Page 65 of Now and Forever

Eric grins.

“Wait until we finish the game,” says Flyn.

His complete lack of innocent anticipation always stuns me. My niece, Luz, is surely screaming and jumping up and down with happiness on seeing the gifts under the tree! But I have no intention of paying any attention to him. So, when Norbert and Simona come in, I nudge Eric off the couch.

“Come on, let’s sit by the tree. I want to give you your gifts.”

Flyn complains again, but this time Eric scolds him. The boy quiets, gets up, and sits with us by the tree. Eric pulls four envelopes from his pants pocket and gives one to each of us.

“Happy holidays!”

Simona and Norbert thank him and, without opening the envelopes, put them away. I don’t know what to do with mine, but I watch Flyn open his. “Two thousand euros! Thank you, Uncle Eric!”

Incredulous, dazed, astounded, and stunned, I stare at Eric.

“Did you just give a check for two thousand euros to a boy for Three Kings’ Day?”

Eric nods.

“There’s no need for all that silliness with gifts,” says Flyn. “I already know who the Three Kings are.”

That explanation doesn’t convince me.

“For the love of God, Eric! How could you do such a thing?”

“I’m practical, sweetheart.”

Just then, Simona hands Flyn a small box. The boy opens it and screams with delight on seeing a new game for his Wii. Happy to see him so thrilled, even if it’s over another game that’ll keep him glued to a screen, I give Simona and Norbert my gifts—a wool jacket for her and gloves and a scarf for him. Neither stops thanking me and apologizing for not having a gift for me. The poor souls, they’re so embarrassed!

I keep pulling gifts from my big bag. I hand one to Eric and several to Flyn. Eric quickly opens his and smiles at the blue scarf I bought him and the Armani shirt. He loves them! Flyn watches, his gifts still in his hands. Determined to make peace with this kid, I look at him lovingly.

“Come on, dear,” I say. “Open them. I hope you like them!”

For a few seconds, the boy contemplates the packages and the box before him. He focuses on the big box wrapped in red. He looks at me and at the box and then again at me and at the box, but he doesn’t touch it.

“I promise it won’t bite.”

Suspicious as always, Flyn picks up the box. Simona and Norbert encourage him. He looks at it as if not knowing what to do with it.

“Rip the paper; come on, just rip it,” I say.

He does, and he begins to unwrap the gift as we all watch. Once he takes the wrapping paper off, though, the box is still sealed.

“Come on, open it!”

When the boy opens the box and sees what’s in it, he exclaims, “Oh!”

Yes ... he likes it!

I know it. I can tell.

I smile triumphantly and look over at Eric, but his face has changed. He’s not smiling anymore. Neither are Simona and Norbert. They all look at the green skateboard with such solemn faces.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

Eric takes the skateboard from the boy’s hands and shoves it back in the box.

“Jude, return this.”

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