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Murray Christmas And A Happy New Year
12/31/2024
Joe was resting his eyes when he heard a clamor in the hallway.
“Hey, Joe, I brought you some company.” Chris said.
He opened his eyes and shut them quickly. “Can you flip the lights off? I’m still having some trouble.”
“Sure.” Chris flicked the switch. “Come in, guys.”
Joe watched Ronny and Josh follow his brother into the room. “Hey, thanks for coming.”
“You had us worried, buddy.” Josh shook his hand gently.
“Yeah, glad to see they’re taking good care of you, Joe.” Ronny said. “I’m setting back a few bottles of Old Cas for you when you come home.”
“Much appreciated.” Joe smiled. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“I understand if you’re not feeling up to it, Joe.” Josh tucked his hands into his coat pockets. “If you can, we’ve got a surprise for you at midnight. Maybe take a nap in the evening.”
“A surprise? I’m intrigued.”
“That’s all we’re telling you, Joe. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Right?” Ronny laughed.
“You definitely have a point there. I’ll do my best, guys.”
Whitney entered the room with a tray. “Hey, guys. I’ve got Joe’s dinner here.”
“Oh, I hope it’s something good.” Josh said. “How’s your appetite?”
“Not half bad, actually. I was afraid I’d have to be on a special diet, but it’s good.” He held his hands up as Whitney rolled the table across his lap and lifted the cover away. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”
“You know what?” Chris said. “Let’s make sure this tablet stays charged.”
Joe looked over his shoulder. “The surprise has something to do with my tablet?”
“Well, yeah.” Josh wagged his elbows. “We’re going to call you. Well, we’re going to try to call you.”
“I missed it.” Whitney said. “What surprise?”
“We’ve got a surprise to show Joe tonight at midnight, if he can be available.” Chris said. “Maybe he can take a nap?”
“I’ll try. I promise.” Joe studied the dinner tray to see where he wanted to start. “Ooh, beef barley soup.”
“Hey, I’ll be right back.” Chris said as he ducked out the door. He stepped up to the nurse’s station. “Is there any way I can arrange for my brother to get a wake-up call a few minutes before midnight? We have a surprise planned for him.”
“Joe Murray?”
“Yes.”
“Your brother is very ill. He needs his rest.”
“Of course, I understand. If he took a nap in the evening–”
The nurse gave him an icy glare.
“I’d just hate for him to have to miss it. We can record, but New Year’s is New Year’s. Right?”
“I’ll leave a note for the night shift, but his welfare comes before New Year’s surprises.” She said sternly.
“Thanks. What time are visiting hours over?”
“Nine o’clock.”
“Hi, Whitney. I’m so glad you could make it.” Sarah gave her a hug.
She looked at the chairs set up in the circle between the Murray and Chmielewski houses. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, the surprise for Joe?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s just say that they’re looking to get some use out of their investment in this year’s light fight. Let’s go inside. Mary has some delicious cocoa prepared.” She led her to the Murray kitchen.
“Whitney, darling. Thank you for coming. How is Joseph?” Mary stirred cocoa in a pot on the stovetop.
“Sleeping comfortably. I don’t know if the nurses will wake him for this.”
“Well, we can hope. Can’t we? Would you like some cocoa?”
“Yes, please.”
“Whitney, you’ve been so kind to keep Joseph company. How is he doing?”
“He says he’s comfortable, but I’m not sure.”
Mary ladled cocoa into a mug. “What makes you say that?”
“I watched him last Sunday, preparing for the show. Everyone was so busy. They didn’t see the signs that he was ready to collapse.”
“I appreciate your concern.” Mary studied her. “What worries you about his current situation?”
“He’s not telling the nurses how he’s actually feeling. They come and go. They ask him things and take his responses at face value. If you take time to watch him carefully, you can see he’s still hiding something.”
Mary nodded. “What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know if it’s some kind of pain he isn’t sharing or some other symptom, but he’s keeping something to himself that he shouldn’t.”
“Is that why you’re at his side with such devotion?”
