Only Three Months to Live
by Victor Thomas
Chapter 8
"Okay, I'm here. This had better be good. Hey, where's Leif? I thought you two were joined at the lip," David said.
"I have an idea," I said as I looked around at David, Paula, Taryn, and Keaton where we stood in the park. "I've discovered that Leif loves Christmas and I mean he loves it. He hasn't made a big deal out of it, but he regrets that he won't be here this Christmas. I think it really upsets him."
My friends nodded.
"So, what do you have in mind?" Paula asked.
"We have Christmas for Leif early this year, soon, before he gets worse and can't enjoy it."
"That's a wonderful idea," she said.
"I'm in," said Taryn, Keaton, and David without a moment's hesitation.
"I knew you would be. I talked to his mom and she thinks it's a wonderful idea. We're going to have Christmas for him at his home and we'll all need to help. The problem is that everything will have to be done quickly if we are to keep him from finding out, the decorating, cooking, baking, and everything. His mom is going to take care of most of the cooking, but she'll need help making cookies and all that. It will be up to us and his dad and brothers to decorate, and by us, I mean you. I'll have to keep him away from home and busy."
"Sure, you just want to avoid the work!" Taryn said, teasing me.
"I'll do everything I can before the day. His mom says they have plenty of decorations, so that's not a problem."
"I'll take care of the tree," Paula said.
"Are you sure? That's a big job for a…"
"Stop right there and think carefully before you finish that sentence, Owen. If you were about to say for a girl, you might get beat up by a girl," she said.
"Oh, I… uh… was going to say for one person."
"You can help."
"I can help bake cookies if his mom has the supplies," Taryn said. Everyone looked at him. "What? You don't think I can bake."
"We'll need all the help we can get in the kitchen," I said.
"Especially since a certain someone won't be there," David said.
"Hey, I'm Leif's boyfriend. It's my job to keep him busy."
"So, we work while you two get it on," Keaton said.
"We'll make a video for you so you can watch it later."
"Really?" Taryn asked.
"No, not really. We won't be getting it on, probably."
"They will only make out until they can't breathe," David said.
"We should all get him presents, but… I don't have much money," Taryn said.
"We should make him presents to show how much we care about him," Paula said.
"I can do that. I'm good at making things," Taryn said.
We continued discussing plans and I grinned. We were going to do it. We were going to have and early Christmas for Leif.
"There is one detail we haven't mentioned. When are we going to do this?" Paula asked.
"His mom thought November 10 th would be good. It's a Saturday," I said.
"That's one week from today!" David said.
"Yeah, but Leif's time is short," I said, trying to keep the sadness out of my voice.
"Let's do it then," Keaton said.
"I knew I could count on you guys," I said.
Taryn, David and Keaton set out to begin preparing for Leif's Christmas, but Paula grabbed me by the arm.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Christmas tree shopping of course."
"Uh, where?"
"How long have you lived in Chouteau, Owen?"
"Forever."
"Where does everyone get their Christmas trees?"
"But it's not near Christmas yet!"
"The trees are still there, Owen."
"Oh yeah!"
"Boys!"
We walked a few blocks and then she turned toward a large Victorian home, the kind that was plentiful in Chouteau.
"I thought we were going to see about getting a tree?"
"Do you really want to walk to the Christmas tree farm?"
"Oh. I guess not."
"I don't think your brain is all the way on today."
"Nope. I turn it off on weekends."
Her home was nice, as everyone's home except Taryn's and mine seemed to be, but I wasn't concerned about that. I was focused on Leif.
She led me into the kitchen where a woman I assumed was her mom was looking at a magazine while drinking coffee.
"Hi, mom. This is Owen and we need a ride."
Paula swore her mom to secrecy and then quickly explained what we were planning. She was shocked and upset to learn about Leif, but quickly composed herself. She grabbed a jacket and a few minutes later I was riding in the back seat of a nice car, heading out of town. It took no time at all to reach the Granger Christmas Tree Farm , but it would have been a long, long walk.
The Granger Farm was a real working farm, growing corn, soybeans and wheat year-round, but they also sold Christmas trees. The farm wasn't busy now. Halloween was over and the beans and corn had been harvested and the wheat planted, and it wasn't time for anyone to be thinking about Christmas yet. The fall decorations, including the scarecrows were still up, which made sense.
"I'm going to look around a little," Paula's mom said. "You two go take care of your business."
"We need to find Noah or Erik," she said, looking around. "Oh, there's Dave. He'll know where they are."
