Page 5 of I Am Salvation

Still, I can’t wait. Last year I got Hot Wheels that go upside down. I still love playing with those.

Daddy hands a present to Griffin, and she rips off the red wrapping. Her eyes light up. “It’s a jewelry box!”

“Open it,” Mom says.

Griffin opens the lid, and a little ballerina turns around while music plays. Not much to excite me, but Griffin loves it.

Dad hands me a gift then. “Your turn, Dragon.”

I open the gift, and I gasp with happiness. “Drumsticks!”

“Yes, your fingers are getting big enough for a new size.” Dad grins. “Now you’ll really be able to play your drum even better.”

I love my drum. It’s called a snare drum. Daddy got it for me when Griffin was just a baby. I’ve been playing it for a while, though Mom and Dad don’t have enough money for me to have lessons. Dad bought me a book, and I read it and taught myself. He says one day I can have a whole drum set. Maybe next Christmas.

“All right,” Mommy says. “Griffin, it’s your turn again.”

I grab the box wrapped in pink wrapping paper with bells and Christmas trees scattered over it. “Open this one, Griffin. It’s from me.”

“Okay, Dragon.” She smiles at me and rips the paper off to expose a white shirt box.

“Well,” Mommy says, “open the box, Griffin.”

“What could be in here?” Griffin lifts the lid from the box and gasps, a huge smile on her face. “New jammies!” She pulls them out and hugs them to herself. “Can I put them on now?”

“Don’t you want to say thank you to Dragon first?” Daddy asks.

“Yes!” Griffin squeals. “Thank you, Dragon!” She launches herself at me and knocks us both down. “I’m going to put them on right now.”

“Don’t you want to finish opening your presents first?” Mom asks.

“No. I want to put on these new jammies.” Griffin prances around the room. “And then we’ll open the rest of the presents, okay?”

“All right, Griffin.” Mom scoops up Griffin and takes her back to her room.

Five minutes later, they return. The pajamas are a little big on Griffin, but Mom said we should get the larger size so she could wear them longer.

Griffin hugs herself. “I love them! Now, I want my next present!”

Present day…

It’s not a package so much as a metal box with my name on it. The box itself doesn’t alarm me.

What’s affixed to the outside of it does.

It’s a piece of fabric cut in the shape of a heart.

My own heart nearly stops.

Although it’s faded from what I remember, the design is unmistakable. It’s pink flannel with rainbows scattered across it.

Our last Christmas…

Griffin’s pajamas that I picked out…

I stoop down, lift the metal box, and open it. Inside is a simple piece of paper with a phone number on it.

That’s it.

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