The Chronicles of Emilie Duckman-Part 4

Shared Holidays

It was Christmas morning.It was also the first night of Chanukah that night.Which meant it was going to be Claire's first Christmas and Chanukah.But since Christmas was celebrated in the morning,for reasons that still confused Emilie,Claire would be celebrating Christmas first.
"Claire,Claire,no.You're supposed to open the present,not put the bow on your head."said Gladstone as Claire put the gift's bow on her head.
"I think you should help her."said Emilie while filming everything with her phone.
"Yeah."agreed Gladstone.Gladstone went towards the present, and opened it for Claire.It was a small fuzzy hot pink rocking horse.But Claire was more interested in the wrapping paper.
"Seriously?"said Gladstone when he saw his daughter playing with the wrapping paper. "You would rather play with wrapping paper then a pink-"
"Hot pink"interrupted Emilie.
"Oh,I'm sorry Ms.Crayola,hot pink rocking horse?"continued Gladstone.
"Try moving it."suggested Emilie.Gladstone sighed.He didn't know if it would work,or not,but he really wanted Claire to at the very least touch the rocking horse.
It worked.Claire stopped playing with the wrapping paper, and began showing an interest in the rocking horse.
"Ee,Ee."quacked Claire reaching for the rocking horse.
"Yes!"said Gladstone in happiness as he picked up Claire, and put her on the rocking horse.
Claire looked at it when she was on it.It was fuzzy, and warm.But she wanted it to move like Daddy made it moved.How can she make it move?
"Mmm."whimpered Claire.
"Here,"said Emilie,handing her phone to Gladstone. "Like this Claire."Emilie put her hand on Claire's back, and pushed her back, and forth.Claire began to giggle.
"She likes it!"said Gladstone happily.
"Let's hope she likes her other presents."said Emilie.
Whether or not Claire liked her other gifts was unclear.She did seem to acknowledge them,but she seemed more interested in the wrapping paper,bows, and ribbons that they were wrapped in.Plus,she seemed more attached to the rocking horse to really pay attention to the other presents.
"Well,all the presents are unwrapped."said Gladstone when the presents were unwrapped.
"Do you think we got Claire too many presents?"asked Emilie.
"Of course not."said Gladstone. "Why would you think that?"
"By the amount of presents she got.And that's not counting the one she's getting for Chanukah."
"Okay,so maybe she did get too many presents, but we can cut back for her first birthday."
Emilie raised an eyebrow.She knew she would be able to control herself when it came to getting Claire presents when her first birthday came around, but she wasn't so sure about Gladstone.
"What? I can cut back on presents for Claire."insisted Gladstone.Emilie didn't say anything.

                                                                          *     *    *

It was night time.At least,it looked like night time,as it was dark.Emilie was almost done cooking dinner,apple latkes,while Gladstone was sitting the table.There was only more one thing to take out.
Emilie's family menorah.Like her wedding dress,it was a family heirloom.But unlike the wedding dress,it didn't have a happy history.It had spots of blood on it.Gladstone couldn't understand how Emilie could look at it without crying.
Gladstone put the menorah on the table.He wondered if Emilie would tell Claire why there was blood on the menorah.There was only one way to find out.
"Hey Ems?"said Gladstone looking into the kitchen.
"Stay out of my kitchen!" snapped Emilie.
"I'm in the doorway."
"Oh,right.Of course."
"I was wondering-if you were going to tell Claire-why-"
"Yes.But not now.Later.When she's older."
"Oh.Okay."said Gladstone leaving the doorway of the kitchen.That wasn't so bad.But she didn't say how old she would be.But then again,it wasn't like it was something that could be avoided.
Eventually,the latkes were ready.After Emilie lit the Chanukah candles,she decided to tell the story of Chanukah.Her version of the story of Chanukah.
"Long ago,in a land called Israel,or as it was known at that time,Judea,there were the Greeks.Who were cheap knockoff of the Romans,as such they demanded that the citizens of the land became Greek also.But there was a Jewish man who didn't like that.His name was Judah Macbee.With his fellow Jews,they used the force-"
"Wait?what?"interrupted Gladstone while feeding Claire. "I thought this was the story of Chanukah?"
"It is.Now where was I?Oh right!"said Emilie. "The Macbees had to fight the evil Greeks who used their own dark force against the Macbees.So the Macbees decided to use smoke bombs to conceal themselves so the Greeks wouldn't notice them.This resulted in them winning."
"And a story that's about 30% true."
"What's wrong with a combination of Star Wars, and Darkwing Duck?"
"Historic accuracy?"
"I was going to add the oil, and the miracle."
"Okay."
"After winning the war the Macbees decided to clean everything up.But there was only one flask of oil.But they had to make it count-"
"Or else the Greek General would return from the dead?"
"No.But I wished I've thought that."said Emilie.Gladstone facepalmed himself.
"But by some strange miracle,it lasted for eight days.And that's why we celebrate Chanukah."ended Emilie.Claire looked at her mother.That was the weirdest story she ever heard.
"Now that dinner's finished,is it time for presents?"asked Gladstone.
"Yes!Presents!One per a night!"said Emilie.
A present a night?That didn't sound so bad to Claire.But she had no idea what she got.
"A dreidel?"said Gladstone.
"What? I had a dreidel.Besides I got her gelt too!"said Emilie showing Gladstone the chocolate coins on the table.Claire picked up the dreidel, and spin it.In her own baby way, and keep getting gimel.
"Hey,Emilie,what does that mean?"said Gladstone after a while of him, and Emilie watching Claire.
"Gimel .It means you win the whole pot."answered Emilie.
"Oh,great."said Gladstone.But inwardly he was feeling just the opposite.

The End.
Of the whole The Chronicles of Emilie Duckman series!Stay tun for the sequel,The Rise, and Fall of F.O.W.L.