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Teddy’s First Christmas

12/25/2025

George and Márta sat between Gabe and Matt. Christina was at the end of the pew becoming acquainted with Zelda. George shifted in his seat. Márta turned to Matt. “Can you move down a bit, Mátyás? Papi needs some room.”

“It’s Christmas morning, Mami. The church is going to get crowded.”

“But there’s all that space over there.”

“I’m saving two seats.”

She twisted to look over her shoulder. “Uncle Dan and Aunt Helen are already here, honey.” She blinked as two people stepped up to the edge of the pew.

A young lady with cinnamon-blonde hair genuflected and slid into the seat beside Matt. An older gentleman carrying a baby genuflected and sat beside her. The baby had a head of wispy black hair and stunning green eyes.

‘That baby is a Jozsa.’ She turned her head to focus on the abstract metal sculpture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the wall. ‘What is happening?’

George sniffed with disgust and shook his head. “An ambush? On Christmas morning at church?” He whispered to Gabe.

“It’s not an ambush, Dad. Matthew is engaged. Abby is his fiancée. Teddy is your great-grandson. Look.”

“I got enough of a look on Monday.”

“Look at that baby, Dad. There is no shame. Matthew is taking full responsibility. Abby has been caring for your great-grandson all this time, living in faith that Matthew would return and recognize his family. If it hadn’t been for that crazy bomb, we’d still be none the wiser.”

“Ignorance is bliss, Gábor.”

“Well, you’re right about being ignorant.” Gabe shook his head.

George swatted his son’s leg and crossed his arms petulantly. Márta wrapped his arm with hers and gave it a tug. He turned to see what she wanted and saw the baby perched on Matt’s chest. His little head was resting on Matt’s shoulder. He studied his great-grandparents.

Gabe waved, and the baby smiled.

‘He’s a Jozsa.’ George conceded to himself.

Aunt Helen leaned forward from the pew behind them to caress the baby’s cheek and kiss his little forehead. Uncle Dan reached out to let Teddy grab his finger.

‘Tivadar Gábor? This is a manly name. He is his father’s son.’ He closed his eyes and ducked his head.

“Come here, big boy. Come to Papi.”

George opened his eyes and swatted Gabe’s hands away. “There’s only one Papi in this pew. Give me that baby.”

Márta took Teddy from Matt’s chest and studied his face. Teddy smiled and reached for a button on her cardigan. She kissed his cheeks and forehead before passing him to her husband. “Gently, Gyurka.”

George sat the baby on his leg, resting his back and head against his sweater. He kept one hand around his waist and let Teddy grab his finger. “Pfft, look at this pew and that one. You think I don’t remember how to hold a Jozsa baby? Teddy, pay them no mind. Papi Gyurka won’t let anything happen to you.”

Matt nodded and brushed his fingers through Abby’s hair as she rested her head on his chest.

Gary sat back and released a tense breath. ‘Phew.’

Abby hurried into the kitchen with Gary close behind. “Boy, it’s a good thing Zelda finally got those cinnamon buns thawed out. I didn’t think Bonnie was going to give him back.”

Gary chuckled as he hung his coat on the back of a kitchen chair. “She’s pretty intense. What did you think of Sacred Heart?”

“I like St. Cas better. Is that terrible?” She slid Teddy into his high chair and unsnapped the hood of his snowsuit.

“No, I happen to agree. The people are great, but…”

“It’s missing something.” She tugged the sleeves from Teddy’s arms and smoothed his static-charged hair.

“That thing on the wall. Gabe tells me it’s really dramatic in the dark, but it’s…”

“I’m just going to say it.” She picked up Teddy and pointed his feet at Gary. He tugged at the feet on the suit as she slid him free. “Open concept is fine for a living room, but a church? It was so…”

“Bare. The place seemed empty. With a capacity crowd, it still felt empty.” Gary folded the little jumpsuit and took it through to the living room.

Abby and Teddy followed him. She gasped and giggled. “Is this why you kept us waiting in the car so long?” She saw the mountain of presents under the tree.