I followed as she approached Dave, who was blond, handsome, and very well built. I knew him from school, or knew of him since he was a senior. Probably seventeen or eighteen years old.
"Hey, Paula, hey Owen. What are you guys doing here?" he asked.
"We need to talk to Noah or Erik," she said. "It's important."
"They're taking a break up at the house. Go on up."
"Thanks."
I followed her once again as we left the old barn and headed toward a much older two-story brick house. She ignored the big front door and walked around toward the back where she knocked on a smaller door. The door was opened by a very nice-looking young man, probably in his early twenties.
"Paula, Owen! Please come in," he said.
We entered directly into a large, very old-fashioned kitchen that smelled like donuts and hot cocoa.
"We still have donuts. Let's have some with cocoa," he said.
While Noah got us donuts, a handsome blond man about the same age, poured us cups of hot cocoa.
"Thanks, Erik," Paula said.
"Yeah, thanks," I said.
"What can we do for you?" Noah asked as he and Erik sat down at the table with us.
"We need a Christmas tree for next weekend," Paula said. "We're having an early Christmas for one of our friends and Owen's boyfriend."
That brought a smile to both men's faces.
"He's not going to make it to Christmas," I said, explaining the situation. "Leif loves Christmas. I told him about the big party at the Granger Farm and how downtown is all decorated and lit up, but… he won't last that long," I said, fighting back tears as I did too often.
"So, we're having Christmas for him next Saturday at his house," Paula said.
"You can have any tree you want," Erik said.
Noah was quiet. He was lost in thought. It took him several moments to realize we were all looking at him.
"So, he really loves Christmas?" Noah asked.
"Oh, yeah. He's a Christmas nut," I said.
"Then why stop at Christmas at his house?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I think Christmas should come early to Chouteau this year."
Erik whistled.
"That's going to be a big job. We need to talk to your parents pronto."
"Let me call Leif's mom and see what she thinks of the idea first," Noah said.
We ate more donuts and drank hot cocoa while he walked into the other room and called Leif's mom. A few minutes later, he returned to the kitchen.
"Leif's mother is excited about the idea. Now, I have to talk to mom and dad. You two stay here and I'll be back soon."
We drank more hot cocoa while he made another call. Erik watched him expectantly when he returned. Noah smiled.
"Paula and Owen, if you don't mind, we're going to alter your Christmas plans a little. The Christmas you planned will be moved to the next day and the Granger Christmas party will be on November tenth."
"You mean your Christmas party?" Paula asked.
"Yes, this year Christmas will be early."
I grinned. I had never imagined this. Leif wouldn't have to miss Christmas in Chouteau after all.
Paula hugged Noah and Erik and I did too.
I realized something as her and I walked outside.
"There is one problem with this new plan. Everyone will know about Leif's illness. We're supposed to keep it a secret," I said.
"It's not going to be a secret much longer anyway. More and more people ask me about him."
"Yeah, me too. You don't think he'll be mad, do you?"
"Are you kidding? He will love this!"
"Yeah, you're right. He will."
I grinned again.
"I can't think of what to make Leif for Christmas," I said to Keaton.
"I think Paula is making him peanut butter fudge. His mom said he loves it."
"I want to make him a boyfriend present, something that says, 'I love you'."
"That is a tough one."
"Yeah, and he already has everything he could possible want, except time."
He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled at me sadly. He knew how hard Leif's illness was on me.
"Maybe a giant cookie with 'I love you' written in icing," he said.
"I don't know how to bake. I want to get him something like a teddy bear. It would be cool if I could make him a teddy bear."
"Well… my grandmother owns a sewing shop. I bet I could get her to help you. Grandmothers have a hard time saying no to grandsons."
"You think she would? That would be the greatest thing ever."
"Let's go then. Her shop is downtown. I'm sure you've seen it."
"Yeah, it has a sewing name, right."
" Sew Good !"
We walked toward downtown, which wasn't far. Nothing is far away in Chouteau. In the past, I had yearned to get away from the small town where I'd grown up, but now I had created some good memories here.
The bell rang on the door as we entered. The shop was filled with material, yarn, thread, and more sewing supplies than I could imagine. There were comfortable looking chairs here and there and the space had a cozy feel. There was an older lady knitting in a rocking chair. She looked like a grandmother.
"Keaton, how nice to see you."
"Hi, grandma."
She put down her knitting and they hugged.
"This is my friend, Owen. He wants to make a teddy bear for his boyfriend, Leif. Can you help him? He doesn't know how to sew."
"Leif? The boy who is terminally ill? That poor boy."
