FAMILY 

(for previous chapters, please scroll down)

S3 Round Robin (2025) 

Chapter 2

Cindy

 

(Earlier, while delivering the Winterfest candles…)

 

“Did you ever do this? With my father?” Jacob asked Devin, with Alex in tow.

“With your father and mine,” Devin answered, eying the branching path before them. Left went toward the Great Falls. Right went toward Eli’s shop. Farther down, the way branched again, left toward (eventually) Chinatown, and right toward…

Devin’s mind went blank. I can’t have been gone so long I forget which way the paths lead… have I?

“Eli says he still has the old piano Rolley used to play for him, back when he was a little boy,” Jacob chattered, veering toward the right. It was clear that Eli’s Fix-It shop was their first stop, today.

“I take piano lessons. But only because my mom makes me,” Alex replied, both the children momentarily unaware of Devin’s momentary confusion.

“Lessons are for the unimaginative,” Devin quipped. “Just make it up as you go. That’s my motto.”

Alex pulled a wry face. “I think that works better in Kenya than it does with Beethoven,” she advised, adjusting the burlap bag on her arm. Inside, the Winterfest candles shifted subtly.

“Which is why I prefer Kenya to composers,” Devin said smoothly.

“Did your Mom ever make you do stuff you didn’t want to do?” Alex asked Devin blithely, unaware that for Devin, the subject could be a painful one.

Jacob tried to shoot her a warning look, but it was unsuccessful. She was staring up at Devin’s handsome, scarred face. The brown eyes flickered.

Grace. He felt her name as he felt not just the loss of her, but the loss of never knowing her at all.

He looked down at Alex, and recovered himself. Part of being a fraud was knowing how to school your expression.

“No, but my father sure did. Or at least he tried to,” Devin replied, hoping he’d hidden the sudden sensation of loss he was feeling.

Alex finally caught Jacob’s sideways glance, and let any further question go. Devin, for his part, put his hands in his jacket pockets, a sure sign that he was thinking.

“Just a little further down,” Jacob nudged, guiding them onward.

“Yeah. First stop, Eli’s,” Devin said. He watched the kids scamper on ahead of him, content to let them lead. They looked happy and excited. They reminded him a little of himself and Vincent at that age. The reminiscence was bittersweet.

I’m in my damn forties, and it’s almost Christmas. Charles is gone. Every bit of life I claim as my own is actually me pretending to be someone else. I’m back in a home I ran away from, and I can’t even remember all the pathways, or where they lead. Vincent swears we’re still brothers, but what kind of brother have I been, coming in and out only when it suits me? Father and I… too much left unsaid, between us, and most of the words would be harsh ones, if we spoke them aloud….

Jacob turned around as he walked, sensing the distance between himself and his uncle. “Grandpa taught me to play chess. Dad says he taught him, too. Did he teach you?” Jacob asked.

“Yes. Probably just so he could beat me, regular,” Devin replied. The old tunnel wound on, but at least parts of its bends and turns were looking more familiar. That was the good thing about granite. Time wore it very little.

“Dad beats Grandpa all the time. Maybe you could read a book on chess. Dad could lend you one.”

“I bet he could,” Devin replied, making the last turn with the children. Before him stood a short set of stairs and a large, iron door, the one that led to Eli’s basement.

“First delivery, coming up!” Devin said, hoping his enthusiasm didn’t sound forced. Alex’s smile matched Jacob’s. And their joy was just a bit contagious.

“Eli keeps hot chocolate on a burner in the shop,” Jacob enthused, already anticipating a reward for his efforts.

Devin knocked loudly, before he tugged on the old door. It was hard to budge.

Good thing I came along. From the stiffness of this door, it looks like nobody’s been to visit Eli since last year, Devin thought.

He put his shoulder into it, and the heavy door creaked open. Not fully, but enough so that the three messengers could come inside. Eli, just about to come help open it, stood in the dusty basement of his shop, smiling at the trio. His gloved hands clapped, and clasped together.

