12 Days of Christmas || The Prescott Family Dinner|| part two

PART TWO
She rushed to the kitchen in a panic. without bothering to put an apron she open the stove and peered anxiously in. Everything appeared to be fine but, than what was making that awful smell? She couldn’t have her house smelling like burnt food. Not when everyone was arriving.
 Upon further investigation she found the source of the smell. Down in one of the corners of the oven was a shriveled piece of bread nearly black and smoking terribly. Cecelia suddenly remembered that she had put it there earlier that morning planning on only warming it up for a few minutes but, in the craziness of her morning she had completely forgotten about it. Quickly grabbing it out of the oven she open the window and toss the bread out.
Just in time. There was a knock at the front door, smoothing her hair she hurried up to greet her first guests. The house has begun to fill with Family from near and far, the sound of laughter and peoples voices rang cheerily throughout the house. Pies, cakes and all sorts of delicious treats filled the table as aunts and, cousins brought their most prized recipes. Soon the announcement was made that lunch was ready to be served. Somehow they were able to crowd around the table, Andrew gave a beautiful prayer that would have made uncle Richard ( the clans only minister) proud. Then the eating begin. Cecelia watched in delight as people exclaimed over how delightful and delicious the food was. Even Aunt Grace who was an exceptional cook and consequently quite picky with her meal preferences declared that Cecilia’s cranberry sauce with some of the best she had ever eaten. Afterwords the family lingered around the table partially because they were too full to leave and partially because it really was a comfortable dining room. Instead of sitting and catching up with her family Cecelia began to clear away the empty dishes and proceeded to stack them in the kitchen. Then she brought out the desserts and served them to her already full guests.
 Later after eating all the delicious food they could Cecelia sister Sara began to play the old and cherished hymns of Christmas. Others joined in and soon the whole family stood around the piano lustily singing out the beautiful verses of old.. God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing be dismayed. Remember Christ the Savior was born on Christmas Day.
That is all of the family except Cecelia. She was busily trying to clean out the stain from one of her linen napkins. The hours flew by and one by one the relatives left calling out merry Christmas goodbyes.
Then they were gone.
Dismally Cecelia looked about her house. Was it only a couple hours ago that it was in pristine condition? Somehow she didn’t feel quite as satisfied and happy as she should have. Everything had gone perfectly. No one had argued or spoke of unpleasant things. They why did she feel so empty?
Suddenly a tear trickled down her face.
Noticing her tears Andrew took her hands and his warm strong ones. “What’s the matter my dear?” His blue eyes searched her face. “ The dinner went splendid, I sure I haven’t eaten that much in goodness knows when.”
 Cecelia sighed and set down the dish she was drying.
“Oh I don’t know what it is” she said glumly. “ I know everything was perfect, and lovely and wonderful. And its selfish of me to feel this way but I only wish that I wouldn’t have put all my effort into everything but the people around me. I spent so much time trying to make everything perfect that I missed out on spending time with the people that I love. And I just realized this very instant that all these weeks I spent planning and, decorating don’t matter half as much as taking time and being present. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed again. “It really was a beautiful day though, wasn’t it Andrew.”
Andrew looked lovingly down at his wife “yes it certainly was, and still is. Look here Cecilia, grab your coat and mittens and let’s go on an evening ramble.”
A few minuets later they stepped outside into a world of majestic beauty. The snow was gently falling from the sky. The lights from the village in the valley flickered like hundreds of candles filling the world around them.
The echoes of Christmas Carolers and laughter faintly drifted in the air.
The couple stood hand in hand each silently taking in the splendor before there eyes. The disappointment Cecilia had felt a few minuets ago vanished away. She breathed in the clear, fresh winter air and whispered softly.
“Oh Andrew listen, hear the Church bells Chime.”
And all over the beautiful town came the grand old message of peace on earth and, good will to men.
THE END