“I was concerned that he’d be bored. A mind like his needs to be engaged, or he’s bound to spiral into worries or negativity.”
“You seem to know him well, considering you’ve just met.”
“I’m just getting to know him.” She sipped her cocoa. “I had an uncle who was an engineer. He was quiet and sensitive like Joe.”
“Had.”
“He was in a car crash. He was expected to recover, but whenever I got to visit him, he seemed to be getting worse.”
“He didn’t have someone to keep him company.”
“No, my aunt went every day to visit him and see that he was being fed and cared for. She didn’t know how to reach him. She talked about family, household matters, normal things.”
“She couldn’t reach him?”
“He faded and died, Mrs. Murray. We lost him. I don’t want that to happen to Joe.”
“Neither do we, dear. Again, why the sudden interest? It seems like you’ve only just met. Are you trying to save Joseph or resurrect your late uncle?”
Whitney set the mug down on the counter. “Both? Maybe?”
“Thank you for your candor.”
“Joe says he can keep himself engaged with Isidore, but how easy would it be for him to set his tablet aside and wither away?”
“All too easy, it seems.” Mary crossed her arms. “Honestly, now, why have you taken such an interest in my son?”
“I can’t explain it. When they told me he was an engineer, I was intrigued. He’s handsome and sensitive. I was hoping to get to know him after the light show, but…”
“Yes, that was disturbing, to say the least.”
“Pardon me, Mary.” Joan had Jenn on her hip. “I’m going to put Jenn down to sleep.”
“Wawa.” She waved at Whitney.
Whitney waved back and looked at Mary in confusion.
“My granddaughter thinks you look like Wonder Woman. Come here, darling. Let Nana give you a kiss goodnight.”
Joan brought her over for a hug and a kiss. She turned to Whitney and held her arms out. “Wawa!”
Whitney gave her a hug and a kiss. “Get some sleep, Jenn. Uncle Joe sends his love.”
“Alright, baby monkey, let’s go get comfy.” Joan said, as she left the kitchen.
“She’s adorable.” Whitney smiled. “I figured if Joe was cooped up in a hospital bed, it would be a perfect opportunity to get to know him.”
“And you know him well enough to know he’s deceiving the hospital staff?”
“He has tells. I’m sure you’ve seen them.”
“Actually, I’ve found Joseph to be beyond inscrutable his entire life. More cocoa?”
“No, thank you. It helped me to warm up. Maybe later, after whatever the surprise is?”
“Chris and the boys from across the street figured out how to simulate a fireworks show with their drones. If last Sunday is anything to go by, it should be quite dazzling. Whitney, you’ve been with Joseph all week.”
“I know it seems presumptuous and premature, Mrs. Murray.”
“Mary, please.”
“Mary.” She nodded. “I think I love him.”
“You think?”
“I have to wonder if it’s just some Florence Nightingale thing or if I’m projecting my uncle onto him, but I don’t think so. I think I love him.”
“If you discover that you do not?”
“Either way, I like him. I want to see him safely out of the hospital and back to his normal life.”
“As do we all. Whitney, all this time you’re spending with Joe…”
“School doesn’t start up again until later in January.”
“What do your parents think of this sudden interest?”
“They don’t understand it, but they know better than to try to dissuade me.”
“You’re stubborn, are you?”
“I can be when the need arises.”
“Do you think they’d be interested in joining us?”
“Mom and Dad? I could ask.”
“Why don’t you do that? I think it would cheer Joseph up to see you and them for his surprise.”
Sanctus bells jingled. “Joseph, are you awake?”
“Isidore? What time is it?”
“It’s ten minutes to midnight. If you’re not feeling up to it, I can extend your apologies to your mother.”
“No, I’m curious to see what they’re up to. I need to call the nurse.” Joe sat his bed up and looked for the red button. “Gosh, where’s it gotten to?”
A nurse peeked into his room. “Joe? Can I help you?”
“Can’t find the button. I’m lucky you came.”
She entered the room and searched for the button.
“Actually, can we…”
“Of course.”