"Yes," I said, surprised she knew. Word sure traveled fast, too fast. "I don't have a lot of money, but I can pay you some now and I promise I will pay the rest when I can."
"Oh no. I don't want any money from you. You are so sweet to make him a teddy bear. I have lots of scrap material we can use."
"Thank you so much. I just want to make one about so high," I said, holding my hands about eight inches apart.
"Let me find the correct box," she said, going behind a counter and looking on the long shelves that ran the entire length of the small store. "Here we are. These are fake furs, perfect for making a teddy bear. Let's see. How about one of these? There is enough of each to make a bear."
She pulled out four lengths of scrap material.
"That one," I said, pointing to the white. "He's going to be a Christmas bear."
"Wonderful. Do want a bear that sits or one to hold?"
"One to hold please."
"Okay, here is a pattern for that. Keaton, can you put on a kettle for hot cocoa?"
"Sure, grandma."
He moved to the back of the store where was a very small stove. I had a feeling his grandmother spent a lot of time in her shop.
"Now, we'll spread the material out fur side down and then trace around the pattern on the back. I'll show you."
I watched as she put a paper pattern for a teddy bear on the cloth and traced around it with a marker.
"See, it's quite easy. You do the rest. Get close to the edge of the material so we don't waste any."
I carefully traced the pattern for the other arm, the legs, head, and body. Next, she guided me though cutting out to pieces with sharp scissors. It wasn't difficult, but I had to be careful. The hot cocoa was finished by then, so I took a break for a sip now and then. Keaton sat in a chair and talked with his grandmother while he watched.
"Now comes the sewing. Have you ever sewed on a machine before?"
"I've never sewed at all."
"It's not difficult. We'll practice a bit first."
We went over to one of the sewing machines near the back of the shop. She took scrap material out of a bin and sat down at the machine.
"You need to watch out for the needle. Your fingers will be very close, so be careful. It's perfectly safe if you keep your mind on what you're doing. See the pedal on the floor?" I nodded. "That operates the machine. Press the pedal and slowly guide the material under the needle like so," she said.
I watched and grew a bit nervous. I feared I'd make a mess of sewing.
"Now you try," she said.
"I can do it, so I'm sure you can," Keaton said.
"I hope you're right."
I practiced with some scrap material and it was a good thing too. I messed up my first attempt badly. I kept at it. I was determined to do this. I finally got the hand of it after several attempts.
"Now, let's start with an arm. We want the fur on the inside."
"We do?" I asked.
"Yes. After it's sewn, we'll turn it inside out so the seams won't show."
"Oh, okay."
I never took so much care in my life s I did while sewing Leif's teddy bear. I had a little trouble, but Keaton's grandmother was there to help me. She was such a kind lady. I wondered if either of my grandmothers would have been like her. All my grandparents had died when I was young, so I couldn't even remember them.
She guided me through the entire sewing, stuffing, and assembling process. She stepped away at times to help customers and she knitted while she watched me. When the shop was busy, Keaton helped out. I could tell he had helped run the shop before because he sure knew what he was doing.
After a great deal of work, my bear was finished. I held it up and looked at it. He wasn't perfect, but he looked great. He was exactly what I had in mind.
"That's a great teddy bear, Owen," Keaton said.
"Let me see him for a moment, Dear," she said.
She took the bear and fitted him with a little red knit cap and scarf, which she had knitted while I made the bear. I was so intent on the bear I hadn't realized what she was doing.
"How is that?"
"That's perfect!"
I hugged her and for some reason I almost cried. I got myself under control quickly, but for a bit there, I nearly sobbed.
"Thank you so much," I said, hugging her again. "Leif will love this."
"He's very lucky to have a boyfriend like you."
"Maybe, but I'm luckier to have him."
Keaton and I departed a few minutes later. Leif's bear was in a bag on the off chance we would run into him. I took the bear home and admired him. I couldn't believe I had made him myself. I couldn't have done it without Keaton's grandmother. There were truly nice people in the world. It was hard to remember that sometimes.
"What's that?" Anthony asked when he entered the room later.
"A teddy bear for Leif. I made him." He cocked his head. "Really! I did! I swear! Keaton's grandmother owns the sewing shop on Main Street and she guided me through the whole thing."
"Okay, I believe you. That's a great bear. You did an awesome job."
"Thanks. I can't wait to give it to him. We're having Christmas for him next week."
"I know. Word is spreading that the Granger Christmas party has been moved to next Saturday. A lot of people are getting involved. I think Leif's Christmas is going to be bigger than you think."
I grinned.
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