and waved. “Lucas and Ms. Sophia, let’s get busy!”

Ms. Sophia laughed. “Hold your horses, Robert! Xiomara and Lucas, please help me get up. This couch is deeper, and it takes me a bit longer.”

They moved to help her.

“Robert, you’d better not touch anything until someone else gets in there with you!” said his mother. She sighed and got up to intercept him before the others went in.

He zipped back out and grabbed her in a hug.  “But I’m proud of you for making these cookies for Christ Jesus. I know He loves it—and He loves you!” she said, and hugged him back.

“Yep!” he said. “Let’s do more for Him!”

Indeed! Thought Pearl. That’s cool how You are working in Rob’s heart, Daddy God!

“Xi and I are ready to head for the nursing home,” said Risa, “aren’t we Xi?” she said, and winked.

“I guess,” said Xi, getting up. “I’ll go help in the kitchen.”

Risa looked at the clock “We can finish decorating the tree after that, OK? A lot of the residents eat dinner and go to bed early.”

“Oh you’re right, Risa,” said Burt. “Thanks for remembering that.”

“Es un placer,” she said, and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled really big.

Pearl and Robin giggled, and fist-bumped each other.

Xi rolled her eyes. “You love birds are something!” she said.

“When it’s right, it’s right!” Burt said. “Let’s all go to the kitchen and help them,” Burt said. “We might even get another cookie!”

“Yeah, then we can go help the people at the nursing home!” said Pearl.

“Too bad the rules won’t let us to take them some of Rob’s creations,” Burt said.

“We’re supposed to love on those people, right Queen Mother?” Pearl joked.

“Right, Pearl girl,” said her mother, “but he really enjoys cooking. I’m sure they’d be delighted if he made them cookies. What we can do is take the workers some. Anyway, let’s think up more projects for him to be positively productive like this. He may become a world-famous chef or something!”

“Or something!” Pearl said, and giggled. LORD, she thought, with You all things are possible!

 

Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. They lift Him up in books (P.O.W.E.R. Girl!; LEGACY; Visions of the King; Your Holy Health; more); presentations; service in church, community, and the world; and via the "River Rain Creative" (309 videos) and "POWERLight Learning" You Tube channels.

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