“Isidore, please let my family know I’ll be joining them in a moment.”
“Happily.”
“Joining your family?” She asked.
“Apparently, they have a surprise for me. I’m guessing they plan to televise themselves doing the countdown.”
“That TV is set up for Isidore. You can watch it on the TV if you want.”
“Isidore.”
“Yes, Joseph?”
“Can you transmit my family’s feed to the TV?”
“Certainly. They will begin shortly.”
“Nurse, can I have another blanket?”
“Sure, let me just get your temp quick.” She rolled a thermometer across his forehead before heading into the hallway.
Joe pulled his covers up and shivered. “Let’s see what this surprise of theirs is, Isidore.”
The TV lit up to a splash screen reading, ‘Murray Christmas and a Happy New Year’.
“Oh, brother.” He laughed. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, Joe. Glad you could join us. The gang’s all here and we all wanted to wish you a Happy New Year.”
“Are you outside?”
“Yes. Actually, Ronny got an email from the drone vendor offering some new designs. So, we thought we’d try them out. Here’s Mom.”
“Joseph, hello. Are you warm enough? You look chilly.”
“The nurse went to get me another blanket. I should be fine in a moment. Is everybody outside?”
“Naturally, dear. We can’t see the show from the windows. Somebody wants to say hello, so I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay, Mom. Thanks.”
Whitney came into view. “Joe, we didn’t disturb you. Did we?”
“No, I had a nice rest and I’ll go back to sleep after the show.”
“Joe, I want to introduce my parents. This is my dad, Jerry, and my mom, Arletta.”
“Hi, Joe. I hope you’re feeling better soon.” Jerry said.
“Yes, feel better, honey. We’ll stop in tomorrow and get to know you.”
“Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Maldonado. I’m looking forward to meeting you in person.”
“He’s so polite. Isn’t he, Jerry?”
“Class act. Definitely. Joe, your family are good people. Enjoy the show. Your brother wants to say hi. See you later.”
Joe waved, and the view shifted to John, Chris and Leo. “Hey, guys.”
“Hi, Joe.” John said. “I don’t know what they’ve got lined up here, but Ronny says it’s going to be something.”
“Yeah, he’s keeping it pretty close to the vest.” Chris said.
“What’s that?” Leo asked.
“The nurse brought me another blanket. Hang on a second.” He held the tablet overhead as the nurse draped a new blanket over his covers. “Oh, that’s nice. Thanks. Okay, I’m back. She brought me a heated blanket.”
“Alright, well, you hang in there. Okay? You’ve got some other people who want to say hi.” The view shifted to Joan and Sarah holding the kids.
“Uncle Joe!” Jim waved.
“Hey, buddy. Isn’t it past your bedtime?”
“Daddy said we could ‘cause this is special.”
“Hi, Uncle Joe.” Jenn waved.
“Hey, sweetie. You keep warm. Okay?”
She nodded and clung to her mom.
“Okay, passing you over to the next group. See you later.” Sarah said as Staś and Elka came into view.
“Hey, guys. Happy New Year.”
“Hi, Joe. Are they taking good care of you?” Staś asked.
“The best.”
“I’m glad to see you, honey. Get well and come home soon.” Elka waved and passed the camera. Josh and Ronny were there with Grace and Emma in the background. “Hey, wait ‘til you see this.” Ronny said.
“I’m curious to see what you’ve got going.”
“Well, no more waiting.” Josh said. “I’m going to put you on a tripod and you can watch the show with the rest of us.”
The night sky above his home came into view before the familiar hum of drones sounded in the background. They twinkled randomly for a moment in what looked like a snow flurry until they converged into the shape of a ten.
The countdown continued as his family shouted along in the background.
Pressure built up in his head. It didn’t hurt, exactly, but it felt weird.
Midnight struck and the flight of drones erupted into a simulated fireworks display. Flowers, spiders and crossettes lit the night sky as if pyrotechnics were in use.
He smiled at the spectacle as he dropped the tablet and groaned in pain.