“It wasn’t that long. You were just freaked out about going to Matt’s church. Now it’s done and behind us. We got to meet uncles and aunts and cousins. Not surprisingly, everybody loves Teddy. We should make him ambassador to the UN.”

“For certain.” She sat down next to the heap of presents and picked one. “How much do you want to bet this is for you?”

Teddy looked at all the pretty paper and bows. There was an ornament with a banner reading, Teddy’s First Christmas. Abby tore a corner off of a package and tucked his hand inside. He smiled and pulled it back out, pulling a shirt halfway out.

“Ooh, that’s soft.” Abby said, brushing his neck with the exposed sleeve. He giggled as she tore the package open to reveal a little green shirt with an orange dinosaur on it. “Boy, we’re off to a great start. That’s really cute.”

“There’s plenty more where that came from.” Gary took a seat on the sofa and snapped some pictures with his phone.

“How are you?” Abby asked as she picked up another present.

“Went a little overboard with the prime rib, but can you blame me?”

“No, that was phenomenal. I had to stop myself from eating all the candied yams by myself, but that’s not what I’m talking about.”

“I’m alright.”

She tore the paper away to reveal a box of wooden blocks with letters and numbers on them. She shook the box to hear them rattle inside. Teddy’s eyes widened. “Do you hear that? Ooh, blocks are fun. We’ll get them out after we open some more stuff.” She looked at her dad. He could see the accusation in her glance.

“Look, it still sucks that she’s not here to enjoy this with us. She would have been all over Teddy, just like Jenny. I’m glad he’s got a grandmother to bake him cookies and knit him sweaters now. She’s going to spoil the heck out of him. I hope you realize that.”

“Yeah, I’m glad he can have a grandma now. You should have seen her dancing with him at St. Hedwig’s.”

St. Hedwig’s. ‘Pam said she works there.’ A gasp. “What were you doing at the hospital? Are you okay?”

“Jenny gave me the heads-up that Matt was getting his arm checked out, so Teddy and I surprised him in the lounge.”

“That’s neat. He’s awfully charming for a baby. You should have seen Elka and Mary fighting over him.”

“That’s because you’re so cuddly-duddly.” She tickled Teddy and slid him into his exersaucer. “Let’s break out those blocks.” She glanced at the small print on the box before sliding them onto his desk space. He studied the bright colors before picking up a block with a green P on white and gnawing on the corner.

“What did you need to go upstairs for?”

“Matt wanted to show me something he got for Teddy. He wasn’t sure it was appropriate for his age.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t ask his mom.”

“He got it in Djibouti when he ordered those treasure boxes.” She looked at the one up on the mantel next to their Black Friday photo. “Some guy out in the market told him he ought to have a dozen wives and a hundred sons.”

“Quite a sales pitch. What was it?”

“Some kind of gooey ball with twinkly lights embedded in it. I don’t know. Maybe when Teddy is old enough not to shove it in his mouth. It will mean more to him when he’s old enough to understand the story that goes with it.”

“You okay?” Harry stopped on his way to the kitchen.

Matt scowled at the TV. “Sure. Why?”

“You look like Bonnie talks. You want a cinnamon bun?”

“No. What the heck?” He continued scowling at the TV.

“Have you had one of your pills today? Is your arm aching or something?”

“A little, I guess. I can wait until tomorrow.”

Harry grabbed a chair and dragged it back to sit beside Matt. “C’mon, Matt. What’s eating you?”

“Abby.”

“She seems nice enough.”

“Yeah, she’s fine.”

“Uh-huh. But?”

“No buts. She’s fine.”

“Okay. She’s fine, but you still look like you’re going to grab that sportscaster out of the TV and work him over.”

“That’s because he sucks. I don’t know who he is, but I’d like to pulverize him.”

“We can change the channel. Then you could hate a chef or maybe the Grinch.”

“Probably so.” Matt closed his eyes and shook his head.

“So, what has Abby got to do with it?”

“I don’t know where I stand with her, Harry.”

“She’s wearing the ring, Matt. She said yes, and she’s already given you a clone for a son. I think it’s pretty clear where you stand with her.”

