THE CHRISTMAS SEARCH

"HE IS IN PRISON."

We got to my mother's house past three p.m., she was outside, seated on the stairs that led to the door, enjoying the cold breeze, the snow had fallen quite early in the morning. "Mother!!" Owen said loudly as he alighted from the car, he spread his arms to hug her.

"Dearest mother!" Cecilia said, as she walked towards my mother and Owen who were hugging each other.

"What are you doing outside, ma? It's quite cold." I said.

"I am out here to enjoy nature for a while." She replied as she smiled. "It's good to see you all."

"Let's go inside, please, it's too cold outside. You will begin coughing soon enough." I helped her up, we walked ahead as we went inside. Owen and Cecilia, with smiles on their face, walked behind. We got inside and all sat on the sofa, but my mother insisted we go sit at the dining table. "I made some cookies this morning. I was trying to see if I hadn't lost touch." She giggled.

"We'd sure love to have some." Cecilia replied. My mother walked into the kitchen. I was surprised she was able to walk without her walking stick. "You can walk independently now?" I asked.

"Seems I can, after all. I have depended too much on the poor old stick." She laughed softly as she came out with a plate of cookies in her hands. She nagged about her back as she dropped the plate in front of Owen and Cecilia who sat beside each other. "Where's mine?" I asked.

"Go and get them yourself. You aren't a guest in this house, young lady." She replied as she sat on the chair beside me. Owen and Cecilia laughed as they each took a piece of cookie from the plate.

"Oh, you haven't lost your touch, mother." Cecilia commented after taking a bite from the cookie.

"She sure hasn't." Owen replied. My mother laughed at their compliment, then began coughing. I rushed up to get water from the kitchen, I carried my own plate of cookies along. "Sorry, mother." Owen commented.

"I wonder why you sat outside. Look at you coughing now. You know the breeze won't help your condition." I said as I poured her a glass of water.

"I was putting on sweater." She replied, holding the glass.

"A sweater isn't enough." I replied.

"You can't make her stay indoors all day, Naomi." Cecilia stated.

"I know. I just... I just don't want anything happening to her." I replied.

"What brings the three of you here today?" Mother asked, after she drank from the glass in her hand.

"We came to see you. It's been years since we were last here." Cecilia said.

"That's kind of you all." She replied.

"We actually came to ask you some questions." I said.

"Okay? Questions about what?"

"Nathaniel." I replied.

"What about him?"

"How much do you know about him?" I asked.

"Enough to have sex with him." She laughed softly. We all laughed, too.

"Was he involved in any kind of dodgy activity back at town?" Owen asked.

"I am not sure. He was a famous man around town back then. He was a mechanic. He was handsome, almost everyone around town admired him. The only time he had issue with the police was when he fought with an officer over a lady. He was a flirt." My mother laughed softly.