Christmas in 1889. A scene from 'Secrets of the Lake.'

“Why don’t you invite that boy you like so much along with his mother?” Susan had suggested to Caleb one week before the Christmas party.
“You mean Tommy Rogers?”
Susan nodded. “Tell them nobody is expected to bring presents. Just come and have a good time.”
On the day of the party, Jenny handed Susan a basket filled with cookies, cakes, and a mince pie. Susan took it, smiled, and bent down to Tommy.
“You and I are going to be good friends,” she said. “Please call me Aunt Susan.”
Tommy reached out a hand, and Susan shook it. She complimented Jenny on the vest she was wearing.
        “’Tis not much,” Jenny said. “Only cheap old gingham. I save all the good fabrics for my clients.”
         Caleb made sure they were introduced to everyone.
Susan took Tommy over to the piano. Crazy Pete, dressed in a Santa Claus suit and with a fat, brown cigar sticking out between his white beard and mustache, was playing ''Oh Little Town of Bethlehem." Charlie’s arm was around Dora. Susan had invited a handful of neighbors. Miss Ramsey was visiting relatives in Philadelphia.
“Does Tommy mind seeing Santa Claus like that?” Caleb asked as Jenny handed him an ornament to hang on the tree. He stood on top of the stepstool.
“He does’na believe in Santa Claus,” Jenny said. “He does’na even know who he is.”
        When the last ornament was ready—the silver angel that went on the top branch—Jenny tapped Caleb’s thigh with her hand.
        “Let me help,” she said. “I d’na want ye to fall.”
        Her arms were wrapped around his waist so that, stretching his full length, Caleb could feel her compact figure pressing against the backs of his legs. Slowly his hand reached up and tipped the angel into place.
        The others hurried over and burst into applause. “Perhaps ye will come down and take a bow,” Jenny said.
During dinner Major Murray appeared in his Civil War uniform, complaining that nobody had told him dinner was an hour earlier than usual. Tommy couldn’t take his eyes off the medals, and the major proceeded to explain them one by one, each coming with a story.
“I’ve been hearing the Major’s stories for years,” Charlie confided to Caleb and Jenny. “And each year they become a little harder to believe.”
Afterwards, Charlie read A Visit from St. Nicholas to everyone.  Pete sat under the Christmas tree and parceled out the presents, making sure the timing was such that every opening was a ceremony unto itself. He handed Tommy a present from Caleb.
Tommy started pulling on the ribbon.
“D’na be in such a hurry,” Jenny said.
Painfully, methodically, stubby fingers untied the ribbon and removed the shiny red and green paper. A leather box appeared, bearing the scars of use. Opening it slowly, Tommy let out a gasp.
It was a wonder of mechanical beauty and precision—it’s brass shafts gleaming like pistons, its lens reflecting the candlelight.
“It’s a microscope!” Tommy shouted, running his finger over it to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. His mouth fell open in childish wonder as he held it up for everyone to see.
        “It’s the one my father gave me when I was your age,” Caleb said. “I kept a diary of all the things I saw through it.”
 “’Tis beautiful what ye be holding in your hand,” his mother said, her eyes glowing.
“I think Mr. McBride expects great things from Tommy,” Susan said.
Pete handed Caleb another present, this one marked “for Jenny.” Caleb held it behind his back for a moment, eyeing her with a sheepish smile.
She pretended not to notice. He handed it to her and her jaw dropped.
“For me?”
“For you, Mrs. Rogers.”
She took it and slowly removed the paper, folding it neatly and wrapping the ribbon around it. She removed the tissue and burst into tears.
In a silver frame was the photograph taken of them at the Science Fair. “May the Saints be praised—‘tis all of us like in a family,” Jenny said. She clutched it to her bosom, tears rolling down her cheeks, her body convulsing in sobs.
They watched her in silence. Susan stood behind Tommy, her hands on his shoulders.
“I am so sorry,” Jenny apologized, handing the photo to Caleb, who began passing it around as she reached for a handkerchief. “’Tis just that Tommy and I have never had our pictures taken.” She paused. “’Tis a thing of beauty, Mr. McBride. Our photograph together.”
An hour later Caleb offered to walk them home, but Jenny refused.
“Thank ye, sir, but we do not wish to bother ye further,” she said as they put on their winter coats. She moved in front of Caleb and stood facing him for a long moment. “I just want ye to know how much we appreciate our presents, Mr. McBride.”
They thanked Susan and said goodbye to everyone.
“Goodbye, Tommy,” Susan said, coming over to shake his hand.
“Goodbye, Aunt Susan,” Tommy said.
The door creaked shut behind them. They were gone.
Later, Susan sat on the couch with Caleb as the party continued, quieter, more subdued, with Pete’s piano beginning to sound repetitive.
“He certainly is a pleasant, little boy,” she said. “And he absolutely worships you.”
“I think he has a bright future,” Caleb said. “If only he can stay in school and not have to go to work in the mill.”
“The mother seems nice. She told me she does sewing for Gloria Mueller. That certainly speaks well of Jenny,” Susan said.
They stood up and walked over to the piano, where everyone had gathered for one last round of carols. They sang Silent Night, Away in a Manger, and Deck the Halls with Boughs of Ivy.
Caleb went up to his room, removed his clothes, donned his nightshirt, and crawled into bed. Tonight he didn’t dream of Annabelle. Instead, he dreamed of opening a Christmas present when he was a child and finding a microscope. But when he peered through the lens in his dream all he could see was darkness.