“I think it’s pretty clear where you stand with Zelda because she won’t stop telling you.”

“Yeah, she’s great. I wish I’d known she existed before I ever got wrapped up with Izzy.”

“I don’t think you’d appreciate her as much if you found her first.”

“Maybe.” Harry shrugged. “I wonder if you appreciate Abby.”

“I wonder how I’m supposed to. Everything is subtle and unsaid with her. I’d like to hear her say…”

Harry’s eyebrows went up.

“Something. Man, anything. Say something.” Matt scowled at the announcer on the TV again. “I don’t need her to talk my ear off about nonsense, but tell me something that matters. Let me know where I stand.”

“Sure. She’s quiet. I think you’ll grow to appreciate that, but yeah, she could afford to give you a little of the Zelda treatment.”

“Just a little. Is that too much to ask for?” Matt gritted his teeth. “And maybe a couple minutes in a dark alley with that guy. Turn the channel a minute.”

Pam sat on an overstuffed beanbag watching The Bells of St. Mary’s. “Yes! Tell her! Tell her you don’t hate her. You’re doing it for her health. It’s not punishment. Just tell her, Bing.” She shook her fist. “Yes! Finally.” She flicked the TV off and slid from the lumpen seat.

She’d get around to buying furniture someday.

She dragged the beanbag into the bedroom and spread it out like a dog bed. She stood with her hands on her hips, staring at it a moment before she fetched a big comforter from the closet and unfurled it in one smooth motion.

She’d seen that in a movie or maybe a commercial for detergent. She had always wanted to learn how to do that, and now here she is doing it like a champ.

“And now, for my next trick…”

She returned to the closet for some poofy throw pillows, then she threw them.

“Nice, but you can’t go to bed until you’ve picked something for work tomorrow.”

She turned to the collapsible valet stand that, sadly, didn’t have clothes on it already. She turned to the full-length mirror to envision an outfit for tomorrow, but found something that looked like it had escaped from some demented fairytale.

Her hair was up in a messy bun and her face, thoroughly scoured of the bronzer and other products that allowed her to look vaguely human, was covered with an oatmeal sheet mask. Her enormous hoodie hung almost to her knees, and the sleeves drooped nearly to her knuckles. It was that girlfriend wearing her boyfriend’s clothes aesthetic, but it was really about hiding her bony tush from view. The shiny green leggings with the absurd Christmas print reminded her of Gary’s tie, but she was too distracted by the ridiculousness of her stick-like chicken legs ending in oversize bear claw slippers.

“No wonder Steve disappeared.”

She slid the closet door to reveal her wardrobe. She’d have to buy some more of that, too. She had enough to get through a week of work without repeating. She also had enough pieces to mix and match so that she could get through a month without becoming predictable. She pulled some items and hung them back up.

“Low gal on the totem pole gets to work the day after Christmas.”

She opened her drawer and pulled out a burgundy turtleneck shirt. A fine foundational piece, but she’d need layers or people would be looking at her chest all day. A green blazer? She almost dismissed as too kitchy Christmas but she figured, why not. She draped the blazer over the turtleneck on her valet stand and twirled it toward the mirror. A brooch would be good, but she didn’t have any.

“Well, you’re stuffed away in an office. Nobody’s looking at you, anyway.”

She hung a pair of black slacks on the rung in the middle and stepped back.

“Good enough. Go to bed or you’ll be tired at work.”

She went into the bathroom to dispose of the mask and rinse off. Without her makeup, she looked like her ghost was haunting the bathroom. She tried not to look at herself while she brushed her teeth.

‘You tried. It wasn’t your fault, because you tried. Lingerie. Board games. Watching shows he liked. Doing things you didn’t. You tried, but it all just faded away like it had never been.’

Spit. Rinse. Spit. Trundle off to bed.

‘Kick off the funny bear feet so you can sleep in your bare feet.’

Off with the bear slippers. Off with the hoodie. Hot flashes struck late at night.

With the lights off, she didn’t need to see herself in the sport top that actually got Steve’s attention for a while. Just a while.

She climbed under the comforter and arranged the pillows for support. That was the only support she’d gotten for years…