“Winterfest is soon! And look who brings it to me! Three visitors! Three is a lucky number. Jacob, is this your first year without your father in tow?” Eli asked, a broad smile on his face.

Jacob beamed. “Yep! Alex came, too. And Uncle Devin, but he’s just tagging along. I could have done it by myself!” Jacob declared, handing over Eli’s candle.

“So you could, so you could. Come in, come in!” Eli gestured. “Alex! Prettier than last year and even more tall. Devin! It’s been too long. So good to see you again!” Eli had warm hugs for all of them.

“Good to see you, Eli,” Devin replied, returning the embrace. He’d often spent time here, as a boy.

It feels good to be home, Devin realized, and let it go at that.

“Children, I know you are busy. But perhaps some hot chocolate on this cold, winter day?” Eli tempted.

“Please and thank you!” Alex enthused, following Eli past the old piano… and a houseful of other cast-offs and left behinds. It was an amazing place. The kind you could get lost in for hours, poking through all the stuff.

Eli escorted the small party into his shop, and cordially poured hot chocolate into Styrofoam cups, before he returned a battered carafe to its warmer.

“Hey! Is that a train set? Does it work?” Jacob asked, fascinated by a toy that ran solely on electricity.  Most of his possessions couldn’t be plugged in.

“An old one. All metal parts. Just got it going in time for the holidays,” Eli replied, indicating that the children could explore the toy.

“My cousin has one of these,” Alex said to Jacob. “I’ll show you how to work it.”

“Watch your drinks. Don’t spill anything on it!” Devin warned as the pair went over to inspect Eli’s latest bit of salvage work.

“We’ll be careful!” Jacob promised, already fascinated by how the metal tracks hooked together.

The two adults looked on, as the children explored their new find.

“That’s practically a museum piece,” Devin observed.

“So am I,” Eli returned, enjoying the adult company. He turned to face his guest.

“It’s been a long time, Devin,” Eli said, polishing his glasses on a rag. The children began to play, their interested chatter fading over the sound of the electric train, as it clicked down the tracks.

“Three years, almost. I think,” Devin replied. “You know, I think Jacob looks a little more like his mother every year.”

He did. Though the little boy still had Vincent’s stunning blue eyes, the soft color of his hair and a jawline that was slowly sneaking in on him was definitely Catherine’s.

Jacob’s blue eyes followed the train around the track, and his head tilted just a bit, causing his sandy hair to fall over his eyes for a moment before he reached up and pushed it back behind his ear. The gesture was one Catherine often used to use, when she was studying a legal brief. It made Devin miss her, a little bit.

You’d love him, Cathy. You’d love him so much, Devin thought.

“Catherine was a beautiful woman,” Eli said approvingly.

“Yeah, she was. I didn’t really notice it, before, but you can definitely see Cathy in him.” Devin said.

“He’ll be nine next year. It’s hard to believe,” Eli said. “And considering who his father is, maybe it’s just as well that he favors his mother.”

Devin and Eli both chuckled at that, a little, as Devin took a sip from his cup. “Here he is, and I’m getting older. But you? You look the same, Eli. How do you do it?” Devin asked.

Eli accepted the compliment in the spirit it was intended, even though he knew it to be a bit of a fib. The last decade had passed for him just like it had for everyone. Arthritis was settling into his fingers, making it harder to turn a screwdriver, or apply a wrench. But it wasn’t so bad he had to give up the shop. Not yet, at least.

“You think I’m the same, you should see Sebastian. He was in here last week, browsing through some things. I think he actually looks younger!” Eli enthused.

“Sebastian! God, it’s been years. I didn’t see him on my last visit. Or the one before that, even,” Devin said, realizing that for some of the helpers he’d known since childhood, not all had received his attention.

“You missed a few Winterfests. And… I was very sorry to hear about Charles,” Eli sympathized.

“Wow!” Jacob interjected, dialing up the power so the train moved faster. The children were engrossed.

