The Gift

Nonnie searched through Uncle Stephen’s shop and then back to the storage area, Pippin at her heels and eventually Uncle Stephen himself.

“Nonnie, my dear what are you looking for?”

“Something …I know I saw it somewhere here.” She placed her hands on her hips.

“Perhaps a clue?” Uncle Stephen raised his brows, “I might be able to help you.”

“Menorah, I saw one here not long ago…you haven’t sold it have you?”

“Oh the silver one,” he smiled, “a pretty penny that will cost you.”

“You’re going to make me pay you for it?”

“One must scratch out a living however one can, my dear. Have you had a request for one?”

“No…actually it’s to be a gift.”

“A very nice gift it will be too, might I know where it’s going to live?”

“Your solicitor, Richie Roberts has just bought himself a house I thought it would be a nice gift for him since he’s Jewish.”

“Ah…Richie,” he smiled broadly and went to fetch the Menorah from a cabinet in his shop. “My solicitor or yours…oh I know where you’ve been spending your time lately, dragging in home after nine o’clock, dinner turned to rubber, dishes left in the sink.”

“How do you know…maybe I’m working late.” She turned the menorah over in her hands satisfied at the silversmith’s mark on the bottom.

“William saw you heading out towards Nana Glen and he says to me…who do we know out that way and I says to him…Roberts has bought a house out there and he says to me…”

“Really…I have no privacy even when I’m not here. You haven’t set him to spy on me have you?”

“I am offended, my dear. He was merely going by to check on the progress of your flat and followed you out of The Glen as you were leaving.”

“Have you got a box for this and how much do you want for it?”

“Hmm a box, I’m sure I do…since it’s a gift I’ll let you have it…you might add my name to the card.” He raised a brow pulling a box from under the counter.

“And I might not,” she smiled handing him the tissue paper.

“You ungrateful child, I should have left you in the home for unwanted children.”

“Um that wasn’t exactly where you found me.”

“Foster home…same thing…now then shall we do a bow and silver paper?”

Nonnie leaned on the counter while he wrapped the gift…a professional job it was too. “Thanks luv, I’m off to Nana Glen…don’t save the rubber dinner for me,” she glanced over her shoulder smiling.

Nonnie had no idea whether Richie did anything about Christmas or not, probably last year he did when he was with Toni because she wasn’t Jewish and would have had a tree and all the trimmings. This year would be different for him…she wanted it to be something special just for him.

She pulled up in front of his house with dinner from Andy’s and the gift.

“Nonnie,” he smiled opening the door, “you brought dinner?”

“Yes I did, don’t mind do you?” she walked past him with the box Andy had given her to carry the food in along with the wrapped package in a separate bag.

“No not at all, I’ve been standing in front of the cupboard staring at canned soups.” He took the box and placed it on the kitchen counter. “What’s this?” he opened the bag and saw the wrapped box.

“Something for you, since it’s the giving season…I don’t know what you had planned if anything for the holidays but this is a start…something for you.”

“You bought me a present?” he half smiled and took the box from the bag. “Am I supposed to open it now?”

“Please.”

Richie unwrapped the box and opened it pulling aside the tissue paper, “Ah…a menorah.”

“I didn’t know if you had one or not but I thought you should have this one.” She bit her lip as he held the menorah.

“Wow, no I didn’t have one…I think we had one last year but I don’t know what happened to it, probably went with all the Christmas decorations to charity. Nonnie…thanks,” he put his arm around her and kissed her lightly. “This is really a nice one too…so many traditions I’ve let go by.” He held it thoughtfully.

“You have a new home maybe it’s time to begin again. I have some candles in my purse; I brought them from my shop. Will you do a tree…do you celebrate at all?”

“When I lived with Toni we did, I don’t want a tree…you know it’s… just me.”

“No Richie…you’re not alone. Put a wreath on the front door then…for me.”

“For you…a wreath.” He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her but he held back not knowing how she would react.

Nonnie looked up at him and moved to him putting her arms around his neck and he kissed her deeply.

“Ziti,” she said when he broke away and smiled knowing he wasn’t thinking about food.

“What?”

“Ziti, it’s what’s for dinner with a salad. We need to break in your new plates.”

“Yeah,” he took a breath, “I guess we do need to break a plate.” He still held her looking into her eyes.

“You know, Richie I once said you weren’t ready for me…I don’t know if I’m ready for you. You scare me a little too. If it ever happens it’s going to be intense.”

“If…what happens?”

“I’m not just talking about falling into bed with you.”

“Neither was I.”

“That’s why we need to take it slow,” she smiled, “I know what you want…”

“I’m not sure you do, yeah I wanna fall into bed with you but not for just a night, Nonnie.”

“The ziti is getting colder and colder…”