“It… it happened suddenly. And then… I was in Kenya,” Devin replied smoothly to Eli, by way of explaining why he’d been away for so long. “And… thank you. I think it was… what, five, six  years since my last Winterfest? Mary taught Charles how to waltz.”

Eli nodded. “Sounds right. Mary’s a good woman. And… that reminds me of something, Devin. Something Sebastian brought me. Something you might just want.”

“Oh? What’s that?” Devin asked, curious as to what the street magician might have that Devin might desire.

A deck of trick cards? A magic wand?

Eli made his way over to a tall shelf, and even Devin had to be impressed by the vast array of contents, strewn across it: And old coffee maker sat cheek to jowl with an electric drill, which was being propped up by a toaster, held in place by a dented trumpet, which sat next to a toy fire truck. Drill bits, rusting hammers, cardboard boxes full of who-knew-what and other items seemed to hold court in the cramped, dusty space.

Devin bet Eli could name every object on the shelf, where it came from, its likely value, and what it would take to get it working again, if it was broken. It was a gift he had; the gift of memory, and a love for fixing broken things.

“Now, Sebastian brought me this,” Eli said, reaching into a box. His hand fumbled around a bit, before he located what he wanted. “Said he had it for decades, and asked if I could fix it for him. It just needed a little spring…”

He grasped what he wanted and carefully tugged it out. It was a small box.

Proudly, Eli brought it over.

“A box. A music box?” Devin asked, recognizing the small, wooden, carved box for what it was.

Eli smiled. “The hinge was a little rusty, and the music wouldn’t play. I fixed it up for him, but he said I should hold onto it, maybe. It was a Winterfest gift to him, he said. From a long time ago.”

Devin lifted the lid to the box. A small round mirror inside the lid showed his reflection. A long-ago tune, one Devin didn’t even recognize, began to play, softly.

“This is nice, Eli, but… why would you save it for me?” Devin asked.  “I mean, I like it and all, but…”

“It’s not the gift, it’s who it came from,” Eli said, handing over a small brass key. “Now, these old music boxes, you wound them with one of these,” Eli said. “Not too tight, though! Or you’ll break the spring!”

Devin nodded, indicating he understood the workings of the simple machine.

“Look. See how old? A real antique, this one!” Eli said, carefully removing the bottom panel on the box. Inside, a playing wheel gently plucked at metal tines, as it spun around. “Sometimes, they had a secret compartment. So you could hide a love letter, or a picture of your beloved. But I didn’t want to take it apart to look for anything like that. Was too afraid I might damage the wood,” Eli rambled.

“Yes, but-“

“Sebastian said he got it as a present, you see?” Eli said, returning the cover to its place. “It was one of the first Winterfest presents he ever got.”

“That’s nice, and I like Sebastian and all…”

“My turn!” Alex declared, happily taking over control of the noisy train. The children changed position, all deliveries of Winterfest candles seemingly forgotten, for the moment.

Eli tugged on Devin’s arm, pulling him away a bit, from the children.

“Sebastian said if I saw you again, I should give it to you. Only to you,” Eli said, meaning, in his tone.

“Okay. Why?” Devin asked. Though he knew Sebastian, the two men hadn’t been particularly close, over the years. He was a friend of Devin’s childhood, and a good one of those, but just that.

Eli gave Devin a thoughtful look.

“Because… because he said that before it came to him, it belonged to someone else.” Eli sighed, not sure how his news would be received, all things considered.

“Spit it out, Eli,” Devin nudged.

Eli sighed, again, weariness in his tone.

“It was a gift from your mother, Devin. This music box. They were friends, and she wanted to give him something. It came to Sebastian as a Winterfest gift… from Grace.”

“From… my mother?” Devin asked. The words felt strange, in his mouth. He looked down. “My mother… held this?”

Eli could only nod.

Devin stroked the inlaid wood, reverence in the gesture. “This… this once belonged to Grace?” Devin repeated, rocked. The noise from the electric train faded to a dull hum, in the distance. The old wood felt warm, in his hands. The tinkling tune continued.

“From Grace… the year before you were born,” Eli said gently.